List of Area 88 characters

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The following is a list of Area 88 characters.

Main characters of Area 88. From left to right: Mickey Simon, Saki Vashtal, Satoru Kanzaki, Shin Kazama and Ryoko Tsugumo.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Main

Shin Kazama

A Japanese pilot who was supposed to be employed at Yamato Air Lines (YAL), Shin was tricked into fighting for the Asranian air force in the country's civil war by his friend, Satoru Kanzaki, by letting him place his signature in an Asranian military sign up sheet after getting him drunk at a local bar. Shin became the top ace at Area 88, though he gradually felt his humanity slipping as his time at the Area passed.

Because of this, he was cold to most of the people inside Area 88; he would make friends with Mickey Simon, Kim Aoba, Kitori Palvanaff, Roundell and his commanding officer, Saki Vashtal. All his aircraft sported a flaming unicorn head painted on the tail.

Mickey Simon

An American pilot who signed up to fight for the Asranian government in its civil war after serving in the Vietnam War with the VF-33 Starfighters^[1] in the OVA and VF-96 Fighting Falcons aboard the USS Enterprise in the series. Disgraced and in psychological trouble, as he is convinced that it would take a while for him to get back to a normal life. The self-proclaimed "number-two" pilot in Area 88, he was Shin's primary friend at the Area, and is found in all three versions of Area 88. The insignia found on his plane is a rabbit head resembling the bunny, similar to the VX-4 Evaluator's "Black Bunny" F-14A tail art.^[1]

Saki Vashtal

A member of the royal family and a commissioned officer (Lt. Colonel) in the Asranian air force, he is distinguished by his black shades (which in the manga was due to an eye injury) and his X-shaped scar on his forehead. Saki is the son of Abdael, the eldest son of the late former king of Asran. Asran was, at the time, the only middle eastern country not exporting it's oil. Saki's grandfather did not wish to sell out to the West or to Communists and suspected that Abdael was having dealings with either. For this reason, on his deathbed, he declared his younger son, Zak, the next king. Humiliated, Abdael, along with his other son Rishaal, became leader of an anti-government rebel force backed by various communist countries. Saki, remained loyal because of his late mother's love for Asran and is Area 88's commanding officer, though it is clear that Saki feels shame for betraying his own father and perceives that his late mother would be saddened by his father's actions. The scar on his forehead is self inflicted as a symbol of this shame. Saki appears in all three versions. He is the cousin of Kitori Palvanaff. Though not incompetent, Saki is not exactly considered an outstanding leader by the pilots but they follow his orders for the most part simply because it's what they are paid to do. Although shown as a capable pilot in the manga and OAV,, the TV series restricts Saki to the control tower.

Ryoko Tsugumo

The daughter of CEO Tsugumo of Yamato Air Lines, she met Shin and Satoru when she was introduced to flying airplanes for the first time. Ryoko became infatuated with Shin before he left for Paris to conduct his pilot training. She became furious at Satoru when she found out that Shin was forced to serve in the Asranian air force against his will, refusing Satoru's wishes for them to get together. In the 2004 TV series, Makoto visited her on the day of her supposed wedding and gave her a photo of Shin's F-5 jet. Realizing that Satoru lied to her, she ran away on their wedding day, forcing her father to postpone the wedding. In the manga and OAV series, she consents to let Kanzaki have his way with her sexually if he will purchase her share of Yamato airline stock at full price, allowing her to raise enough money to buy out Shin's contract. She is saved from doing so when police come to the hotel room to arrest Kanzaki on several accounts concerning recent scandals involving Yamato Airlines.

Satoru Kanzaki

Shin's friend from the orphanage. He grew jealous of Shin due to his relationship with Ryoko and tricked him to serve with the Asranian military -- inteding that he be killed in action. CEO Tsugumo picked him to be his successor in Yamaoto Air Lines and arranged for him to get married to Ryoko. In the manga, Tsugumo is forced to resign by shareholders when Kanzaki makes an underhanded purchasing deal with a shady jumbo jet manufacturer, assuring himself a large percentage of stock which installs him as the new president of Yamato Airlines. The jets turn out to be defective, causing an accidental crash which kills all aboard, thus opening Kanzaki to investigation. In the end, his wedding plans are ruined when Ryoko learns Shin's whereabouts after meeting Saki Vashtal and he is arrested for embezzlement, tax evasion, and his involvement in the plane crash. The OVA, having moved the end of the story to an earlier point, has Kanzaki simply being arrested as his final fate. In the 2004 TV series his fate was left unknown, though it can be inferred that since Ryoko ran away, the marriage did not take place, thus his shady deal was derailed. In the manga, the arrest is hardly the end of Kanzaki as he returns with a number of schemes until the end of the manga where he dies in an air duel with Shin.

