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->''The girls - and their panties - are back!''
--> -- Tagline on a trailer for one of the [=OVAs=].

''Agent Aika'' (or ''[=AIKa=]'') is an OriginalVideoAnimation series produced by Creator/StudioFantasia and directed by Katsuhiko Nishijima. It was released from 1997-1999.

TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, the Earth has been ruined due to a catastrophic earthquake; lots of places are now submerged deep under the sea. Enter Aika Sumeragi, a beautiful woman who works as a "Salvager", a scuba diver hunting for valuables under the sea, in a little family-owned company managed by the father-daughter team of Gozo and Rion Aida. Since Gozo's policy of good service for a low price manages to drive the company to bankruptcy, he decides to accept a high-paying mission: finding a material named [[MacGuffin Lagu]].

After recovering the Lagu, Aika and Rion are captured by an effeminate but oversexed man named Rudolf Hagen, who wants the Lagu so that he can bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt and repopulate the planet with his own descendants; to that end, he has created [[BodyguardBabes an army of scantily-clad and skilled women called the Delmo Corporation]].

Aika has a secret, though: when she was younger, she was the victim of some nasty experiments, and as a result, she possesses a [[EmpathicWeapon super]] [[OfCorsetsSexy corset]] that transforms her into a superpowered version of herself. When Hagen discovers Aika's secret, he thinks she will do fine in his harem. After Aika rejects the prospect, she takes it upon herself to find a way to defeat Hagen, his even more disturbing sister, and his entire army with the help of Rion, Gusto, a Salvager who has a crush on Aika, Bandra, and the enigmatic spy Miss Maypia.

Two {{Prequel}} series, ''[=AIKa=] R-16: Virgin Mission'' and ''[=AIKa ZERO=]'', were released in 2007 and 2009, respectively.

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!!Tropes:

* AcePilot:
** Aika can pilot various types of fighter jets quite well.
** Bandra, who piloted the space shuttle when Aika's friends rescued her.
* ActionGirl: Aika and [[WorldOfActionGirls just about every other girl in the series]].
%%* AloofAlly: Maypia Alexymetalia
* AmazonBrigade: The Delmo Corps is made up entirely of attractive young women. Justified, since they're also Hagen's harem and he wants to repopulate the planet by impregnating them.
* AmbiguouslyBrown: Aika gets brown skin once she transforms. Additionally, she has blue hair as well.
* AmbiguouslyGay:
** Rion is this towards Aika as she's clingy towards the latter.
** Karen is very ambiguous in ''R-16'' and ''ZERO'' thanks to her behavior towards other females. This is partially due to her hanging out with [[LipstickLesbian Eri]].
* AmbiguouslyRelated: Rudolf and Neena have the same last name, share certain similarities in terms of appearance and seem to consider each other family, but since they're test-tube babies, it's not clear if they're biologically related or were just raised together.
* AntiVillain: With exception of Rudolf and Neena, who want to bring about TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, pretty much everyone else isn't really a bad guy.
* AppliedPhlebotinum: "Ultranate" is what Aika's corset is made of.
* AwesomeByAnalysis: Rie, who can react to Aika's fighting style after watching one fight. Aika pulls this on her when she realizes this and uses a different move to beat her.
* BadassNormal:
** Rion has no powers but gets by with smarts and guile.
** Gusto gets by on bravado and gunplay.
* BarbieDollAnatomy: While bared breasts are shown with nipples, groins are featureless.
* BeachEpisode:
** In "The Golden Delmo Operation", the cast goes on vacation at a resort.
** Episode 2 of ''R-16'', "Peach Peach Beach", takes place on the beach.
* BespectacledCutie: Rion is a cute girl who's {{smart|PeopleWearGlasses}} and wears some big glasses.
* BetweenMyLegs: Due to the nature of the series, this shot is often employed for easy [[PantyShot upskirt shots]].
* {{Bifauxnen}}: Valarie is able to trick Aika into believing that she's a man named Pierre Valimore.
* BigBad:
** The original series has [[BigBadDuumvirate Rudolf and Neena Hagen]], a BrotherSisterTeam contracted by the military to find the Lagu, but whom wish to [[KillAllHumans kill all of humanity]] and replace them with Rudolf's children. [[spoiler:They are later replaced by their DragonAscendant, the [[NoNameGiven unnamed]] White Delmo Commander, who tries to [[AvengingTheVillain avenge Rudolf's death]].]]
