Dirty Pair

[Johnny]

So I'm currently working my way through the recently released Dirty Pair OVA box and am really enjoying it so far.
I'm a fan of both the "girls with guns" genre and older anime and so this one fits the bill perfectly.

But, I want more /images/graemlins/tongue.gif I know ADV released a 3-movie thinpak along with the OVA one which to my knowledge contains "Project Eden", "Affair of Nolandia" and "Flight 005 Conspiracy" which, having a quick look at DVD Pacific, leaves out "Damsels in Destruction".

So, is it worth getting if I love the OVA's? Also, what other Dirty Pair stuff has been released on R1 or otherwise? I was reading about a TV series that didn't finish its run but that seems to be it.

Thanks /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[remo]

[ QUOTE ]
johnny said:
But, I want more /images/graemlins/tongue.gif I know ADV released a 3-movie thinpak along with the OVA one which to my knowledge contains "Project Eden", "Affair of Nolandia" and "Flight 005 Conspiracy" which, having a quick look at DVD Pacific, leaves out "Damsels in Destruction".

So, is it worth getting if I love the OVA's?

Thanks /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

The OVAs were originally released as a pair of singles, Girls with Guns and Damsels in Destruction. So if you have the OVA box and movie box you're all set as far as R1 is concerned. (unless you count the re-envisioned Dirty Pair Flash)

[touma]

[ QUOTE ]
johnny said:
But, I want more /images/graemlins/tongue.gif I know ADV released a 3-movie thinpak along with the OVA one which to my knowledge contains "Project Eden", "Affair of Nolandia" and "Flight 005 Conspiracy" which, having a quick look at DVD Pacific, leaves out "Damsels in Destruction".

So, is it worth getting if I love the OVA's? Also, what other Dirty Pair stuff has been released on R1 or otherwise? I was reading about a TV series that didn't finish its run but that seems to be it.

[/ QUOTE ]
"Damsels in Destruction" is ADV's title for the DVD with the second set of OVAs. If you have the new OVA collection then you have "Damsels in Destruction". If you have a single disk OVA collection titled "Girls With Guns," with five episodes on it, then you do not have "Damsels in Destruction" and should get it.
Since you like the OVAs you will almost certainly like the movies. The movies are a bit more serious and violent, but they still have plenty of the comedy and fanservice that made the OVAs so good for me. The movies actually have a bit of real nudity, but not much and not in a sexual context.
Dirty Pair TV has not yet been released in Region 1.

You might also like Dirty Pair Flash, which is not a remake, sequel, or prequel. It just has similar characters with the same names in similar situations. There are some differences, such as the relationship between Kei and Yuri, especially in the beginning, and the character designs, but they were not significant to me.
Some people here do not like Dirty Pair Flash, but I enjoyed it a little more than the Original Dirty Pair. I really like, and recommend, all of both of them.

[Njr Scrawl]

Yup, the movies pack is definitely worth buying.

I hope if DP TV is ever licensed its not by ADV. I could see it as a title sold from their site only, & don't want that.

[Speedy Boris]

After watching Original Dirty Pair, I realized just how much DP Flash sucked. I didn't like it much to begin with, though.

Flash suffered from a general lack of action, which completely goes against the series' philosophy. Disc 1 was decent (specifically the nicely done premiere episode), but things quickly go downhill from there. Heck, most of the 2nd disc concerns the duo's rather dull exploits in "Past World" (a 20th century city), and four of the five plots there don't really contain action-oriented plots. Things don't get much better with disc 3; even the volleyball fanservice episode was rather dull.

ODP simply has better action, characterization, and, in the case of Project Eden, far better animation. That, and ODP's character designs are much nicer and eye-catching. I seriously hope the ODP TV series is licensed someday, preferrably by ADV as well.

[Johnny]

Thanks guys, I think I'll go order the movie box /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

Is there anything else out there in the same vein as DP? i.e. comedy/action/fanservice girls with guns that is 80's/early 90's?
I already have and love Bubblegum Crisis which is the only thing that comes to mind. I guess Dominion Tank Police has some of the comedy/action/girls + guns in Leona too.
What about the first Burn Up?

[Njr Scrawl]

Original Burn Up is more serious. Has a cool chase & gunfight in it.

