AIR
Genre	Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Game
Developer	Key
Publisher	Visual Art's, NEC Interchannel (for the console ports)
Genre	Visual novel
Rating	Mature
Platform	PC, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2
Released	September 8, 2000 (PC) September 20, 2001 (Dreamcast) August 8, 2002 (PS2)
TV anime
Directed by
Studio	Kyoto Animation
Network	BS-i
Original run	January 6, 2005 – March 31, 2005
No. of episodes	13
Movie
Directed by	Osamu Dezaki
Studio	Toei Animation
Released	February 5, 2005
Runtime
TV anime : AIR In Summer Special
Directed by
Studio	Kyoto Animation
Network	BS-i
Original run	August 28, 2005 – September 4, 2005
No. of episodes	2

AIR (2000) is a visual novel created by Key, who also created Kanon and, later, Clannad. Although created as a PC eroge for adults, this game has minimal ecchi scenes. Later, a version without ecchi scenes, dubbed the "All Ages Version", was released on PC (without voice acting), Dreamcast (with almost full voice acting) and PlayStation 2 (with full voice acting). The "All Ages Version" was later made the basis for an anime series and movie. Image File history File links AIR (Dreamcast cover) fairuse under US and Japanese copyright law This is the cover art for a video or computer game. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into theatre. ... // For other meanings see Fantasy (disambiguation) Fantasy is a genre of art, literature, film, television, games and music that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of either plot, theme, setting, or all three. ... Look up romance in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates computer or video games. ... Key is a Japanese renai game studio, known for making dramatic and plot-oriented games. ... Video game publishers are companies that publish video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer. ... This is a listing of computer and video game genres with brief descriptions and examples from each genre. ... A visual novel is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art. ... This article is about computer and video games. ... One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... Sega Dreamcast The Sega Dreamcast (Japanese: ドリームキャスト; code-named Katana during development) was Segas last video game console. ... The PlayStation 2 (PS2) (Japanese: プレイステーション2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... August 8 is the 220th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (221st in leap years), with 145 days remaining. ... For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ... See TV (disambiguation) for other uses and Television (band) for the rock band European networks National In much of Europe television broadcasting has historically been state dominated, rather than commercially organised, although commercial stations have grown in number recently. ... Atom, star of the long-running science fiction series Mighty Atom (also known as Astro Boy to Western audiences). ... This company is known for somehow getting their job done without having animators do any overtime. ... Tokyo Broadcasting System, Incorporated ) (TYO: 9401 ) or TBS, is a television network in Tokyo, Japan. ... January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Osamu Dezaki(also known as Makura Saki) (November 18, 1943) is a Japanese director of anime. ... Toei Animation (東映アニメーション Tōei AnimÄ“shon) is a Japanese animation (anime) studio owned by the Toei Company. ... February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... See TV (disambiguation) for other uses and Television (band) for the rock band European networks National In much of Europe television broadcasting has historically been state dominated, rather than commercially organised, although commercial stations have grown in number recently. ... Atom, star of the long-running science fiction series Mighty Atom (also known as Astro Boy to Western audiences). ... This company is known for somehow getting their job done without having animators do any overtime. ... Tokyo Broadcasting System, Incorporated ) (TYO: 9401 ) or TBS, is a television network in Tokyo, Japan. ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A visual novel is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art. ... Key is a Japanese renai game studio, known for making dramatic and plot-oriented games. ... Conversation at school with Kanon character Nayuki Minase. ... CLANNAD (クラナド) is a renai game created by Key, which also created AIR and Kanon. ... One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... An eroge (erotic game) is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. ... Ecchi (from the Japanese エッチ) is an English word deriving from a Japanese word meaning lewd or naughty when used as an adjective, and can refer to a pervert or sexual intercourse when used as a noun. ... Sega Dreamcast The Sega Dreamcast (Japanese: ドリームキャスト; code-named Katana during development) was Segas last video game console. ... The PlayStation 2 (PS2) (Japanese: プレイステーション2) is Sonys second video game console, the successor to the PlayStation and the predecessor to the PlayStation 3. ... Atom, star of the long-running science fiction series Mighty Atom (also known as Astro Boy to Western audiences). ...

