It's been several days now since I first watched this episode. I've watched it countless times since. I wanted to give Air a proper send-off, and felt time was all I needed to gather my thoughts and feelings on the show. But, even now, I'm not sure what to say or write.
Having previous familiarity with the story, the show never surprised me. Sure, there were key scenes or moments that took my breath away once animated, but the real tragedy of the story - well, it never knocked me over. From the very first episode, I knew what was coming.
Hence, it's difficult for me to be an honest broker in evaluating Air as television series, at least as far as story is concerned. I could write pages on how technically stunning the show is, but what's the point in stating the obvious? You can plainly see that for yourself.
So, I guess you could say Air has left me speechless.
That's good enough.
Wow. To be honest, this is the first time in awhile that I felt fully engaged with an episode of Air from beginning to end. It's also the first time since then that I cried like a little girl. OK, not quite, but the final scene was rough. Beautiful, but rough.
I'm feeling much better about the show heading into the final episode.
Someone please stop the show. I'd like to get off.
Sorry, but they should have found room in the budget for more episodes. This is a particularly emotional part of the story, but as presented, it just falls flat. I can understand why those unfamiliar with the original material are scratching their heads right now.
As much as I feel the Summer arc upsets the flow of the show, I wish the events of these past two episodes could have been stretched out a little. As is, too much emotional impact is lost in rushing through things. It's a shame Air didn't have a few extra episodes to work with.
I'm happy to be moving on to the final arc, however. For one, it means the return of Kano and Minagi. But, more importantly, it means getting to the real meat of the story.
I'll be honest: I had trouble getting into this episode. Even though I expected the Summer arc to play out much this way, I still can't help but feel as if I've been dropped into the middle of a completely different show with nary a clue what's going on. That, and Ryuuya's goofy haircut gives me Fushigi Yuugi flashbacks. Feel my pain.
Still, it's a part of the story that had to be told. Kanna's a cutie, at least.
Sometimes, it's difficult to write about Air. The emotional weight of the story is better experienced than described, and criticism of the occasionally screwy direction always seems nitpicky in retrospect. While this particular episode devotes ample time and energy to the show's natural strength - its emotional depth - it also highlights the show's most noticeable weakness: the pacing.
I enjoyed it all the same, but like many previous episodes, I feel conflicted when it comes time to share my thoughts. Should I praise, or should I criticize?
I cried. I'll admit it.
Something I've noticed about the show thus far is that the pacing is often pretty awkward for the first half of an episode, only to settle into a comfortable groove following the commercial break. Thankfully, the "watershed" moments in the story, so to speak, always seem to come in the second half of each episode. Still, I think Minagi's story suffered because of this quirk, and I can't help but feel a little annoyed.
But then, it's really not all that important, is it?
Misuzu's breakdown was unusually well-animated. Talk about a memorable moment.
I always felt Minagi was the most interesting of the Air girls. Until you learn more of her story and true personality, however, she's easily overshadowed by Kano and Misuzu. So, I found extra joy in this particular episode. The final rooftop scene beneath the starry sky took my breath away.
This show is better than sex. I keep expecting it to falter at some point; that is, I wait and wait for the animation to go to hell, the direction to get sloppy, or the writing to turn cheesy. But, instead, everything about the show seems to improve with each episode. Of course, it was just about a picture of perfection to begin with, so for the show to continue to improve is really something.
I shouldn't be surprised, though. I can imagine rioting in the streets of Akihabara had Key somehow managed to screw things up. You know, giant piles of flaming doujinshi, the streets littered with the guts of a million game consoles, storefronts graffito-tagged with random Gundam quotes...
The story is still moving along at the speed of light, but the director somehow manages to slow the pace enough that it doesn't seem like too much is crammed into too little time. This might just work.
I want a Potato bobblehead.
It's been a long wait, but now that's here, it's better than I ever imagined. How 'bout that?
On the basis of the first episode alone, I have a difficult time finding any flaws. Sure, the story is very rushed, but that's to be expected. There's simply no way to compress the story of the original game into a 13 episode TV series without permanently setting the pace to turbo. Such could prove to be the show's Achilles Heel in the end, but this first episode at least did a spectacular job of getting most of the characters introduced and the premise of the story established in what short time there was to work with.
But, putting that aside, the production values are really something to behold. The animation is stunning. The music is a real treat. The voices are perfect. The OP and ED are both wonderful, lifted straight from the game itself. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, I guess. It's a shame Kanon didn't get this treatment.
Hopefully, the show will continue to meet the high standards set by both the game and this first episode.
