Yukikaze Thread

[Fly4victory]

E.I. great find on the Mave, guess we are to far into the shopping season for it to be released prior to this Christmas?

[electric indigo]

Considering how long these prototypes are around I wouldn't even bet on next christmas. But the labels next to them have a "2012" on them.

[electric indigo]

Well, the Alter toys make their regular appearance again, on their very long journey to the official release.

[TehPW]

is Yukikaze even having much popularity atm in Japan (it certainly was a single blip on radar during its 'run' here in the US)?

[Fly4victory]

With the books being translated into english, there may have been a slight increase in demand but the longer alter waits the less people will think about it.

I was able to get the Bandai electric camoflage mave model last year so all I really want is the flip knife.

[electric indigo]

Considering that Platz recently produced two IP kits after their resin kit lineup, the designs still seem to have a certain popularity amongst aircraft/SF enthusiasts.

Wasn't there a third novel released in Japan?

[Valkyrie]

Wasn't there a third novel released in Japan?

Yep, Unbroken Arrow. Came out in 2009.

Still hoping it'll get translated...

[electric indigo]

After the second book, I'm not sure if I want to give it another shot...

[Sildani]

If anyone cares, a September release is slated for the Maves... HLJ has 'em on pre-order. Linkage: http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljlist?rel=nav&GenreCode=Sci&MacroType=ComMod&Scale=100

I've ordered the manned version. Been waiting years for this!

Forgive me for asking, but I've no idea what a "Flip Knife" is as regards Yukikaze. I've only seen the first two Operations (I intend to see the rest) and haven't read the novels - I didn't even know they were translated into English! I just like the airplane designs that much.

[myk]

On that note, what is the "Hammerhead" ship all about?

[mechaninac]

Regarding the Alter toys; 1/100 just like the Bandai models, and for that much moolah? Easy pass. Make these in 1/72 or larger, for a reasonable price, and they'll get my attention and money.

[Fly4victory]

Forgive me for asking, but I've no idea what a "Flip Knife" is as regards Yukikaze.

Read only if you don't watch the rest of the series:

The Flip Knife is one of three AI UAV's. They were accidently launched after their carrier plane was shot down. Yukikaze takes control of and uses the Flip Knifes during the FAF retreat back to Earth at the end of the final episode.

[anime52k8]

If anyone cares, a September release is slated for the Maves... HLJ has 'em on pre-order. Linkage: http://www.hlj.com/s...omMod&Scale=100

I've ordered the manned version. Been waiting years for this!

hmm... I don't know which one I'd rather get. The MAVE is the more iconic design and and I kind of prefer the idea of manned fighter versus a drone, but I really love the radical look and the color pallet of the Flip knight. The Flip knight's also cheaper, although the MAVE does come with more accessories.

It's probably too much to ask given the ridiculous development time on these two, but I'd love it if this line would continue. I'd absolutely love an FFR-31 Sylphid and an FA-2 fand II.

[miriya]

Those are beautiful aircraft!

[xrentonx]

I've had these preordered since they were first put up on HLJ. I haven't even really watched the anime outside of a few clips on Youtube. These are just pretty looking planes.

[Sildani]

Having just finished the anime, I'll say this: I don't get it. I'm getting the models for their designs, in spite of the anime, which although beautifully done was nigh-incomprehensible. So much left unexplained, and so much uncertainty. Not quite my cup of tea.

[Keith]

Having just finished the anime, I'll say this: I don't get it. I'm getting the models for their designs, in spite of the anime, which although beautifully done was nigh-incomprehensible. So much left unexplained, and so much uncertainty. Not quite my cup of tea.

What's to get? Think of it as going against the scub coral in Eureka Seven, but a "lot" more agro.

[JELEINEN]

Having just finished the anime, I'll say this: I don't get it. I'm getting the models for their designs, in spite of the anime, which although beautifully done was nigh-incomprehensible. So much left unexplained, and so much uncertainty. Not quite my cup of tea.

Read the book. It's much better.

Man, those toys are seriously tempting.

[electric indigo]

Yukikaze is not dead! Platz releases a 1/144 kit of the Hammerhead/Flip Knight:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10200575

I hope it includes the laser and the generators, as the CG illustration does not show them.

[Chronocidal]

Yeah.. just finished the first novel, and have to agree, that anime was a complete charlie foxtrot. It crammed the beginning and end of the first book into the first episode, then splattered random bits of the rest of that book across the episodes, before turning into some kind of "HAH, FOOLED YOU!" ending. The actual entire point of the plot got somehow lost in the backwash.

Also was really disappointing how little screentime the actual Super Sylph got because of that.

The book just made much more sense.

Edited September 22, 2012 by Chronocidal

[myk]

So there's an actual novel of the story? That's great-I wouldn't mind getting a better version of that particular story...

[Knight26]

Are there translations of the book available stateside?

[Chronocidal]

I'm not sure if all the books are translated, but I definitely bought the first book on a whim while wandering through Borders when it came out.

