I am, admittedly, a little afraid that I won’t do this series justice through this review, but I’ll do my best. Air is the second anime series made by Keys/Visual Arts, the first being Kanon. Key is actually a bishoujo-game producing studio that is very popular in Japan. Kanon and Air were received so well that both were made into respected anime series, and Key’s third and newest game, Clannad, is bound to get its own adaptation sooner or later. Although Air was an eighteen plus game originally, there is no hentai and not even any fanservice in the anime version, thus making it all the better.

Anyway, from what I’ve read about the making of Air, a LOT of money was put into its production, and it shows. Every episode, without exception, has absolutely incredible animation, probably the best I have ever seen in a TV series. While the character designs may take some getting used to, the movements of the characters, even the movement of their mouths to match the spoken dialogue, are very well choreographed and animated even better. The backgrounds are nothing short of breathtaking.

An equally excellent aspect of the series is its music. From the opening song, Tori no Uta, that promises great things to come, to every single piece of background music, Air’s musical aspect shines. The score is hands-down incredible, easily comparable in quality to big names like Yoko Kanno and even Joe Hisaishi. The ending song has a slight problem in that, since it is rather upbeat and cheerful, it is sometimes a little too happy for the episode ending that preceded it. On the occasions that an episode of Air does not end on a sad or thoughtful note, however, the ending theme is perfect.

Now, on to the most important aspects of a series: plot and characters. The cast of main characters is large, but each and every one of the characters has a multi-faceted personality, and the most important ones undergo plenty of development. The only exceptions are the main characters of the flashback story (Ryuuya, Uraha, and Kanna), but they are excused since they only have two episodes of screentime anyway.

Although the main story centers on Yukito and Misuzu’s relationship, the other characters (whose stories are told in the first half of the series) are also interesting and very easy to like. The voice actors are spectacular. In his review of Kanon, Boney called many of its supporting characters "useless" - fortunately, this is not the case in Key’s sophomore effort. Characters like Kano and Minagi make an impact on Yukito’s character and help him understand the true meaning of his journey while playing out their own fascinating and uplifting stories.

The plot is superb, if at times a little confusing. From the very beginning, we are confronted with the mystery of the "girl in the sky" that Yukito is searching for. There is a lot of fun, however, in the first few episodes while Yukito is still the new kid on the block: his interactions with all the characters are priceless. The first half of the series, as I said before, centers on the stories of Kano, Minagi, and Michiru. The second half is where the main story regarding the girl in the sky really takes place. Both halves of the series are excellent; all the episodes flow smoothly into one another and there is never a dull moment. From the very first episode, I was drawn in so deep that I could barely relax until I finished the series, for want of the episode to come. The directing is masterful; many scenes are executed in very innovative ways. All these different aspects of Air’s story combine to make a truly enjoyable, and very emotionally shaky, ride.

There are many moving and uplifting scenes in Air, but when all is said and done, the series is an extremely sad one. Don’t let the almost "kiddy" look of the series fool you. The conclusion left me deeply shaken and upset, to the extent that it’s hard for me to express my feelings in words, but the ending itself is just about perfect. True, I may wish things had happened differently, but the execution of the ending, and the excellent closure, all make for a worthy ending to this beautiful series.

Air is one of my favorite series, but it is not for everyone. If you are the Naruto type who gets bored watching a series without unending action, you will hate Air. If you’re expecting a pure comedy series, or a harem series of any sort, you too will be disappointed. If you, however, appreciate a good, emotional story above all, then Air is just the thing for you. Only be sure to keep a box of tissues handy, for Air may very well break your heart.