History Anime / ProjectAKo

Creator/DiscotekMedia currently holds the license in North America. Due to the original 35mm master print being believed to have been lost, they planned on instead using a promising AI-upscaling technology called [=AstroRes=] to restore the film for release on Blu-Ray... and then announced they were [[TrollingCreator cancelling it]] [[BaitAndSwitch because they had found the original masters, and were going to use that instead!]] This much-anticipated Blu-Ray, which includes the newly-restored version of the film and a ''ridiculous'' number of bonus features, ultimately released on December 21, 2021. In addition, remasters of the second and third films, also made using new scans of the original master films, have currently been confirmed, with the second film set for release in August 2022 and the third for later in the year. The [=AstroRes=] technology was used to upscale many of the vast number of bonus features. The Series is hosted for streaming by Retro Crush.

* BleachedUnderpants: The series began life as part of the ''Cream Lemon'' series of {{hentai}} before becoming a full-fledged feature film; the InUniverse hentai short that appears in ''Cinderella Rhapsody'' is actually recycled from the first film's initial storyboards.

Creator/DiscotekMedia currently holds the license in North America. Due to the original 35mm master print being believed to have been lost, they planned on instead using a promising AI-upscaling technology called [=AstroRes=] to restore the film for release on Blu-Ray... and then announced they were [[TrollingCreator cancelling it]] [[BaitAndSwitch because they had found the original masters, and were going to use that instead!]] This much-anticipated Blu-Ray, which includes the newly-restored version of the film and a ''ridiculous'' number of bonus features, ultimately released on December 21, 2021. In addition, remasters of the second and third films, also made using new scans of the original master films, have currently been confirmed, with the second film set for release in August 2022 and the third for later in the year. The [=AstroRes=[ technology was used to upscale many of the vast number of bonus features. The Series is hosted for streaming by Retro Crush.

Creator/DiscotekMedia currently holds the license in North America. Due to the original 35mm master print being believed to have been lost, they planned on instead using a promising AI-upscaling technology called [=AstroRes=] to restore the film for release on Blu-Ray... and then announced they were [[TrollingCreator cancelling it]] [[BaitAndSwitch because they had found the original masters, and were going to use that instead!]] This much-anticipated Blu-Ray, which includes the newly-restored version of the film and a ''ridiculous'' number of bonus features, ultimately released on December 21, 2021. In addition, remasters of the second and third films, also made using new scans of the original master films, have currently been confirmed, with the second film set for release in August 2022 and the third for later in the year. The [=AstroRes=[ technology was used to upscale many of the vast number of bonus features. The Series is hosted for streaming by Retro Crush.

Creator/DiscotekMedia currently holds the license in North America. Due to the original 35mm master print being believed to have been lost, they planned on instead using a promising AI-upscaling technology called [=AstroRes=] to restore the film for release on Blu-Ray... and then announced they were [[TrollingCreator cancelling it]] [[BaitAndSwitch because they had found the original masters, and were going to use that instead!]] This much-anticipated Blu-Ray, which includes the newly-restored version of the film and a ''ridiculous'' number of bonus features, ultimately released on December 21, 2021. In addition, remasters of the second and third films, also made using new scans of the original master films, have currently been confirmed, with the second film set for release in August 2022 and the third for later in the year. The Series is hosted for streaming by Retro Crush.

* DistractedByTheSexy: Happens to one of the fighter pilots during the dogfight in the first film. A-ko lands on the canopy of his jet, with her legs spread eagle, which gives the pilot and the audience a close-up view up her skirt. The arrows of his HUD are even positioned at both points of entry at A-ko's privates. The pilot is seen smiling goofily as he enjoys the view, until his jet gets shot down moments later.

* RunningGag: A-ko constantly runs over D on the way to school.

** Most of it comes from A-ko. Her opening scene has sunlight filtering through her nightshirt, revealing she isn't wearing a bra underneath. She's often subject to upskirt {{panty shot}}s, including one instance where a lucky fighter pilot gets an extended look at her undies while she's seated on the canopy of his plane with the arrows of his HeadsUpDisplay positioned directly at A-ko's groin and her ass.

* WhipItGood: One of B-ko's weapons is her "Black Jacovini Shooting Star Lash!" It's swiftly kicked out of her hand by A-ko, though. She later uses a whip again when she and A-ko are bickering in ''The VS''

A raucous blend of over-the-top screwball comedy, action, and science fiction, ''Project A-Ko'' was one of those films ''everyone'' saw during the infancy of the American anime community, notably because it was one of the first theatrically-released anime films that could not be considered an "arthouse" film to also receive a commercial release in TheEighties. The general level of goofiness in the film is evident in the names of its main characters: "Girl A" (A-ko), "Girl B" (B-ko), and "Girl C" (take a wild guess). Another character is also named "D". But despite--or perhaps because of--that goofiness, the intervening years between its initial release and now have not lessened the influence of, and love[=/=]respect for, ''A-ko''.

