U.N. Squadron (known as Area 88 in Japan) was one of the earliest titles released on Capcom’s CPS-1 (Capcom Play System 1) arcade hardware in August 1989.
The story of U.N. Squadron is an adaptation of the Japanese manga and anime series Area 88 by Kaoru Shintani. While the Western game release emphasizes a generic struggle against a terrorist group, the original narrative is a dark tale of betrayal and mercenary life.
The Core Premise: Betrayal and Mercenary Life
The narrative follows Shin Kazama, a promising airline pilot candidate in Japan. His ambitious “best friend,” Satoru Kanzaki, tricks him into signing a three-year contract with the mercenary air force of the Kingdom of Aslan (or Asran) while he is drunk.
Once at the desert airbase known as Area 88, Shin discovers there are only three ways to leave:
- Serve for three years.
- Pay a $1.5 million penalty fee (earned through mission bounties).
- Desertion, which is a capital offense punishable by death.
The Conflict: Aslan Civil War
Shin and his fellow pilots—Mickey Simon (a Vietnam War veteran) and Greg Gates (a Danish specialist)—are thrust into a violent civil war between the Aslanian government and rebel forces. In the U.N. Squadron game adaptation, this conflict is simplified into a mission to stop Project 4, a group of corrupt arms dealers intent on world domination.
Key Characters
- Shin Kazama: The reluctant ace pilot motivated by a desire to return to his fiancée, Ryoko, in Japan.
- Mickey Simon: A veteran who struggles with civilian life and thrives in the adrenaline of combat.
- Greg Gates: A skilled pilot noted for his resilience and ability to recover from damage quickly.
- Old Man McCoy: The base’s greedy weapons dealer who sells the pilots everything from planes to toilet paper.
Differences in Endings
OVA Anime (1985): Shin is briefly discharged but ultimately chooses to fly back to Aslan, unable to adapt to normal society after his experiences.
Arcade/SNES Games: The endings are generally triumphant, showing the pilots flying off into the distance after destroying Project 4’s massive mobile land carrier and final boss.
Original Manga: In a more tragic conclusion, Shin eventually returns to Japan but suffers a mental breakdown that erases all his memories of his time at Area 88.
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