AIR - Generic discussion thread

[harukamae]

After all the hype I heard about this series, I was very disappointed when I finished it the other day. The animation was BEAUTIFUL, the music was wonderful, the plot COULD HAVE BEEN awesome (I liked the concept), but the writing and the characters were awful, unrelatable, and FLAT FLAT FLAT!

No I'm not trying to disrespect Air fans or be rude, I'm posting because I'm disappointed, I feel like I got cheated. Kanna was easier for me to relate to than Misuzu and even her death wasn't that sad - all the females were typical H-game cardboard females... I know this was an H-game beforehand and while it was well-written for an H-game, I think it should have had the bar raised much higher before it became an anime. I feel like the music and lovely animation were wasted on this series, and that someone with a more capable writing staff should throw the H-game aspect of it out the window, and rewrite the whole thing over again with more realistic or at least relatable characters, instead of cardboard H-game barbie dolls...

Phew OK I'm done venting now. Like I said, I just felt cheated with this series, it had such potential...like, I want my time back cheated.

[Minoto]

Originally Posted by harukamae

After all the hype I heard about this series, I was very disappointed when I finished it the other day. The animation was BEAUTIFUL, the music was wonderful, the plot COULD HAVE BEEN awesome (I liked the concept), but the writing and the characters were awful, unrelatable, and FLAT FLAT FLAT!

I suppose this is just one of those things that depends on one's range of experience. I've known a few Misuzus over the years -- girls back in my school days, women now, who may not have been bearing the burden of a thousand-year-old curse, but who were nevertheless horribly broken inside as the result of events in their past. I see them in her every time I watch this series, and I see my own failure to understand and my complete inability to help them in Yukito. I can even see some of myself in her...my family moved around a lot when I was young, and I never went to the same school two years in a row until sixth grade, so I started out every year as the weird new kid who didn't know anybody or have any friends. As I said, it's a matter of personal experience, but I'd hardly call her a flat or unsympathetic character.

Likewise for the other characters...are they happy, normal, fully-rounded human beings? Of course not. But can they serve as archetypes expressing some of the different types of brokenness that can exist in people in the real world? Absolutely.

[harukamae]

I see what you're saying, but I guess what I meant is most people who have tough lives/are broken (that I know) don't really act like Misuzu, especially acting five years below their age - I felt Misuzu was too childish to be a reasonable character, but I've been reading about something called Moe (which I hadn't heard of before) and that may explain Misuzu and many of the females in this series. Like I said, it's just how I felt, I didn't find Misuzu believable, but this is my first anime based on an ero-game, so these may be archetypes I'm unfamiliar with. Thanks for giving your opinion - I wanted a response to see what it is people see in the Air characters.

[Minoto]

Well, certainly not everyone responds to trauma that way, but some (speaking from personal experience) do.

Here's something else to consider, from within the story itself:

Spoiler for Shouldn't be a spoiler for anyone reading this thread, but just in case:

Remember that Misuzu is a partial / failed reincarnation of Kanna, who (despite her appearance and position) was still very much a child by the standards of winged beings during the events of the Summer arc. It's not unreasonable for Misuzu's nature to reflect that.

That was one of the things that made me like this series so much...even though I spent most of my first viewing just barely understanding what was going on, by the end, it provided a reason and explanation (a very supernatural one, but then, it's obvious fairly early on that there's more involved than just everyday reality) for all the mysteries it presented earlier. The second time I watched it, I caught so many little moments that had just made me go "huh?" the first time, and realized what they meant and how they foreshadowed future events...it was almost like a different show.

[K3cT]

I'm currently in the process of playing the game and wow, it's pretty massive. You have a tough job, KyoAni, to summarize the whole game into 13 episodes and you still managed to deliver. Kudos to you! Though you would have done better if episode 13 wasn't a stupid recap... I still can't forgive you for that.

The thought of a more faithful adaptation done in 24 episodes still haunts me to this very day. AIR feels more poignant to me personally compared to the new Kanon so I would love to see that.

