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In the deserts of the war-torn kingdom of Aslan, the souls of men are consumed by fire. Comrades in battle venture forth knowing that some will live and some will die.
This is Area 88, a barren spit of land where ace mercenary pilots sortie and kill for money, for adrenaline and for their freedom.
Based on a popular manga series by Kaoru Shinatani that has already inspired a direct to video anime series and a video game known in the U.S. as U.N. Squadron, the latest incarnation of "Area 88" is a high-arenaline 12-part series released by ADV Films. Combining beautiful animation with effective character development and cinematography that rivals the best of live-action films, "Area 88" has a lock on what effective military drama anime is all about.
Like the OAV (original animated video) version, the story of "Area 88" revolves around an ace pilot named Shin Kazama. Ruthlessly efficient in battle and, Shin's reasons for wanting to leave Area 88 seem to run deeper than mere survival. Shin's foil is a photograpic journalist named Makoto. Intrigued by Shin, Makoto slowly peels away the mystery enshrouding the ace pilot, earning a peek at Shin's reasons for being at Area 88.
Together, these opposites carry the audience through the "Area 88" story. Through the eyes of a ruthless pilot, the tragedy of war and betrayal are realized. Through the eyes of an active observer, the cost of murder on the human soul is picture clear.
"If your firing button were a camera shutter, you'd be certain to get a Pulitzer prize," Makoto says to Shin as he returns from a successful sortie.
"If your camera shutter were an autocannon firing button, I might've been shot down," Shin replies.
Shin and Makoto are backed up by pilots Mickey and Kim, merciless base commander Saki Vashtar and Old McCoy, a merchant who can get you anything for a price.
When Makoto asks what McCoy's best selling item is, he replies, "Biggest seller? That'd be caskets."
Death is a constant in "Area 88" and so are aerial combat sequences. Using 3D models to create fluid animation for each G-pushing, missile-launching moment of aerial combat makes it easy to forget that you're watching animated flight sequences instead of the real thing.
"Area 88" differs from other anime that use a 3D modeling technique ("Intial D," "Zoids") by using cell shading to make the planes look as 2D as possible- not ultra realistic. The result is great aerial animation that doesn't stand out against two-dimensional pilots or backdrops.
All two-dimensional art, from the character designs to the barracks of the 88, is done in a mature style emphasizing natural proportions and conservative colors rather than the hyper-stylized art seen in other types of anime.
While the art makes "Area 88" appealing to the eye, the cinematography on the part of director Isamu Imakake launches this series to new heights of dramatic intensity. Shaking instrument panels and close-ups of Shin's eyes as he sends molten death through the fuselage of his enemies are what makes the world of "Area 88" seem like a constant struggle for survival.
Increasing the intensity further, a sound track that's one part cool electronica and one part electric guitar with a dash of classical friction thrown in makes the high-speed combat scenes even more pulse pounding. Look for a scene in the first episode where the lock-on blips fit in as upbeats to the music.
A kickin' sound track, animation that draws circles around other anime and two lead characters that are just as likeable as they are mysterious makes this version of "Area 88" a force to be reckoned with. Fans looking for a mature anime story that places importance on understanding the inner workings of the human mind in times of tragedy need look no further than the blood-soaked sands of "Area 88."
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