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Discotek Licenses Soul Link, 3 Project A-Ko Sequels

Discotek Media announced on Facebook on Tuesday that it has licensed Soul Link, Project A-ko 2: Plot of the Daitokuji Financial Group, Project A-ko 3: Cinderella Rhapsody, and Project A-ko 4: Final. All four anime will get DVD releases on September 26, along with Discotek's Crusher Joe: The OVA's DVD and Kaiba Blu-ray Disc/DVD combo pack.

Discotek's Soul Link release will include all 12 episodes in Japanese with English subtitles. The 2006 anime is based on the visual novel of the same name, which MangaGamer released in English. Discotek describes the story:

The happy reunion between siblings, friends, and lovers aboard the space station Aries is short-lived, as a group of heavily-armed terrorists invades. A majority of crew members and tourists evacuates, leaving a small group of fresh-faced military cadets, their tough-as-nails commander, and a resourceful young officer to survive while trying to keep the terrorists from bombarding Earth with nuclear weapons. Soon, though, both cadets and terrorists realize there's a bigger threat in their midst, in the form of a traitor with a bioengineered virus. Making matters worse, the genius of cer is taken prisoner, leaving his comparatively average younger brother to lead the underdog effort.

Discotek will release all three Project A-ko original video anime (OVAs) with both Japanese audio and the original English dubs from their Central Park Media releases. Discotek already released the first Project A-ko film in 2011. Discotek describes the three sequels as follows:

Project A-ko 2: Plot of the Daitokuji Financial Group (1987):

Three weeks have gone by since the alien spaceship crash landed on the Graviton City spire, and since then the aliens have been hard at work converting their ship to a pleasure district, hoping to make friends with the humans! ...Not. Perpetually late and continually over-eating A-ko, spacey and cheerful C-ko, and brilliant and bold B-ko are about to enter summer break from school, and it just so happens the aliens' ship is open for business. When a free meal turns into a sob story about how the aliens just want to go home, will it be A-ko or B-ko who can get the ship into orbit again? More importantly, which one of the two will win C-ko's affections? Giant mecha, superheroes, and battle bikinis abound in this second installment of the parody-tastic Project A-ko!

Project A-ko 3: Cinderella Rhapsody (1988):

Spring is in the air, and that means love is sure to follow. Or at least, overpowered redhead A-Ko really hopes it does! While out shopping for the perfect dress, A-Ko gets into an argument with normally carefree C-Ko, who's more interested in having fun than having a boyfriend. When C-Ko runs away, she's nearly hit by handsome hunk and motorcyclist Kei, who in turn is hit by a panicking A-Ko rushing after her friend. Left with only a glass slipper earring to remember "her" by, when A-Ko and Kei meet again at A-Ko's part-time job, the passion of youth is sure to bloom! Or will it? Throw in conniving B-Ko's plans to ruin anything good for A-Ko, a petulent C-Ko, and a whole mess of mecha, and you've got yourself a Cinderella Rhapsody!

Project A-ko 4: Final (1989):

On a quiet day at Graviton High, while the kicks are fast and the missile barrages are booming, Miss Ayumi ponders just where her life is leading. Meanwhile, out in the deserts of Iraq, scientists have unearthed a strange artifact bearing a symbol just like the one on Miss Ayumi's pendant. Strange things begin to occur, and the strangest of all is Miss Ayumi agreeing to an arranged marriage. With handsome hunk Kei, of all people! Still carrying a torch for the dashing young man, A-Ko and B-Ko take their fight to the school's gym-turned-wedding chapel, even as a massive fleet of aliens bears down upon the Earth. As the mecha are mobilized and missiles start to fly, C-Ko wonders to herself, where does she belong in all of this?

A fourth OVA, Project A-ko: Uncivil Wars debuted in 1990, offering an alternate retelling of the Original Film.

Thanks to jlaking for the news tip.