Air Gear (エア・ギア Ea Gia?) is a
shōnen manga written and illustrated by
Ito "Oh Great" Ōgure.
Air Gear is revolves around the life of
Itsuki Minami "Ikki", also known as "Baby Face", "Lil (and Little) Crow", and his friends. The story follows their use of Air Trecks, an in-universe invention derived from inline skates. Initial sections of the plot carries out the introduction of characters that eventually join Ikki. As the story progresses, it focuses on their roles as Storm Riders and their quest to be on the top of the
Trophaeum Tower.
Air Gear won the 2006
Kodansha Manga Award in the
shōnen category.
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Cover of Air Gear Japanese vol. 1 |
エア・ギア
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| '-Break on the Sky-' |
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Plot
Itsuki "Ikki" Minami, is a high school student and a delinquent. Also known as the "Unbeatable Babyface", Ikki is the leader of the youth gang by the name of "East Side Gunz". Upon his return home, after being humiliated by a Storm Rider team called the Skull Saders, Ikki discovers a secret hidden from him by his benefactors, the Noyamano sisters. The sisters belong to a group of Storm Riders who go by the team name of
Sleeping Forest. In the anime, learning the sisters' secret angers him and he steals a pair of Air Trecks, abbreviated as "AT". (In the manga, the sisters give a pair of ATs to him and invite him to skate with them.) Ikki eventually settles his grudge with the Skull Saders, but in the process he receives more than the simple satisfaction of revenge. Determined to experience the sensation of "flight" for as long as he can, Ikki is quickly engaged in the mysterious, irresistible world of Air Treks.
Main characters
Itsuki "Ikki" Minami Voiced by: Kenta Kamakari (Japanese), Chris Patton (English)
- The main protagonist of the story, he was given Air Trecks (in the anime, he took them himself) and soon delved into the world of Storm Riders. There is a small crow named Kuu that lives in his hair. In the anime, Kuu was used as a censor. Eventually he creates a team, Kogarasumaru with his two best friends, Kazu and Onigiri. Eventually Buccha, Agito/Akito (Lind is discovered at a later time) join Kogarasumaru. Originally trained to become the Wind King, and eventually the Sky King by Sora, he soon finds himself betrayed by Sora and Nike (Sora's twin brother), who conspire together to steal his Regalia. When they do this, Ikki is stripped of the chance to become the Wind King. Shortly thereafter, Ikki is instead named the Storm King, following the "Hurricane Road." He has the ability to use his Air Treck's to manipulate the wind. His special techniques allows him to create a space where there is no wind called Null Wind, similar to the eye of a hurricane, which may explain his road's name. He is the strongest member of Kogarasumaru.(Battle level of 117 in battle with Sleipnir)
Kazuma "Kazu" Mikura Voiced by: Kenn (Japanese), Clint Bickham (English)
- A long-time friend of Ikki, Kazu is a friend who's always by his side. He is a speed-type rider who has recently inherited the title of Flame King following the path of the Flame Road, along with Spitfires old AT's. Due to his speed he got the nickname Stealth. His special techniques allows him to 'manipulate time' (this technique is actually just an illusion, where he moves too fast for the normal human eye, thus making him able to fool the opponent with his speed, one of these tricks being the 'cloning' which is just all his afterimages) and literally marking out a 'Flame Road', where he rides his AT's at such high speeds that the heat caused by the friction of the wheels creates the illusion of flames. These two techniques are, at some level, inherited from Yasuyoshi Sano, the Aeon Clock, and Spitfire, the former Flame King, respectively. This is highly likely, as they both followed the Flame Road.(Battle level of 89 in battle with Sleipnir)
Onigiri Voiced by: Masami Kikuchi (Japanese), Greg Ayres (English)
