Air

Yukito Kunisaki is on a journey in search of the Winged Maiden who was bound to the sky centuries ago after hearing the old childhood tale from his mother. As Yukito shows his puppet show to people in an attempt to make some money, he finds himself in a small town in which he did not expect to stay very long. However, when he meets an unusual girl named Misuzu, things take a drastic turn as he is invited to stay with her.

Air (2005) is a Japanese animated supernatural romance series created for BS-TBS, produced by Kyoto Animation and VISUAL ARTS/Key, and made up of a single twelve-episode season. Yukito Kunisaki, a wandering puppeteer who performs puppet shows to earn his way, sets out in search of the Winged Maiden, a figure bound to the sky centuries ago, after hearing the legend from his mother as a child. His journey stalls in a small seaside town when he meets Misuzu Kamio (voiced by Tomoko Kawakami), an unusual girl who invites him to stay with her. The engine of the story is the slow pull between his quest and the people who begin to matter to him, with each episode built around everyday town life, quiet gatherings, and fragments of the old legend. Set in a sleepy summer coastal town, the series has a dreamy, wistful and melancholic register, with a tender and sorrowful emotional core rooted in memory and fate. Its visual mood is soft and lyrical, and its bittersweet atmosphere will appeal to viewers who enjoy the emotional restraint of Clannad and the tender supernatural romance of Kanon. The series offers a contained, emotionally intense viewing experience that rewards patience.

Audiences rate the series as mixed, with its emotional story and lush animation admired while its melancholy, sometimes slow-paced drama divides opinion.

• Clannadshared melancholic seaside summer romance and supernatural tragedy in an anime
• Kanonshared dreamy emotional tone, melancholic fantasy romance, and Kyoto Animation style
• Toradora!shared wistful supernatural romance with a fated tragic thread and small town atmosphere

Release Date

2005-01-07

Episode runtime

24 min

Rating

7.0 / 10 (77)

What is Air about?

A wandering puppeteer searching for a legendary winged maiden finds himself drawn into a seaside town and a bond with an unusual girl.

What is Air like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Air as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Air violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Air as mild.

What did critics think of Air?

Audiences rate the series as mixed, with its emotional story and lush animation admired while its melancholy, sometimes slow-paced drama divides opinion.

Which shows are like Air?

Shows with a similar feel include Clannad, Kanon, and Toradora!.

How long is Air?

Air: 1 season, 12 episodes.

Is Air still running?

No, Air has ended.