Agent Aika

Agent Aika

Cover of Agent Aika Trial 1
アイカ
(AIKa)
Genre Action, Adventure
Original video animation
Directed by Katsuhiko Nishijima
Studio Studio Fantasia
Licensed by U.S. Manga Corps (original), Bandai Entertainment (new)
Released 25 April 1997
Episodes 7 + Special
Manga
AIKa TRIAL 0
Written by Ayumi Konomichi
Published by Wani Books
Demographic Seinen
Magazine Comic GUM
Original run 1998 – 1999
Volumes 1
Anime and Manga Portal

Agent Aika, known in Japan as simply AIKa (アイカ?), is an adventure anime OVA series. Aika Sumeragi is a Japanese woman (voiced by Rei Sakuma) who works as a salvager for hire, but gets caught up in a plot for world domination. The series was available in North America from Central Park Media, but now it has been licensed by Bandai Entertainment.

The series is well known for copious amounts of fan service, specifically "creative" camera angles that focused on the undergarments of the many female characters that populate the show.

On April 25, 2007 the first volume of the three-part prequel OVA AIKa R-16: Virgin Mission, detailing Aika's time as a 16 years-old teenager, was released in Japan. A remastered version of the original series was released also, along with a special Live Action edition of Agent Aika.

In 2009 the three-part sequel to prequel OVA AIKa ZERO with 19 year-old Aika was released.

Contents

Plot

Tokyo has sunk into the ocean, along with most of the world, during a large-scale land subsidence. Aika Sumeragi is a salvager who works for a small company run by a father and daughter tandem. Alas, the company isn't exactly successful, and money is needed desperately. Thus, Aika accepts the very dangerous job of acquiring an artifact called Lagu for a hefty sum. The boss' daughter Aida Rion joins Aika on this particular mission, and the two set off.

Later on, Aika and Rion are captured by Rudolf Hargen—an effeminate but over-sexed man who wants Lagu and Aika (and just about every pretty girl) for himself. Hargen commands a huge battleship manned exclusively by droves of cute girls in mini-skirts (an example of what is often called "fan service"). Alongside Hargen is his obsessive sister Neena, who is jealous of Aika, as well as another salvager named Gusto, who's also after Lagu and has a crush on Aika as well. When Aika's special bustier is activated, she becomes a superhuman who can take on whole armies by herself.

Characters

Aika and company

She is considered to be one of the best in the business. She was raised as a test subject by her scientist parents who died in the catastrophic earthquake. She was protected by the bustier made by her parents and thus survived. She was then picked up by Aida Gozo, who raised her, and later on she works in Gozo's office as a Salvager.
Aika possesses a unique battle suit made out of "ultranate" (or more accurately just "alternate metal" from the katakana オルタネートメタル), shaped into a golden bustier that transforms her into a dark-skinned and blue-haired woman with supernatural strength and resilience. But she dislikes the perfection attained by the transformation and tries not to rely on it. Although not used in the anime, in this form she is called Shivie Aika.
She is constantly fighting with Gust, who either tries to steal her bounty or hits on her. Aika will do anything to get the job done, even if it means sacrificing her morals.
Voiced by: Rei Sakuma (Japanese), Debbie Rabbai (English)
She is Aika's salvaging partner and her Boss' daughter. Her mother divorced him after she was born. She wants to run the business better, but her father keeps to his policies. She does not like being left out of transactions nor having Aika do the work herself. Rion looks upon Aika as her real sister and yearns to become like Aika.
Voiced by: Hiroko Konishi (Japanese), Purva Bedi (English)
He was an active industrial spy, but rode on the chance of the catastrophic earthquake and entered the salvaging business, setting up K2 Corporation, a Salvaging operation. He is Rion's father. He prefers to hold onto the old ways (cheapest price for the best service) and principles of doing business, which does little good to the business. His past with Aika goes far back.
Voiced by: Akio Ōtsuka (Japanese), David Rankin (English)
Graduated from the Salvager training school with barely passing grades, he joins K2 Corporation through a relative. His father is the president of a major salvaging company. He is a new character introduced in the second series.
Cute-looking but totally air-headed, Michikusa is prone to dressing cutely as well (including donning Delmo staff uniforms on several occasions), and using a kappa doll and squeaky voice to try cheering up Rion when her mood is down, which earns him frequent beatings by Rion because he only succeeds in annoying her.
Voiced by: Masaya Onosaka (Japanese), Jeffery Gimble (English)
She is a "Class A" spy (who carries suitable business cards) employed by the government to retrieve information on Lagu by infiltrating Hagen's army dressed as a black Delmo. She runs into Rion and ends up following her.
After having been abandoned by her employers and her subsequent rescue by Aika and her friends, she went freelance. She reappears in episode 7, where she joins Rion and company in their assault on the Delmo base.
Voiced by: Sakiko Tamagawa
He is the son of a company's president. Although he is well-off, he prefers to be independent and became a Salvager to earn his own name.
At first look he may be a brash person, but is skillful. He'd like to have Aika to go out with him, but she refuses. He seems to end up in the right place to get the bounty.
Voiced by: Juurouta Kosugi (Japanese), Alvaro J. Gonzalez (English)
Gust's cyberpunk-styled partner, a veteran Salvager. May not always agree with him but helps him out anyway.
Voiced by: Hisako Kyouda (Japanese), Mina Sands (English)

