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PROJECT A-KO (any other fans out there?)


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After watching Project A-ko again the other night I was wondering, are there any fans here on MW? 

While RT and then rapidly Macross brought me into Anime, Venus Wars, Cyber City Oedo 808 & Bubblegum Crisis got the ball rolling, Project A-ko is the movie that still really sticks with me after all these years... yes, despite C-ko being annoying. 

Lots of awesome mecha designs that could made awesome toys or models, sadly they only exist as rare garage kits. 

Your thoughts? 

 

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I'm assuming you watched the awesome new blu-ray release made from the once thought lost film negatives. Discotek was in the process of upscaling the old LD master when someone found a cache of anime film negative gold.

They also found the masters we're getting the upcoming Madox-01 blu-ray from.

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1 hour ago, Keith said:

I'm assuming you watched the awesome new blu-ray release made from the once thought lost film negatives. Discotek was in the process of upscaling the old LD master when someone found a cache of anime film negative gold.

They also found the masters we're getting the upcoming Madox-01 blu-ray from.

It's worth every penny! 

I still have the old VHS somewhere plus the DVD release. 

IMG_4014.JPG

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6 hours ago, 505thAirborne said:

After watching Project A-ko again the other night I was wondering, are there any fans here on MW? 

While RT and then rapidly Macross brought me into Anime, Venus Wars, Cyber City Oedo 808 & Bubblegum Crisis got the ball rolling, Project A-ko is the movie that still really sticks with me after all these years... yes, despite C-ko being annoying. 

Lots of awesome mecha designs that could made awesome toys or models, sadly they only exist as rare garage kits. 

Your thoughts? 

 

Watching this on a CRT TV with my schoolmates, lol'ing when she steps on the missiles. Am a teen again.🤧🤧

All the DYRL references in there, hangar/space/itano missile/cockpit monitor scenes and the planes that looked like VF-4 valks esp from the bottom. I did feel a tinge of sadness watching this, somehow knowing the end of SDFM/Macross at that time.

My first anime was the world of the talisman/birth OVA, which i loved for the frantic action/animation touches. A-KO made that a full circle for me too, with all the crazy fight/POV animations. Not forgetting them fat big mecha robots too!

These A-KO songs plus a few others e.g. victory from BGC were my pick me up tunes haha...thanks for the memories again!

Edited by seti88
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Oh, hell, yes. Project A-Ko was one of the first "true" anime I saw, at a time when in the UK there were something like a total of three anime available - this, "Akira", and "Fist of the North Star" [1]. For a long time, it was THE standard by which I judged other anime, and I wore the VHS tape to death. It took a while to realise not all anime was of that quality. I also loved how on each re-watching I'd pick up another Easter Egg - A-Ko goes to school with Lum, for example... 😃

I have the DVD from some while back but didn't realise there was a Blu-Ray release.

[1] Technically, there were some weird compilation tapes, various TV shows like "Battle of the Planets", and hybrids like "Mysterious Cities of Gold". And some mysterious people working out of a mythical place called Bangor doing something involving Bubblegum. Subtitled anime? That'll never catch on...

Edited by F-ZeroOne
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22 minutes ago, Bolt said:

Loved this anime back in the day. It's amongst the classics of the golden age !

It's the ultimate IMO of rules do not apply in how to tell a story & not being afraid to film that scene. When A-ko lands on the Jets canopy, Legendary Fan Service! :D

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8 hours ago, F-ZeroOne said:

Oh, hell, yes. Project A-Ko was one of the first "true" anime I saw, at a time when in the UK there were something like a total of three anime available - this, "Akira", and "Fist of the North Star" [1]. For a long time, it was THE standard by which I judged other anime, and I wore the VHS tape to death. It took a while to realise not all anime was of that quality. I also loved how on each re-watching I'd pick up another Easter Egg - A-Ko goes to school with Lum, for example... 😃

I have the DVD from some while back but didn't realise there was a Blu-Ray release.

[1] Technically, there were some weird compilation tapes, various TV shows like "Battle of the Planets", and hybrids like "Mysterious Cities of Gold". And some mysterious people working out of a mythical place called Bangor doing something involving Bubblegum. Subtitled anime? That'll never catch on...

