Area 88 - The manga and anime series

December 1 2020

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Area 88 (エリア 88, Eria Hachijū-Hachi) is a Japanese manga series by Kaoru Shintani serialized between 1979 and 1986. The story is about a young pilot named Shin Kazama and his experiences in Area 88, an air base of isolated mercenaries in the desert of a war-torn country. Shin goes from head of his class at a world-renowned aviation school, dating the beautiful daughter of an airline president, to a mercenary fighter pilot tied to Area 88 by a three-year contract that he was tricked into signing by a jealous and competitive childhood friend. He is determined to earn $ 1,5 million to buy his way out of obligation and return home, and killing becomes second nature to him as he quickly rises to the top rank in Area 88. Overwhelmed with shame and shame. 'self-hatred for what he has become, Shin begins to wonder if he's still fighting for survival or, like his fellow mercenaries, the sheer excitement and camaraderie of battle.

Area 88 was among the first three manga to be translated into English and released in North America. It was adapted into an OVA in 1985, a video game in 1989 (released in North America as UN Squadron), and a 12-episode anime television series in 2004. It is also a model aircraft brand in Japan. While it attracts aviation fans for its lifelike depictions of aircraft and aerial combat, it has also been critically acclaimed for its strong character development and heartwarming narrative of Shintani, which combines action, tragedy, romance and comedy. In 1985, the manga received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen.

History

Area 88 takes place between the late 70s and early 80s and is largely set in a war-torn Middle Eastern country called the Kingdom of Asran (alternatively spelled as “Aslan” or “Arslan”). The war uses mercenary fighter pilots, with its headquarters at a secret air base in the desert called Area 88. Emerging airline pilot Shin Kazama is tricked into signing up by his "friend" Satoru Kanzaki. Faced with execution for defecting from Area 88, Shin reluctantly becomes a fighter pilot and attempts to serve his three-year contract.

Area 88 attracts all kinds of people with all kinds of assorted and often sordid pasts. Other mercenaries include Mickey Simon, an American who previously served as a fighter pilot in the United States Navy and failed to adjust to normal life after his shift in the Vietnam War.

Mickey becomes Shin's best friend in Area 88. Another familiar sight in Area 88 is McCoy, an avid arms dealer who sells everything mercenaries need, from toilet paper to their planes.

The commander of Area 88 is Arslan's prince Saki Vashutal, although his royal legacy means nothing there. Also notable on the base are war photographer Go "Rocky" Mutsugi (introduced as Makoto Shinjou in the 2004 anime), Danish pilot Greg Gates (later appeared in the video game adaptation), former NATO Air Force officer Hoover Kippenberg from West Germany.

Major Roundell, a former Royal Navy Air Force officer and second-in-command of the base and the numerous pilots Shin flies with (most of them die over the course of the series, often in the number that they were introduced). Although the series focuses primarily on Shin, other characters (most notably Rocky and Mickey) have had their own individual storylines.

There are only three ways to leave Area 88: survive three years, pay a $ 1,5 million bounty contract, or desertion, which is a capital offense. With each enemy plane shot down, Shin faces his changing acceptance of the violence and killing he fills every day, as well as suppressing his feelings of transgression.

In the original version, Ryoko, Shin's girlfriend, who was worried about Shin's disappearance, happens to fly with Saki, who was traveling to Europe to evaluate some new military equipment but later discovered that due to her presence, the civilian the plane was rigged with a bomb. Only the intervention of Shin and Mickey Mouse succeeds in a dangerous release operation on a bomb placed outside the plane.

Ryoko intrigued by the ordeal, decides to investigate the one back home, where she happens to find a photo of Saki and Shin in a magazine that she picks up. Therefore, Ryoko learns that Shin is in the Aslan Kingdom of the Middle East and travels with Taeko Yasuda, his father's secretary, to the country but the plane he is on board is flown by none other than Kanzaki himself.

Shin, listening to the communication of a civilian plane entering the aeronautical range of Area 88, learns that Kanzaki's plane is close to Aslan. Enraged, Shin tries to shoot down the plane, regardless of the civilian casualties that will result with his act, not to mention the death penalty for terrorism, which he will face upon his return to Aslan, only the revelation of Kanzaki (during a radio chat between him and Shin's plane) that Ryoko is on board, convinced Shin to desist from his murder intent, but due to the fact that he had already damaged the plane with his machine gun, Kanzaki quickly uses it as an excuse to redirect the plane to Rome, avoiding Ryoko to find out the truth.