The Hagens

Hagen was born as a genetically altered test tube baby, in the process he received superior genes. Because of that he yearns for superior women to impart the genes to his next generation.
Hagen is the evil mastermind who, even though contracted by the military to find the Lagu, wants it for his own ends. He believes that Lagu is something the Earth produced to destroy the humanity that polluted it. He enjoys commanding his army, especially the bridge, and is passive but calculating. He plans to repopulate the Earth with his own progeny conceived with his Delmo staff.
Voiced by: Kaneto Shiozawa (Japanese), Scott Cargle (English)
She is a test tube baby like Rudolf. It is unknown if she is the blood sister of Rudolf. Nevertheless she respects and loves Rudolf dearly to a level beyond siblings, and dislikes Aika for "seducing" her brother Rudolf. A sadistic character and unstable mood, she walks around in her bare essentials and makes sure the black Delmos are punished for failure.
She later receives from Rudolf an Alternate Metal panty which allows her to transform to a powered-up form. However, the device fusing into her soon runs out of control, and she becomes a hideous monster. In this form she embraces and kills her brother and flees into space cradling his corpse. Her ultimate fate is unknown.
Voiced by: Atsuko Tanaka (Japanese), Suzanne Savoy (English), Suzy Prue (English, episodes 3–4)

Delmo Corps

The Delmo Corps, also referred as the Delmogeny (デルモゲニイ), is an army of pretty ladies assembled by Professor Hagen for the purpose of propagating his genes; they also function as Hagen's private army. Some of them work ordinary jobs like guides and waitresses, but on top of that they are also involved in espionage activities.

Even after Hagen's defeat, the Delmo Corps still functions. With its aim to capture Aika to avenge Hagen and to study the alternate metal, they become the main antagonist in the second series.