Don't forget Gunsmith Cats & Riding Bean. Gall Force is more serious, tragic in fact but its 80s armed girls.

Not sure about guns, but Cutey Honey Flash is worth considering.

Want sexy? Bit later but Agent Aika is comedy-action as well.

[Johnny]

Yeah, I got Gunsmith Cats and Cutey Honey. I'll look into Agent Aika too...

Isn't Gall Force one of those titles of Manga UK's budget range? Any subbed releases of that at all?

[touma]

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johnny said:
Is there anything else out there in the same vein as DP? i.e. comedy/action/fanservice girls with guns that is 80's/early 90's?

[/ QUOTE ]
I do not know about the dates because I do not pay any attention to that. But here are some possibilities:

Agent Aika (a lot of fanservice)
Najica Blitz Tactics
Gunsmith Cats (single disk OVA)
Miami Guns (mostly comedy)
Burn Up (has several different versions)

These have only one girl with a gun:
Grenadier
Mezzo

These may not really be "girls with guns" shows, and are probably too new:
Burst Angel
Kiddy Grade
Daphne in the Brilliant Blue (I have not seen much of this)

[Otakufan]

I definitely liked Cutey Honey. It's the same sort of mix of sexiness and action as Dirty Pair.

But I disagree with those who don't like Dirty Pair Flash. I think it's at least as good as the original, just different. Maybe not quite as sexy (still sexy though), but loads of action and fun.

J.A.

[jejune]

Can't believe nobody's mentioned You're Under Arrest . I've only seen the Mini Specials (which I LOVED) and the Movie, but it seems exactly what you're asking for. (I don't know when the TV series was made, but I'm thinking early to mid nineties.)

[Njr Scrawl]

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johnny said:
Yeah, I got Gunsmith Cats and Cutey Honey. I'll look into Agent Aika too...

Isn't Gall Force one of those titles of Manga UK's budget range? Any subbed releases of that at all?

[/ QUOTE ]

The CPM R1 releases, which include all Gall Force, are dual language.
The first 4 volumes are best IMO, top class 80s seiyuus for the voices as well.

What Manga released - Earth & New Era - are the tail end of GF as a whole. (I remember liking the dub in my newbie days, same VAs as Dominion's dub IIRC.)

[Kouji Tamino]

I've been considering buying the OVA boxset, but I'm a tad picky when it comes to older series. Despite the dated art, would I enjoy the series? Of the series mentioned, I loved Gunsmith Cats and Kiddy Grade is quickly becoming a favorite, but I had prior exposure to both series through TV and thus could preview them before I buy them. I know next to nothing about the series except that they often blow alot of stuff up on their missions. But I've heard so much praise for it, it's piqued my curiosity.

However, as shallow as it may sound, my main concern is over the slightly dated character designs. I haven't seen much old-school anime, being relatively new to buying ths stuff, so the 80's style haircuts turn me off a bit. I'm not one to brush off a series if it's good, though: Urusei Yatsura 2 - Beautiful Dreamer is one of my favorite movies and Patlabor is one of my favorite shows. I've also enjoyed what I've seen of Leiji Matsumoto's work. Would you say that the series is good enough to win a picky and somewhat shallow young'un like me over?

[Johnny]

[ QUOTE ]
Kouji Tamino said:
I've been considering buying the OVA boxset, but I'm a tad picky when it comes to older series. Despite the dated art, would I enjoy the series? Of the series mentioned, I loved Gunsmith Cats and Kiddy Grade is quickly becoming a favorite, but I had prior exposure to both series through TV and thus could preview them before I buy them. I know next to nothing about the series except that they often blow alot of stuff up on their missions. But I've heard so much praise for it, it's piqued my curiosity.

However, as shallow as it may sound, my main concern is over the slightly dated character designs. I haven't seen much old-school anime, being relatively new to buying ths stuff, so the 80's style haircuts turn me off a bit. I'm not one to brush off a series if it's good, though: Urusei Yatsura 2 - Beautiful Dreamer is one of my favorite movies and Patlabor is one of my favorite shows. I've also enjoyed what I've seen of Leiji Matsumoto's work. Would you say that the series is good enough to win a picky and somewhat shallow young'un like me over?

