The appeal and reviews of "Project A-ko: The Final Chapter": A must-see climax for anime fans

Project A-ko: The Final Chapter: A shining example of 80s anime

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

October 7, 1989 - January 1, 0000

■Frequencies

60 min

■Original Story

Original story: Katsuhiko Nishijima, Kazumi Shirasaka, Yuji Moriyama

■ Director

・Director, storyboard, character design, animation director: Yuji Moriyama

■ Production

・Production Producer: Ayumitsu Enomoto ・Animation Production: Studio Fantasia ・Planning and Production: Naotaka Yoshida (Soei Shinsha), Shigeo Yanagida (Pony Canyon)

■Works

©1989 Final-Nishijima-Moriyama/Soei Shinsha, Pony Canyon

■ Story

School life is filled with friendly quarrels between A-chan and B-chan over C-chan. However, their homeroom teacher, Ayumi-sensei, who was missing out on her chance to get married, receives an arranged marriage proposal, and so will changes come to their unchanging daily lives?

■Explanation

This is the fourth film in the popular "Project A-ko" series, which has been talked about for its unconventional high school girls' outrageous behavior. As the final film, this is the end of the main story of the series, and the next film will be a spinoff.

■Cast

・Eiko Makami/Miki Ito ・Miko Daitokuji/Emi Shinohara ・Shiko/Michie Tomizawa ・Ayumi Sensei/Asami Mukaidono

■ Main staff

・Original story / Katsuhiko Nishijima, Kazumi Shirasaka, Yuji Moriyama ・Screenplay / Yuji Moriyama, Tomoko Kawasaki ・Director, storyboard, character design, animation director / Yuji Moriyama ・Direction / Shigeru Morikawa ・Composition / Yuji Moriyama, Shigeru Morikawa ・Mechanic design / Sadayoshi Morikawa ・Art director / Junichi Azuma ・Director of photography / Tadashi Hosono ・Music / Kentaro Haneda ・Sound director / Yasunori Honda ・Producers / Yoshimi Nakajima, Kenji Kume ・Production producer / Ayumitsu Enomoto ・Animation production / Studio Fantasia ・Planning, production / Naotsugu Yoshida (Soei Shinsha), Shigeo Yanagida (Pony Canyon)

■ Main Characters

・The protagonist of the Majin Eiko series. A girl with an extremely cheerful personality and exceptional athletic ability.

Daughter of the Daitokuji family. She has a strong rivalry with A-ko, who doesn't bow to her, and challenges her to a fight at every opportunity.

・Shushiko
A kind-hearted and somewhat crybaby girl who adores A-san. She wants her everyday life to remain unchanged.

■ Related works

・Theatrical animation "Project A-ko"
・OVA "Project A-ko 2: The Conspiracy of the Daitokuji Zaibatsu"
・OVA "Project A-ko 3 Cinderella Rhapsody"
・OVA “A-Ko The VS / GRAY SIDE”
・OVA “A-Ko The VS / BLUE SIDE”

■ Theme songs and music

TM1
・Sayonara no Signal ・Japanese lyrics: Nemiko Oikawa ・Composition: Joey Carbone & Riohie Zito
・Arrangement/Kei Tanaka ・Song/Yumi Shintani

The appeal and evaluation of "Project A-ko: The Final Chapter"

"Project A-ko: The Final Chapter" is the final chapter of the "Project A-ko" series, released in 1989, and is one of the works that symbolize the anime culture of the 1980s. This work depicts the outrageous daily lives of high school girls and made a big impact on viewers at the time. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and evaluation of this work.

The appeal of the story

The story of "Project A-ko Final Chapter" revolves around the school life of A-ko and B-ko as they fight over C-ko. In particular, the story of an arranged marriage meeting for homeroom teacher Ayumi breathes new life into the story and keeps viewers hooked. The work skillfully depicts the themes of friendship, rivalry, and growth, deeply moving viewers. Additionally, the relationships between the characters that have been depicted throughout the series are further deepened in the final chapter, adding depth to the story.

Character Appeal

The characters in "Project A-ko Final Chapter" are all unique and charming. The main character, Majin Eiko, is a bright and cheerful character with incredible athletic ability, making a strong impression on viewers. Daitokuji Yoshiko is depicted as changing as A-ko grows, despite her feelings of rivalry with her. Sushiko is a kind-hearted girl who adores A-ko, and is a beloved character, even with her crybaby side. The drama woven by these characters evokes deep empathy from viewers.

Visual and performance appeal

The visuals and direction of "Project A Girl: Final Chapter" are colorful and dynamic, reminiscent of 80s anime. Director Yuji Moriyama's character design vividly depicts the unique and attractive characters. The mechanical design and art direction are also superb, enhancing the worldview of the entire work. In particular, the battle and action scenes have a strong visual impact and have the power to draw the viewer in.

The appeal of music

The music for "Project A-ko: Final Chapter" was composed by Kentaro Haneda and is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. The theme song "Sayonara no Signal" is a masterpiece, with the voice of Yumi Shintani, lyrics by Nemiko Oikawa, music by Joey Carbone & Riohie Zito, and arrangement by Kohei Tanaka. This song plays a role in further deepening the moving feeling of the story. The music in the film also heightens the tension of the work and stirs the emotions of the viewer.

Evaluation and impact

"Project A-ko: The Final Chapter" is highly acclaimed by 80s anime fans and occupies an important position in the entire series. The work offered viewers a new perspective by depicting the unconventional daily lives of high school girls. It also deeply moved viewers by depicting the characters' growth, friendship, and rivalry. Furthermore, the work is still loved by many fans as a symbol of 80s anime culture.

Evaluation of related works and the entire series

Although Project A-ko: Final Chapter is considered the final chapter of the series, it is necessary to evaluate it together with the previous works. The first work in the series, Project A-ko, was released in 1986 and became a hot topic for its depiction of the unconventional daily lives of high school girls. The subsequent OVA works Project A-ko 2: The Intrigue of the Daitokuji Zaibatsu and Project A-ko 3: Cinderella Rhapsody further increased the popularity of the series. In addition, the spin-off works A-ko The VS / GRAY SIDE and A-ko The VS / BLUE SIDE also played a role in expanding the worldview of the series. Through these works, the Project A-ko series became a symbol of 80s anime culture.

Recommendations and how to watch

Project A-ko: The Final Chapter is a recommended work for fans of 80s anime as well as modern anime fans. The work depicts universal themes of friendship, rivalry, and growth, and deeply moves the viewer. The visuals and music are also attractive, providing visual and auditory pleasure. You can watch it by purchasing it on DVD or Blu-ray, or by watching it on a streaming service. In particular, watching the entire series will give you a deeper understanding of the characters' growth and the development of the story.

Conclusion

"Project A-ko: The Final Chapter" is a work that symbolizes the anime culture of the 80s, providing viewers with deep emotion and enjoyment. The appeal of the story, characters, visuals and music is still loved by many fans today. By evaluating the series as a whole, you can further understand the value of this work. Please watch this work and feel the brilliance of 80s anime.