Ok, the series is based on two books, the first one (I forget the whole name) and "Good Luck, Yukikaze." I should say loosely based on.. basically, the first book contains most of the material for the first four episodes, but for some reason, they skipped ahead to the ending of the first book within the first episode.

Yukikaze didn't transfer to the FRX-00 until the end of the first book, which actually happened after the events in episodes 3 and 4 of the anime. Rei should have been flying a Super Sylph for most of the series.

I have to assume that episodes 2 and 5 came from the second book.

The thing that gets incredibly glossed over in the anime is the entire point of it.. it's basically examining the question of whether humans are necessary for war, and why. They vaguely mention that a couple times, but it was a much bigger theme. They entirely left out the references to the fact that everything in the FAF was being run by computers, and what kind of strange shenanigans that was causing.

Also.. Tom John, the Indian dude.. he was so much more of a badass in the book. That entire episode sucked after reading the book version.

The thing that makes absolutely no sense in the anime is exactly what happens with the entire rogue JAM group in the military in the last episode. There's no build up to it, and it just comes out of left field. I have to assume that entire plot came from the second book, but it must've been cut just as short as the material from the first book. Plus, I mean.. they never quite explained what exactly you were watching.

Edited September 23, 2012 by Chronocidal

[Jasonc]

The book was released here in the states, and is available at most Barnes and Noble (at least it was when I got it). Second book is either coming, or is out, as I haven't kept up with it. The book fills in a lot of missing parts in the OVA, and goes into detail of the environment. I wish they'd made a series that corresponds more to the movie.

[GU-11]

I'm tempted to get the books, but the anime confused me to the point of giving up only after three episodes. All I got out of it is that Earth is attacked by aliens from another dimension, and the portal they came from is called Faery. The aircraft are called JAM, and the Yukikaze is possessed by some creepy computer AI that might have something to do with the aliens. That, and the protag is some emo kid with links to the Yukikaze AI...oh, and the female doctor is hot, in a MILF-ish kind of way.

Beyond that, it was just aerial fights and cryptic dialogue.

Are the books any better at explaining the plot?

[Chronocidal]

LOADS.

They actually give the background for the characters enough that they make some kind of sense. Basically, the anime cut out all the exposition in the book, whether it was necessary or not.

[GU-11]

Thanks for the info, Chronocidal.

I wonder why they chopped up the anime version to such a point. How that mess of an anime won an award, I'll never know.

Edited September 23, 2012 by GU-11

[Neova]

What are the exact names of the English version books? I might need to score it on amazon or find someone stateside to pick it up for me.

[electric indigo]

Here are my posts about the two books in this thread #832212 and #939978

Book one is still available at Amazon

In retrospect, I liked how the last OVA episode brought some kind of closure to the story, not sure how much of it is in the third book.

[Chronocidal]

Actually, they have book 2 at the moment as well, but only about 5 copies left (I just ordered #6, along with book 7 of the Haruhi novels ).

Even if it's not that great a book, I figure it has to make more sense than the anime did.

Edited September 24, 2012 by Chronocidal

[myk]

I'm tempted to get the books, but the anime confused me to the point of giving up only after three episodes. All I got out of it is that Earth is attacked by aliens from another dimension, and the portal they came from is called Faery. The aircraft are called JAM, and the Yukikaze is possessed by some creepy computer AI that might have something to do with the aliens. That, and the protag is some emo kid with links to the Yukikaze AI...oh, and the female doctor is hot, in a MILF-ish kind of way.

Beyond that, it was just aerial fights and cryptic dialogue.

Are the books any better at explaining the plot?

I always thought that the character's faces were drawn weird-almost creepy. Anyway I might have to get these books...

[Chronocidal]

They definitely went with a uinque style for the artwork. Can't quite put my finger on what it reminded me of at the moment though.

One thing I don't quite get though. In the anime, it seemed like Rei and Yukikaze were almost forming some sort of weird psychic link, what with the way things went in the second episode (which was one of the ones that didn't make much sense at all to me). I don't recall anything of that sort in the first book, but did that actually happen in the second one?

[GU-11]

I always thought that the character's faces were drawn weird-almost creepy.

They definitely went with a uinque style for the artwork. Can't quite put my finger on what it reminded me of at the moment though.

I didn't notice any creepiness while I was watching the anime. But now that you mentioned it, it does seem rather...sterile. Does that make any sense?

[Chronocidal]

Well, actually, it had to do with the character designs. The style used for the drawings reminded me of some older anime, like Vampire Hunter D. The facial details seemed strange for this genre, but they reminded me a lot of a style I've seen in creepier stories. The way their eyes were drawn in particular reminded me of Blue Gender.

Don't think it was necessarily bad, but they definitely played up the creepiness factor of many of the characters. It really came out in Tomahawk, and those two weird characters Rei met when he crashed.

[CAIN MKII]

I'm still expecting a BR edition of the anime