Characters

Shin Kazama

A Japanese airline pilot who used to work at Yamato Air Lines (YAL), Shin is deceived into Asrian's air force, by his colleague and former friend Satoru Kanzaki, who after getting him drunk makes him fill out the enrollment form. . Shin will become one of the best pilots at Area 88, although he will lose his humanity over time.
Because of this, Shin has become cold with most of the other pilots in Area 88. Nonetheless, he will be able to make friends with Mickey Simon, Kim Aoba, Kitori Palvanaff, Roundell and his commander, Saki Vashtal. All of its aircraft (an F-8 Crusader, an F-5 Freedom Fighter, F-20 Tigershark and a Saab 35 Draken) sport a flaming-mane unicorn design on the tail of the plane. Determined to survive the war without losing his humanity, Shin's main motivation is to save enough money to redeem his conscription.
Voiced by: Kaneto Shiozawa (OAV)
Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (TV)

Kim Aba

A young African pilot, Kim was mocked by most of the other pilots and staff of Area 88, who doubted his success, not least because of his very young age. Instead Saki, Roundell, Mickey, Kitori and Shin considered the boy as someone to rely on in times of crisis, as well as a good friend. Kim appears only in the 2004 manga and anime. In the anime, his emblem is a red swan with golden wings, and his plane is an AV-8 Harrier II.
Voiced by: Ryou Hirohashi (TV)

mickey simon

US pilot who has signed up to fight in the Asrian army, after having fought in the Vietnam War in the VF-33 Starfighters [3] squadron in the OVA and VF-96 Fighting Falcons in the television series. Now addicted to the life of the fighter, Mickey is no longer able to adapt to civilian life once the war is over. Self-proclaimed "number two" pilot of Area 88, he is Shin's best friend, and appears in all versions of Area 88. The design that characterizes his planes is a rabbit similar to that of Playboy, a magazine that Mickey often reads. [3]
Voiced by: Kei Tomiyama (OAV)
Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki (TV)

Saki Vashtal (Saki Vashutarl)

A member of a noble family and an officer in charge of Asran's air force, he is distinguished by his black complexion and an X-shaped scar on his forehead. Saki is the son of Abdael, eldest son of the late old king of Asran. Asran was, at the time, the only kingdom in the Middle East not to export its oil. Saki's grandfather did not want to have relations with the West or the Communists and suspected that Abdael was having relations with both. For this reason, on his deathbed, he declared his youngest son, Zak, his successor. Humiliated, Abdael, along with his other son Rishaal, became the leader of an anti-government rebel force supported by various communist regimes. Saki, remained loyal to Asran for the sake of his mother, and was appointed commander of Area 88, although it is clear that Saki is ashamed of having betrayed his father and senses that his deceased mother would be saddened by his father's actions. . His forehead scar is self-inflicted as a symbol of this shame. Saki appears in all versions of Area 88.
Voiced by: Taro Shigaki (OAV)
Voiced by: Hiroki Takahashi (TV)

Ryoko Tsugumo

Daughter of the CEO of Yamato Air Lines, Ryoko is in love with Shin and hates Satoru, for what she did to him. In the 2004 series, she gives up getting married when she discovers that her beloved Shin has enlisted against her will, while in the manga and OAV she agrees to give herself to Satoru Kanzaki, in exchange for the promise that he would eventually give Shin the money. to leave Area 88. However, Kanzaki's plan fails at the last moment and he is arrested by the police.
Voiced by: Sakiko Tamagawa (OAV)
Voiced by: Satsuki Yukino (TV)

Satoru Kanzaki

Childhood friend of Shin, with whom he grew up together at the orphanage, Satoru has developed a strong jealousy towards his friend because of Ryoko, with whom he is madly in love, but who has eyes only for Shin. Taking advantage of his friend's drunkenness, he convinces him to enlist and leave for Area 88, in order to remove his main rival in love. The CEO of Yamato Air Lines then hires him in Shin's place as his successor and arranges his marriage to his daughter, Ryoko. In the animated versions of Area 88, the wedding will never happen when Ryoko learns the truth and Satoru is arrested. In the manga, Kanzaki dies in the finale of the story during an aerial duel with Shin.
Voiced by: Yoshito Yasuhara (OAV)

Technical data

Manga

Author Kaoru Shintani
Editor Shogakukan
Magazine Weekly Shōnen Big Comic
1 edition 1979-1986
Tankōbon 23 (complete)

OVA

Author Kaoru Shintani
Regia Hisayuki Toriumi
Film script Akiyoshi Sakai
Char. design Toshiyasu Okada
Music Ichiro Nitta
STUDIO Pierrot
1 edition February 5, 1985 - June 15, 1986
Episodes 3 (complete)
Duration 195 min (total)

Anime TV series

Author Kaoru Shintani
Regia Isamu Imatake
Film script Hiroshi Ohnogi
Char. design Hiroshi koujina
Mechanical design Hiroaki Sato
Music Kazunori Miyake
STUDIO Group Tac
Network animax
1st TV January 8 - March 25, 2004
Episodes 12 (complete)
Duration 26 minutes