You might be shocked to know that I also enjoy Anime. After taking a break away from the DVD shelf, I picked up the first two discs of a series called Area 88 . Here, observe:

The premise of the show is thus: Shin Kazama is a brilliant Japanese pilot tricked into enlisting in a mercenary air force of the generally Middle Eastern or North African kingdom of Aslan. The country is in the middle of a civil war, and Shin and the other pilots at the titular airbase are at the front lines of the war.

The only way out?

1. Serve and survive the three years of the contract.
2. Buy out the contract by earning $1.5 million from the bounties on the targets the pilots destroy - while having to pay for his fuel, ammunition, and the repairs to his fighter. And new fighters, more than once.
3. Desert from the base in the middle of the desert, and face pursuit and execution if caught.

So far, I'm only three or four episodes into the series, but it's actually pretty good. It's like if an anime studio saw Top Gun and said "That was awesome! Lets do that!" - so lots of Jet Fighter porn and meaty character development.

And suddenly I thought - "Wow, that would make for a hell of a good campaign!" Fighter Jocks pressed into service on the outer rim, serving in a conscripted military force, flying Z-95s (or what have you) in service for the Corporate Sector Authority (or some other planetary government that needs starfighters in combat).

I already have a game set up and running, so I'm not in a position to use my idea - but I thought I might share with you guys, perhaps some GM in need of a game might find this useful.

I'm not an anime guy, but it is a good story hook.

Could have been conscripted into the Imperial Military after all standard TIE Fighters have no shields no hyperdrive so no means of escape unless you have access to someone who does...

Imagine being forced to serve on a ship knowing if you disobey your families and loved ones will suffer for your insurrection... then Alderaan happened...

Don't know about you but I'm having Harlock flashbacks!

On a side-none. I was thinking the other day where Avatar: The Last Airbender could be mined for Age of Rebellion campaign ideas.

It's got the over-all beat of a rebellion story. A group of underdogs go against an oppressive government.

Ah, good old Area 88. I hada few issues of the comic book back in the days from Eclipse Comics.

That could make foran interesting game.

On a side-note I was thinking the other day where Avatar the Last Airbender could be mined for Age of Rebellion campaign ideas

Oh now if you rewrote the whole series and explain the "Luke" of your series was frozen in carbonite along with a friend after being falsely accused of a crime before Order 66 came down so when they're accidentally revived in a Legacy comic like era they now have Imperial Knights chasing a legendary Jedi Master unaware he was asleep for a century or so and isn't as powerful as they imagine...

Still conversant with the Jedi Order of old and mainly faced by an Order of Imperial Force Users kept low powered to prevent them threatening the descendants of Palpatine and his Sith Order...

Oh... mind if I mine this idea?

When they finally start the Force & Destiny discussion forum this could be worth either being linked or mentioned as a potential alternative setting!