Yukito is a very interesting protagonist, as he dreams of one day meeting this legendary figure, but also is a broke, down-on-his-luck schmuck half the time. His interactions with the various girls around the town are based mostly on his decisions to fill his stomach, but as the show progresses, he begins to grow an attachment to them, and we witness a great character arc that leads into a truly heartbreaking finale. The chemistry works particularly well with Yukito and Misuzu, but also Misuzu’s guardian and aunt, Haruko, who is a raging alcoholic that becomes good friends with the protagonist. There’s a sense of family here that’s quite strong, even though it’s pretty subtle. It’s especially evident in the latter half of the show, but the first half I feel is where it truly shines.
The plot has a very calm way of revealing itself, never forcing anything vital down your throat, but rather letting you decide how much plot you want at your own pace. It’s a very meditative approach to usual narrative tropes seen in most romance genres, but “Air” insists on being patient, and hence, the audience has to be able to be as patient to capture the essence of it all. However, for those looking for a fast-paced, plot-heavy anime, this isn’t the one for you. Even given it’s relatively short 12-episode running time, there’s so much space to breathe (pun not intended) that you’re able to just sit back and let the gorgeous animation, characters, and light plot just soak in. To add to this incredibly atmospheric tone of the show is the music, which compliments it very well. It consists of mostly piano ballads over a soft techno-esque beat that adds a dreamy layer next to the animation. The combination of all these factors in any given scene where characters are facing the ocean view admiring the clouds and sky or just simply walking through town, is unbelievably euphoric. It definitely has a way of sucking you in. Though, not much can be said about a pretty rough few episodes…
These episodes happen somewhere in the middle of the show, as it decides to take a time leap back into the past, tracing the origins of the “girl in the sky”. See, what was great about the first half of the show is just how much this mysterious figure is mentioned, which creates a menacing but quite intriguing allure about her. The supernatural undertones work amazingly. As soon as this time leap into the past happens, it introduces us to a slew of characters that more or less destroy this allure perfectly set up before. It was unnecessary, but moreso, very dull and contrived. It was quite a kick back for people like myself who were really invested in the show, then it decides to introduce a new setting and characters at the drop of a dime. It’s jarring, to say the least, and not nearly as interesting as you might think. Thankfully, this only last around two episodes before it takes us back into the main plot, where a random twist of inexplicable events occur that almost destroy this pre-conceived mindset of the mystery of the first half, but it has its special way of being funny while simultaneously breaking you down into tears, so I’ll give it that.
Overall, “Air” is one of the most visually unique anime I’ve seen. It has breathtaking art style with a grand vision of the sky above a small town, adding to a powerful allure and mystery that compliments the legends of Yukito’s “girl in the sky” very well. The soundtrack is beautiful, combining haunting piano melodies with soothing trance beats (in what amounts to something akin to ATB), and the characters are very likable and have great chemistry. However, it’s second half falters in many ways when it decides to be an entirely different show and genre, which will polarize a lot of people. It’s only for a few episodes, but its impact leaves a bit of a sour taste in your mouth. Nonetheless, it manages to conclude itself in a kinda satisfactory way as the protagonist isn’t exactly given the greatest of endings, but at the same time, leaves open a world of possibilities as to what lies beyond the vast oceans and skies of the world. I highly recommend seeing this one if you’re a fan of supernatural romances that have a sense of beauty and fresh quality to them.
