Area 88
From Freepedia
- This article is about the manga series. For the videogame, see U.N. Squadron.
Area 88 is a popular manga series by Kaoru Shinatani that has twice been adapted into an anime series, and used as the theme for a video game. It is well-known for its realistic depiction of aircraft and air combat.
'Area 88' takes place in the late 1970s/early 1980s and is largely set in a middle eastern, war-embroiled country called the Kingdom of Asran in the Middle East. The war uses mercenary fighters, with its headquarters at a secret desert military airbase called 'Area 88'. Up-and-coming ace airline pilot Shin Kazama gets tricked into signing up by 'friend' Satoru Kanzaki as part of his jealousy-fueled plot to steal Shin's girlfriend Ryoko Tsugamo. Facing execution for deserting from 'Area 88', Shin reluctantly turns into a fighter pilot and attempts to serve his three year contract out.
Area 88 attracts all kinds of people, with all kinds of assorted (and sordid) pasts. Among the other mercenaries are Mick Simon, an American who couldn't adjust to normal life after his tour of duty in the Vietnam War. Mick becomes Shin's best friend at Area 88. Another familiar sight at Area 88 is McCoy, a greedy weapons dealer who sells everything the mercenaries need from toilet paper to the planes that the mercenaries fly in battle. The Commander of Area 88 is Saki Vashtal, who is actually a prince of the nation of Asran, though his royal heritage means nothing there. Also prominent on the base are the war photographer Rocky (presented as Makoto Shinjou in the 2004 anime), the Dane Greg Gates (later featured in the video game adaptation) and the numerous pilots with whom Shin flies (most of whom die over the course of the series, often in the issue in which they were introduced). Though the series focuses mostly on Shin, other characters (notably Rocky and Mick) did have their own individual storylines.
There are only three ways to leave Area 88: Survive three years (highly unlikely), buy out your contract for one and a half million dollars (difficult as a mercenary must pay for all his expenses) or desertion (a capital offense if caught). With each enemy plane brought down, Shin faces his shifting acceptance of the violence and killing that fills every day, as well as suppressing his feelings of wrong-doing. Eventually earning his release after numerous setbacks, he returns to normal life only to discover he has changed and can no longer fit into the life he once knew.
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Aircraft
Aircraft listed with notable pilots </br>
F-5 Tiger - Kazama Shin </br>
F-8 Crusader - Kazama Shin, Boris
F-20 Tigershark - Kazama Shin
F-14 Tomcat - Mickey Simon (modified to a single-seater)
A-10 Thunderbolt II - Greg Gates
Harrier - Kim Aoba (2004 anime)
Dassault Mirage III - Kitori Palvanaff (2004 anime)
F-4 Phantom - Unnamed pilots (2004 anime), Kazama Shin (2004 anime)
? - Saki, unnamed pilots (OVA)
The enemies against which the Area 88 mercenaries fight often fly different types of planes, ranging from MiGs to Harriers.
Animation
An OAV trilogy was released in 1985 on video tape and laser disc. The tapes/discs were called Area 88, Act I: Blue Skies of Betrayal, Area 88, Act II: The Requirements of Wolves, and Area 88, Act III: Burning Mirage. These were later released, English subtitled on VHS by U.S. Manga Corps. Only the first volume was subsequently released to DVD, but the English subtitles on the DVD suffered from poor translation. An updated 13-episode TV series with CG graphics was created in 2004 and was first aired in Japanese and Asian TV stations by Animax and its branches. ADV Films took responsibility for distributing it in English and it was released, both regular and boxsets, starting on July 19, 2005.
Variations
Each version of the Area 88 told slightly different variations on the same basic premise, and often shared individual story arcs. However, there are several key differences between each version, especially in the endings. The original manga ending had Shin returning to Japan, but losing all memory of his time in Area 88; the OAV trilogy had Shin return to Area 88 and his (surmised) death when the Area was overrun, and the 2004 anime truncated the story to before Shin finished his contract at the Area.
The 2004 anime also introduced the permanent characters of Kim and Saki's niece Kitori, neither of whom had appeared in prior versions.
Video Games
A shooter video game by Capcom was created in the late 80's, but it was released in the U.S. as UN Squadron, with only the characters connecting the two versions. Versions released included the Super Nintendo, Commodore 64, and Amiga, as well as a stand-up arcade game.
In the game, the player could select from Shin, Mick, or Greg as the pilot to play. Each came with a different plane and various advantages; for example, Mick could handle air-to-air dogfights well while Greg excelled at air-to-ground attacks. Each pilot also had special abilities; Shin mastered normal weaponry at the highest speed, Mick inflicted extra damage with his armaments, and Greg recovered from attacks almost before they occurred.
The SNES version differed from the rest in that the pilots no longer came with preset aircraft. Instead, all pilots started out with $3000 and the basic F8 Crusader and had to buy other aircraft along the way. Also, the linear mission sequence from the other versions was no longer enforced, meaning that the player could take certain missions out of order. The drawback was that it allowed only one player at a time, unlike the arcade version. However, each pilot retained his individual advantages, with an extra bonus thrown in: Shin again increased his firepower the most quickly, Mick gained double ammunition from reloads, and Greg received double vitality back from fuel tanks. (In the SNES version, Mick is known as Mickey Scymon.)
The SNES version of UN Squadron featured the following aircraft:
Crusader - The basic plane that all pilots started on, and the one with the least functionality.
Tiger Shark - A balanced fighter capable of holding its own against air and ground.
Tomcat - Optimized for forward attacks, and the most maneuverable of all the aircraft.
Thunderbolt - Custom-built for ground attacks, featuring a ground-strafing cannon. Limited by low firepower and maneuverability.
Stealth Ray - A new fighter that equips upward-attacking weapons. Plus, its stealth capabilities foil homing missiles.
Efreet - Soviet technology. A fighter that handles all weapons in great quantities, but also the most expensive aircraft available.
Practically none of the emotion or character development that occurred in the manga or OAVs were transferred over to the game. McCoy and Saki receive zero character development and all the pilots keep the same generic quotes after completing a mission.
External Links
- Animax (Japanese)
- TV Asahi (Japanese)
- AniRec Database (with screenshots)
- IMDB Area 88 Listing
- Coin-OP Museum: "UN Squadron" Game
- Area 88 section (Regular DVD)
- Area 88 section (Boxset DVD)
