Air Gear, Vol. 1 - East Side Showdown (Uncut)
Based on the manga by "Oh! great" (Ito Oogure),Air Gear(2006) elevates in-line skating to a high-tech extreme sport, much the wayEureka Sevenpushes snowboarding. Minami "Ikki" Isuki is a tough-talking high school student who freeloads at the home of the four Noyamano sisters. After getting the wasabi beaten out of him by a gang of Storm Riders, Ikki discovers the world ofair treks:  motorized in-line skates that go at extraordinary speeds. Not surprisingly, he turns out to be a natural rider, quickly picking up skills and catching a brief vision of "the Road in the Sky." But Ikki has to face rival gangs, beginners' races, and getting a job to pay for his skates before he can aspire to the mystical aspects of the sport.  Although the misfit hero, athletic challenges, and other elements in the series are standard-issueshonen(boys') anime, the computer-animated racing shots, skillful cutting and winning voice performances makeAir Geara lot of fun. (Rated TV MA SL, suitable for ages 13 and older: violence, profanity, nudity toilet and risqué humor)--Charles Solomon