AIR is famous for its complex and touching story, while the music in game also receives high praise, especially the opening song 鳥の詩 (Tori no Uta; literally, Song of the Bird) and insertion song 青空 (Aozora; literally: Blue Sky).

Story

Kunisaki Yukito is a traveler, travelling across Japan searching for a legend passed down from his mother about a "girl in the sky." During his journeys, he comes across a small seaside town where he meets a clumsy yet cute girl named Kamio Misuzu, who is eager to become friends with him. As Yukito stays in the town with Misuzu and meets other residents there, a legend of "one thousand summers" begins to unfold, the mysteries of the past framed by the odd relationship between Yukito and Misuzu. Traveler can refer to: a 1983 album named Traveler by Steve Roach a 2003 album named Traveler by Colin James a 2003 album named Traveler by Steve Hass a 2003 album named Traveler by Tim OBrien It is also a synonym for Traveller. ... The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) An angel is an ethereal being found in many religions, whose duties are to assist and serve God. ...

Characters

Kunisaki Yukito

A wanderer travelling across the country in order to find the 'girl in the sky', a goal each generation of his family has passed on for a thousand years. Yukito lives off his trade, a special form of stringless puppeteering that was taught to him by his mother before she died. He is the descendant of Ryuuya and Uraha.

Kanna

Also known as Kannabi no mikoto, since '-bi no mikoto' is the formal suffix given to all winged beings. As one of the last winged beings in history, Kanna was deified out of fear for the awesome power inherent in all of her kind. From birth, Kanna has been kept in isolated areas away from the general populace, but not long after meeting Ryuuya and Uraha she escapes with them in order to find her mother, the only other winged being left.

Ryuuya

A skilled, yet low-ranked samurai charged with Kanna's protection, Ryuuya quickly befriended Kanna and eventually they fell in love. Unfortunately, Kanna was cursed by Buddhist monks to live an endless cycle of reincarnation, suffering, and death. Ryuuya dedicated the remainder of his life to finding a way to lift the curse, and though he never did, he had a child with Uraha in the hopes that their kin would eventually find a way to break the curse.

Uraha

One of the many servants charged with Kanna's care, she also befriended Kanna and Ryuuya and ended up escaping with them during their journey to find Kanna's mother. Though unbeknownst to her at the time, Uraha possessed powerful magical abilities that would come in handy later during their quest. After Kanna's sealing, Uraha honed these latent powers in an effort to lift Kanna's curse. Though eventually failing in this task, Uraha's powers are passed on to each descendant of her and Ryuuya, granting Yukito his special talent of controlling puppets without physically manipulating them.

Kamio Misuzu, the main female character.

Kamio Misuzu

The first of the three girls featured in Air's storyline. While Misuzu appears to a young and healthy (if slightly eccentric) high school girl, she carries a curse that has lasted for a thousand years. If anyone gets too close to Misuzu, then both her and the person that cares for her will die. In addition, since she bears the soul of Kanna, Misuzu is destined to die because a winged being's spirit is too much for any human to contain. Thus, each incarnation of Kanna (e.g. Misuzu) will eventually die after she has found true happiness and friendship, alone, without ever having had the chance to heal the wounds that Kanna's soul bears. She is a dinosaur enthusiast.

Kamio Haruko

Foster mother and aunt of Misuzu. Haruko loves Misuzu as her own child, but tries to distance herself from Misuzu because she fears that one day Misuzu will be taken from her. She is very outgoing and is an alcoholic.

Kirishima Kano

The second of the three girls featured in Air. The younger sister of Kirishima Hijiri, Like Mizusu, Kano also has a curse related to the past. Kano possesses the soul of an estranged mother. Because of it, she always has a ribbon tied around her wrist to prevent her from committing suicide.

Kirishima Hijiri

The town doctor, Hijiri has taken care of Kano ever since their parents died. Believing Kano's curse to be some sort of disease, Hijiri trained as a doctor in order to try and cure her younger sister's disease. Hijiri was the one who originally tied the ribbon around Kano's wrist after seeing her younger sister attempt to commit suicide.

