Aika
Cinema, the art par excellence that is based on visual pleasure. Authorial tests of all kinds have attempted (and succeeded) to distance it from its origins and have demonstrated how the images that run frenetically before our eyes and on the screen can go far beyond the sole and sublime pleasure of seeing. However, some works bring us back to the original nature of this means of communication, that of pure visual entertainment. One of these works is precisely "Aika" and, as often happens, to draw our attention to the honest images proposed, it uses the candid bodies of sweet, discretely dressed babes.
The work of the Fantasia studio is here collected on 2 discs divided as follows: the first DVD contains the first four chapters, the second the remaining three, a special episode and various extras.
"Aika" was originally born as an OAV in 4 episodes showing a conclusive plot; however, the public's appreciation prompted the authors to create a sort of sequel, slightly forcing the continuity and, in order not to make the same mistake again, presenting a partially open ending. This opening has so far been useless, in fact no other chapters of this series have been released.
In a not too distant future the Earth has been submerged by water and the most disparate objects and even treasures have been buried on the new seabed. Given the need to recover this lost heritage, salvager companies are born, agents capable of recovering such objects. The most famous of these companies is K.K. for which the protagonist Aika Sumeragi works, assisted by the young Rion, daughter of the president.
Lately the company hasn't been sailing in good waters, also given the competition from another salvager company formed by Gust (in love with AIka) and Bandra (her old assistant), which forces her to accept increasingly difficult assignments. Ultimately they will agree to collaborate with the competition to recover the Rag, a new and powerful form of energy.
The plot obviously gets complicated and our heroes will have to face the scientist Hagen, his sister Nena and an army formed by comely and shapely girls, the Delmos. Hagen wants to exploit the Rag to bring the Earth, polluted by man, back to its original state in order to make a new and more just humanity flourish. However, much more masculine aims are hidden behind the ecological aims. Hagen, in fact, intends to repopulate the Earth with the help of his army of girls, building himself an ideal harem in which he would be the only man...
Between dizzying fights we discover that Aika has a strange bodice made of Alternate Metal, able to merge with the mistress and expand its offensive capabilities, also through the development of deadly pseudopods. Even the bad guys will have their version when Hagen, analyzing Aika's Alternate Metal, will obtain exquisite red panties for his sister, even more powerful than the original.
Having defeated the plans of the villain of the moment, the company sees its turnover flourish again, so much so that it can afford a fixed office.
The move to the new headquarters is shown in the special episode, first of the second DVD, along with Rion's attempt to produce an advertising video. This episode also introduces the new member of KK: Shuntaro Michikusa, a really weird guy! The following two episodes instead show the bizarre plans of the Delmos to be able to take revenge on Aika, guilty of having broken the plans of their boss.
The story in these 2 episodes is similar and shows almost nothing interesting. Surely the least beautiful of the entire series, even if quite pleasant. More interesting is the third (and last) episode, after yet another attack by the Delmos, who manage to destroy the new headquarters of K.K. and kill (yes, oh well…) Aika, sees Rion, Gust, Mapier Arkimetalia (already met in the first series, as a spy within Hagen's organization) and Shuntaro Michikusa raiding the Delmo base directly to take revenge. The opera ends with the defeated Delmos retreating and swearing revenge anyway.
The story is certainly not the strongest point in this genre of anime. And this is also perfectly known by the authors who often spoil it almost completely without too many problems in the previews of the following episode. However, by chasing all the mice of the genre, mixing and playing with them, they have managed to build something very pleasant and enjoyable. The story can be follow easily, the twists follow one another with a certain rhythm that never leaves too much in suspense, but not even without some little "secret" yet to be discovered. Hagen's plan is as crazy and wacky as it is brilliant.
But now we come to the main ingredient of the entire series: panties. In practice, all the work is nothing more than a pretext to show as many panties as possible. The story, the scenes, the clothes, the poses, the direction, all contribute to this single purpose. Hardly 30 seconds will pass without this detail being framed and it is precisely in this that the direction is sublimed until it reaches the heights of genius. The director does not miss an opportunity, makes extraordinary flights of fancy with the imaginary camera, takes advantage of the most daring shots, the most absurd situations to make the panties rise to the real deus ex machina of the story. Almost all of the characters that appear on the screen are scantily dressed girls in rather narrow miniskirts who have the good habit of falling defeat in all the possible positions imaginable, but always with the panties in sight.
Of course, the shots from below abound, but there are also unprecedented shots from above and from every possible (and improbable) angle, always with a single and precise purpose. Sometimes the shots become more daring and some prosperous breasts are shown, to then magnify the art of the voyeur in the transformations that Aika and Nena undergo thanks to Alternate Metal.
The first part is more focused on the story and the fights while the second part is more about comedy and jokes. The change in focus is clearly noticeable, the poses become more daring and mischievous and there are also some soft Sapphic scenes. The insubstantial character of Shuntaro Michikusa, a few times acquires a certain thickness, is one of the most comical characters, irresistible when he unleashes a strange ballet while his friends fight with the Delmos. Really nailed it.
The search for the panties is redundant, brilliant and excessive, really excessive! So excessive that it can be… excessive !! This is certainly not an anime for everyone, primarily because it is clearly designed for a male target and because of the excessiveness in the search for images. It can be annoying. This work must be seen without too many pretensions, it is well known that there will be no racking your brains and it will be enough to let yourself get lost in the river of images to be able to enjoy it. A white river made of panties which, if you don't have a good dose of irony (or a healthy voyeur attitude) can be tiring.
The designs are very well done and pleasing. The gentle curves of the protagonists harmonize perfectly with sometimes stupendous backdrops. The faces are always sweet, rounded and alluring.
All with the sole purpose of gratifying the (male) eye. The music makes the atmosphere very good, especially those of the first series are very exciting and engaging, sometimes soft, sometimes more rhythmic. The opening theme of the first four episodes is a great and pleasant rock song, while the final one is a bit too slow. The theme songs of the second part are good, engaging at the right point but never too exaggerated. Everything contributes perfectly to the sole purpose of letting yourself get lost in this work, without thinking too much.
The used technology deserves a special note, a strange and well-mixed mix of future and vintage, very spot on and perfectly suited to the setting. It's a pity that the too many anglicisms partially ruin the valuable maneuvers of the vehicles.
In both cases the support used is a DVD 5 and the video compression is very good. The video format is 4:3 and presents clear and well colored images; the colors are full and bright. The audio features two tracks, Italian Dolby Digital Surround 2.0 and Japanese Dolby Digital Surround 2.0 with the possibility of subtitles in Italian. The quality is decidedly valuable with saturated sounds and clean voices.
The extras are totally absent on the first DVD, and this can only be regretted. It is better in the second DVD, in the sense that at least there are! In fact, we can find the opening and closing credits without titles (related to the first series), the trailer of an editing film, the Japanese commercial and a special music clip. The trailer is certainly the most interesting bonus; the video is very enjoyable (with the splendid initial theme song of the first series) and the images of the end theme song, decidedly intriguing. All in all though, just enough, something more would have been very welcome. In both volumes there are various trailers for other Dynamic souls, some of which are very valuable.
Worse goes with the booklets, really minimal, which are limited to listing credits and cast.
A work not for everyone, certainly. Pity though. Because I think enjoying a work of this kind is very relaxing. When you're tired of racking your brains with… bizarre stories, it's really appropriate to put this DVD in the player, pull the plug (of your brain) and let yourself go, let yourself be overwhelmed by the hot waves that have submerged the Earth, while the spectator will be submerged by an ocean of panties.
