Air Gear

About Air Gear

Air Gear (エア・ギア) blends action, comedy and ecchi by Toei Animation (2006). Below is a fresh retelling of what the story is about. At its core: Minami Itsuki never thought about seriously riding Air Treck motorized roller blades, until he got his butt handed to him by a street gang of Storm Riders. That day, he discovered in a locked up room, a pair of AT's and a box of stickers belonging to the Sleeping Forest street gang.

As things develop, one thing leads to another, and Ikki dons the wheels and starts to ride. As his reputation builds in the AT street fighting/racing realm, he kicks off to develop his own gang and participate in more fights, gaining more and more territory.

As an action title, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Itsuki Minami (Kenta Kamakari) and Agito Wanijima (Kokoro Kikuchi) are two of the characters you will meet early. Think of it as a pick for viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. The run is 25 episodes in total, so you know what you are signing up for.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with Toei Animation, which means the visual identity of Air Gear follows that studio's craft. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. At 7.0/10 it earns a solid reception, a safe pick for fans of the genre. On the casting side, Kenta Kamakari voicing Itsuki Minami gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 2006, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.