Anime Yukikaze

[Dagger]

This OVA (also known as Battle Fairy Yukikaze) is among the most interesting anime I've seen in a while. So far Bandai has released the first two episodes on DVD. The remaining three should reach North America sometime in the first half of 2005; that may seem like a long delay, but the last episode of Yukikaze has yet to come out in Japan.

Set on a planet called Fairy, the OVA revolves around the ongoing conflict between the human military and unseen aliens known only as the JAM. One of the main characters, Rei Fukai, pilots a sophisticated fighter jet (which he calls Yukikaze) that's equipped with incredibly advanced artificial intelligence. When Rei gets caught up in life-threatening situations, Yukikaze occasionally takes control against his will and performs seemingly impossible manuvers to destroy the enemy.

What makes Yukikaze unique is that it cannot speak and communicates with Rei only through a small monitor. Most science fiction books and films with this sort of premise give the AI a voice (generally female), which leads the audience to start thinking of it as human. While Rei obviously feels a strong connection to Yukikaze, other characters in the series don't understand why he becomes so emotional about something that's ultimately just a fancy computer.

Foremost among those "other characters" is Major Jack Bukhar, Rei's superior officer. He's pretty much the only person who bothers reaching out to the moody pilot. In certain ways, their relationship is less a friendship than a love triangle--Jack is extremely possessive when it comes to Rei, and often becomes quite jealous of Yukikaze.

Anyone who relishes the type of CG sequences seen in GONZO series like Last Exile will probably [i]love[/i] Yukikaze. It blends traditional and 3-D animation so smoothly that every single scene, whether it features a quiet conversation or a nerve-wracking battle sequence, is a joy to watch. The character designs and music are also nothing short of fantastic. I'm eagerly awaiting the next few episodes.

~Dagger~