Air Gear

A manga about roller blades. Oh!Great somehow thought he could make this into something enjoyable, and he was right. Where do I begin? Let's start with the characters. There are many characters in Air Gear, and many of them seem shallow and cliché. But that's the point. Unlike some other series, like Hunter x Hunter, which choose to go against clichés, Air Gear chooses to explore them deeply, creating a cast of developing and interesting characters.

Next, the artwork. It's amazing. Air Gear is practically unsurpassed in its artwork, which truly gives the sense that you're flying. Sure, a good portion of it is devoted to more fanservice (it IS Oh!Great, after all), but nonetheless, credit where credit is due. Then, the story. The story began interesting but then slowly started getting confusing and boring. When I first read Air Gear, I ended up dropping it midway through because of this. Eventually, on a whim, I decided to continue reading. That's when it happened. The shocking plot twist changed everything. I'm not going to spoil it, but it was unexpected and great.

Everything got better afterwards as the plot furiously began progressing. The conclusion was great, the story was great. It's worth a reread after you finish it for the first time, because it will help everything confusing in the beginning make more sense. It's not a masterpiece, and maybe I'm overpraising it, but it's just so hard to believe that this brilliant manga was made by the same guy who produced the trash known as Tenjou Tenge.

One of the most challenging manga I've ever attempted to read. It comes across as overly pretentious and its storytelling is utterly nonsensical. There's one particular aspect I want to highlight, which revolves around Air Gear's use of metaphors.

"Flying"

This manga throws around that term as if it holds some profound meaning. Initially, I thought it was merely a metaphor to draw parallels between characters and animals. However, as the story progressed, the characters began using "flying" as an actual explanation for the absurd events unfolding.

Are they really flying? Absolutely not! They're rollerblading, for crying out loud!

Furthermore, Ikki somehow producing an EF4 tornado from his shoes completely defies the law of conservation of mass. Where did that energy even come from? The tiny motor inside his shoe? The manga selectively applies real-world physics in its narrative, which makes it hard for me to stay engaged.

Warning:
1. This is my first review.
2. The ending is quite hard to follow, and like all animes or mangas, it has a few loose ends.
3. As the story progresses, a lot of ecchi content is incorporated into the manga.

The story is simply amazing. I would have given it a 10 if not for the confusing ending. Essentially, you have your main character Ikki and his friends trying to reach the pinnacle of the stormrider world. Air Treks are akin to roller skates, and stormriders ride on them obviously. If you think, "oh, how lame, roller skates," you'll be proven wrong. Everyone follows a unique path to the sky—a road in the stormrider life. Each person has their own path and set of wings to fly with. Ikki soon forms a group with his friends called Kogarasumaru and embarks on his journey, spreading his wings into the endless sky above where no one has ever been.

-STORY OVERALL: 10

The art isn't very original. It's quite modernized and seems designed to appeal more to males. There's some ecchi and fight scenes can be a bit unclear, but overall, you can understand what's happening. Characters' expressions, such as troll faces and anger, dramatically change their appearance. It's almost as if the face itself changes, making the person look entirely different, which effectively conveys the characters' emotions. The backgrounds are well-drawn, avoiding mere outlines of background characters. The drawings aren't sharp, and the lines are loose, giving the art a cool vibe. One thing I really dislike is how most of the girls look alike, making it difficult to differentiate between them initially.

-ART: 9

Ikki is the protagonist of this story. He can be very serious but is mostly relaxed, calm, and confident. He will carry the story through his wings and take all readers into the sky with him.

Ringo is the main heroine of this story. She is like a sister figure to Ikki, having lived together since childhood. While she harbors feelings for Ikki, she is quite secretive about it.

Kazu is Ikki's childhood friend. He is both Ikki's rival and lacks much self-confidence, living a carefree life. He is all about speed.

Onigiri is another of Ikki's friends. He possesses ero power—everything he does is ero, and even his strength derives from it.

The characters develop throughout the story as everyone in Ikki's group finds their own path and learns to spread their wings.

-CHARACTER: 9

I just loved the whole concept of wings, roads, dreams, and the sky... because I'm a dreamer xD

-ENJOYABLE: 9

Overall, I give this manga a 9. Although I wish I could rate it an 8.5 because an 8 would be an understatement, a 9 seems a bit of an overstatement as well.

