Air TV anime review

"There is a girl in the sky with wings as white as snow who flies sadly and alone, waiting to be rescued by those who love her." -Air

Kunisaki Yukito is a traveller, ever seeking the 'girl in the sky' from a legend passed down in his family. His journey takes him to a small seaside town, where he meets Kamio Misuzu, a girl who seems eager to become his friend, ussually trips falling to the ground, and says the word "Gao" while trying to imitate the roar of dinosaurs, her favorite animals.

Misuzu is a school girl with a cool outfit attending the school in the town where the story takes place. Lives with her mother Haruko in an isolated house. After meeting Yukito, she invites him to dinner at her house, where he meets Haruko, Misuzu's mother, who, after some hesitation, agrees to let Yukito stay with them for a while.

During this time, Yukito meets several people whose stories are somehow intertwined by the legend of "the girl in the sky."

Kano's story:

Kana Kirishima is a student who meets Yukito after her sister, the town's local doctor, hires him to do odd jobs at the clinic. Kana dreams of being able to fly so she can see her mother in heaven, who died a long time ago. Kana wears a handkerchief tied around her wrist because she had previously considered self-harm, but the handkerchief provides her with a sense of comfort.

Kana decides to run away, so Yukito goes looking for her. After a while, Kana is found lying at the town's temple, where a white feather glows in her presence. This feather causes Kana to experience a hallucination of her mother. In this way, Kana finds peace, knowing that her mother is well, and she no longer feels the urge to hurt herself, so she no longer needs the handkerchief on her wrist. 

Minagi's story:

Minagi is a shy and friendly girl who attends the same school as Misuzu and Kano. Years ago, her mother lost her second daughter during pregnancy, whom she had planned to name Michiru. Because of this tragedy and her mother's strong desire for another daughter to be close to her, Minagi's mother often ignores Minagi's existence and refers to her as Michiru.

Due to this, Minagi tells Yukito of her desire to leave home and travel, just like he does. On the way to Minagi's house, her mother sees Yukito and Michiru (a red-haired girl who often hits Yukito whenever she sees him) together and is surprised to see that Michiru has the same name as the daughter she lost. This causes her to come to her senses and begin to see Minagi as her daughter again.

Meanwhile, Michiru tells Yukito that she is a wandering spirit from heaven who saw how sad Minagi was and wanted to see her happy again before disappearing.

Misuzu's story:

Misuzu cries uncontrollably when her friendships become too strong, which is why she has become withdrawn and avoids making friends. Her condition worsens the more time she spends with Yukito, so he decides to leave the town to prevent Misuzu from suffering further.

Yukito later discovers that Misuzu is connected to the story of the girl in the sky, so he returns, only to find Misuzu in a wheelchair and in constant pain from her illness. Misuzu asks Yukito and her mother to go to the beach with her. She tries to walk towards them but collapses into her mother's arms, where she dies.

Personal comment:

AIR TV its based in the bishoujo PC game released in Japan in the year 2000, following on the success of Kanon. The original game has several different story routes, which are presented in a condensed form in the anime. Some viewers have commented on how rushed the episodes feel due to the way the stories are told.

I really like the style of the school uniform that Misuzu wears and the character designs in general. The music truly adds a melancholic and emotional touch to each of the stories.