Air - Questions and Answers!

[Varion]

Originally Posted by martino

I'm not sure whether I asked this before or not...anyway.

I should have some free time and I was wondering as to which should I watch first, Summer Special or AIR TV? (I already watched the movie btw - wrong move, I know...)

Thanks

Watch the summer specials half way through episode 8 Or, after episode 8 if you'd rather not stop mid-episode. That's chronologically where they fit in and it might make 9 a bit more powerful to have seen it that way.

[outcast_within]

Originally Posted by Amaranthine

Spoiler:

Michiru dided before she was born, but her spirit met Kanna and used one of her feathers to return to earth, because she knew how much trouble there was with her mother and Minagi. When they're reunited and happy again she no longer has a place there, so she returns Kanna's feather, bringing with it happy memories. She poofed away because she wasn't exactly real...

(And Minagi's my favourite too, btw. )

The feather was Kanna's feather; when Kano was able to meet and thank her mother she overcame the "possession", after that the feather returned to Kanna and brought with it that happy memory. So it is important, as it would contribute to breaking the curse that was placed on Kanna. It's also important in a storytelling sense and all that, but if you've watched it I'm sure you can see why.

There's no definite answer as to what the kids at the end mean. There are some post about it though. A couple of examples are this and this. Yes, I wrote one of those. That's why I could find them easily to give examples. ^^;
There's also some stuff in the recovered thread content near the beginning of this thread. If you don't want to go through all that, here's one short explanantion.

Spoiler:

OshadowO
2005-10-24, 00:57
ok i'll try and answer what i can, but most of this is still open to interpretation.

1)Misuzu dies and her soul returns to the sky but this time with happy memories she got from having spent the time with her mother. There's a bit more to it though. There's debate as to whether or not the two kids seen in the ending were yukito and misuzu reincarnated.

And the last one... hmmm, not that I know of. I think everything's answered throughout this thread though...

Cool thanks for answering the questions. I'm now into it that i'll read the whole topic ^_^

[AznOverThere]

i watched the seris twice started to get the pionts i didnt befor but the ending..well is to sad >< but i dont really get what the kid ment by "for them cruel days ahead, but for us a new beggining".... o_0 but in my opinin i think this was one of my fav anime =)

Spoiler:

if he becomes a crow how would he save kanna or misuzi?or if he fails how will the next generation set her free if hes a crow..?

[flair627]

What exactly is the aozora scene and how does the anime series version differ from the game version?? Is it the scene with the song thats not the OP or ED?

[Minoto]

Originally Posted by flair627

What exactly is the aozora scene and how does the anime series version differ from the game version?? Is it the scene with the song thats not the OP or ED?

Episode 12, 11:23 - 18:17 or so...the song playing from 12:48 through 14:26 is Giniro (a shortened, instrumental version of Aozora), while Aozora itself comes in from 14:47 to about 18:17. One could say that the scene itself is a bit shorter than that, considering that the most emotional part of the scene ends around 16:15, and the rest is just follow-up, but that should give you the general idea.

I can't really say for sure how it differs from the game, as I haven't gotten that far yet, but from what I've read, the game does a better job of explaining the events (which are somewhat compressed in the anime) leading up to this scene, and it's easier to understand and even more emotionally effective when it occurs. To which, all I can say is "wow..."

[martino]

I just finished the TV series and Summer Special.

"Sugoi" is all I have to say. Episode 11 and start of episode 12 really made me cry. It's just so much better than the movie, but the movie is allright if you don't want to spend 6 hours watching the whole series.

Oh, and my question:
How did Yukito break the curse?

[Vexx]

There's a variety of opinion on whether he *broke* the curse or just made substantial headway in weakening it. I get the impression that previous cycles had made little or no headway and THIS cycle was important because progress was made.

caveat: I've not really built up the nerve to watch the movie because the series messed me up for so long... a lot of my kin (including two younger brothers) have died over the years and the climax of the series just really busted some nice walls I'd constructed for myself. I still tighten up when I hear Aozora ... though its a beautiful tune.

[Rengemaru]

I don't he broke the seal because like what Ureha said in episode 9

Spoiler:

The curse that has taken Kanna captive will break someday. When that happens, Kanna-sama's spirit will return to earth and will probably repeat the cycle of life.

However, transferring the spirit of a winged being to a human is like transforming the water of an ocean to a small container.
Before it finishes pouring in, the container will break.
Kanna-sama's spirit, without time to heal, will return to the cycle of life.

So actually the curse has already been lifted long before Yukito meet Misuzu.
But the true question remains "Did Kanna's wounds were healed and were she able to reincarnate as a normal humen being?"

[Vexx]

OK.. that makes sense

Spoiler:

(since she's able to return at all for short periods). But clearly there's still a lot of "rescuing" to do over future cycles (or maybe it is better called aid/repair/rehabilitation). The two children at the beach and their cryptic remarks ... (in that odd bit of reverse overlapping timeline incarnation) ... may indicate that she has been healed but I've seen too many pie fights over that idea to really set myself on any strict interpretation.

[Rengemaru]

I agree but....

Spoiler:

that will remain a mystery until the writer or KEY explain it or publish a sequel to it, but it's feared that AIR might become the 2nd evangelion that way. So in my openion, leave it as it is

[Amaranthine]

Originally Posted by Rengemaru

I don't he broke the seal because like what Ureha said in episode 9

Spoiler:

The curse that has taken Kanna captive will break someday. When that happens, Kanna-sama's spirit will return to earth and will probably repeat the cycle of life.

However, transferring the spirit of a winged being to a human is like transforming the water of an ocean to a small container.
Before it finishes pouring in, the container will break.
Kanna-sama's spirit, without time to heal, will return to the cycle of life.

