Chained To The Beast

What happened to the little bat? What about the soldiers from wolf smoke that were left behind? What happened to the demon she capture to train those soldiers? And what about two little orphan boy that she took in? What are her former terminator friends doing? I have so many unanswered questions. I know the story is not finished yet but I hope the author does not forget these loose ends.

Imiss li muwan

considering I caught up to soul land 4 before even touching 1 2 and 3, no. though it is pretty fun if you know what happens in the previous novel.

I recently realized that despite being a huge fan of Key's works, particularly "Air," I had never delved into the manga version. Both the anime series and the film hold a special place in my heart, so I decided to explore the manga adaptation, which has garnered a solid score but also faced some criticism. Having completed the manga, I can confidently say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Initially, reading the less-than-positive reviews on this site almost deterred me, but I'm glad I proceeded anyway, as it turned out to be a rewarding, albeit somewhat flawed, experience.

Story: 8 (No spoilers!)
The narrative is compelling, centered around Yukito Kunisaki, a solitary boy traveling across Japan as a puppeteer, seeking both financial sustenance and the girl in the sky his late mother spoke of. His journey leads him to the quaint town of Kami, where he encounters Misuzu Kamio, an eccentric girl eager for companionship. Over time, their bond deepens significantly.

The story unfolds effectively, though certain sections near the conclusion feel disjointed. This mirrors the anime's challenge of condensing the entire tale into just 13 episodes. Here, the manga attempts to fit everything into two volumes, managing admirably but with a rushed ending. Nonetheless, the manga offers a happier resolution compared to the anime, which I appreciated. Several scenes evoked strong emotions.

Interestingly, the manga doesn't overly emphasize Minagi or Kano, akin to the Air film. Given the limited length, this decision proves wise, focusing instead on Yukito, Misuzu, and Haruko. While additional chapters might have allowed for more character arcs, hints at these are present, particularly Minagi's. Readers unfamiliar with the Air universe might find this confusing, reinforcing my recommendation to engage with the anime first before diving into the manga. My prior exposure likely enhanced my appreciation.

Notably, the Kanna and Ryuuya subplot absent from the manga slightly diminishes emotional depth, yet the story remains coherent and impactful.

Art: 9
The artwork is stunning, capturing the series' essence beautifully. A warm ambiance permeates the illustrations, fitting perfectly given the summer setting. Misuzu's depiction is especially captivating. Clean and detailed, the art deserves high praise.

Character: 8
The primary trio—Yukito, Misuzu, and Haruko—are exceptionally well-developed, elevating the manga's quality. Conversely, secondary characters like Kano and Minagi receive limited attention, while Michiru and Hijiri barely appear. Kanna and Ryuuya are entirely omitted. Thus, while not perfect, the core character development merits a high score.

Enjoyment: 9
I found immense enjoyment in this manga. Being a tragic tale, it may not appeal to those adverse to sad stories. However, the presence of a happy ending, coupled with intentional open-endedness for reader interpretation, adds charm.

Overall: 9
Though its imperfections preclude a perfect 10, an 8.5 feels more appropriate. Rounded up for this platform, I highly recommend this manga to Air and Key enthusiasts, as well as fans of poignant, romantic narratives.

I really enjoyed anime. It presents a great mystical story that makes you ponder. Typically, manga surpasses its screen adaptation, so I started reading Air.  

The art style is fairly simple, lacking intricate shadows. The eyes appear glassy, with unchanging expressions, which is quite a drawback, isn't it? In anime, voice actors can compensate for some graphical shortcomings with their performances, but manga's art must "speak" and "breathe" in a way that convinces the reader.  

The storytelling is truly disappointing. Only Misuzu's arc remains developed. What about the other girls—Minagi, Kano, Michiru? The answer is straightforward: their arcs are not depicted. They feel like filler characters, leaving the story incomplete.  

I didn't like the Air manga due to its emptiness. Yes, it feels hollow. It fails to convey emotions or feelings effectively. It's better to watch the anime; the manga is truly a waste of time.  

