AIKa R-16: VIRGIN MISSION Season 2 - Fascinating adventures and character depth exploration

"AIKa R-16: VIRGIN MISSION" Season 2 - The fascinating world of underwater adventure

■Overview of the work

"AIKa R-16: VIRGIN MISSION" is an OVA series released in 2007, consisting of three episodes. This series is the second series produced to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the birth of "AIKa", and depicts the exploits of the main character Aika when she was a 16-year-old high school girl and a C-class salvager. It depicts the adventures in search of a treasure hidden at the bottom of the South Seas, and the story of Aika's growth.

■ Story

This is the story of high school girl Aika's big success in her quest to find a hidden treasure hidden at the bottom of the South Seas. At the age of 16, Aika passed the qualification exam to become a C-class salvager, and headed to the South Seas after receiving a job request from her classmate Eri. There, she will embark on a new battle and adventure. The series is set 10 years before the previous work, and depicts Aika's exploits as a high school girl. Of course, there are plenty of naughty scenes to entertain viewers.

■Explanation

"AIKa R-16: VIRGIN MISSION" is a 3-episode original video animation (OVA) produced in 2007. This second series was produced to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the birth of "AIKa", and depicts the exploits of the main character, Aika, when she was a 16-year-old high school girl and C-class salvager. Like the previous work, it features panty shots, action, and low-angle shots, and the direction following the previous work stands out. This work was produced in cooperation with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), and one of the highlights is the realistic depiction of the seabed.

■Cast

• Sumeragi Aika - Koshimizu Ami
• Karen Minamino - Mamiko Noto
• Eri Mami - Misato Fukuen
• Risako Nagisa - Naoko Suzuki
• Gozo Aida - Akio Otsuka
• Gust - Hiroyuki Yoshino
• Captain - Takaya Kuroda
• Midori - Nozomi Masu
• Aki - Kayo Sakata
• Kyoko - Mai Goto

■ Main staff

• Original work - Studio Fantasia
• Producers: Kiyoshi Sugiyama, Masashi Tsukino
• Director: Katsuhiko Nishijima
• Character design, mechanical design - Noriyasu Yamauchi
• Chief animation director: Noriyasu Yamauchi, Masaaki Sakurai
• Beluga Design - Masami Hayashi
• EH-101 Modeling - Shigeyuki Ninomiya
• Accessory design, art setting - Takashi Miyamoto
• Accessories design assistance - Ryo Sato
• Color setting - Eiko Inoue
• Art director: Akira Itoman
• Director of photography - Arifumi Tono
• Sound Director - Toshiki Kameyama
• Music: Junichi Kanesaki, Hiroyuki Nomura (Performed by EKOBEN BIGBAND)
• Cooperation - Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
• Animation Production: Studio Fantasia
• Production cooperation: Studio Babel
• Produced by: Bandai Visual

■ Main Characters

• Sumeragi Aika - A 16-year-old girl with a sharp mind and extremely high physical abilities. Although she is a high school student and is a C-rank, she is qualified to be a Salvager. She lost her family in a major disaster when she was a child, and was raised by Salvager Gozo Aida.
• Minamino Karen - A 17-year-old girl who is one year older than Aika. She is a silent, expressionless, and mysterious person, and her birthplace and academic background are completely unknown. She also seems to have no memories of her past. She is a big eater, despite her appearance.
• Eri Maki - A 16-year-old girl who is Aika's classmate and the captain of the treasure hunting club. She is the daughter of Maki Heavy Industries and is a spoiled young lady. She hates hard work and perseverance, and loves adventures and solving mysteries.
• Risako Nagisa - A female teacher who serves as the advisor for the treasure hunting club. She accompanies the adventure tour that Eri has planned, but...
• Gust - A waiter boy on the Regina Eli, which Eli uses for her adventure tours. He is actually the son of a wealthy family, but he supports himself without relying on his circumstances.
• Captain - The captain of the Regina Eli, which Eli uses for her adventure tours. A calm and rational man, he has been entrusted with Eli's custody by her father. He is an expert marksman.

