The last couple of volumes have established Ikki’s position as a rising star in the world of Air Treks and Stormriders. It’s been a typical case of the underdog winning with a little help from his friends. After beating Buccha in the last volume Ikki needs to repair his broken Air Treks so he can continue to develop his skills. Also the existence of the Eight Keepers and the Eight Emblems has been brought to Ikki‘s attention, although the significance of these mysterious characters has yet to be revealed… Ok, so the plot has been pretty unremarkable so far and doesn’t show any signs of changing, but the overall quality of the workmanship has been strong enough to be engaging.
A particular highlight for me has always been the quirky humour, but I found this volume to be much bolder and more shameless in its attempts to get its laughs. Serious moments and scenes regarding the plot rarely last for more than a page or two before descending into the realms of complete farce. One moment has Ringo enthusing as she witnesses the advanced abilities of Air Trek riders, only for her to turn round and see a stark naked Ikki next to her defecating on the floor. It’s really random and crude with its schoolboy humour but I find it hilarious! I was reminded more than a few times of the humour of GTO where dramatic moments are often cut down by the eccentric responses of the main character. While Ikki does get the lion’s share of these moments, it is not an exclusive facet which becomes especially apparent as you witness his teacher fellate an ice lolly mid-conversation. There are many more moments which I want to mention but doing so would spoil the surprise, but if you like your low-brow humour as well as the odd cultural reference (love the Kurosawa scene!) then there should be enough here to maintain your interest.
What with so many of these random moments going off the rails Air Gear does risk losing the fact that it’s actually trying to tell a story. But in a manga where the plot is the only area lacking in creativity, I’m not sure I even care if it does all fall in on itself. The visuals are extremely diverse and the already mentioned OTT humour made this volume that much more enjoyable than your typical shonen serial. Those wanting a more straight-laced manga need to either lighten up or buy something duller (so there!).
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"I’ve no idea where Air Gear can go next aside from being self-destructively insane or deathly formulaic, but for the time being this is one of the funniest series out there. All I can say to support it is quote Ikki’s advice: “Take this victorious mini-fart for good luck!”. Enjoy! "
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