Area 88 TV #1:
Treacherous Skies

100 minutes
English/Japanese
English Subtitles
Released: 07/19/2004
Reviewed: 03/14/2006

I've always wanted to be a grizzled war veteran. Now, logically I don't want to be a part of the whole "get shot at in some dusty desert place" thing, that doesn't sound like my idea of fun. The part I could certainly stand for all is the prestige and respect that sitting on a porch during a hot summer day and dispensing my wisdom to young up and comers would entail. I'd stroke behind the ears of my pet Doberman, "Sarge", or polish my shotgun, or sip on my chilled lemonade and recant my tales to all those who I felt needed enlightenment. Between breaths on the sweet tobacco in my corncob pipe I would intone the secrets that can only be shared among men.

It reminds me of a much beloved line in the movie Akira, which I mentioned in the other review this week. In the archaic Streamline dub the stoic Colonel intones in his gravely voice "It's a soldier's duty, you wouldn't understand..." Wisdom like that is meant to be shared only with those 'in the know', and I'd dispense its precious kernels like nuggets of gold, confusing all onlookers who weren't fortunate enough to share our curious occupation.

Area 88 is the name given to a patch of desert in the war involving the illustrious nation of Asran in what I believe is a portion of North Africa. Asran, for whatever reason, is not able to draft its own citizens in a war. Instead they rely on the help of mercenaries who sign up for the service for whatever the reasons that mercenaries do these things. I'm not clear why working for Asran is a great deal, the only ways to get out of the service involve death, raising 1.5 million dollars, or going AWOL (and subsequently being killed for deserting). If there are any perks in the service I'm at a loss. Maybe they get a full dental package?

Whatever it is, it's in this desolate place that we encounter an entourage of ace pilots, including main character Shin Kazuma, who's only here because his buddy got him drunk and tricked him into signing the contract. Apparently Kazuma's not-so-friendly friend had the hots for his girlfriend and shipping his buddy off to indentured servitude.

The show doesn't waste any time with silly things like character backstory, at least not this early on. Right now it's all about shooting things out of the sky with a ragtag band of fighter jets and a strange fourteen year old Hindu boy. Shin Kazuma and his fellow aces take on missions handed down from Asran for relatively meager rewards. Sixty grand seems like a good deal, if it wasn't for the fact that Asran charges its pilots for repairs, ammunition and gas. Also there doesn't seem to be a single lady on the base with whom the pilots can "make time". Life generally sucks, in a big way.

Added into the mix is Makoto Shinjou, whose curious desire to "take a picture no one else can take" meshes nicely with my ideas on the "soldier's duty". While the pilots are in the air risking their lives, Makoto gains respect by staring down attacking jets carrying only his trusty Nikon. There are different varieties of respect and honor that a man can gain and this show wastes no time in exploring every single one of them.

Area 88 is chock full of "solder's duty" moments. The struggling Hindi boy is forced to take on a dangerous mission with a suicidal pilot, knowing that if he doesn't bag a few bogeys he won't be able to afford to eat. The suicidal pilot catches shrapnel in his gut and reveals in an overly long and overly dramatic monologue about how he'll finally be able to reunite with all the friends he's lost on the battlefield. These moments are your standard mishmash of clichés, but they're the good kind of clichés! Nobody says "Oh, pumpkin pie, that's original" when you're having Thanksgiving dinner. That's because pumpkin pie is damn good! In the quiet moments where the lightbulb in a dead pilot's room is extinguished for the last time, try to choke back your tears. It's the manly thing to do.

Area 88 isn't god's gift to anime fans or anything, but it's a solid wartime drama and what it does it does with the utmost in efficiency. Lighthearted antics are cautiously skirted for the real nitty gritty. It's still a cartoon, and it's a cartoon's rose-tinted view of manly men doing manly things, but it does it just as well as any cheesy war movie would muster. If that's not your thing, that's okay, better luck next time. "You wouldn't understand..."