■Subtitle

• Episode 1 - Secret Game (2007/04/25) (25:21)
• Episode 2 - Peach Peach Beach (2007/07/27) (25:13)
• Episode 3 - Deep Blue Girl (2007/10/26) (27:49)

■ Related works

• AIKa
• AIKa ZERO

■ Theme songs and music

• OP1
  • Period - 1 to 3
  • Title - Sailing To The Future
  • Lyricist: cota
  • Composer: cota
  • Arrangement - Tomofumi Suzuki
  • Sung by: Ami Koshimizu
• ED1
  • Period - 1 to 3
  • Title - rise
  • Lyricist: Yukari Hashimoto
  • Composer: Yukari Hashimoto
  • Arranged by: Yukari Hashimoto
  • Sung by: Ami Koshimizu

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

"AIKa R-16: VIRGIN MISSION" is an OVA series with the theme of undersea adventure, and its appeal is diverse. Below, we will explain in detail the evaluation and recommended points of the work.

Story and Characters

The story of this work depicts an adventure in search of a hidden treasure hidden at the bottom of the South Seas, with high school girl Aika playing the main character. Aika is a talented girl who has qualified as a C-class salvager at the age of 16, and the story also depicts her coming-of-age story, having lost her family at a young age. A rich cast of unique characters, including her classmate Eri, the mysterious senior Karen, and the treasure hunting club advisor Risako, add excitement to the story. The contrast between Eri's spoiled young lady character and Aika's calm judgment is particularly noteworthy. Sub-characters such as Gust and the captain are also appealing, adding depth to the story.

Visuals and performance

The visuals of this work are characterized by their realistic depiction of the ocean floor. It was produced in cooperation with the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), and the beauty and dangers of the ocean floor are depicted realistically. As with the previous work, there are many upskirt shots and low-angle shots, which are sure to entertain viewers. The character designs are by Yamauchi Noriyasu, and each character's personality is well-expressed. Aika's design in particular shows her growth from the previous work, making her a visual treat.

Music and Sound

The music for this work was composed by Junichi Kanesaki and Hiroyuki Nomura, and features performances by EKOBEN BIGBAND. The background music that enhances the atmosphere of the adventure and the sound effects that heighten the tension enhance the story. In addition, the opening song "Sailing To The Future" and the ending song "rise" are sung by Ami Koshimizu, and her singing voice further deepens the worldview of the work.

Recommended points

While "AIKa R-16: VIRGIN MISSION" is a work with the theme of undersea adventure, it is also an appealing work with its portrayal of character growth and human relationships. In particular, the backgrounds of the characters are well-drawn, such as Aika's growth story, her friendship with Eri, and Karen's mysterious past, and they have the power to draw the viewer in. In addition, it is full of realistic depictions of the ocean floor and naughty scenes, making it a visual treat. Furthermore, the music and sound also add excitement to the story, making it a highly polished work overall.

This work is recommended for those who like undersea adventures and treasure hunting, those who want to enjoy the growth stories of the characters, and those who want to enjoy the fufufu scenes. Also, for those who have watched the previous works "AIKa" and "AIKa ZERO", you can see Aika's new exploits, so it is a work that you should definitely watch.

Conclusion

"AIKa R-16: VIRGIN MISSION" is an OVA series with the theme of undersea adventure, and the depiction of character growth and human relationships is also attractive. The background of the characters is well-drawn, such as Aika's growth story, her friendship with Eri, and Karen's mysterious past, and it has the power to draw the viewer in. In addition, it is visually enjoyable with realistic depictions of the seabed and plenty of naughty scenes. In addition, the music and sound also liven up the story, and it can be said that the work is highly complete overall. This work is recommended for those who like undersea adventures and treasure hunting, those who want to enjoy character growth stories, and those who want to enjoy naughty scenes. In addition, for those who have watched the previous works "AIKa" and "AIKa ZERO", you can see Aika's new adventures, so it is a work that you should definitely watch.