  • Captain/Commander (艦長/司令)
The unnamed chief commanding officer of the Delmo is a beautiful green-haired woman highly accomplished in military and reconnaissance work. After Hagen's demise she took command of the Delmogeny and continues to seek revenge on Aika and her entourage.
She distinguishes herself from her subordinate commanders by wearing two patches with a white H on her uniform's collar. She is a responsible officer who is very concerned with the welfare of her troops, and has a love relationship with her (also unnamed) second-in-command.
Voiced by: Yuko Nagashima (Japanese), Mary Anne Towne (English)
  • Adjutant (副官)
The second-in-command in the Delmo Corps. She is very loyal and cares very much for the Captain, with whom she has a lover's relationship.
Voiced by: Akiko Hiramatsu (Japanese), Rachael Lillis (English)
  • Nina Esuko (ニナ エスコ)
She participated in Operation "Silver Wild Grapevine", where she played the role of the head of the air base.
Voiced by: Akemi Okamura
  • Bianca (ビアンカ)
The operative in charge of Operation "Golden Apple". She wanted revenge for one of the Delmo (a personal friend) who died during the events in series one. She plans to humiliate Aika by using a woman disguised as a man to toy with Aika's feelings, then capture Aika alive. She uses a retractable sleeve-blade in melee combat and has a hidden flame thrower on her right arm.
Voiced by: Minami Takayama (Japanese), Wendy Talker (English)
  • Rie Petoriyacowa (リエ ペトリヤコワ)
The child-like operative in charge of Operation "Silver Wild Grapevine". She had been studying Aika and had learned how Aika fights. Aika was tricked into a pilot adaptability physical examination, whereby Rie gathers physical data on Aika (which apparently included a scene where she stripped Aika of her clothes, much to Aika's chagrin). After her connections to Delmos were revealed, rather than escaping, Rie proceeded to continue gathering Aika's battle data by sending her underlings against her and then taping the entire battle. She became one of the most popular characters in the show.
Voiced by: Ikue Ohtani (Japanese), Tara Jayne (English)
  • Sania (サニア)
One of the two operatives that destroyed the K2 Corporation building. Her preferred weapon is a grenade pistol.
Voiced by: Miki Nagasawa
  • Tonia (トニア)
One of the two operatives that destroyed the K2 Corporation building. Uses claws on both hands in melee combat.
Voiced by: Kikuko Inoue
  • Leader (リーダ)
The unnamed Blue Delmo leader. She has short reddish brunette hair.
Voiced by: Yuri Shiratori
  • Valarie/Pierre Valimore (ヴァレリー/ピエール)
A bishōnen woman who took part in Operation "Golden Apple". She volunteered to be the one to disguise herself as a man.
Voiced by: Shiho Niiyama (Japanese), P.M. Lewis (English)
  • Catherine (キャサリン)
She was taking care of Rion during her captivity in Rudolph's space ship. However, Rion easily defeated her and took her uniform. She has short wavy blonde hair.
Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki
  • Leader (リーダ)
The unnamed Black Delmo leader. She has short purple hair with curled ends.
Voiced by: Kumiko Nishihara
  • Kana (かな)
A girl with pixie cut black hair who took part in Operation "Golden Apple". She drove Bianca's car.
Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki
  • Misaki (みさき)
A girl with short bruenette hair who took part in Operation "Golden Apple". She helped in kidnapping Rion.
Voiced by: Kaori Tagami
  • Yuki (ゆき)
A girl with shoulder-length crimson hair who took part in Operation "Golden Apple". She helped in kidnapping Shuntaro.
Voiced by: Yumiko Suzuki
  • Sae (さえ)
A girl with short dark blue hair who took part in Operation "Golden Apple". She helped in kidnapping Shuntaro.
Voiced by: Kanako Mitsuhashi
  • Leader Suzie (スージ)
The Pink Delmo leader. She has short bruenette hair with fliped ends. In the first episode she posed as a tour guide. She was in charge of shooting missiles in the final battle against Rudolph. She also drove a tank for Bianca in the "Golden Apple" operation.
Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki
  • Vivian (ビビアン)
She took part in Operation "Golden Apple" by making sure the tanks were sent to Bianca. She has short bruenette hair.
Voiced by: Kanako Mitsuhashi
  • Liz (リズ)
She took part in Operation "Golden Apple" by attacking Aika with a tank along with Betty. She has shoulder-length olive hair.
Voiced by: Yumiko Suzuki
  • Betty (ベティ)
She took part in Operation "Golden Apple" by attacking Aika with a tank along with Liz. She has pixie cut bruenette hair.
Voiced by: Junko Takeuchi

Episodes

The first series consist of the episodes one to four, and because of its popularity a second series was made.

Music

Opening themes

"Silent City" by Mari Sasaki (episodes 1–4)
"Ao no Jyuujika" (碧の十字架?) by Kishi Kyouko ("Special Trial")
"Manatsu no Seiza" (真夏の星座?) by Mink (episodes 5–7)

Ending themes

"More Natural" by Hiroko Konishi (episodes 1–4)
"aa, jinsei tae te yume mo saku" (ああ、人生耐えて夢も咲く?) by Rei Sakuma and Akio Ōtsuka ("Special Trial")
"Dance With Me Tonight" by PUNKY FRUITES! (episodes 5–7)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g AIKa characters. Studio Fantasia and Bandai Visual. Archived from the original on 2007-01-22. Retrieved on 2007-04-23.

External links