** ''R-16'' has [[spoiler:Risako Nagisa, Aika's [[EvilTeacher teacher]]]], who turns out to be an agent for a secret organization that tries to stop Aika's expedition.
** ''ZERO'' has [[WhiteHairBlackHeart Miyu Shiratori]], the [[StudentCouncilPresident leader]] of the [[AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil White Knights]] that terrorize the school.
* BioAugmentation: What Aika's transformation is as her appearance changes when this happens.
* BodyHorror: This happens to Neena when her body breaks down after she tries to use the reproduced Aika's nanomachine enhancement. Unfortunately for her, there's nothing Aika and Rion can do to help her.
* BodyguardBabes:
** The Delmo Corporation is this for Hagen as they were created to serve this role so Hagen can repopulate the world with his own descendants.
** They're featured in ''R-16'' and ''ZERO''. In this case, however, they're mind controlled school girls being used for this purpose.
* BrattyTeenageDaughter: Rion occasionally acts this when she wants to do something.
* BreastAttack: Aika's on the receiving end of one in ''R-16''. Risako Nagisa drives her high-heeled sandal right into Aika's breast, making sure to grind it in a bit for good measure. With only a skimpy swimsuit on, there wasn't much to protect Aika's breast.
* BridgeBunnies: The bridge of Hagen's battleship is manned by the White Delmos.
* BrotherSisterIncest: Rudolf and Neena are siblings who are in a sexual relationship.
* TheBrute: Tonia, who is the only member to hold her own in a one-on-one fight with Aika.
* CaptivePush: When Rion is captured by the Delmos, she is handcuffed and taken to a cell at gunpoint by a Blue Delmo. When they arrive at the door, Rion is pushed with the weapon while the Delmo orders her to enter in the room.
* CatFight: Fights between Aika and any female villains are played for fanservice and only ever result in knockouts [[BloodlessCarnage without lasting injuries]] despite the occasional brutality of the heroine's wrestling moves.
* CherryTapping: One mook gets knocked out after being hit on the head with an orange in ''R-16''.
* ColourCodedCharacters:
** Black Delmos are [[CannonFodder lowly]] [[{{Mooks}} foot soldiers]] and menial administrators of Hagen's/the Delmogeny's battleship and outposts.
** Blue Delmos are [[EliteMooks highly-trained assault troops and guards]].
** Pink Delmos are [[WrenchWench mechanics]], technicians and heavy-ordnance operators.
** Golden Delmos are a [[spoiler:post-Hagen]] [[QuirkyMinibossSquad special-ops task force]].
** White Delmos are the [[AsskickingLeadsToLeadership top-ranking commanders]] second only to Hagen himself and his sister and second-in-command, Neena. They're Hagen's [[PraetorianGuard closest personal bodyguards]], and also serve as the BridgeBunnies for Hagen's battleship.
* CombatTentacles: One of the Ultranate's powers is to create multiple and very useful tentacles.
* CoolBigSis: Aika acts this way towards Rion as she's very protective of her.
* CoolPlane:
** Aika seems to have a thing for [[UsefulNotes/RedsWithRockets old Russian fighter jets]]. In her first encounter with Hagen and the Delmos, she flies a 2-seat [=MiG-21=], which has been modified for [=V/STOL (Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing)=]. Later, she has a 2-seat [=MiG-25=], modified for an additional passenger space in the nose area.
** In ''ZERO'', Aika flies a small single-seat passenger jet, which is later modified into a makeshift fighter jet with [[ChekhovsGun four machine guns]].
* DiscOneFinalBoss: [[spoiler:Rudolf and Neena die in Episode 4, but the Delmos are still around and continue to pose a threat to Aika and company.]]
* DisneyDeath:
** [[spoiler:Aika]] appears to have died in an explosion. However, she survives.
** In ''ZERO'', [[BigBad E.T.A.I.]] appears to have died [[HeroicSacrifice saving Miyu]]. [[spoiler:It's later revealed that both survived.]]