- Also a long-time friend of Ikki, Onigiri is a "perverted pig" as called by most. He has an unorthodox riding style, wearing his Air Trecks on his head and riding it upside-down. He has his own unique Road called the Smell Road, which uses an opponents senses against them. (Battle level of 36 in battle with Sleipnir however in the battle with Nike his Battle level skyrocketed to 326)
Issa Mihotoke "Fats Buccha" Voiced by: Hitoshi Bifu (Japanese), Mark X. Laskowski (English)
- Formerly of the Team Yaō (Night Kings),recently named as Mountain King, Buccha was defeated by Ikki and his team was forced to disband. Eventually, he joins Ikki's team as one of the main power riders, making use of his extremely large build and strength. In the manga he is known as the Black Pig for his seemingly overweight appearance. Ironically he isn't truly fat; because all of the blood from his muscles go from his body to his belly due to his constant over eating, explained in episode 17, and when he needs to, he reverts all the blood to his upper muscles, gaining super human strength, and an extremely well built appearance. Being considered one of the two weakest in the group next to Onigiri, with the help of the cyber Spitfire, Buccha set out down a road of enlightenment. This road he discovers he is also able to transfer his blood to his lower muscles giving him great speed to rival Orca (Genesis gravity child after the fang regalia).(Battle level of 68 in battle with Sleipnir)
Akito/Agito/Lind Wanijima Voiced by: Kokoro Kikuchi (Japanese), Blake Shepard (English)
- He is the Fang King (a.k.a the Shark) with a split-personality. Akito is the "light" side while Agito is the "dark" side. They used to work for the police team of "WIND" led by their "brother" Kaito, until inspired by Ikki to leave and join Kogarasumaru after being rescued. Their split-personality changes depending on the side their eye patch is worn. Akito wears his patch on his right eye, Agito on his left. Later, a new personality named Lind emerged. Lind is like a "big brother" personality akin to Akito/Agito's older brother, Kaito Wanijima. He claims he is the original personality of the body. Akito/Agito/Lind are the second strongest members of Kogarasumaru. Recent Chapters have revealed the Lind persona to be the Original Brain Charger known as Gazelle. The Kaito's Past arc revealed that Gazelle was female as well as the original Thorn Queen, who had a "special" relationship with Kaito. After Kaito and Gazelle's battle with the Takeuchi twins resulted in Gazelle's death, Rinta Minami was able to recover her body and revive her and Kaito's child, who happens to be Akito/Agito/Lind as revealed in Chapter 300. Further details to how the Akito/Agito personas came to be have yet to be revealed.(Battle level of 122 in battle with Sleipnir)
Manga
Air Gear has been serialized in
Weekly Shōnen Magazine since 2003. Currently, 29
tankōbon have been released in
Japan by Shōnen Magazine Comics.
The Air Gear manga was licensed for release in the
United States by
Del Rey Manga and the first volume was released on July 25, 2006
[2]. Subsequent volumes will be released every three months. Kodansha Comics USA will keep publishing the series in 2011.
[3]
ADV Films announced over the October 20, 2006 weekend at Oni-Con, that they had licensed the Air Gear
anime for release in the USA
. Though few of the actual artists and inside creators of Air Gear were actually there. The few that were there included Loa Mitsoyagi (Ikki), Ian Miller (Agito), Jason Remmings (Kazuma), and The ADV representing team. The first volume was released on February 6, 2007
. ADV is releasing the uncensored Japanese home video version, rather than the broadcast version. On January 3, 2007,
IGN released a special sneak peek of Episode 1 of the English Dub
. In 2008,
Air Gear became one of over 30 ADV titles transferred to
Funimation. In
Australia and
New Zealand, the series is licensed by
Madman Entertainment.
Avex released one single and two albums covering all the songs and themes used for the anime adaptation. The opening theme single "Chain" performed by
Back-on was released on June 7, 2006 and peak ranked 139th on Oricon singles chart.
The two albums
Air Gear original soundtrack: What a Groovy Tricks!! and
Air Gear original soundtrack 2: Who wants more Groovy Trick!!?? were released on August 23, 2006 and February 28, 2007, respectively