AIR TV site up!

ADV Films has posted the English site for AIR TV. For your reference, here it is. There's the usual fare, such as character profiles, a trailer (non-voiced) and a cast list. And since it's my job, I'll check it out.

Front Page

It takes a while to load the trailer, so while I was waiting, I checked out the layout. Very pretty, although the cut under Misuzu does look a little odd. The sky and 3 girls look great. The big ADV logo would ruin it, if not for the fact that you can only see it when you scroll down. On top is the AIR logo, which appears as it does in the OP, fading in and out. The only thing is, if you're on there too long, it loads faster and faster until eventually, it's going way too fast and becomes a distraction.

The trailer is pretty. It's set to the karaoke version of Tori no Uta and, like all ADV's trailers, features clips from the OP and episodes. If alarm bells are going off in your head, don't worry. ADV has far improved from their hideous, thrown-together trailers of a couple years ago. (Did anyone see the one for Angelic Layer? Terrible.) It's interspersed with various pieces of AIR-related philosophy like "We don't know which path to take" and "Breathe Deep." Pretty good.

The one thing they didn't need: "From the creators of The Melancholy of Hurai (sic) Suzumiya!". First of all, Kyoani created neither Haruhi nor AIR. Both are adaptations. Second of all, what's with "Hurai Suzumiya"? Did they not want to get sued? I'm getting flashbacks to last year's hentai game about Asamiya Haruka and her UFO-dan.

Story

"The Girl in the Sky" is capitalized. I guess that's because it's important, but I feel off about it. Maybe because the fansubs didn't capitalize it. And why is Kano important, but not Minagi? Not that I'm complaining. Kano's my favourite AIR girl. I roleplay her over at LJ. Either way, besides leaving Minagi out, the promo fits the tone of the series very well. Pass.

Trailers

Nothing to see here. It's just the one from the first page. I assume there'll be a voiced one later.

Extras

This loads oddly. Look at the buttons. We've got screenshots (which includes the shot of the Kanon girls. A hint for the next license?), character profiles, icons, wallpapers, and the like. I wonder at "BitTorrent (coming soon)". What would they put there?

There's an English cast list and interview. Personally, I think Haruko is the only one that's almost certainly well cast. Monica Rial as Misuzu and Vic Mignogna as Yukito are a bit iffy, but I'll give them a chance. There's an interview with Vic, and he seems to be very excited about the role, in any case.

Reviews

Two short snippets from Newtype and Newtype USA, respectively. The ADV-owned Newtype USA. Honestly, since AIR is so well-loved, can't they collect more reviews?

Buy

This just takes the top menu off. Understandable, since the DVDs aren't out yet.

Well, that's it. Overall, a nice site, and they seem to really be excited, but there are some things off. But come on, it's AIR! I'm excited too.

The Key 3, sponsored in part by Suzumiya Haruhi Hurai.