Ai City


Ai City is a Japanese science fiction manga created by Syufo. The story was later adapted into an anime film directed by Kōichi Mashimo and released on July 26, 1986.

Plot

In 1983, off-duty policeman Reiden picks up a suspicious couple, Kei and Ai, who claim to be father and daughter but appear to be close in age. Reiden thus becomes involved in a fight between them and the female fighter K2 who is chasing them. Kei draws out his latent ability to the maximum by a Legendary "Trigger" and Ai blows away K2. The night sky splits and strange space is shown. Their enemy is the secret society "Fraud" of para-psionics, which is commanded by Kuu Ragua Lee. Kei, Ai and Reiden meet the assassins whom Fraud sends out one after another.

Characters

Ai's companions

; I2
; K
; Cat
; Reiden Yoshioka
; K2
; Lee

Residents of floor 1983

; Akemi Yoshioka
; Sugiura
; Miyasaka
; Takenaka

Residents of floor 2183

; Kuu Ragua Lee
; J
; A
; Yi
; Lyan
; Talkative dolls
; Lai Lou Chin

Residents of the upper floor

; Alloy

Residents in A.D. 1983

; Lee Kuwabara
; Kasuga

Terms

; Floor
; Fraud
; Headmeters
; Tuned-man
; Diver

Film adaptation

An eponymous OVA was produced in 1986 and was shown at movie theaters affiliated with Toho on July 26, 1986. The anime starts off sometime in the future, with Kei and Ai running for their lives. Ai is a girl who holds a terrible secret which could destroy the current world. The world is now populated by Headmeters, people who have psychic powers and whose strength is shown on their forehead when they fight. Kei was an experimental Headmeter subject, whose strength never went above level 5. In desperate moments, though, when Ai is in trouble, Kei can increase his ability to infinity. The one who is after her has a deep secret and is aided by a small dwarflike man who lives in a robotic suit. Eventually Ai is captured and Kei, a detective and another Headmeter who was converted to the good side when Kei unleashed his horrible powers must go and rescue her. Together they must save Ai and the secret she holds.

Reception

in 500 Essential Anime Movies praises anime film for having "one of the best endings in anime".