Air Gear was a manga that lost its way when it shifted focus from the main story and central character to delve into numerous backstories and side arcs. During the times we concentrated on Ikki, there were humorous antics, cool concepts, and overall awesomeness. Now, we're faced with unimportant worldviews, an overemphasis on friendship, and countless subplots. The ending did resolve many plot holes for the (now-central) side characters - like discovering Onigiri is married to Sarome, who somehow survived having her neck twisted 180 degrees, and Kazu finally dating Emily - but it missed addressing what we truly cared about: Ikki riding with Simca, the future paths of the characters, or even the mystery of Ikki's origins. Major plot holes around Ikki’s natural talent, his connection to Dr. Minami, and the reason behind his adoption were never adequately explained. If not for the conspiracy theory circulating that mangakas are wrapping up their series to send a message to greedy publishers, I’d say Oh!Great could have done much better. Considering the time constraints though... well, at least it wasn’t as bad as Negima’s ending. :)

Air Gear is a Sports, Shounen, Comedy, and Ecchi manga created by Oh! Great. Expect intense violence, extreme fanservice, and an over-the-top storyline that often makes little sense—but that's part of the charm!

The story centers on Ikitsuki Minami, a typical teenage delinquent who embodies the cliché, shameless badass main character common in Shounen manga. His mundane life takes an exciting turn when he encounters a girl who can seemingly fly using Air Treks (ATs). Though she doesn't literally fly, her ATs allow her to soar through the sky and perform incredible tricks. Ikki becomes instantly fascinated with the AT world and relentlessly strives to reach the top of Tropheum with his Storm Rider team, Kogarasumaru, battling both friends and foes along the way.

One aspect I find particularly cool and unique about this manga is its art—it's simply amazing. The vast landscapes and one-of-a-kind character designs never get old for me. In my opinion, whatever the story lacks, the art more than makes up for it, making it a definite plus. Another positive is the supporting characters; they are incredibly cool. When I get tired of Ikki, there are always chapters featuring Agito or Kazu fighting. Without this balance of "page-time" (the manga equivalent of "screen-time"), this manga would be a complete disaster.

Now for some negatives. One thing that really frustrates me is the constant and blatant overuse of the metaphorical "wings"—it just leaves me in awe of the stupidity and uselessness of these scenes. Granted, they're there for dramatic reasons only... For good measure, I'll add another negative: the fanservice goes beyond imagination. It baffles me how some scenes even happen. For example, one moment a girl has her clothes on, then suddenly, due to wind *whoosh*, her clothes are either gone or ripped to shreds.

Overall, Air Gear is great for hardcore Shounen fans who enjoy over-the-top action, badass special tricks, and, of course, roller skates...

I truly enjoyed this anime, though the main issue was its unresolved ending...

Similar to how my review almost ended abruptly.

In any case, the sole advantage of watching this over reading the manga is witnessing the tricks in action. The manga is far superior.

A word of caution, however: it does contain nudity, making it unwise to watch when someone might glance at your screen.

Let me share my thoughts briefly:
A promising beginning.
An excellent middle section.
A disappointing conclusion.
Terribly unsatisfying ending.
In my opinion, the later storyline is significantly flawed. Some reviewers have pointed out numerous plot holes that make the final chapters confusing. I'm unsure whether to recommend this manga. However, here are some pointers: read it merely as "another enjoyable manga" without diving too deeply into the story; otherwise, you might regret it like I did. Consider yourself warned. To reiterate, THE PLOT IS BAD!!

Air Gear is one of those series that held immense potential but ultimately fell short. I've already reviewed the anime, which was quite good as it represented the pinnacle of the series before things started to decline. I have also read through the manga multiple times. Here's my review:

Story: 4

The storyline in Air Gear begins impressively but quickly deteriorates. The arcs covered by the anime were the best parts, but afterward, the quality plummets. There are some intriguing elements like Sora’s betrayal, yet many aspects fail to make sense until the very end. Issues such as characters being both alive and dead, the Spitfire AI program, the Big Climax, Rika’s brainwashing, and Tool Toul To contribute to the overall confusion. It's challenging to summarize all the problems with Air Gear succinctly.

Art: 10

The artwork is exceptional; Oh Great has a remarkable talent for drawing, particularly in action scenes, which are beautifully executed.

Characters: 4

Where do I start? Let's begin with why John Omaha (Barack Obama, the President of the US) appears in the story. Honestly, I'll just highlight the better characters and assume the rest are subpar. Good Characters: (not really great, but okay) Buccha, Agito/Akito, Kazu, Spitfire, Yoshitune (if misspelled, sorry). The remaining characters are generally poor. Initially, I considered Sora a decent character, but his actions, like cutting off body parts because he deemed them unnecessary or doing it for the "99%," were ridiculous.

Enjoyment: 5

There were moments I enjoyed, especially up until the Trident arc. After that, the enjoyment factor began to wane slightly but remained somewhat entertaining. However, following the Sora’s Betrayal Arc, it became truly unpleasant.