* ''FINAL'' is, as the name suggests, the GrandFinale of the movie series. As the Alpha Cygnan fleet comes to Earth in full force to recover their princess and their lost ships, the girls' teacher, Miss Ayumi, is tired of being a ChristmasCake and is entering an ArrangedMarriage with Kei, set up by Hikaru Daitokuji. A-ko and B-ko, still infatuated with Kei, make plans to [[WeddingSmashers sabotage the wedding]] and win Kei back, while still fighting amongst themselves. C-ko, meanwhile, just wants A-ko to stop ignoring her.

** The design of teacher Ms. Ayumi is a Shout Out[=/=]{{Homage}} to magical girl series ''Anime/MagicalAngelCreamyMami''.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: Yes, female urinals are a real thing.

** C-ko's [[spoiler:princess]] outfits are both more revealing than her usual attire. Her [[spoiler:pink dress]] in the first movie is designed so it is split down the middle from the waist down, [[ShesGotLegs revealing her legs]]. It also shows off some of her back. The other outfit is seen in ''Final''--it is initially [[spoiler:covered by a cape]], but later revealed to be [[spoiler:a tight, high-cut leotard that exposes her legs and shows some hip]].

* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Near the end of ''"Final"'', B-ko's battle armor loses power, which sends both her and A-ko plummeting back into Earth's atmosphere. Both girls survive re-entry--and they are not even fazed by it; B-ko [[CasualDangerDialog calmly quips about it]] being [[TogetherInDeath "a lovers' suicide"]] [[SarcasmMode with A-ko]], mere moments before they slam into the surface. After a brief cutaway scene, A-ko is shown back at home, where she collapses on her bed, with no sign of injury other than her slightly tattered uniform. B-ko is shown staring wistfully at the night sky from her veranda, in her nightgown...and none the worse for wear.

** D is a parody of ''LightNovel/VampireHunterD'''s title character both in name and looks.

Creator/DiscotekMedia currently holds the license in North America. Due to the original 35mm master print being believed to have been lost, they planned on instead using a promising AI-upscaling technology called [=AstroRes=] to restore the film for release on Blu-Ray... and then announced they were [[TrollingCreator cancelling it]] [[BaitAndSwitch because they had found the original masters, and were going to use that instead!]] This much-anticipated Blu-Ray, which includes the newly-restored version of the film and a ''ridiculous'' number of bonus features, ultimately released on December 21, 2021. In addition, as announced in March 2022, a remaster of the second film, using the AI upscaling method developed for the first film, is set to follow later in 2022, with the others likely to follow in later years. The Series is hosted for streaming by Retro Crush.

Creator/DiscotekMedia currently holds the license in North America. Due to the original 35mm master print being believed to have been lost, they planned on instead using a promising AI-upscaling technology called [=AstroRes=] to restore the film for release on Blu-Ray... and then announced they were [[TrollingCreator cancelling it]] [[BaitAndSwitch because they had found the original masters, and were going to use that instead!]] This much-anticipated Blu-Ray, which includes the newly-restored version of the film and a ''ridiculous'' number of bonus features, ultimately released on December 21, 2021. In addition, as announced in March 2022, a remaster of the second film is set to follow later in 2022. The Series is hosted for streaming by Retro Crush.

* UnknownRival: B-ko starts out as this to A-ko, with her attempt to win C-ko's attention foiled without A-ko knowing it was involved. Even after B-ko starts trying to settle their old score from kindergarten, A-ko is mostly annoyed until [[RantInducingSlight she tries to go to school early to avoid everything -- and still finds B-ko waiting]]. That's when things get serious.

* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Near the end of ''"Final"'', B-ko's battle armor loses power, which sends both her and A-ko plummeting back into Earth's atmosphere. Both girls survive re-entry--and they are not even fazed by it; B-ko [[CasualDangerDialog calmly quips about it]] being [[TogetherInDeath "a lovers' suicide"]] [[SarcasmMode with A-ko]], mere moments before they slam into the surface. After a brief cutaway scene, A-ko is shown back at home, where she collapses on her bed, with no sign of injury other than her slighty tattered uniform. B-ko is shown staring wistfully at the night sky from her veranda, in her nightgown...and none the worse for wear.

* RantInducingSlight:
** A-ko delivers a quick rant--and an ensuing beatdown--after B-ko and her MechaMooks keep A-ko from getting to school early for possibly the only time in her life.
** C-ko calling Liza "granny" in ''The VS''. C-ko wasn't trying to insult her, most likely Liza's over-sexualized appearance implies "older" to the childish C-ko.
* RecycledSoundtrack: "Get A Chance!" (the ending theme for Project A-Ko 3) was originally the first ending of the live action TV adaptation of ''Manga/HanaNoAsukaGumi''