[Ziv]

I was wondering if anyone who's familiar with plot and literature could comment on AIR's plot structure. I found it quite unique and non-standard. It has tons of sub-plots, and lots of plot twists, however, the most unique things were its retelling of the Dream Arc story, which effectively rewrites it as you're going along, and how it tells you the backstory in the middle, which ends up carrying over into the Air Arc. Since the Summer Arc is being resolved in the Air Arc, that effectively means that you have both the Air Arc's plot and the Summer Arc's plot going on at the same time. What makes this even better is that each plot development has a different meaning depending on whether you take it from the context of the Summer Arc plot or the Air Arc plot! So, by the end you have a plot going on on 3 different levels.

1. on the level of the Dream Arc's plot, which is now being resolved,
2. on the level of the Air Arc, where Sora's perspective adds a very satisfying "everything fits together!" feeling, and completely rearranges the Dream Arc's plot structure with its new information.
3. on the level of the Summer Arc plot, which is being resolved in tandem with the Air Arc, and whose conclusion contrasts with the Air Arc's conclusion.

Anyone else have any info?

[mazer8]

Yeah the multiple story thing sort of reminded me of The Fountain (if anyone has seen that...a very touching film). IMO it was definitely one of the better of the shorter anime/mangas. Normally I can't stand anything unless it has a fairly high episode count, since that normally entails plot and character development. But after watching the first couple episodes I was definitely impressed and enjoyed the series a lot. I, as well, could see the lead female in a lot of the people I've known in life. The perspective made it for me though, I'm probably going to just go out and buy it to add to the collection whenever I get the money.

[`Misuzu]

Originally Posted by Minoto

Well, certainly not everyone responds to trauma that way, but some (speaking from personal experience) do.

Here's something else to consider, from within the story itself:

Spoiler for Shouldn't be a spoiler for anyone reading this thread, but just in case:

Remember that Misuzu is a partial / failed reincarnation of Kanna, who (despite her appearance and position) was still very much a child by the standards of winged beings during the events of the Summer arc. It's not unreasonable for Misuzu's nature to reflect that.

That was one of the things that made me like this series so much...even though I spent most of my first viewing just barely understanding what was going on, by the end, it provided a reason and explanation (a very supernatural one, but then, it's obvious fairly early on that there's more involved than just everyday reality) for all the mysteries it presented earlier. The second time I watched it, I caught so many little moments that had just made me go "huh?" the first time, and realized what they meant and how they foreshadowed future events...it was almost like a different show.

Omgosh! ^ ^ You too! I watched AIR Summer; AIR TV (Anime series) and AIR (the movie). Rewatching AIR (anime series)...----everything suddenly made more sense! ^ ^

[pcube19622]

Originally Posted by `Misuzu

Omgosh! ^ ^ You too! I watched AIR Summer; AIR TV (Anime series) and AIR (the movie). Rewatching AIR (anime series)...----everything suddenly made more sense! ^ ^

agree~ AIR is one of those rare series that most people won't be able to catch and understand everything the first time they watch it~ thats a another reason i like it so much

[Generic Asian Guy]

I'm rewatching it =D I'm falling in love with AIR all over again.

[Minoto]

Last year, I made a point of re-watching it over the last few days of summer...it just felt right, somehow. I'll be doing the same again this year.

[GuidoHunter_Toki]

I've probably re-watched it about 5 times. I never get bored of it.

[reaper1984]

Originally Posted by pcube19622

agree~ AIR is one of those rare series that most people won't be able to catch and understand everything the first time they watch it~ thats a another reason i like it so much

Hehe I so know what you mean... I recently found out about Air and I honestly cannot get enough of it, I got Air TV Series, the movie and the OVA's and I love them to bits!

I gotta watch them again once my sadness over the ending disappears lol

[Generic Asian Guy]

Here's a long version of the OP sequence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh0TK...related&fmt=18

[GuidoHunter_Toki]

Originally Posted by Generic Asian Guy

Here's a long version of the OP sequence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh0TK...related&fmt=18

I can never get over how beautiful the sky looks in the OP.

[Liddo-kun]

rewatched episode 6:

rewatched today
Michiru likes burger. :3
Minagi is a member of the astronomy club. She says it is a very selective club. She is the club president, because she is the only member. Also, she is proud of her height, because she thinks tall people are closer to the sky.
feeling sad for Minagi. Her mom is crazy.

[Liddo-kun]

2019 calendar.

https://twitter.com/visualantena/sta...466413058?s=21



Misuzu look beautiful in casual clothes.