Angel Cop...
Angel Cop was one of Manga's first efforts to compete with Streamline in the ultra-cheap anime segment way back when VCRs still stalked the Earth...
In the first half hour, there is one bit of slow-motion gore and an explosion and that's pretty much it. Angel Cop was intriguing in its time because it was one of the early ultra-violent anime to emerge in the U.S. anime boom of the 1990's. In a market dominated by anime priced between $20 and $40, Angel Cop emerged with a splash at an unbelievable price of $10. But, over the span of the six part series, in my humble opinion, Angel Cop fails miserably to deliver.
According to Justin Sevakis' Anime News Network article "Buried Garbage" circa 2007:
Since the release of Angel Cop, I've developed a less than acceptable opinion of Manga's release strategy. Manga's willingness to edit the opening and ending animation on their releases and to release some of their titles only in dubbed format was really annoying. To their credit, Manga did eventually release a subtitled version of Angel Cop, but, this was some time after I'd already spent perfectly good money on the dubbed release. Thankfully, with the advent of DVD, anime fans rarely have to make such choices.
I gave Angel Cop a 0 out of 5. I had Angel Cop on dubbed VHS. In the aftermath of the Ultimate Otaku Fall Cleanup, I decided not to keep it in my archive.
The Special Security Force was formed at the end of the 20th Century to protect Japan's economic security from the deadly threat of international terrorism. This elite ten-man team, with special authorization to prevent terrorist activities and ensure public safety, has been granted a license to kill. Their newest member, the cold, beautiful and deadly Angel, has to face the greatest threat they've ever known.
When terrorists, ruthless psychics and the special police squad go to war in downtown Tokyo, the body count starts rising, and Angel finds herself embroiled in a violent, hard-boiled conspiracy that no one might survive.
Volume 1
Special Security Force
The Red May, possibly the most dangerous terrorist organization in the world, have targeted Japan as a wave of bombings and murders sweep through the streets of Tokyo. The SSF are summoned, and as they close in on the terrorists, it becomes clear that the situation is more complicated than it first appeared. The SSF are used to coping with the most dangerous the world has to offer, but this time they may have bitten off more than they can chew.
Volume 2
The Disfigured City
The Red May threat is growing; a shadowy government organization has its eye on the members of the SSF; Angel's partner disappears; and a trio of Hunters with amazing psychic powers are killing the terrorists before the Special Security Force can get to them. It's hard to know just who is a friend and who is an enemy - and a strange super powered cyborg appears just as the situation seems desperate... whose side is it on?
Volume 3
The Death Warrant
With the leader of The Red May in the custody of the SSF, details begin to emerge of a sinister high-level, governmental conspiracy that threatens the future of Japan from within. The mysterious "H-file" could be the key to the safety of Japan - or it could mean the death of every member of the SSF! Meanwhile, the three enigmatic psychic "hunters" also target the SSF and Angel has found her missing partner transformed into an incredibly powerful armored cyborg! But whose side is he on? Is there any way the members of the SSF can hold their own against such overwhelming odds? The SSF fight for their lives as the destruction continues to decimate the very country they have sworn to protect.
Volume 4
Pain
With the government assassination team hot on their heels, the SSF race to conceal their last living witnesses to the secret "H-File" project, one of whom is the only survivor of the terrorist group the Red May. If the truth behind the "H-file" is ever released, it could mean the end of corrupt forces within the Japanese government, and there are men who would kill to prevent it. To add to the SSF's problems, the psychic hunters are still on their trail, and their leader - the incredibly powerful Lucifer - has decided that not only do the terrorists deserve to die, but so do the members of the SSF.
Volume 5
Wrath of the Empire
The Army closes in on Angel and the remaining members of the SSF, who are trapped within Doctor Ichihara's research facility. It is up to Raiden and his combat enhanced cyborg body to save them. The battle rages throughout the research center, but Raiden and the SSF hold their own against the overwhelming forces set against them until Lucifer, a mad "psychic hunter" arrives to finish the job she started. Bent on revenge against the SSF and the "psychic hunter" who betrayed her, she destroys everything in her path, and nothing can stop her. Can even Raiden's super strong body and hyper strength stand against a woman whose psychic power is enough to level buildings?
Volume 6
Doomsday
With most of the members of the SSF now either missing or dead, Angel is left to face the insane fury of the deranged psychic hunter Lucifer, alone. Faced with a seemingly unstoppable foe, will Angel have what it takes to destroy this menace once and for all? And what of the shadowy Government that set this rampage in motion? Who will pay for the devastation across Tokyo? A relentless battle against an overwhelmingly powerful enemy could be the final battle in Angel's short career - but when the going gets tough, the tough get bigger guns! As the body count mounts and the stakes get ever higher, this desperate struggle comes to a finish. Angel Cop reaches an explosive end in this fast paced conclusion to the action-packed series.
In the first half hour, there is one bit of slow-motion gore and an explosion and that's pretty much it. Angel Cop was intriguing in its time because it was one of the early ultra-violent anime to emerge in the U.S. anime boom of the 1990's. In a market dominated by anime priced between $20 and $40, Angel Cop emerged with a splash at an unbelievable price of $10. But, over the span of the six part series, in my humble opinion, Angel Cop fails miserably to deliver.According to Justin Sevakis' Anime News Network article "Buried Garbage" circa 2007:
...I have not been able to find out much about the history of Angel Cop, though it must be a strange tale, as there was a break of several years halfway through the show (likely an indication of funding problems), and the six-parts took a total of five years to be produced. As this is the first anime title I've ever written about that doesn't even have a Japanese Wikipedia entry, it can't possibly have been well-loved in its country of origin. This, despite a manga adaptation in Newtype 100%...Angel Cop was one of Manga's first efforts to compete with Streamline in the ultra-cheap anime segment. Although, I was certainly intrigued by Angel Cop at the start, sadly, in the end, Angel Cop wasn't able to deliver.
Since the release of Angel Cop, I've developed a less than acceptable opinion of Manga's release strategy. Manga's willingness to edit the opening and ending animation on their releases and to release some of their titles only in dubbed format was really annoying. To their credit, Manga did eventually release a subtitled version of Angel Cop, but, this was some time after I'd already spent perfectly good money on the dubbed release. Thankfully, with the advent of DVD, anime fans rarely have to make such choices.
I gave Angel Cop a 0 out of 5. I had Angel Cop on dubbed VHS. In the aftermath of the Ultimate Otaku Fall Cleanup, I decided not to keep it in my archive.
