Attempt #2 - PC BSOD :angry: . Thank God that I can still remember all of it though.
Quote by EnchanterIt was a
mistake too to watch it all in one go, as your mind really had no time to absorb and reflect on the content of
individual episodes.
Maybe... yes but to an extent. Normally the run time of AIR (along with the movie and summer specials) is approxiamtely
8 hours. However, I took the utter most care in understanding the subtitles and the plot. This is why it took me around
10 hours to complete the whole series. To be honest, I don't understand why I couldn't grasp hold of the story
of AIR. Perhaps it was because I tried to watch 4 series in 4 days (with sleep in between ofcourse)... but we'll
never know since I won't be watching the entire series again, it's too painful. Anyway, it's not that I
don't know the entire story but rather I'm just missing bits and pieces of what would be the complete
story.
Thus this is why I have come up with my own synopsis/thesis of the events that happened in AIR. It deals with what
happens to Yukito and Misuzu by using what I've seen in AIR and the information given by Enchanter. Please correct
any information that I've gotten wrong.
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Kanna has been separated from her mother ever since she was born. She is feared to bring bad luck, death and destruction
to the world as she is a winged-being. This is why she has been held captive in a manor surrounded by guards from the
time that she was born. However, even though she is a winged-being she cannot escape as she cannot move her wings and
fly. Even if she does try to escape she will be immdiately killed by the Imperial guards.
Ryuuya is a newly appointed guard that is supposed to prevent Kanna from ever leaving the manor. However, he and Uraha
develops a special relationship between one another. So strong is the relationship that they could be considered a
family. This one of the impetus's for the reason to leave the manor, as Ryuuya and Uraha believe it is wrong to
hold one captive without one ever sinning.
They decide to leave in search of Kanna's mother who also is a winged-being. However, she is considered tainted as
she possess the curse of immortality from devouring the flesh of a mermaid. Despite this, Kanna embraces her mother with
all the love and kindness she has. This is, however, cut short as the persuers... the nations army... fatally wounds
Kanna's mother with two arrows. With the knowledge that Kanna's mother would die sometime soon, Kanna tries to
impress her mother with the juggling act (ask me to say the Japanese name of this and I'll cry). With all her will
and energy, she fails to reach her goal. In a way this represents the learning of flight by Kanna.
As the persuers closes in on their location, it has become known that they will not make it out alive without a
sacrafice. With this knowledge Kanna takes it upon herself to save the two most closest friends to her... Ryuuya and
Uraha. As predicted Kanna is shot down by arrows that pierce every inch of her body but she has accomplished her goal.
Ryuuya who is slowly dieing from the wound that he recieved whilst fighting the monks, realizes that he will never be
able to save Kanna from the eternal sadness and loveless life that she has. This is why, Ryuuya and Uraha decides to
have a child who will ultimately save Kanna. If not that child, then that child's child etc. as Ryuuya's
spirit will continue on in all of them.
Yukito, who is on a journey to find the mysterious winged girl that flies that in the sky, meets Misuzu. He is a
puppeter who initially does not believe in the supernatural and/or curses until he sees the events of both Kano and
Minagi. It is only then, is when he decides to follow what his mother had told him long ago... 'You can choose to
forget this and live a normal life. Or you can go find that winged girl and save her'.
Misuzu is a myterious girl who appears to be constantly sick. She has never had any friends or any close relatives as
she is adopted by her Aunty since her mother passed away... from what we don't know. It can be said that Misuzu is
the reincarnation (possible as most Japanese believe in Buddhism) of Kanna, just like the past 1000 years where a girl
would share the her spirit. Why? In her dreams, she dreams that she is flying above the clouds freely. It is mentioned
by Misuzu that the dreams are of her other self. A winged-being.