* DisposableIntern: Maypia is not really an intern, but despite being a certified Class-A agent, her employers decide to just blow up the ship she's infiltrated without even warning her or giving her time to escape. When she calls them out for this they just say it was a "political decision".
* TheDragon: Bianca is the leader of the Golden Delmos and the one with the biggest grudge against Aika.
* DragonAscendant: [[spoiler:The White Delmo commander following the deaths of Rudolf and Neena.]]
* DressingAsTheEnemy: Rion and Maypia does this, but so does [[WholesomeCrossdresser Michikusa]], who just think the Delmo outfit is cute.
* DropDeadGorgeous: Fights in the series always leave piles of knocked out women in eroticized poses who are then carried away over somebody's shoulder with their butts up the air. Downplayed in that [[NonLethalKO none of them ever die]], even when ''ZERO'' portrays one girl getting [[MultipleGunshotDeath repeatedly shot up]] with tranquilizers and another getting [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice impaled butt-to-mouth]] by an energy spear like something out of a snuff film.
* DrunkenBoxing: Played straight with Gozo, who manages to beat up a bunch of Delmos ''and'' sing karaoke at the same time, all while completely shitfaced.
* DullSurprise: Hagen tends to react to everything with a monotone "What?" in the English dub.
* EasilyForgiven: [[spoiler:Despite being one of Aika's first foes, Risako still assists Aika, Eri, and Karen in ''ZERO'']].
* EvilGenius: Rie, who almost beats Aika by [[AwesomeByAnalysis analyzing her fighting style]].
* {{Fanservice}}:
** Usually in the form of upskirts and revealing clothing. There are also plenty of bare breasts, which are usually drawn with nipples intact. However, the groin area is strictly BarbieDollAnatomy.
** Surprisingly, bouncing breasts aren't as prevalent as the massive amount of fanservice would suggest. In ''R-16'' and ''ZERO'', however, this happens a lot with Eri and Risako.
* FloodedFutureWorld: In the future, disastrous earthquakes have caused most of the Earth's land to sink under the sea. As this has left a great many cities and treasures underwater, divers known as Salvagers make a business out of diving to the bottom of the ocean to recover these things.
* FormFittingWardrobe: There's no way the Delmo minidresses can get any tighter.
* FourIsDeath: The four Golden Delmos are the special forces of the Delmos.
* FuroScene: Two of them in the first two episodes of ''ZERO'' between Aika, Karen, and Eri.
* GoodIsNotSoft: Aika refuses to kill and goes out of her way to incapacitate her opponents without doing permanent damage. That being said, she's still capable of some surprisingly brutal takedowns, even though they're non-fatal.
* HandsomeLech: Hagen purposely created women to his liking to work for him.
* HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday: Aika occasionally does this, especially when she's placed in an uncomfortable situation with other females.
* HeroicSacrifice: In ''ZERO'', E.T.A.I. saves Miyu by taking a spear of light. [[spoiler:Luckily, despite it looking otherwise, both are fine and even get a happily ever after.]]
* HideYourLesbians: Subverted. The relationships between members of the Delmos is underplayed until the second half of the original series.
* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: It's doubtful if the Delmos have little, if any marksmanship training. This is lampshaded when Bandra comments if they managed to hit something despite their [[{{Pun}} pansy]] marksmanship.
* ImproperlyPlacedFirearms: Those assault rifles the Delmos use appears to be [=StG=]-44 rifles.
* InstantSedation: The darts from Aika's pistol knock out the Delmos instantly.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Gusto lusts after Aika but performs some pretty heroic actions.
* KilledOffForReal: The only ones who die are [[spoiler:Rudolf and Neena]].
* LastEpisodeNewCharacter: Sania and Tonia, the last half of the Golden Delmo, are introduced in the final episode.
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Rion, after seeing Aika transform for the first time:
-->'''Rion:''' "It's wonderful! Like something out of anime!"
* LegFocus: Almost all the female characters have long legs and short skirts.
* LikesOlderWomen: In ''R-16'', Gusto is seen being attracted to Risako.
* LingerieScene: Rion breaks into one of the Delmos' lockers, trying to find some clothes to let her blend in. She finds some rather skimpy lingerie instead. [[spoiler:She wears it anyway.]]
