Venus Project: Climax is a 2015 six-episode anime series based on the multimedia franchise of the same name.
Sometime in the future, a group of Japanese idols compete in a tournament called Formula Venus. In the Formula Venus tournament, each idol use their willpower, experience, dance, and music to do battle and try their hardest to aim for the top.
This anime provides examples of:
- Champions on the Inside: Eriko loses against Ruka in the finals, who collapses in Eriko's arms, and tells her to keep singing her songs. Eriko later has a surprise party for reaching second place.
- "Do It Yourself" Theme Tune: The opening theme, "Venus Drive!! ~Kimi wa Moete Iru ka~", is sung by Sawako Hata (who voices Eriko Hara) and Ami Himesakii (who voices Karen Takano) while the ending theme, "Yume no Tsubasa", is sung by Riho Iida (who voices Ruka Sovagasky).
- Karma Houdini: The idols who bully Oze Romi in Episode 3 get no comeuppance whatsoever.
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: Eriko and Miu's coach succumbs to his unknown illness just before the finals.
- Missing Mom: Eriko's mother never returned in her Dark and Troubled Past.
- Nice Guy: Eriko Hara and Miu Nuraha. Eriko is well liked by her colleagues, and she even runs an orphanage, caring for the kids living there. In a flashback, Eriko even feels sorry for Ruka fainting in her debut match, and she also has a sense of honor, shaking hands with her opponents after defeating them in a match.
- Second Place Is for Winners: Although Eriko lost her final match with Ruka, when she arrives back at the orphanage, her friends all congratulate her for reaching second place.
- Shout-Out: Eriko getting knocked down in the final match, followed by her being motivated by the voice of recently deceased coach to get back up and keep going at it with Ruka is similar to the climax of Rocky Balboa.
- Stripperific: Ruka's costume is basically lingerie; a bra and panty set with garters and thigh highs.
- The Stinger: After the credits in the finale, Eriko is shown thinking about what Ruka had whispered to her, "Keep singing your songs", and Eriko is shown about to perform on stage.
- Training from Hell: Eriko undergoes this by her coach in her Whole Episode Flashback. It isn't until she collapses from the training that her coach passes her.
- Whole Episode Flashback: The first halves of Episodes 2, 3, and 4 focus on Eriko, Ruka, and Miu respectively. While Episode 2 was narrated by Eriko and Episode 4 was narrated by Miu, Episode 3 was narrated by Ruka's trainer, Misha.
