Arawasi International

Magazine 

Issue No.6

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com
 

Arawasi?  What the heck does that mean? 

Well, Arawasi (Arawashi is actually the correct name but Arawasi is used by necessity as it is the traditional way of rendering Japanese words in the Latin alphabet) means wild eagles in Japanese and it was originally the nickname given by the Japanese press and public to pilots of any nationality who demonstrated bravery in combat or exceptional skill.  By the start of World War Two the name came to be reserved for Japanese pilots only. 

Given the above, it only seems natural that this new magazine be titled Arawasi as its contents deal with the history of Japanese aviation from its birth until the end of the Pacific War (World War Two). 

Arawasi was first launched in 2005 as a homemade fanzine (back issues available here http://www.arawasi.jp/salebook.hp/ara-magazine.html ) but it has now developed into a professionally printed quarterly magazine. 

If this issue is an example of the quality and content of future issues, then I’m impressed!  The magazine consists of 49 glossy pages containing period black and white photos as well as present day colour ones and plenty of colour profiles. 

The contents of this issue include articles on: 

• How Tanimizu’s AIKI was rediscovered.

• Zero flights for the neophytes (an excellent 13 page article on the A6M2-K trainer).

• Teishin Shudan (Raiding Group) – Destination Philippines.

• The 1919 French Aviation Mission to Japan, Part 2.

• Fokkers over Japan.

• Flamboyant Dragon Slayers. – A complete and detailed coverage of the Ki-45s featured on the new Arawasi decal sheet.

• Hellcat in Hinomaru.

• Hurricane Sam, Part 3 (the A7M1 Reppu, not the Hawker one!)

• Contrails. A regular column for contrary points of view  and comments

• For your bookshelf.  Relevant books reviewed

• Red hot cherry blossoms.  An article detailing the unique and highly modified (for Kamikaze operations) Mitsubishi Ki-167.

The articles are all well written and I could not find a single instance of “Janglish” (Japanese English) that I have found in other Japan based publications before. 

If you are a fan of WWII Japanese aviation or just an occasional reader, you will relish the updated Arawasi.

 Recommended.

Thanks to Arawasi Magazine for the review sample

Review Copyright © 2007 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 20 July, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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