[edit] Freelancers

Kim Aoba

A young prince of an African nation, he was mocked by most of the base's freelance pilots and other personnel as they doubted his success to be in Area 88 as a hired mercenary since he was quite young to be fighting in Asran's civil war. Saki, Roundell, Mickey, Kitori and Shin regard the boy as someone that they can rely on in a matter of crisis. Kim only appears in the manga and 2004 anime; in the latter, his emblem consisted of a red swan with golden wings.

Greg Gates

A bearded Danish mercenary, he is noted by the base's mercenary force for being the only person who couldn't die. Greg serves as comedic relief and humor, as his actions lead him to trouble with his comrades and his officers, not to mention unintentionally making the civil war even worse. Greg appears in all versions of Area 88.

Kitori Palvanaff

Only daughter of the King of Asran and cousin of Saki Vashtal, she was sent to Area 88 as the base's only female freelance pilot. She lived in Area 88 as one of the boys, fighting alongside them under the base's terms. She takes a liking for Kim for being the youngest freelancer to serve in the Asranian air force and loves to tease him. Later on, she also take a liking for Makoto as she finds him friendly. She was mystified with Shin's personality, finding him cold and alone, though the two are on good terms. Kitori only appears in the 2004 anime. Kitori sports an emblem consisting of three red arrows against a red bow.

Nguyen Van Com

A former pilot for the South Vietnamese Air Force. He encountered Mickey several times during the Vietnam War, and he was known as the "Shark of Tonkin Bay". He frequently argues with Shin, mainly because Shin shot down a friendly fighter whose pilot was blinded. Nguyen enjoys the killing of enemy pilots, and even shoots an enemy pilot as he ejected from an aircraft. Despite his disagreements with Shin, he comes to respect him. He dies a fate similar to the pilot he shot down, being shot as he ejected from an aircraft. Nguyen appears in the OVA and manga series.

Invulnerable Charlie

A pilot who once flew at Area 88. He returns because he was hired by Kanzaki to kill Shin. He uses the confusion caused by battle with the Wolf Pack to kill Shin. However, he is killed by birdstrike when a seagull slams into his cockpit and causes him to lose control. Shin is able to bail out from his plane and survive. Charlie appears in the manga and the OVA. The OVA English dub calls him Phoenix Charlie. Aspects of his character, however, are merged with Rocky for the character of Makoto Shingo in the 2004 TV series.

Bowman

Bowman initially gained Shin's dislike by shamelessly trying to borrow money from his fellow pilots so that he could pay the penalty for turning down a mission he was too scared to go on. Eventually he goes and returns only to brag about his kill record for that mission, ignoring the fact that it was at the cost of his wingman who got killed watching Bowman's back. Bowman appears in the manga and the OAV although the OAV does not explore his character.

Hoover Kippenburg

A former pilot in the West German Air Force, a guilt-ridden Hoover joined after an accident while training rookie pilots. He flew too low and into the sun and this trainees, trying to follow, accidentally crashed into a mountain. Well liked by the other pilots, Hoover was temporarily entrusted with Saki's position as flight leader. Indeed, many of the pilots prefer Hoover over Saki in the position. Hoover only appears in the manga.

Boris

A former British Royal Air Force Pilot, Boris is haunted by the ghosts of his former wingmates. He is afraid to sleep with the lights off, for in his sleep, the ghosts of his dead comrades come to visit him in his dreams. Boris appears in all three versions.