* LipstickLesbian:
** The Delmo commander and her second-in-command.
** Eri is heavily implied to be this in ''R-16'' and ''ZERO''.
* LockedUpAndLeftBehind: After Rion easily escapes from her captor, she leaves her stripped of everything and bound. She is not heard from again.
* MadBomber: Sania serves this role within the Golden Delmos.
* MaleGaze: It would be easier to count the scenes in which T&A are not shown prominently.
* MarketBasedTitle: The Japanese title for the original series is just ''[=AIKa=]''. However, for the English market, it was retitled ''Agent Aika''.
* MeaningfulName: "Delmo" (rōmaji ''Derumo'') is an anagram of "model" (rōmaji ''moderu''), as in "fashion model". Don't let the initial connotations fool you, however.
* {{Minionshipping}}: A lot of the minions are flirtatious or explicitly in relationships with each other.
%%* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate
* MsFanservice: With all the revealing outfits, panty shots, and leering camera angles, the only female character who doesn't qualify is Bandra.
* MuggedForDisguise: Rion gets a uniform by knocking out a Blue Delmo. As a result, the Delmo is left in the humiliating image of being knocked out, tied up and locked there in just her underwear.
* NervesOfSteel: After Aika and company's fight against a group of Delmos in a ParkingGarage, Neena fires multiple bullets in Aika's direction as a warning to back off. Aika doesn't even flinch, instead continuing to glare at Neena.
* NeverTrustATrailer: Among other things, Rion wears Aika's [[MinidressOfPower corset]] in an official trailer. She doesn't wear it in the series itself, however.
* NippleAndDimed: While nipples are shown, this isn't the case concerning genitalia.
* NoNameGiven: All but one of the White Delmos are not given name at all, and the one given name is not the leader.
* NonActionGuy: Michikusa. During one of the fight scenes, Aika and Rion do all the work while he just stands around and does a weird interpretive dance.
* TheNudifier: Aika's transformed outfit isn't just revealing; the AppliedPhlebotinum it's made of removes all of her regular clothes before transforming her.
* OmnicidalManiac: Hagen with his ''Film/{{Moonraker}}''-esque scheme of using the Lagu to purge humanity so that he and the Delmos girls can reign over it.
* OverTheShoulderCarry: Yet another way of ensuring a PantyShot.
* PaidHarem: Hagen wants to "cleanse the world from the unworthy" using the Lagu, and "repopulate it with the Delmos' assistance", and he offers the captive Rion a chance to "help" him in this endeavor. Needless to say, she tells him in no uncertain terms that she does ''not'' appreciate the "offer" at all.
* PantyFighter: Just about all the fights in the series involve ladies in very short miniskirts, kicking and doing all sorts of acrobatics that usually results in their panties being in full view. And when they get knocked out, the [[MaleGaze camera is always positioned at their crotch]].
* PetTheDog: In ''ZERO'', [[spoiler:after capturing E.T.A.I. and Miyu, the end credits show that Hagen eventually let them go after studying their abilities and they're shown living happily together]].
* PhlebotinumBreakdown: Aika's transformed state has its limits and will revert to corset-form to recharge when its energy is depleted. This can take hours or days, depending on the energy drain. If it's ''really'' low on energy, it will compress into a small black ball.
%%* PictureDrama: Aika Zero.
* QuirkyMinibossSquad: The four Golden Delmos attack Aika in a way of ZergRush rather than skill.
* RayGun: Hagen has one especially designed to defeat Aika. The first time, it works very well; the second time, not so much because her AppliedPhlebotinum has adapted. Also because Hagen [[TalkingIsAFreeAction can't stop]] [[MrExposition running his mouth]].
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: The Delmos' motives after [[spoiler:destruction of the Lagu and death of Hagen. After seeing Aika defeat all her best fighters at the same time, the Delmos' leader ultimately decides that revenge isn't worth seeing her comrades get hurt]].
* SentientPhlebotinum: It certainly seems to have a mind of its own at times. Aika is definitely more aggressive and violent when transformed.
* SeriesFauxnale: The original miniseries was initially planned to end with Episode 4, and the events of the episode seem to definitively wrap things up with [[spoiler:the deaths of the Hagens and the failure of their plan]]. However, financial success led to three more episodes being ordered.