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Having already viewed the Air anime, I anticipated what is typically done with franchises that exist as both anime and manga. Ordinarily, both versions follow the same story, but the manga tends to delve deeper. In the case of Air, it's the reverse.

The Air manga quickly becomes extremely disappointing because it only presents the bare essentials of a coherent storyline, with no depth or explanation for the events in the story.

Due to the lack of in-depth coverage of the story, the characters are also not explored thoroughly. Many seem to be 'tacked on' in the manga, unlike the well-developed characters in the anime. The pacing of introductions and story developments feels clumsy, as if the writer just intended to include all the key story elements and hoped they would form an interesting, coherent narrative when arranged in the right order. Unfortunately, this significant flaw in planning and depth also eliminates any chance of the characters being likable, making the manga quite unremarkable to read.

The artwork also falls short of my expectations, appearing somewhat lacking in detail at times. While it's acceptable, it doesn't meet the high standard I generally expect.

Despite all these issues, I still found myself enjoying the Air manga due to its indescribable charm, which is why I gave it a high 'Enjoyment' rating.

I believe the Air manga could have been greatly improved if it had been longer, perhaps by an additional volume. This would have allowed for a few more chapters to introduce another character arc instead of focusing solely on Misuzu, or to explore Misuzu and Yukito's past further. In my opinion, you should watch the anime, as it is significantly better than this.

Out of the three major Key anime (I won't consider Little Busters until it gains more popularity and I've seen it), it's generally agreed that Air is the weakest, a view I share. Although it's still enjoyable, it doesn't have the same emotional impact as Clannad and Kanon. The anime could have benefited from either being longer to give Kanno's and Minagi's arcs more depth and develop its somewhat hastily added backstory further, or shorter with a tighter focus solely on Misuzu, cutting out the poorly written past. This is the approach the Air manga took, yet despite its brevity and omitting most plot points unrelated to Misuzu, it somehow lacks focus. Let's examine this closer.

For those unfamiliar, Air follows Yukito, a traveling puppeteer making a living through his magical shows. Upon arriving in a small town, he befriends Misuzu. However, things aren't as they seem, and Misuzu may be connected to one of the reasons for Yukito's travels.

Despite its shorter length, many early chapters are filled with fluff detailing Yukito and Misuzu's relationship. These scenes feel like mere moe fluff, effective for character development but could have been condensed. Eventually, the plot kicks in, but it's not compelling. The mystery feels tacked on, lacking the foreshadowing present in the anime. The supernatural elements appear abruptly about halfway through. Unlike the anime, which established an air of mystery in Minagi's and Kanno's arcs, here it feels forced.

Additionally, the manga's ending is problematic. While I disliked the anime's detour into the past to flesh out its backstory, without such transitions, the final part focusing on Misuzu and Haruka feels disjointed. Haruka has barely been present throughout, so her sudden prominence in the finale disrupts the narrative flow. The story ends abruptly, just before the memorable final scene of the anime. This wouldn't bother me if other elements weren't replicated, but the manga mimics everything else, making the omitted ending feel redundant and contrived. Consequently, the work feels incomplete, as if another chapter is missing.

Character development suffers too. While relegating Kanno and Minagi to minor roles is understandable, hinting at their backstories without resolution leaves them feeling underdeveloped, potentially confusing newcomers. Conversely, Misuzu and Yukito remain consistent with their anime counterparts.

Artistically, it's average. Misuzu's design is generic, though her flowing hair in later chapters is visually appealing. Notably, Minagi's redesign is drastic; without prior knowledge, she might be unrecognizable.

The manga retains key story elements familiar to fans, and newcomers won't be entirely lost as it explains its plot points well, save for one significant exception unclear even in the anime. It doesn't commit any egregious errors but feels incomplete, as if a few extra chapters would elevate it to brilliance. If you've seen the anime, avoid this unless you're a hardcore fan (likely having read it already). For newcomers, skip this and watch the anime instead. Ultimately, I don't recommend this adaptation.

I enjoyed this book even if it got off kilter a couple times. Would read again.