Ranked #397

Air in Summer

"Fabulous mini story for all Air fans to enjoy."

Have you ever wondered about what happened between episode 8 and 9 of the TV series when Kanna, Uraha, and Ryūya were traveling together in search of Kanna's mother? Air in Summer is a short 2 episodes side story about just that. It also act as a puzzle filler to all those incoherent missing pieces of episode 8 in the TV series. It is highly recommended to have the TV series completed (or at least up to episode 8 completed) before watching Air in Summer.

Story:
The story as stated above is simply focusing on the journey (the happy times) the three have together before the events that happened in episode 9. While it did not provide any significant plot development, it did however shed some light on the background story of the Air TV series. Unlike the TV series, Air in Summer contain largely humorous moments to lighten up the mood (for those who have been watching the TV series). One perfect example was what Ryūya thought Kanna was dreaming about when they were in the forest.

Art:
Kyoto Animation was responsible for both the TV series and this mini side story. Anyone who are familiar with Kanon (2006), Clannad, Full Metal Panic, Lucky Star, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, or Kiddy Grade (just to name a few) should know that the animation quality will be nothing but spectacular. It should also be noted that the animation quality is the same as the TV series, from the simple scenery to the most detailed character expressions.

Sound:
The same OP and ED were used for Air in Summer as in the TV series though some images were changed to make it fit with the summer arc of the story. Other than that, nothing really changed from its parent story at all.

Character:
The TV series always felt like a bit in a rush while covering episode 8 and 9. Thus it was very fortunate that 2 additional full length episodes were made to let us learn more about the three characters that ultimately led to the events in Air TV series. For instance, Ryūya's past was revealed and we know what kind of world he once used to live in. It was also interesting to know that Kanna can be very bold at times too!

Enjoyment + Final Impression:
It was definitely worth my time watching these 2 episodes that seemingly lacking in terms of story development. However, once they are watched along with episode 8 and 9 of the TV series, you will appreciate just how much more you'll come to know about kanna and Ryūya (not so much on Uraha).

One final note: Misuzu and Yukito (and everyone in that era) are NOT in here. So don't expect the story to somehow jump to the present time or what-have-you. Air in Summer strictly happened during the Heian era!
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I write this review in the same context that anyone interested in this mini-series should be watching it--Air in Summer is not a complete story in and of itself. Don't expect a beginning, don't expect a definitive ending, and if you haven't watched the Air TV series, you're not going to understand what's going on at all, so watch that first!

That said, this story fits nicely between Air TV episodes 8 and 9, and if you wanted to know a bit more about Kanna, Ryuya, and Uraha, you've come to the right place by watching it. It goes into much better depth concerning each of their lives and backgrounds, and we're treated in turn to the depth of information we need to truly understand why the three of them grew so close in their travels. It's bittersweet and beautiful, but if you want laughs, get ready for plenty of those too, as innuendo, pranks, and high spirited insults ensue. Ryuya and Kanna are at each other's throats as usual, and Uraha turns out to be much more resourceful than she might previously have been given credit for...my word, what's she been teaching innocent young Kanna about men!?

The artwork is just as top notch as you can come to expect from Air TV, as you're essentially watching two additional episodes of that series--right down to the opening and closing sequences. If I were to give this series any red marks at all (and I hesitate to do so), I'd have to say the historical references are a bit dubious, as they were in Air TV. It may only be translation problems, but keep in mind in Air TV we're told this is 996 A.D., yet Ryuya holds a rank of the Kamakura period and is occassionally referred to as a 'samurai'. Samurai didn't exist as a class in Japan until the onset of the true Kamakura period in the year 1185. As I say, this may be a translation issue, as the outfits are appropriate to the period and the army in pursuit of the protagonists is correctly under the control of the Emperor, not a Shogun. If you're really hurting for a historical reference, 996 was the Heian period, which gave rise to Lady Murasaki Shikibu's classic, the Tale of Genji, mostly completed by the year 1008.

You know what though? That's nitpicky stuff. Love Air in Summer for what it is--a beautiful fairytale-esque romance in a breathtaking historical setting, sure to stay close to your heart for years to come! read more