NoaIzumiAnime Review: Yukikaze
April 9th 2009 21:58
After the alien race known only as the JAM invaded the Earth through a portal in Antarctica, humanity fought them back after a long struggle. Now, the battle continues on the other side of the portal, on the JAM’s home planet, dubbed “Fairy” by the human soldiers. When the JAM change tactics, it leads to a confrontation that may end the war forever.
Being a big military aviation buff, I was really looking forward to seeing this, and I wasn’t disappointed. The dogfight scenes were very nicely done, if a little hard to follow sometimes, and the animation was some of the best I’ve ever seen. The mecha designs are pretty cool too, especially the JAM planes with their hypno-camouflage. If you’ve ever seen the TV anime Area 88 (which I also totally dig), Yukikaze is very similar and every bit as good in these respects.
But, as with the TV version of Area 88, the action winds up overshadowing the plot. The story focuses on two friends, a pilot and his superior officer. Strange things seem to happen around the pilot, and it becomes clear over the course of the series that the JAM have a special interest in him and his AI-equipped plane, the Yukikaze. We never find out exactly what sparked that interest, and the relationship between the two men could use more depth as well. The story arc isn’t bad, and includes a subplot set on Earth, but feels rushed, like explanatory scenes are missing.
This is especially apparent in the last episode, when a traitor is revealed, and the generals use his treason as part of a plan to end the war, and he’s never been even mentioned before this. We’re hearing the generals discuss this guy Rombert and his goals and why he’s doing what he’s doing, and we’re sitting there going, who? It reminded me of the ending of Sol Bianca: the Legacy, where a character is tossed in from out of nowhere, and he’s supposed to be a major player all of a sudden. The conclusion is pretty good, and includes some seriously fine aerial combat, but the surprise traitor is kind of irritating.
Great Moments: As mentioned, the dogfights are the highlight of this series, and the highlight of the dogfights is when the FAF pilots finally nail that electronic warfare JAM plane that had been causing them so much trouble. Take that, ya’ bastards!
Extras: The extras are almost worth the purchase price all by themselves. There’s a 30 minute making-of featurette, a mission briefing that explains a lot of the background to the story, a glossary of aviation terms, technical specs on the various planes, and interviews with the director and the two main voice actors (nine minutes apiece).
Summary: Characters are a little thin, but the plot is decent, and the action is top-notch. Grade: B plus
Age rating: 13 and up. Violence in a military context, some of it bloody. Light fan service in the form of a sexy doctor.
Yukikaze DVD collection
| 29 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
