I read some of the original manga by Shintani Kaoru which was one of the first Manga to be released in the US, and saw and really enjoyed some of the 1985 original OVA, so I was interested in seeing the new series, especially with computer graphics showing the plane battles. This is an enjoyable series, though does seem slightly aged, but still holds up with it’s great characters, and amazing battle scenes.

Taking place in the late 1970′s and early 1980′s this is the story of a mercenary force of fighter pilots fighting in a Middle Eastern country the Kingdom of Asran. The story follows a supposed newspaper reporter and photographer Goh Mutsugi who has come take photos of Area 88, but mostly of the haunted Japanese Pilot Shin Kazama, who we slowly see his back story, and find out why he is here instead of with his love Ryoko Tsugumo, the daughter of the CEo of Yamato Airlines who he is supposed to marry, but can’t get ahold of back in Japan. The base is run by Saki Vashtar, and the pilots are on 3 year contracts, and can only leave if they earn 1.5 million dollars, but they have to pay for their own planes, fuel and ammunition. Other pilots include the second best Mickey Simon an ex Vietnam pilot, the young Kim Aobai who flies a harrier, and eventually Kitori Palvanaff, the daughter of the king of Asran, and cousin of Saki Vashtal, who becomes interested in Shin as he is the best pilot.

REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS…

Slowly we find out that Shin was going to marry Ryoko, but his best friend Kanzaki Satoru tricked him into signing paperwork which forced him into the 3 year contract with the Aslan Area 88 Mercenary airforce, so he is fighting to make it to Japan and marry Ryoko. And Goh is sent to take a picture of his dead body, so Kanzaki can marry Ryoko and take control of Yamato airlines.

We of course also get some great action, and learn more about the other characters, but it is really about Shin and his quest to get out. And when he make enough money he empties his guns, and to save Kitori his plane is ruined and he crashed, and will have to buy another plane before leaving, but he finds out that Ryoko things he is dead and is set to marry Kanzaki, so he gets another plane and tries to run, but a major attack comes, and he is forced to give up on running, and would have been shot down by his friends anyway.

And Goh is kicked out for his actions, but he goes to Japan and at the wedding stops Ryoko from marrying Kanzaki and shows him a long shot of Shin in his plane, and she realizes he is still alive and will wait for him.

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Not amazing, but an enjoyable series, that lived up the original OVA.