Book Review: Manga - Air Gear Vol. 1

While the school-brawling theme has already lent itself to a large number of manga, the fresh new series Air Gear by Ballantine Books (published by Del Ray Manga) succeeds in taking the genre to new heights – literally.

Air Gear Vol. 1: Oh! Great debuts the story of Itsuki Minami, often referred to by his peers as the “Babyface of Eastside.” Easily the strongest among his classmates at Higashi Junior High School, Itsuki is called upon to defend the eastside territory in an annual brawl to decide whether the east or west controls the central district. However, this year, the westside competitor proves to be quite a sore loser, as he doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of his connection with gangsters.

Unfortunately for Itsuki, the Skull Saders are no ordinary gang. Being notorious for having a penchant for violence and taking anything they want when they want, an ambush turns the Babyface’s world upside-down. Using high-tech skates called Air Trecks, the gang can easily fly through the air at high speeds and use the technology to bruise and batter Itsuki.

Now a shell of his former self and a laughing stock at his school, Itsuki receives help from an unlikely ally – the Noyamano sisters, with whom he lives. The gals introduce him to his own pair of Air Trecks to even the playing field. With his newly inherited skill and the mysterious past of his housemates, Itsuki sets off to a new battle where more than just territory is at stake.

The first volume stacks in with more than 200 pages, which includes five chapters of the story as well as extra features. The first nine pages of the manga are a full color reprint of the original Japanese prologue and following the story is a section of character sketches and profiles as well as translation notes and a four-page preview of Vol. 2. Needless to say, Air Gear Vol. 1 provides plenty of material to acquaint readers to the series and warrant a $10.95 price tag.

Article Author: Aaron Auzins

Aaron Auzins, better known as "nestlekwik," is an avid gamer and collector who resides in Ohio. He has written video gaming reviews for his personal site GemuBaka, Diehard GameFAN, J2Games, Bemanistyle as well as news for Arcade Heroes.

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