So actually the curse has already been lifted long before Yukito meet Misuzu.
But the true question remains "Did Kanna's wounds were healed and were she able to reincarnate as a normal humen being?"

Hrrm, I don't agree... don't feel like I'm trying to sway you to my point of view though. I think everyone should stick with the interpretation that makes the most sense to them initially... I just like to present my view of it as well. ^^;

Disclaimer: I find this series easier to understand intuitively rather than rationally and intellectually. Hence this might not be the greatest expanation ever.

Spoiler:

I don't believe that her reincarnations are an indication that the curse has lifted, in fact I believe quite the opposite. The curse is forcing her spirit to be reincarnated, and not allowing it to heal. She's suffering, and her spirit needs a period without reincarnation to shake off the effects of the curse... but another effect of the curse is that it doesn't allow her that time.¹ The lives of her reincarantions (er... it might or might not be helpful to know what I think about them, if you haven't already read it here) are filled with more suffering, and the whole thing keeps on going. That's why happy memories were necessary to lift the curse. (Yes, I do think it was lifted.)

¹Or possibly one of these is because of a second curse, the one which her mother had... I honestly can't remember about that right now, sorry. :/ It doesn't make much difference though, the effects are what's most important here.

I have more to say on the lifting of the curse and a couple of other things now that I've started this (yes, I love this series), but it's too damn hot to get my thoughts straight. ~_~

[Vexx]

And here's one reason I liked AIR... I like Amaranthine's theory too ... so I have 3 or 4 completely irreconcilable interpretations that I like

I just love stuff that doesn't have *one* right answer

[Rengemaru]

tell me about it, but i'm relaying on what the writer told us as in what Ureha said to Ryuuya in episode 9

Spoiler:

your openion does make sense but Ureha stated that the curse will be lifted in time and THEN she will reincarnate. If it wasn't for that statement, your openion would be the most logical answer

But i don't know x.x it's so confusing, guess i'll need to dig into this topic again.

PS: Just saw the episode and Ureha exactly said (according to Koi's translation)

Spoiler:

The curse that has taken Kanna captive will break someday. When that happens, Kanna-sama's spirit will return to earth and will probably repeat the cycle of life.

However, transferring the spirit of a winged being to a human is like transforming the water of an ocean to a small container.
Before it finishes pouring in, the container will break.
Kanna-sama's spirit, without time to heal, will return to the cycle of life.

[HamiHami]

hi~ i have a question..

does anyone know which group subbed Air, where they have the translator notes at the beginning and the in-folder preview of the file is just a black rectangle?

i changed the name of mine a long time ago so i dont remember... my air 3 and 4 are different and show a splash screen type thingy on the preview and they wont play good

i know for sure its not lunar.

thanks for any help!

[Minoto]

That's Koi's version.

[HamiHami]

thank you very much

[chintimz2]

Hi I just recently finished watching AIR and I gotta admit it is a really good and thought provoking anime series, however after watching it there is this inconsistency that bugs me. I dunno if its a plot hole or something I just didn't pick up while watching it, so it'll be good if someone can offer an explaination to it.

Its related to Yukito's journey to break the curse placed on Kanna and the whether in the end he was able to break the curse or not.

Alot of people in the forum has said that he probably didn't, but here is something to think about....assuming he failed, how is he able to pass on his knowledge to future generations? I mean in the final episode of the set of episodes that detailed what happened 1000 years ago....it was said by Ryūya and Uraha that they will pass on this story to future generations until someone comes up with a solution to the problem. However, I assume here, that Yukito does not and hasn't produced any offsprings, wouldn't that mean with him turning into a crow, he is the last person in his family line that has knowledge of the curse.

So if he failed wouldn't that mean this whole 1000 years have been for nothing, well I guess thats the really pessimistic/ninhilistic way of looking at it.

So interputing what I said in another way, wouldn't that suggest that Yukoto has suceeded and has managed to break Kanna free from the curse

lol....I am kinda confused about that part....but apart from that everything else has been clear from reading previous posts.

[Vexx]

Out of my pack of competing theories, more of them lean towards the idea the team succeeded on this round (particularly because of the comments of the boy and girl at the end). I'm not sure whether there actually had to be a physical "bloodline" but obviously the original pair thought that was important. It *looks* like Yukito's bloodline is done (or he no longer needs that connection to stay in touch). And Kanna's caretaker (gah forgot her name) ... her soul would appear in various formats... in this round she was Kanna's mother.

Perhaps all that is left now is to heal her spirit so she *can* be contained in a human frame??? Blurgh, I need to watch this thing again... preferably with a big bottle of sake to get through the sad parts again.

[martino]

Your theory seems to be quite interesting. I "would" like to believe that the curse was lifted(it will make me much happier), but there are just too many questions which cannot be answered. However the comment that they boy made me incline to the fact that it was a success, but still...

[Minoto]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Perhaps all that is left now is to heal her spirit so she *can* be contained in a human frame??? Blurgh, I need to watch this thing again... preferably with a big bottle of sake to get through the sad parts again.

I've always taken that remark as meaning that the soul of a winged being is too powerful / too vast to be contained in a normal human body...whether it's healed or not, a normal human body wouldn't be able to contain or withstand that kind of power. That would imply that the only way to save Kanna is to free her from the cycle of rebirth completely, since being reborn as a human would always be doomed to failure, and it's kinda hard for her to be reborn as a winged being now if she was the last one in the world 1000 years ago. However, it runs into problems with the general opinion that the boy and girl at the end do represent Ryuuya and Kanna...

Don't you just love something that can keep you arguing with yourself for months?