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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
excellent and unique action series, May 16, 2006
This review is from: Air Master, Vol. 1 (DVD)
Maki Aikawa is a street fighter known of as the "Air Master" for the aerial acrobatics she executes while fighting. She was formerly a serious gymnast, but having quit, is searching for the sort of excitement competitions used to give her. This isn't touched on much in this first DVD, but she has a sad and mysterious past. Although she's only a high schooler, she lives alone and can more or less do whatever she wants.
When I saw the first episode of this show, I hated it so much I just stopped watching immediately, without even bothering to check out the subsequent episodes. I was sure it was just an idiotic show that had a tall, red-headed girl as the main street fighting character as an excuse for lots of panty shots. In addition, there's her friend Mina, who has the largest boobs of possibly any non-porn anime girl ever. However, a bunch of my friends urged me to give it more of a try because it was so good and the second time around, I LOVED it.
The fight scenes in this show are terrific and there are tons of them. Personally, I loved that the main character who is also this phenomenal fighter was a high school girl, and once you get into the show, there really isn't that much fan service. Also, I get tired of action anime where all the real fighters are male. Maki is a great character; she's strong, sometimes really on the ball, other times totally spaced out and consistently hilarious.
One thing that takes getting used to is the art of the show. All the characters are somewhat ugly, in their design. In addition, people's special fight abilities are often incredibly ridiculous. The first time around, I found the characters and fights idiotic, but on a second watching, I thought that they were brilliant. You just have to remind yourself from time to time that it's supposed to be funny and absurd. However, the show does a good job of preventing the frequent comedy from infringing on the serious moments; fights are serious and intense, even when Maki, in her excitement, carelessly jumps too high and smashes her head against the cieling.
This show isn't for everyone; the comedy is pretty unique and takes some adjusting. I honestly didn't get it the first time I watched. It's a great action anime, though--if you start it and can't stand it, keep watching anyway. It might really grow on you.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ranma On Roids, May 10, 2006
This review is from: Air Master, Vol. 1 (DVD)
This is my favorite fighter series. It's not for everyone. Some say having female fighters is just an excuse for fan service. Some say this series doesn't have enough fan service. But I think it has a good balance. Yes, there is fan service in it, but not gratuitous fan service. Street fighting in a school uniform without at least some up-skirt would just be unnatural.
Maki is a former gymnast who has grown too tall for competition, yet still craves the tension it gave her. So she decides to follow in her father's footsteps and takes up street fighting.
There are some romantic tensions as well, involving one of her girlfriends, and her mystery man, Juliette Sakamoto.
It's not all fighting though. Her little sister, followers and rival provide plenty of comic relief. She's like Girl-Type Ranma on steroids, with less romantic entanglement and more fighting.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Street Fighting Gymnast has a Big Breasted Girlfriend!, April 3, 2005
This review is from: Air Master, Vol. 1 (DVD)
Maki Aikawa is your schoolgirl turned bad. Well not bad, but not wholesomely good either. See, she digs fighting, no matter who it is, male or female. She finds it less challenging than her last hobby, world class gymnast. You know, the girls who flip and do crazy spins and then land perfectly? She encorporates these acrobatics into her fights, and they are splendid to watch, too.
She runs into some girls in Shibuya, a shopping district in Tokyo, and quickly makes friends. In the middle of all this, two guys start hitting on one of the girls, Mina, a shy girl with a 41 inch chest. Maki steps in and makes short work of the two. This is followed by another challenge by a stronger dude in which our gymnast shows her stuff. Mina is impressed, and falls in love with her. Maybe infatuated is better. I don't know, but I like it.
The gang of girls then become followers of Maki, who is known on the street as the Airmaster. They are lead by Yu, a headstrong type, and include Mina, Michiru, I don't know much about her, and Renge, the slightly annoying comic relief. I don't want to say much to ruin the plot of these 4 episodes, but there is a fight between a guy with a staff and a kid on a BMX bike that is bad@$$. I recommend it highly. There is a total of 27 episodes to collect, that will probably equal out to 8 discs, i'm not sure, though. Compared to other anime on the market, I can bet this will be the sleeper people will be talking about.
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