Air Master

Air Master

Japanese DVD cover of Air Master volume 1
エアマスター
(Ea Masutā)
Genre Action, Comedy, Martial Arts
Manga
Written by Yokusaru Shibata
Published by Hakusensha
Demographic Seinen
Magazine Young Animal
Original run 19972006
Volumes 28
Anime television series
Directed by Daisuke Nishio
Produced by Atsushi Kido
Written by Michiko Yokote
Music by Yoshihisa Hirano
Studio Toei Animation
Licensed by

‹See Tfd›

Geneon USA (former)
Network Nippon Television
English network

‹See Tfd›

Razer (unaired)
Original run April 1, 2003 September 30, 2003
Episodes 27

Air Master (エアマスター Ea Masutā) is a seinen manga written and illustrated by Yokusaru Shibata. The story focuses on Maki Aikawa, an ex-gymnast turned street fighter. The manga was serialized in the Hakusensha magazine Young Animal from 1997 to 2006 and has been collected into 28 tankōbon (bound volumes).

A 27-episode anime adaptation was produced by Toei Animation and originally aired on Japan's Nippon Television from April 1 to September 23, 2003. The anime was licensed in North America through a partnership between Toei and Geneon USA. However, only a few episodes of the series were released in the region before the cancellation of the deal, which was due to the poor quality and large number of DVD returns to Geneon.

Plot

Behind the scenes of the hustle and bustle of everyday life in Tokyo, there exist many people who strive to become stronger by competing against each other in street fights. The main protagonist is Maki Aikawa, a 16-year-old high school student. A former gymnast, Maki adapts her skills to a different way of life — street fighting. The only thing that truly makes her feel alive is the rush and pressure experienced while fighting. With amazing power and grace, she fights opponent after opponent, repeatedly demonstrating the gymnastic talent that earns her her street name, "Airmaster". Eventually, Maki is exposed to a fighting league of sorts, known as the Fukamichi Rankings.

The Fukamichi Rankings consist of the world's greatest street fighters and martial artists. The Fukamichi Ranking fights are held for various reasons. Firstly, many fighters wish to test themselves, achieving the highest rank possible and stretching themselves to their physical limits. However, there is also a corporate side to the Fukamichi rankings, with many viewers around the world eager to watch the brutal yet awe-inspiring showdowns. Each Fukamichi ranker is paid a respective amount for winning within their fight. Maki, seeking to quench her thirst for that pressure or buzz she experiences only through fighting and to find her place within this world, scales the Fukamichi Rankings, clashing with the world's greatest fighting prodigies.

Characters

Media

Manga

Air Master was serialized in the Hakusensha magazine Young Animal from 1997 to 2006. The individual chapters have been collected into 28 tankōbon, which were published between July 29, 1997 to May 29, 2006.[1][2]

Anime

An anime adaptation of Air Master was produced by Toei Animation, directed by Daisuke Nishio, and originally aired on Japan's Nippon Television from April 1 to September 23, 2003. The episodes were compiled onto nine separate DVDs, which were released in Japan by VAP between July 24, 2003 and March 24, 2004. Each DVD contains three episodes and a bonus yonkoma by manga author Yokusaru Shibata.[3]

Geneon Universal Entertainment had signed an agreement with Toei to license an English-dubbed version of the anime in the United States and Canada. It was also announced that the series would air on the Canadian cable channel Razer, though it never earned a timeslot and was cancelled before broadcast.[4] Ultimately only three DVDs of Air Master were released in North America, with the fourth and fifth being solicited but cancelled due to an abrupt termination of partnership between the two companies.[5] Region 1 DVDs for the anime, along with two other Toei titles, received very little advertising and suffered from poor quality, resulting in dismal sales and a large number of returns to Geneon.[6] In 2009, Funimation gained the rights to Air Master and began streaming it on the company's official website.[7] The anime was also streamed on Joost.[8]

