Sky of Iriya, Summer of UFO

Sky of Iriya, Summer of UFO

Sunday, 28 February 2010 01:34

Author: Nanami

Original Title	Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu
Director	Naoyuki Itō
Studio	Toei Animation
Runtime	25 minutes each
Release Date	February, 25th 2005
Episodes	6

What would you do if you were a regular guy and Rei Ayanami of Evangelion landed in your classroom? This is the concept of Sky of Iriya, Summer of UFO, one involving six OAV episodes dating from 2005 which combines the anguish of being a mech pilot who must save the world while keeping the humdrum of life Japanese school. It should be a fascinating mix, and the idea really appealed. We quite liked, but we say it does not exploit enough potential, mainly because the elements of drama school and have been seen and reviewed this for a very long time.

Asava is a typical Japanese boy, a little shy and unsure of himself. His father is a hairdresser, so he learned to cut the hair of members of the journalism club. He spent the summer hanging out with his best friend Suizenji, the head of the club, which also happens to be a bit large conspiracies such as UFOs and what he imagines the military base nearby. But the world Asava changes one night when he slips into the pool at his school, only to find a mysterious girl named Iriya. Amazingly, she can not swim, so Asaba will give lessons on site.

Asaba was surprised a few days later to find Iriya in her classroom. So it was quite easy head to head, there she is distant and aloof, unwilling to see anything to do with the other girls in her new school. Asaba seems to be the only one who can reach ... and it becomes clear that it is part of something big. As a resident of a city preparing for the eventuality of a war, Asaba learns that Iriya is in fact a driver, probably one of the few who can fly a particular device. Does she fight against the aliens? Really want this life? While the pair are close, Asaba realizes that this may be his saving Iriya his violent destiny.

Sky of Iriya, Summer of UFO is a show totally elusive. The first episodes are fairly simple, but the second and fourth tend to bifurcate into a comedy. The last two episodes are very dramatic in comparison. Although the evolution of tonality is not unknown to animate - is still remembered how Video Girl Ai was able to have two funny episode, two romantic, and two conclusions to tear his hair - Iriya do we not change that. It does not mean that the comic sequences are zero, in fact, they were our favorite part of the anime. It seems that especially the team did not know what to work on, that makes the comedy, romance and drama intersect too quickly. It's also hard to accept the sections as they are ridiculous in the first half of episode 4 and the extreme violence of the second half and an attempt to rape bloody well off-screen as the 5th episode . It is not enough to make the show interesting, but it will sow confusion in the mind of the viewer and interfere with sensitive souls, especially those thought to be taken in a light drama.

My other problem with Iriya truth is that it is an interesting premise married to a trite cliche. I mean by this that the idea of integrating a mecha pilot a little disturbed at your school could give rise to many possibilities. But instead, for a while, you'll watch a drama standard Japanese school, until the school holidays. Midway, he became a different show, much darker but more intriguing. But it takes too long to get there, and it happens with people who have a lot of personality anyway. Asaba and Iriya could be more developed, we would probably have a better opinion of the show.

However, you will certainly enjoy Sky of Iriya, Summer of UFO, you will appreciate the concept. The art style will not escape you, there is a wide variety of beautiful scenes everywhere. Although the only air combat takes place in the bustling opening animation, the series goes very quickly. Some secondary characters, such as Suizenji are very pleasant. You can not recommend it highly, but we show it. Sky of Iriya plays with moral and ethical foundations important without ever giving the "right" answer. You will find this quite intriguing.

We do not know what is the intended audience for Sky of Iriya, Summer of UFO. Mecha fans will be disheartened by the lack of effective mechanisms within the series. The romantics will be put off by violence, and comedy fans will find the end too dark. That may be why it got little attention - perhaps you will like better? But this does a disservice to the series (or potential viewers). Anyway well done and fairly easy to watch, it might remind you of other animated, but not boring. And you'll be intrigued by the basic question: love or save the world?