* SexForServices: Aika attempts to use Hagen's lust for her in order to convince him to give her a data disc on his Ultranate experiments in exchange for sex. She's stopped at the last minute by Gusto catching them in the act and ends up stealthily taking the data disc from Hagen.
* SheIsAllGrownUp: If one compares the Aika Sumeragi from ''R-16'' and ''ZERO'' to the Aika from ''Agent Aika''.
* ShoddyKnockoffProduct: Rudolf manages to copy some of the Ultranate's technology, making it into a pair of panties for Neena. Unfortunately, it's not as good as the original, and it breaks down after fighting Aika's Ultranate for only a few minutes.
* ShowerScene: There is one especially large all-female shower scene in ''ZERO'' filled with students about to be abducted.
* SoftWater: In "The Golden Delmo Operation", both Aika and Bianca land in the pool despite falling several stories at a hotel.
* StalkerWithACrush: Gusto is this towards Aika. Despite this, he's a good guy.
* StatesOfPhlebotinum: Changes from solid (corset) to semi-liquid (mid-transformation), and back to solid again (fully-transformed). Then Aika can make it extrude CombatTentacles for attack or defense, or anything else she needs, like helping to restart a jet engine in mid-air.
* StealthParody: Some critics, such as [[WebVideo/BennettTheSage Bennett White]], have suggested that the series' over-the-top sexualization may actually be satirical, pointing to elements like Aika's corset essentially molesting her when she transforms, along with Hagen's extreme perversion and [[spoiler:eventual death at the hands of what amounts to a twisted manifestation of his own lust]]. This interpretation is helped by the fact that Katsuhiko Nishijima also directed ''Anime/ProjectAKo'', which was a parody. On the other hand, Nishijima also directed multiple hentai, so the jury's still out.
* {{Stripperiffic}}:
** Justified in the case of the Delmos, since Hagen wanted his army that way as to sexually use them to repopulate the Earth.
** Literally in Aika's case, since before transforming her, the AppliedPhlebotinum will first remove all of her regular clothing.
* SympathyForTheDevil: Aika and Rion are both saddened when Neena's nanites start to go haywire and destroy her body. Unfortunately, at this point, they can't do anything to help her.
* TapOnTheHead: There are an ungodly amount of knockouts via physical force, but none of them appear to cause any real injuries other than a brief nap.
* ThouShaltNotKill: Aika only knocks her opponents out. While she may be [[GoodIsNotSoft rather brutal]] about it, for the most part, her enemies will be fine when they wake up.
* TokenMiniMoe:
** Rie, who is the youngest member of the Golden Delmo.
** One of the [[spoiler:clones of Karen]] in ''R-16''. She's tiny, adorable, and homicidal.
* TranquillizerDart: Aika's pistol fires darts. This isn't her main knockout method against her enemies, but it is used quite often. In ''R-16'' and ''ZERO'', all guns appear to fire bullets, but they have the same effect as tranquilizer darts.
* UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans: Hagen's motive is to create a utopia with only him and the Delmos.
* VillainousIncest: One of Rudolf's bedmates is Neena, his sister. Since they were test-tube babies, it's not clear if they're biologically related or were just raised together, but it's definitely skeevy either way.
* VitriolicBestBuds: Aika and Eri in ''R-16'' and ''ZERO''.
* WhatMeasureIsAMook: Averted and defied. The Delmo Commander takes proper steps to ensure proper full evacuation of her crew [[spoiler:twice]]. Also, her motivation for taking revenge, [[spoiler:as well as the motivation of Valerie to act as "Pierre Valimore"]], is to avenge the Delmos that got pretty mauled in the previous battle.
* WorldOfActionGirls: The girls outnumber the guys at least 10-to-1, and they're all action-oriented.
* WrenchWench:
** Bandra serves as this for Gusto as she's is a skilled mechanic.
** As aforementioned, the Pink Delmos serve as the Delmos' mechanics.
* WrestlerInAllOfUs: Aika occasionally uses wrestling moves in order to defeat her opponents.
* YoungerThanTheyLook: Bandra is 35 years old during the events of ''Agent Aika'' according to [[AllThereInTheManual supplemental materials]], but her appearance and voice give the impression that she's at least twenty years older than that.
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