Episodes

No. Title Original air date
1 "Fly! Air Master"
"飛べ! エアマスター" (Tobe! Eamasutā) 
April 1, 2003
2 "Howl! Kaori Sakiyama"
"吠えろ! 崎山香織!!" (Hoero! Sakiyama Kaori!!) 
April 8, 2003
3 "Challenge! Shinnosuke Tokita"
"挑め! 時田伸之助" (Nozome! Tokita Shinnosuke) 
April 15, 2003
4 "Stand Up! Tsukio and Reiichi"
"目立て! 月雄と麗一" (Medate! Tsukio to Reiichi) 
April 22, 2003
5 "Call Out! Julietta Sakamoto"
"唱え! 坂本ジュリエッタ" (Tonae! Sakamoto Jurietta) 
April 29, 2003
6 "Fly With It! Maki"
"ノってけ! 摩季" (Notteke! Maki) 
May 6, 2003
7 "You're Never Gonna Say That Again!"
"二度と言わせるな!" (Nidoto Iwa Seru Na!) 
May 13, 2003
8 "Yodle! Mina Nakanotani"
"轟け! 中ノ谷美奈" (Todoroke! Nakanotani Mina) 
May 20, 2003
9 "Go! Black Union Of Righteousness And Sincerity"
"進め! 黒正義誠意連合" (Susume! Kuro Seigi Seii Rengō) 
May 27, 2003
10 "Burn! Kinjiro Kitaeda"
"燃えろ! 北枝金次郎" (Moero! Hokushi Kinjirō) 
June 3, 2003
11 "Overwhelm! Maki vs. Kinjiro"
"たたみこめ! 摩季対金次郎" (Tatamikome! Maki tai Kinjirō) 
June 10, 2003
12 "Introducing! Fami-Wrestlers"
"名のれ! ファミレスラーズ" (Na Nore! Famiresurāzu) 
June 17, 2003
13 "Shine! Sky Star"
"輝け! スカイスター" (Kagayake! Sukaisutā) 
June 24, 2003
14 "Pierce Through! Kai and Maki"
"突きぬけろ! カイと摩季" (Tsukinukero! Kai to Maki) 
July 1, 2003
15 "Conquest! Roach Queen!"
"征服せよ! 女帝ゴキ" (Seifuku Seyo! Nyotei goki) 
July 8, 2003
16 "Fight! Fukamichi Ranking"
"戦え! 深道ランキング" (Tatakae! Fukamichi Rankingu) 
July 15, 2003
17 "Gather! Street Fighters"
"集え! ストリートファイターズ" (Tsudoe! Sutorītofaitāzu) 
July 22, 2003
18 "Costume Play! Shigeo Komada"
"コスプれ! 駒田シゲオ" (Kosupure! Komada Shigeo) 
July 29, 2003
19 "Endure! Kouji Ogata"
"忍べ! 尾形小路" (Shinobe! Ogata Kouji) 
August 5, 2003
20 "Collide! Kai and Kinjiro"
"ぶつかれ! カイ対金次郎" (Butsukare! Kai tai Kinjirō) 
August 12, 2003
21 "Make Him Talk! Fukamichi's Younger Brother"
"しゃべらせろ! 深道(弟)" (Shabera Sero! Fukamichi Otōto) 
August 19, 2003
22 "Shoot It Up! The Flame Ranker"
"打ち上げろ! 炎のランカー" (Uchiagero! Honō no Rankā) 
August 26, 2003
23 "Rip It Up! Yuki Minaguchi"
"切り裂け! 皆口由紀" (Kirisake! Minaguchi Yuki) 
September 2, 2003
24 "Burn! Meat"
"焼け! 肉" (Yake! Niku) 
September 9, 2003
25 "Break! Konishi vs. Julietta"
"壊せ! 小西対ジュリエッタ" (Kowase! Konishi tai Jurietta) 
September 16, 2003
26 "Feel It! The Struggling Wind"
"感じろ! 闘いの風" (Kanjiro! Tatakai no Kaze) 
September 23, 2003
27 "Fly! Maki Aikawa"
"飛べ! 相川摩季" (Tobe! Aikawa Maki) 
September 30, 2003

References

  1. Hakusensha staff. エアマスター 1 [Air Master 1] (in Japanese). Hakusensha. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  2. Hakusensha staff. エアマスター 28 [Air Master 28] (in Japanese). Hakusensha. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  3. VAP staff. "Goods" (in Japanese). VAP. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  4. ANN staff (June 10, 2005). "Air Master on Canadian TV". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  5. ANN staff (September 18, 2006). "Toei DVDs Cancelled". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  6. Bertschy, Zac (January 11, 2006). "Industry - 2005 Year in Review". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  7. ANN staff (May 16, 2009). "Afro Samurai Sequel Sold in PS Store & Air Master Streamed Online". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  8. ANN staff (March 15, 2010). "Joost to Remove Last of Its Anime on March 25". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 27, 2013.

External links

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