The reason she never had any friends is the result of the curse. The curse that no one will ever be close enough to the
winged-being to ever love them properly. This is why when Yukito became close friends to Misuzu, she became sick. Even
though she was happy on the outside, she could never be happy due to the curse. Eventually Yukito realizes that if he
doesn't do something both of them will die.
However, it is not as simple as distancing himself from her but rather he had to transform himself. By transforming
himself he could be with her as a companion without both of them being harmed by the curse. In a way, Yukito was a
guardian of Misuzu just like Ryuuya was to Kanna. It could also be said that Yukito was a distant decendent of Ryuuya
that was born in order to free the winged princess that flies in the skies from the dreadful curse.
As time progresses Misuzu's condition worsens due to fact that her physical body cannot contain the spirit of a
winged-being. Due to the curse that prevents her from being happy also adds to mental and emotional pain that she
suffers from. It gets to the point where she is bounded to the wheel chair since she cannot walk. Not only that but she
forget's who Haruko is and calls her 'obaa-san' meaning an older woman who she does not know well.
However, over time we see that Misuzu finally accepts Haruko not only as her substitute mother but her actual mother.
Whilst Misuzu can be said that she is the present day reincarnation of Kanna, the outcomes of both their lives are
different. In the final, closing scenes... we see that Misuzu slowly getting out of her wheelchair, walking to Haruko
and collapsing in the arms of her mother and saying 'Goal!'. Why?
In the beginning of the story, it is known that she wanted to make a friend and have fun during the summer vacation.
Previously she hadn't been able to do that because of her condition or rather her curse. She has reached her goal
as she has made a close friend, Yukito and has spent countless hours having fun with him. However, largely... it
represents the accomplishment of doing what the curse had prevented her from doing... that is to love someone and have
them directly love her back like a family. This is evident in one of the final scenes when Misuzu says 'I love you,
okaa-san' (technically it isn't said but you can read her lips). Like Kanna, Misuzu tries to impress her
mother by doing the impossible, walking. Simple as it may seem but to Misuzu, it was thought that she would never be
able to walk again. With these three achievements done, she says 'Goal!' indicating that she has reached her
life's goals and thus is why she passes away.
As with the final scene of Sora (which is the physical form of Yukito's spirit), a crow that is flying away, it can
represent one of two things.
1. The ending of the curse as Misuzu accomplishes love even though the curse tries to prevent it.
2. The death of the winged being and thus the vicious cycle begins again. It can be predicted it could happen to the two
kids who walk off into the sunset.
Which ever one you choose is dependant upon yourself. I for one, choose the 1st option as it is a more happier and a
less sinister ending. Depending on which conclusion you chose, the meaning of what Haruko said 'It's only the
start!' and the two children walking into the sunset, have a different meanings.
Hence (note that the numbers correspond to the two different ending):
Haruko: 'It's only the start!'
1. It's the start of Haruko's new life. In a sense it's the transformation of Haruko from being a
negelecting mother into a more caring and a more understanding type of person.
2. This could also be interpreted as the start of Kanna's spirits everlasting internal battle to be able to love
and be happy. Essentially be freed from the curse.
The two unknown children walking off into the sunset.
1. As Misuzu has freed Kanna from the curse they venture into the unknown path that no one has walked before. In a way
when the boy says 'Let's walk over to that shoreline and see what lies ahead' represents the notion of
journeying into the unknown as they are freed from the curse.
2. They acknowledge that Yukito and Misuzu will eventually end up where fate will take them (death) and they will begin
their own journey that will ultimately end up in the same destination. This suggests that the curse is on a continous
loop until Yukito finds that mysterious winged-being.
As for Sora's/Yukito's last line 'I will continue my search for the winged-girl that flies in the
sky'... well like I said before, it depends on what ending you chose to interpret that.
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Yay, finished! I hope that made a lot of sense though there could be errors in there. So don't be scared to tell me
what you think of the synopsis/thesis.
EDIT: Fixed up some errors in the synopsis/thesis. Also added more information after viewing the ending for the second
time.
