Dirty Pair

I watched the Dirty Pair movie like, 10 years ago and that gave me a pretty good idea of what the TV series would be like.

The main characters, Kei and Yuri, are the Lovely Angels who work for the World Welfare Work Association or WWWA as "trouble consultants", i.e. hired mercenaries who fix issues for profit. As per the movie, they are also known by their popular name, the "Dirty Pair" because every mission they solve results in huge amounts of collateral damage.

The TV series was a little dissapointing in several respects. For one, it didn't bring out the total awesomeness of the Dirty Pair's destructive powers like the movies did - there is no "destruction on a massive scale from a relatively minor mission" (except for the first episode). There is destruction, but nowhere in the scale of what is seen in the movies. The TV episodes are also very short so plot development feels very rushed in most episodes.

The only positive is some additional character development. The episode about Billy Galet (Yuri's old love) was particularly well done, but it was an outlier as the rest of the TV episodes didn't go that deep. If you only watched the TV episodes you'd think Kei and Yuri were "girls" only interested in (1) Men (2) Dating (3) New Clothes (4) Bonuses and (5) Vacations. But in reality both women are much more complex characters than that and it didn't come through in the TV series.

Additionally the animation is very sub par and "flat". It might have been ok in the 1980s or mid 1990s but when you take it into the 2000s it falls far short. The music is mediocre also.

Overall, I am a Dirty Pair fan because the girls are "sassy" trouble consultants and it's always nice to see an anime where the heroines are sexy, good at their jobs and feminine without being overly cutesy. The only drawback is the TV series didn't exploit this fully.

I am hoping that the updated "Dirty Pair Flash" or other OVAs will show the Dirty Pair to their full potential because as "we will fix things but oops we blew up (insert item, equipment, building, structure or planet here) something in the process" idea is a good one. All in all, if they made a live action Dirty Pair movie it would probably be great, if the correct actresses can bring the characters to life. The TV series in itself does not fully live up to its potential plot, character or animation wise. read more

Genre: Science Fiction/Action
Published by: Nozomi/LuckyPenny
Running Time: Part One (325 min.) Part Two (325 min.)
Format: Japanese Audio (Dolby Digital Mono), English Subtitles
Release Dates: Part One (6/4/2013) Part Two (8/6/2013)
Media: DVD

It’s easy to be adamant about cherished childhood memories; particularly those revolving around beloved TV shows that shaped our imagination and oftentimes influenced our future career pursuits. I still remember feeling timelessly connected to the eighties He-Man cartoon which sparked my passion for illustration and animation. I also remember re-watching the first few episodes not too long ago, dumbfounded by just how poorly the show aged. It’s as if a piece of me was shredded to pieces…leaving me wondering where I saw the appeal in the first place. Then there are shows like Dirty Pair, which to this day feel as fresh as they did decades ago. From the neon-lit disco-style opening to the absurd action sequences and charming humor, Dirty Pair is a nostalgia trip worth taking regardless of how much time passes.

Dirty Pair was one of the first in bringing the popular “girls with guns” sub-genre to Anime. Its immediate success was soon followed up by classics like Bubblegum Crisis, Gall Force, and the now legendary Ghost in The Shell and Appleseed. The two ladies have become genre idols, influencing most female anime action personas we see today. While their prominence in Japanese animation is unquestionably admirable, it’s how relevant the show feels almost thirty years later that truly impresses. The balance between hilarious eighties cheesiness and masterful animation is remarkably inviting, making the episodes feel like something that could have been released a few years ago. Yes, there’s the unpleasant 4:3 aspect ration and occasional loss in color, but Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s art style is as electrifying as ever.

This latest collection is being released in two parts, but it would be foolish not to grab both sets at once. Every part comes packed with thirteen episodes (3 discs per set), each in its original Japanese audio and Litebox-style keepcases. The audio quality is surprisingly well preserved (particularity during the louder action sequences) and the video is top notch. Colors are crisp and vibrant with very subtle discolorations in a few scenes and nearly unnoticeable artifacts and frame distortions. I ran the DVDs via my PS3 with the upscaling mode set to on, which gave the overall contrast ratio and color saturation a significant quality boost. Considering the show originally aired in 1985, it still looks and sounds surprisingly contemporary.

The show revolves around Kei and Yuri, two enticing members of the Trouble Consultant Team 234. The code named “Lovely Angels” are disaster magnets, always leaving a trail of utter chaos and madness…hence their nickname Dirty Pair. Despite their destructive temperament, they somehow always end up catching the bad guy, even if it means destroying half a city. Dirty Pair can be best described as a Cyberpunk action-comedy inspired by classics like Blade Runner and Mad Max. While the tone is clearly more lighthearted, fans of such films will absolutely devour the show’s diverse sci-fi aesthetic. The action sequences in nearly every episode are nothing short of amazing. The spectacular battle set pieces give Dirty Pair an impressive cinematic quality and while most of the series feels somewhat episodic in nature, the charming duo keeps each narrative segment thoroughly entertaining and captivating.

Whether you’re an Anime enthusiast or simply enjoy quality animation, Dirty Pair is a fantastic look back at one the finest eighties cartoon classics. Despite being nearly three decades old, Kei and Yuri are as lovable and hilarious as ever and the superbly preserved source material guarantees for a collection of the highest quality. Dirty Pair was a blast then…and it’s an absolute blast now! read more

Sunrise brought about, for arguably the first time, two interactive women characters that were both strong and sexy. What more is needed, except maybe an insane amount of action, humour, and things always running out of control.

Humanity has spread across the universe and where there is a crisis, a corporation called the World Welfare Works Association (3WA), in which our two main girls, Kei (red) and Yuri (blue) work for get called upon to solve the issue at hand. The 3WA then send “trouble consultants” like Kei and Yuri to solve various problems, and in grand fashion, the two called the “lovely angels” cause nothing but destruction and mayhem wherever they go.

Besides being one of the first to bring about “girls with guns” to anime, Kei and Yuri bring with them an almost cyber-punk Blade Runner-like universe. Each episode is episodic, and shows all of the different aspects of the world(s) the two visit, and their overall day-to-day lives: working, wanting vacations, meeting men (hopefully rich and handsome), and shopping. Unfortunately for Kei and Yuri the universe is a rough place, and they always find themselves in awkwardly dangerous situations ranging from bodyguard duty to covert ops missions.

The Lovely Angels play off of each other exceedingly well in each and every episode. However, there are a few areas where the anime falls short. There is little to no back story on the characters, nor is there really any character development. Music, besides the catchy intro song, is lacking, but action sequences hold up enough for the time. Animation becomes somewhat choppy in some areas, much like anime from the early 80’s (Ideon and Yamato). Luckily, Kei and Yuri pull the show together so much, all of it matters that much less.

Dirty Pair is a fun ride to enjoy with Kei and Yuri on their daily work adventures. It is full of action and comedy throughout each episode never leaving a dull moment.

For the record, Kei is the best. read more