Yukikaze - Danger Zone (Vol. 1) [DVD]

Thirty-three years ago, the mysterious aliens known as the JAM tried to invade Earth through an interdimensional passageway they established in Antarctica. The conflict has shifted to Fairy, the home planet of the JAM: deadly air battles rage almost continuously above its surface. Lt. Rei Fukai serves in the elite Special Air Force, whose mission is to collect data on the enemy. An alienated loner, Rei's only bonds emotionally with Major Jack Bukhar, his commander and friend (lover?), and Yukikaze, the super-sophisticated computer system his plane, the B-3. The narrative is often choppy and there's little character development in the first episodes. But "Yukikaze" boasts unusually snazzy special effects, including some skillfully directed "Top Gun"/"Star Wars"-style aerial dogfights. Director Masahiko Ohkura uses 3-D computer graphics with exceptional panache to create a flashy, exciting adaptation of Chouhei Kambayashi's novel. (Rated 13 and older: violence, alcohol use) "--Charles Solomon"