Project A-ko

About

Project A-ko is a 1987 PC-8800 visual novel centered on two students at Graviton High School. The city was destroyed and rebuilt after an alien ship crash, but daily life continues with all the typical teenage chaos. Protagonist A-ko hides her superhuman abilities while struggling with basic responsibilities like waking up on time. Her friend C-ko balances her optimism against the school’s new social dynamics, including clashes with the arrogant B-ko. Dialogue and character interactions drive the story, blending sci-fi setup with schoolyard rivalries and mundane struggles. The game mixes an unusual premise, aliens, reconstruction, and superpowers, with relatable high school drama. While the plot leans into over-the-top schoolyard conflicts, the juxtaposition of cosmic disaster and trivial concerns creates a bizarrely charming tone. As one of the earliest visual novels, it established narrative patterns later genre entries would refine, though its charm remains in its unapologetic 80s sensibilities.

Storyline

An alien space craft crashed into Graviton City, wiping out the entire population and leaving a massive crater where Graviton City is rebuilt. Students A-ko Magami and her best friend C-ko Kotobuki, a bubbly, carefree optimist, enter a new year of school at the all-girls Graviton High School. Although A-ko possesses superhuman speed and strength, she considers herself an average teenager; she mostly worries about getting to school on time, chronically oversleeping her alarm clock each morning. The pair catch the unwanted attention of B-ko Daitokuji, a rich, spoiled and brilliant fellow student.