Area 88 Volume 1: Treacherous Skies - JustPressPlay.Net
- JustPressPlay.Net
- David R.
- 08/23/05
- click here
"This is one of the best aerial anime?s I have ever watched..."
This anime is something I have enjoyed. Area 88, as I stated below, is one of the best aerial anime?s you?ll probably find out there in the anime genre. I recommend watching all the Area 88 Volumes as they come out. It starts off with Makoto Shinjou, who comes to the Area 88 base to take some Freelance Battlefield photography shots. His main objective is to get a photo of Shin Kazama, dead. Why someone could want such a photo you can only know by watching the rest of the short series. I am one though, who?s looking forward to the future releases of the Volume Set.
Story: The story of Area 88 isn?t something very in-depth because it?s not really that long of an anime. If you do the math: 16 x 12 = 192 / 60 = 3.2 hrs. This anime is really short in comparison to others that match at least 6hrs long, because if you watch the interview on the Vol. 1 DVD you?ll learn that the 13 volume anime comic was shortened to 12 short anime episodes. The story takes place at Area 88 as a Japanese Freelance Battlefield Photographer (Makoto Shinjou) comes to the Area 88 base to take a shot (Picture) of Shin Kazama dead as his freelance job.
Visuals: It says on the back of the DVD case: ?Area 88 pushes the boundaries of animation to the limits with a visual beauty that is rarely accomplished. You can almost feel the jet wash on the desert wind?. This statement lives up to its promise. To the Character, Aircraft, and Design of the sky and the sunset, it?s all really beautiful. The aircrafts in the night sky portray what it may look like actually in Real-Life, of being a Pilot.
Audio: The music is certainly something to keep one?s mind on the anime. With the intro sounding freaking awesome, and the music within each episode and including the outro, you cannot possibly get bored while listening to the audio side of Area 88. The Area 88 OST is certainly something to look forward to when it?s released if not already. The Subtitles were good with the Japanese voice acting. I tried out the English dubbing, and wasn?t satisfied because it?s just not my ?cup of tea? to watch anime with English dubs.
Characters: The Character development is good. With episode 1 just showing off the anime, episode 2 goes into the Angel of Deaths story (Boris) who then later dies a tragic, sad death. But the main character we?re all trying to figure out, including the photographer, is Shin Kazama. The only Japanese pilot on the Area88 mercenary base, and yet it?s not the place he wishes to be. Volume 1 only contains the first 3 episodes, so you?ll have to buy Volume 2 and so-on to continue with the Character Development of Area88.
Overall: This is one of the best aerial anime?s I have ever watched, and actually the only one I?ve ever watched I believe. With the good Story, Visuals, Music, and Character Development, although each episode is only 15-16 minutes long, it?s a good series to watch and even buy, so I encourage all to watch.
Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 (Archive on Friday, September 23, 2005)