I would highly recommend the Blu-ray, the picture quality is really really good! The Easter eggs in A-ko are epic! 

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12 minutes ago, 505thAirborne said:

I would highly recommend the Blu-ray, the picture quality is really really good! The Easter eggs in A-ko are epic! 

Aside from the potential of a 4K release (as they did with Robot Carnival) it's doubtful anything will top the blu-ray release for quality.

Edited by Keith
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The weird thing about some of the Easter Eggs in A-Ko was that, at the time, I recognised some of them (the alien Captain being based on Harlock, for example) but it would be literally decades later before I saw the anime they were referencing! I only knew them because of articles in “Anime UK” magazine. The Captains drinking makes much more sense now I’ve actually seen “Captain Harlock”… 😃

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Love this anime, was on the list of which character I would get tattooed

(couldn't find any good designs on the internet at the time, hey it was 1998)

 

....still wouldn't mind obtaining an A-ko figure, but this was before merchandising an anime was at the level it is now, let alone the western market being as 'obtainable' as it is today

Edited by Nightbat
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2 hours ago, Nightbat said:

....still wouldn't mind obtaining an A-ko figure, but this was before merchandising an anime was at the level it is now, let alone the western market being as 'obtainable' as it is today

I would love to see some properly/Highly detailed A-ko figures made, the old garage kits are ok but always room for improvement.

This kit would be so amazing with some major revamps. 

GK NT Models Project A-Ko The Mad Dash (A-Ko & C-Ko) 1/8 Resin (Rare &  Vintage) | eBay Respect A-ko! (Project A-ko) (reddit) respectthreads GIF

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On 2/25/2022 at 12:36 PM, 505thAirborne said:

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Money is tight these days but I would save up some serious $$$ if these existed in toy or kit form! 

I bought that book just for a better look at those!

Yeah, love Project A-ko. The mecha, the characters, the action. It's top notch.

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It has been EONS since i watched this with my Brother. Wasn't A-Ko supposedly Superman and Wonder Women's first (or second born)? That's why she's so HYPER in that series... again, from what i vaguely recall...

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3 hours ago, TehPW said:

It has been EONS since i watched this with my Brother. Wasn't A-Ko supposedly Superman and Wonder Women's first (or second born)? That's why she's so HYPER in that series... again, from what i vaguely recall...

There's definitely a nod to that in the first movie, A-ko's dad kind of looks like Clark Kent and her mom holds up a Wonder Woman shirt. Answers all of our questions on that subject. :lol::p

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5 hours ago, F-ZeroOne said:

Ah, somehow I've never noticed that (A-Kos Mums apron)! Like I said, every time I see it... 😃Theres also a bit of a clue in the paper her Dads reading too...

Actually the first two pictures are from the first movie, the last picture is from Project A-KO FINAL. 

Not until I watched the blu-ray did I catch the Daily Planet newspaper. B))

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2 hours ago, Nightbat said:

Now, I have to re-watch (of course :lol:) but wasn't there also a scene where she lost het bracelets/armbands which held back her full power?

Yuji Moriyama | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs | Tumgir

 

Ah yes, Project A-ko Cinderella Rhapsody :D

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  • 4 weeks later...

Oh, good grief, I had the original UK DVD release of that by... Kiseki? It was... lets just say, standards have improved.  😄

Article about the connection between "A-Ko" and another fan favourite from back in the day:

https://www.zimmerit.moe/project-ako-urusei-yatsura-connection/

I got the "A-Ko" Blu-Ray the other day, its excellent. Haven't had time to go through the extras yet though.

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  • 9 months later...

Besides the original film this is parts 2 & 3 remastered on Blu-ray by DISCOTEK, I haven't had a chance to watch these yet but the first movies sound & picture quality was top tier, I'm hoping these are just as good. B))

Eventually Project A-ko 4 (Final) should be available.

I've purchased all three from Rightstuf Anime, a solid store to order from. 

If you're new to A-ko, grab a copy here: https://www.rightstufanime.com/Project-A-ko-Blu-ray

 

On a different title I want to get GUNBUSTER on Blu-ray but I'll wait for the OVA's to be released vs. the current movie version. 

 

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  • 4 months later...

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