Tohno Minagi

The third of the three girls featured in Air. A top student in the school, Minagi is very quiet and shy. Though she doesn't have any relation with the past like Misuzu or Kano, she is still rather isolated from others. Until she meets Yukito, her only friend is Michiru.

Michiru

A young girl who doesn't seem to have a place to live, Michiru is nevertheless a spirited, energetic young child. Having befriended Minagi at an early age, Michiru doesn't seem to have any other friends. She plays an important role in Minagi's storyline.

Potato from AIR anime.

Potato

A dog that lives with the Kirishimas, Potato makes frequent appearances throughout the series. Potato seems to follows Kano a lot, and was the reason that Kano and Yukito met. Potato's only word is "Piko."

Cameo Appearances

In the second anime episode, Ayu, Nayuki, and Makoto, characters from the Key game Kanon appear as students at Misuzu's school.

A puppeteer is a person who manipulates a puppet or marionette, either by the use of strings, wires or their hands, for a stage production or film. ... Japanese samurai in armour, 1860s. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... Image File history File links AIR_(game). ... Image File history File links AIR_(game). ... The dog Potato from the anime series Air TV. This work is copyrighted. ... The dog Potato from the anime series Air TV. This work is copyrighted. ... Key is a Japanese renai game studio, known for making dramatic and plot-oriented games. ... Conversation at school with Kanon character Nayuki Minase. ...

Animated works

The AIR anime

On November 17, 2004, a teaser DVD named AIR ~prelude~ was produced containing interviews with the cast, clean opening and ending sequences, and promotional footage of the anime itself. It is a limited edition DVD, with only 20,000 copies produced. 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... DVD-R writing/reading side DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is an optical disc storage media format that can be used for data storage, including movies with high video and sound quality. ...

An anime based on the game recently aired on TBS's BS-i satellite broadcasting network. The first episode, かぜ ~breeze~, was aired on January 6, 2005. The anime series comprises thirteen main episodes, which consist of twelve main episodes and one recap episode. The anime also follows the game by splitting the series into three parts; Dream (eps 1-7), Summer (eps 7-9), and AIR (eps 10-12), with the recap episode (ep 13) following. Atom, star of the long-running science fiction series Mighty Atom (also known as Astro Boy to Western audiences). ... Tokyo Broadcasting System, Incorporated ) (TYO: 9401 ) or TBS, is a television network in Tokyo, Japan. ... January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Theme songs

• "鳥の詩 (Tori no Uta; Bird's Poem)" by Lia (Opening Theme)
• "Farewell Song" by Lia (Ending Theme)
• "青空 (Aozora)" by Lia (Insert Theme)

Episode List

Kunisaki Yukito putting on a puppet show in front of little kids from AIR anime.

Image File history File links Yukito_Puppet_Show. ... Image File history File links Yukito_Puppet_Show. ...

AIR In Summer Special

Uraha, Kanna and Ryuuya from the AIR Summer Special.

At the end of episode thirteen of the AIR anime, there was a teaser for a special addendum to the series, entitled AIR in Summer. The special, which lasted for two episodes about thirty minutes in length, allowed viewers to dive deeper into the Summer arc than what was explained in the anime, as the producers did not have enough time to fit the entire Summer arc in, given the 13-episode limit. The two episodes aired on August 28 and September 4 respectively at 11:30-12:00 PM JST (GMT +09:00) on BS-i. The DVD was later released on October 5 in Japan. Image File history File links KannaurahaRyuuya. ... Image File history File links KannaurahaRyuuya. ...

Theme songs

Uses the same OP and ED as AIR TV series.

Episode List

The AIR movie

An AIR movie, animated by Toei (the same team who worked on the Kanon anime), premiered in Japanese theaters on February 5, 2005. It is a reinterpretation of the AIR storyline by director Dezaki Osamu, and may be considered a "parallel universe" of sorts to the anime/game storyline. The DVD was released in three editions, the Collector's Edition, the Special Edition, and the Regular Edition on August 5, 2005. Conversation at school with Kanon character Nayuki Minase. ... February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Osamu Dezaki(also known as Makura Saki) (November 18, 1943) is a Japanese director of anime. ... August 5 is the 217th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (218th in leap years), with 148 days remaining. ...