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, the old animation/characters etc is what attracted me to Dirty Pair in the first place.
There's nothing deep here - you mentioned you loved Gunsmith Cats and that's probably the closest series to DP. Bit of comedy, fanservice and action. "Switch your brain off" fun!

[Speedy Boris]

[ QUOTE ]
Kouji Tamino said: However, as shallow as it may sound, my main concern is over the slightly dated character designs. I haven't seen much old-school anime, being relatively new to buying ths stuff, so the 80's style haircuts turn me off a bit.

[/ QUOTE ] Hehe... I actually used to be in the same boat as you. I thought Kei's afro-ish hairdo was ugly. Once I got over that, I definitely liked the '80s designs way better. I mean come on, '80s Yuri > '90s Yuri any day of the week.

[Isuzu Inugami]

[ QUOTE ]
johnny said:
Also, what other Dirty Pair stuff has been released on R1 or otherwise? I was reading about a TV series that didn't finish its run but that seems to be it.



[/ QUOTE ]

Evidently Dirty Pair TV has not been licensed /images/graemlins/cry00000.gif... We hold out hope that ADV will eventually pick it up, as DLW is a huge fan, but I suspect sales have not justified the asking price, and it's an older show.... Anyway, I think DP TV aired 26 episodes, but 36 were produced. I don't know why. The last ten were released as OAVs, and did come out here as the Original Dirty Pair set.

Also, I think Viz put out five film comics of Dirty Pair TV episodes back in the 90s. And then there are the Adam Warren Dirty Pair comics, which are highly recommended (though I have no idea what the Japanese think of them, if they've even been seen over there.)

[Njr Scrawl]

I remember Kei's was a bit startling, especially with its red-ginger colour when I first saw it. But her energy & dynamism make you forget.
Anyway, passing up excellent stories because of a dated style is baka IMO /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Kei's hair in the DP TV series & specials is less tall than OVAs, & just more tomboyish.
Who was it..Grace Jones IIRC, that had a similar style in 80s movies.

If any studio does license DP TV ever, it needs to be pitched at fandom rather than general sales. A set or 2 separate sets would be best. Tough-girl 80s nostalgia flames are kept burning by titles like PEDF...we need more brawn & less basket cases!

[Nozmo]

from Shimauma:
[ QUOTE ]
Evidently Dirty Pair TV has not been licensed ...

[/ QUOTE ]

It's looking like Bandai is the party being sticky about this. I find it curious that no one has succeeded in getting a license for it in the U.S., even though all of the TV and OVA episodes were released on (Region-2) DVDs by VAP several years ago now. This question came up at this forum some months ago and DLW indicated at the time that negotiations had been ongoing; they've just never led anywhere so far...


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I think DP TV aired 26 episodes, but 36 were produced.

[/ QUOTE ]

There were 24 aired during July to December 1985; this is all that were produced at that time. The other two episodes were still in the planning stages at the end of that year, to judge from the material published at the time. The TV series was not "cancelled", as is often described; it would be more accurate to say it ran its course and wasn't renewed. (The details as to what was going on in '85 appear to be complicated and I won't get into them here.)

The two remaining "TV" episodes were produced during 1986 and released on 1 January 1987 as an OVA ("From Lovely Angels with Love"), likely as a tie-in to the upcoming theatrical release of Dirty Pair: The Motion Picture ["Project E.D.E.N."] that March.

The other ten episodes are the ones we have in the "OVA box", originally released as five pairs during December 1987 to April 1988.

[ QUOTE ]
I think Viz put out five film comics of Dirty Pair TV episodes back in the 90s.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, in 1994. There was a burst of Classic DP material released then (the famous laserdisc box, the "Music Clip" TV soundtrack DVD, the film comics ) as a tie-in to the release of "[i]Shin Daatipea", a/k/a DPF.


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And then there are the Adam Warren Dirty Pair comics, which are highly recommended (though I have no idea what the Japanese think of them, if they've even been seen over there.)

[/ QUOTE ]

For reasons of copyright, I believe the comics can't be published there. However, there are Japanese fans of American comic books who have gotten them. I've even seen a bit of DP comics fanart on a couple Japanese sites, though mostly the Japanese fanart is of the Classic Pair, followed at some distance by DPF (especially among fans of Kimura Takahiro) and the novels (Yasuhiko Yoshikazu's work is pretty popular).