Overall: 4

Air Gear had its shining moments, but the involvement of gravity children, parasites controlling Rika, and other similar elements detract significantly from the experience, making up most of the series’ flaws.

So, I stumbled upon some artworks by Oh! Great and was utterly captivated by his style. This discovery fueled my desire to delve into his works, starting with Tenjou Tenge, though I paused it after hearing that Air Gear is considered his masterpiece.
Now that I've completed it, here's my take on the series.

- S T O R Y -
The narrative revolves around Minami Itsuki as he ventures into the realm of A-T, evolving as a Storm Rider while overcoming progressively challenging obstacles through practice, skill, and sheer determination.
Initially, the concept feels refreshingly unique within the Sports manga genre, but complexity gradually builds up as the story advances.
The pacing is spot-on—neither too hurried nor dragging. Each moment gets sufficient time to develop without overstaying its welcome.

Despite its enjoyable nature, the story is arguably the weakest aspect of Air Gear. Battles often hinge on willpower and protecting others for strength, which isn't inherently bad but happens too frequently.
Sometimes, character abilities don't make much sense, but this isn't a major issue since Air Gear is an over-the-top blend of Sports and Battle Shonen genres, excelling in what it sets out to do. It wasn’t crafted to rival Shakespearean literature; it was designed to be cool—and it succeeds marvelously. Air Gear epitomizes 'cool' from start to finish.

Though filled with nonsensical moments, there are occasional scientific explanations that lend plausibility to the seemingly impossible, albeit sparingly.

- A R T -
Undoubtedly the highlight of Air Gear, the artwork is incredibly sharp, clear, and detailed. It enhances the setting beautifully and makes the characters stand out.
Particularly when zooming in on the A-Ts, the level of detail is mesmerizing.
Oh! Great’s proportion choices provide excellent fan service for both genders, with the series brimming with attractive characters.

- C H A R A C T E R S -
While their archetypes are familiar, the characters exude distinct personalities and undergo significant growth. Each has their own arc and journey.
Their motivations are straightforward—they aim to improve themselves.
Moreover, their interactions rank among the best aspects of Air Gear, alongside the art.

- O V E R A L L -
Though the story isn’t groundbreaking, it effectively maximizes its characters and setting. The action sequences were thrilling, panel layouts were perfect, and cliffhangers were well-timed, keeping readers engaged. Violence and fan service abound but fit seamlessly within Air Gear’s world.

- E N J O Y M E N T -
I thoroughly enjoyed Air Gear, particularly due to its exhilarating action and stunning artwork.

Reading long-running series can be quite daunting to start, but the rewards they bring—memorable characters and expansive stories—are worth it. I'm referring to good stories like One Piece and Fullmetal Alchemist (FMA). However, Air Gear is a different story altogether; its only award seems to be the "boobie prize" of absolute disappointment, despite a promising start.

STORY: Oh Great! What a name to give yourself, especially since you're not great at many aspects except for artwork. It must really scream confidence to those who pick up Air Gear (or Tenjo Tenge, but I'm not reviewing that), expecting something great. Well, I wouldn't blame them; Air Gear does start out decently, even well, but eventually fumbles and falls flat.

Air Gear is dumb, really dumb—the kind of dumb reminiscent of that kid in first grade who gets sent to the corner wearing a dunce hat every day. But just as a teacher might grow fond of that kid's antics, you might find some charm in Air Gear's ridiculousness, even if you know what to expect. Eventually, though, that kid grows into a complete dumbass—not only doing jackass things but also pretending to be smart when he clearly isn't.

That's been my experience with Air Gear: a smooth landscape hiding the grand canyon of falls. The story starts off simple. Itsuki "Ikki" "Babyface" Minami, the strongest kid at his junior high school, is an orphan living with four sisters: Ringo (the main female character and most likable), Mikan (tomboyish and second oldest), Ume (quirky youngest), and Rika (oldest and breadwinner). Ikki fights the wrong crowd one day and gets slaughtered by a gang of roller skaters called Storm Riders, introducing him to the world of Air Treks. These super roller skates let you jump into the sky, performing impossible tricks (and magical BS).

The story is essentially a sports battle shonen ecchi manga with a strange concept, starting off as good as anyone would hope from the creator of Tenjo Tenge. Early battles are entertaining, involving various sports events mixed with typical shonen-style fights. From racing and relay runs to standard 1-on-1 fighting and survival matches, this remains one of Air Gear's constant qualities.