Escape Killers

Three pilots of African (Black) descent, it was assumed that they came to Area 88 because the Central African conflicts pay so poorly. This trio of enigmatic pilots, seems to regard everyone at Area 88 with suspicion and keep to themselves. Shin, frustrated after a massive setback, plans to desert in the dead of morning only to encounter the three African pilots waiting for him. Mick appears, stating that he remembered stories about three Black pilots in Africa who specialize in hunting down deserters. Soon, the other Area 88 pilots defend Shin on the grounds that the Escape Killers are harassing an innocent person who could have just been taking an early morning walk. Saki and the other pilots convince the Escape Killers to leave. The Escape Killers were called Enforcers in the English translation of the manga. They also appeared in the OVA trilogy.

Jess

One of the Area 88 pilots in the OVA. Shin has to make an important choice when Jess cracks in the middle of a fight. He appears briefly but reflects Shin's change from sympathizer to hardened soldier.

Patrick Reed

Patrick is Mickey's wingman back in Vietnam. The Oklahoma native suffered a trauma during a dogfight when he hesitated to fire at an enemy MiG, which led to the development of a panicky dogfight style in which he barrel rolls while firing his guns. Years after the Vietnam war, Patrick becomes a pilot for the enemy of the Kingdom of Asran. During a dogfight against Asran mercenaries, he was gunned down by Mickey. The two talked over the radio, and Patrick said (maybe not exact words), "Finally. I can go back home to Oklahoma to farm again." Then, Patrick dies, going down with his MiG-23 Flogger fighter in the desert.

[edit] Base personnel

Gustav

Head of the base's technician group. Supports the freelancers by doing field repairs to their jets before and after a sortie against the rebels. Gustav appears only in the 2004 anime.

McCoy

The base's scrounger and head of the Area 88's PX shop, deals with American dollars as a means of currency transaction. He provided the mercenaries with most of the items that they need such as fighter jets and their respective armaments, with civilian items as well. McCoy's items are notorious for often being second hand and not working as expected, particularly when he offers them at a discount. McCoy appears in all version of Area 88.

Big Sammy

The codename used for the radar controllers of Area 88. Responsible for sending out tactical data of planes to the pilots and Saki.

[edit] Officers

Roundell

An old man of British descent, Major Roundell has his right eye replaced by an eyepatch. He serves as the base's executive officer and the confidant of Saki Vashtal. He is also an excellent fighter pilot, specialising in Low level assaults, at least in the 2004 remake. Roundell appears in all three versions of Area 88.

[edit] Others

Goh "Rocky" Mutsugi (Makoto Shinjo in the TV series)

A SO news reporter sent to Area 88 to cover the rumor of foreign freelance pilots fighting in the Asranian civil war, he was intrigued by Shin's presence as the only lone Japanese pilot to fight for the Asranian military. One of Rocky's photos, with Shin in the background, was seen by Ryoko in a magazine article on Asran and this convinced her that Shin was alive. He dies in the OVA rendition after he joins a pilot on a patrol, and is shot down. In the 2004 TV series, he survived the series and eventually confessed that his sponsor was Satoru Kanzaki because he wanted to get a photo of Shin's dead corpse as proof to Ryoko that he died in action, forcing her to get married to him. However, he later help thwart the marriage. Rocky appears (with different names) in all three versions of Area 88.

Taeko Yasuda

Mr. Tsugumo's secretary and Ryoko's confidant, she takes an immediate dislike and distrust to Kanzaki. In the manga and OAV, by happenstance, she sees the magazine article on Asran's civil war and the photo taken by the late Rocky, a photo in which Shin appears in the background. Taeko's friend pins down the location and deduces that Shin was at Area 88. Taeko also saves Ryoko from allowing Kanzaki to use her in a compromising position in order to have him willing to buy her stock share (at full price) and use the money to buy out Shin's contract. Taeko appears in the manga and OVA only.

Guissepe Farina

A Paris based Mafia don whom Kanzaki requests to contract a hitman on Shin's life. It is through Farina that Charlie is hired as an assassin to return to Area 88. In return, Kanzaki would purchase airline parts from companies under Farina's control. Unfortunately for Kanzaki, Farina and Maxwell Corporation (the company with which Kanzaki dealed for the defective airbus), both plan to use Kanzaki as a fall guy in a takeover of Yamato airlines. Farina appears briefly in the OAV but does not seem to have no other involvement beyond the assassination attempt. In the manga, Farina has a much larger role and is later involved in supplying weapons to the Anti-Government forces. He does not appear at all in the 2004 TV series.

[edit] References