Air ~ Kyoto Ani and Key has been licenced by ADV!
 

I noticed this series lacked an actual topic, so since during down time the licencing was announced, I made one!

Thoughts on the series and the licencing?

Um, you make it sound like Kyoto Animation and KEY have been licensed by ADV, which, in the words of a colleague, would be rather hilarious and tragic at the same time.

I don't think this is exactly going to fly off the shelves, as AIR (much like any other bishoujo game related product) is a very niche series, despite what its fans would like you to think. I loved AIR, but only the latter part of the series, and especially the summer arc which features one of the best comedy trios ever conceived.

I sure hope the summer OVA episodes are included, otherwise it's a waste of effort.

Its confirmed on another news site that the specials are also included.

The movie I think may come out later, but it will have the same VAs in both TV and movie.

The way Air was structured was kinda different from Kanon, seeing as we go through each arc one by one and the characters disappear after their arc is done, where as Kanon had more episodes to work with and the characters dont just disappear, even Makoto appears again in various ways. I think Air would have benefitted it they had 24 episodes to work with, there is so much missing from the game.

Still it was a good adaptation. The movie was only ok though. It turned it into a generic love tragedy like Romeo and Juliet... Which I am kinda sick of.

As Bigblah said, this is really targeted towards a niche market. I will buy the movie edition but prolly not the long running series.

Along the lines of animation of Air and Kanon... I am still anticipating CLANNAD to be anime-ized. :) Movie will be out in half year time *yaay*

At least a good news is that ADV is more reliable than other US dubbing companies!

Do you think they can let user choose between subs and dubs?

Clannad TV was announced to be in production by Kyoto Ani on the last episode of Kanon.

And yes there will be dubs and subs to choose from. I just hope the DVD encoding is better than what the Japanese got. The video looked HORRIBLE from what I've heard on the normal DVDs, and the Blue Ray ones aren't too hot either.

The TV series is far more faithful, the movie turned a story that focuses more in family relations like Mother and Daugthers and sisters and changed it into a generic Shakespearen love tragedy, minus the old language. It cheapens the ending and it just feels flat. Its not horrible, but not a good adaptation, might as well make it original and say it was inspired by Air.

I was at Kawaii Kon when David Williams made the announcement of the licensing of Air. Even got to see their subtitled version of the first episode.

ADV is the type of company that has a model of going after "niche" titles, with the mentality of "as long as somebody will buy it and we'll at least break even with the costs."

And Air will be getting the "once a month" release schedule, so in theory all episodes and the movie will be released by the end of the year.