Theme songs

• "鳥の詩 (Tori no Uta; Bird's Poem)" by Lia (Opening Theme)
• "Farewell Song" by Lia (Ending Theme 1)
• "If Dreams Came True" by Eri Kawai (Ending Theme 2)

The shrine featured in AIR.

Image File history File linksMetadata Airrealshrine. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Airrealshrine. ... A torii is a gate leading to a jinja. ...

Series setting

The seaside town featured in AIR is actually a city in Japan called Kami [1]. Located in Hyogo Prefecture, AIR was set in the Kasumi district of Kami; during the course of the series' creation, Kasumi was an individual town that has since merged with two others to form the city of Kami. Kami (香美町; -cho) is a town located in Mikata District, Hyogo, Japan. ... Hyōgo Prefecture (兵庫県 Hyōgo-ken) is located in the Kinki region on Honshu island, Japan. ... Kasumi (香住町; -cho) is a town located in Kinosaki District, Hyogo, Japan. ...

Many of the locales in AIR, such as the seawall, the train station, the shrine, and the school are real places. [2] [3] Seawall protecting homes from storm waves and beach erosion. ... Passengers bustle around the typical grand edifice of Londons Broad Street station in 1865. ... A torii is a gate leading to a jinja. ...

Controversy

Currently, music from the game and anime have been the subjects of considerable controversy. On August 27, 2005, Anime News Network reported that Singaporean musician Shaun Yu may have plagiarized "Tori no Uta". Yu's current album, The Best of Shaun Yu, features a track called "Melody" which sounds like the AIR theme. Though Key made no official statement at the time, an investigation was initiated.[4] August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Anime News Network (ANN) is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America and Japan, though it often features similar happens throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the world from time to time. ... Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty, the unacknowledged use of another persons idea(s), information, language or writing. ...

On September 21, it was reported that a second song on the album, "Magic", may have been plagiarized from another song on the AIR soundtrack, "Tenshi no Kyujitsu" [5]. Yu has stated that his producers, YesMusic, had arranged both tracks, and that he was unaware of the situation. YesMusic, in turn, has stated that it licensed the rights to the song from Key/Visual Art's for mainland China distribution, but that the album came out in Taiwan before licensing could be arranged for that territory. However, Key/Visual Art's denies this, as per a statement on its website: September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... The Great Wall of China, stretching over 6700 km, was first erected in the 3rd century B.C. to protect the north from nomadic invaders and has been rebuilt several times since. ...

Official Announcement Regarding Plagiarism of Tori no Uta Thank you very much for supporting products of our humble company. According to information provided by fans, we've learned that Shaun Yu's 真愛珍愛2005風行精選集 distributed by SONY BMG Entertainment (Taiwan) is suspected plagiarizing our music - Tori no Uta. We apologize for worrying supporting fans. We have filed a formal complaint to SONY BMG Entertainment (Taiwan) and made following demands:

1. Apologize publicly on the web.
2. Credit the composer of Tori no Uta to Shinji Orito clearly.
3. If the above two requirements are fulfilled, we will not ask for financial compensations.

We have been negotiating with SONY BMG Entertainment (Taiwan) with those terms. Regrettably, 季忠屏, director of YesMusic, the production company of this CD, has made a false announcement today that he had purchased distribution rights from us. It is a pity and is regrettable. In order to show our objection to his plagiarizing actions and his dishonest attitude, we shall not license any of our creation to them, including Tori no Uta. These days, we have received supports from both Japanese and Taiwanese fans. You have our immense gratitude. Please keep supporting our humble company, Key, in the future.

To date, Sony BMG has pulled all copies of the album and issued a recall of all albums sold. Bertelsmann is a transnational media corporation founded in 1835, based in G tersloh, Germany. ...

External links

• Key Official HP
• AIR Movie Official HP
• AIR Animation Official HP
• AIR Anthology Comic Official HP
• zalas's AIR Wiki
• Air: Information and Synopsis
• An Unofficial Korean Translation Project (Supposedly Abandoned - March 2006)
• Key Fanclub, Fan Website for Mainland Chinese (Simplified Chinese)
• Air at MobyGames