Other "qualities," however, might as well have never been considered quality. Specifically, the storytelling. As explained earlier, the story goes downhill after a while. From fun foolishness with Ikki and his team (Kazu, Onigiri, Buccha, Akito/Agito) to killing off insignificant characters to improve another's skills, throwing in pointless characters, and over-exaggerating the power of roller blades, the series loses all its fun. It becomes ridiculous—specific roller skates with magical powers repaired only by naked girls? It's absurd, nothing more than cheap devices for ridiculous powers and fan service.

ART: The artwork is the one thing Oh Great does right. Incredible detail on everything, borderline realistic character designs, exaggerated bodily proportions, but everything looks great. Especially the personified shadows of the characters, ranging from vicious beasts to goddesses and hellish armies. However, sometimes text boxes and word bubbles fill too much of the pages, becoming almost as messy as the story.

OVERALL:

The Good:
+ A dumb fun story with a unique concept mixing shonen and sports elements.
+ Good comedy if lowbrow and ecchi jokes are your thing.
+ Great artwork deserving the word "great."

The Bad:
- Dumb story becomes a convoluted mess later on, beyond the author's ability.
- Cheap ecchi and even cheaper plot advancements.
- Completely ridiculous plot devices and magical BS roller skates apparently can do.
- Terrible mood swings.

Sigh... As easy as it is to drop Air Gear, I consider myself past the point of no return. Let this review serve as a warning to those wanting to invest in this mess of a series. Oh Great must be a sarcastic name or used in an annoyed reply like, "Oh great... another chapter of Air Gear to read, woo hoo..."

For the past decade, Oh! Great (Ogure Ito) has crafted one of the most peculiar works ever to grace bookshelves: Air Gear. To be frank, it's bizarre because you can't quite pinpoint what Air Gear aims to be. Is it an over-the-top sports manga? A battle manga with the strangest weapon choices? A harem manga of sorts? Or a comedy manga filled with absurd amounts of fanservice? The manga blends these genres as it progresses, continuing this jumble until its final chapter.

Nonetheless, I completed reading Air Gear. I finished it out of nostalgia; I still fondly recall when it was good and continued reading, hoping for a return of those golden days. Alas, it never recovered, but I read on anyway. This is perhaps the sentiment generated by long-running series; they're hard to let go. Now, let's dive into the specifics.

Story: 6/10

The story centers around Minami Itsuki, known to friends as "Ikki," and his journey in the world of ATs. What are ATs? Imagine extreme inline skates that fly, skate through the sky, and wield powers.

I initially latched onto this concept, expecting some of the wildest sports manga ever. However, Air Gear adopts a multitasking approach, attempting several genres simultaneously. The result is a blend of sports, battles, romance, comedy, and fanservice. It juggles these elements, often resulting in a chaotic mess. There are standout moments, but the mess is more common. The last 20+ chapters shifted between romance, shounen battles, and finally, sports manga-style endings. It's confusing but grows on you if you've been reading for years.

Art: 8/10

I've always appreciated Air Gear's character illustrations. Details are spot-on where needed. It's puzzling, though, how female characters seem unaware of "underwear" or even "sports bras." Setting aside all forms of fanservice, the characters look great.

The battles are visually stunning too. It's impressive how the artists bring the ATs' powers to life, creating backgrounds each time the user activates their power. Dragons, vines, typhoons—you name it, they have it.

What detracts is the scenery. Sometimes it's excellent, but often it's messy. Setting that aside, everything else is pretty solid.

Character: 5/10

Here lies another issue with Air Gear: the plethora of characters leads to clutter and lack of individual characterization. Most characters are cool and collected, hot-headed sports jocks like our lead, or attractive girls with amazing inline skates (and vital statistics). The only memorable characters aren't even the leads; they're members of Ikki's later-formed group. If anything, the strength lies in the ensemble rather than individuals. Ikki's personality itself was quite unremarkable.

Enjoyment: 9/10

Despite all, Air Gear offers a unique experience. You'd never expect such diverse genres in one manga, yet the author manages to weave them together while keeping ridiculousness at bay (sometimes). The tricks and ATs breathe life into the story, keeping readers engaged. You might even develop favorites among the best ATs in the series. It's that catchy. Alternatively, you might just be interested in certain curves throughout the series or the almost complete disregard for women's underwear. But hey, all's well that ends well, right?

Overall: 7/10

This score simply averages my ratings above. Overall, Air Gear presents a story as ridiculous as the sport it revolves around. Whether you're in it for the nostalgia, the women, the tricks, or the powers, Air Gear remains entertaining. It's certainly not the best out there, but it's refreshing to read something so bizarrely entertaining. Perhaps the bizarre nature of this manga is indeed one of its strong points after all.