You're Under Arrest Discussion Thread

[Jimmie M]

Introduction
Based on the manga by Kouske Fujishima (Ah! My Goddess, EX-Driver), You're Under Arrest! (Hereafter referred to as YUA) centers around the exploits and mis-adventures of two of Bokuto Precinct's traffic officers, Miyuki Kobayakawa (Polite & a bit shy around a certain motorcycle cop , a whiz with just about anything techie-wise & one of the best drivers around) & Natsumi Tsujimoto (Brash, very outspoken & incredibly strong). An odd couple perhaps but when these two lovely ladies hit the streets of downtown Tokyo (Sumida Ward) on patrol, lawbreakers don't stand a chance! This series first aired in Japan on TBS in 1996 with the original 4-episode OVA series having been released two years earlier in 1994. This will mark my 4th journey with my favorite traffic cops and any & all are invited to come along for the ride.

This thread will cover the first season, mini-specials & the movie. For numbering purposes we'll go with the numbering that Animeigo & ANN has for the TV series which has the OVA series as the first 4 episodes & the special "Diverting Traffic At The Beach" as the 52nd & final episode. I'll try to keep at a rate of 1 episode per day so hopefully things won't slow down too much. Also, please refrain from commenting on differences between the anime & the manga as this thread for discussing the anime ONLY. Comments on the manga are better served IMO in a separate thread in the Manga Forums-Thanks in advance.

ANN listing

Note
As usual, please try to follow these three easy forum courtesy habits when replying:
1) If you're the first person to post about an episode in any given week, please respond to the root post (this post) and indicate in the subject line which episode you're posting about.
2) If someone has already posted about an episode before you, please respond to that post (or a relevant reply to that post). Keep in the right subthread.
3) Don't use the blue "Post Reply" button because it causes your reply not to correctly inherit the subject line of the post you're replying to. Just click "Quote" to the post you want to reply to.

With all this in mind, let's roll!

[Jimmie M]

-Waiting on a train doesn't help when you're 15 minutes late, so...Short cut!
-Uh-oh, please let it go...Crap, she won't let it go!
-NATSUMI POWER BOOST ON!
-Another short cut past Oshou's temple costs Natsumi her lunch but she saves a kitty & almost loses her license-But Miyuki lets it slide for the kitty. BTW, how do you know my name?
-Chief, are you really buying all this from her? And to make the morning perfect, guess who's going to be Natsumi's partner?
-The "White Hawk of Bokuto", Ken Nakajima & Yoriko Nikaidou (A dispatcher early on) give Natsumi a tour of the station. What are you doing with my bike, Miyuki???
-Birdwatching, Ken? I'll bet you were.
-You really don't think this will work out, Natsumi? OK, we'll flip a coin-Tails, we ask the Chief to re-assign us or heads, we remain partners. Miyuki flips the coin and...
-The coin will have to wait! Ken needs a hand with that red Mini!
-"The Fox", eh? We accept your challenge!
-That might not be any ordinary Mini but Miyuki's "Today" is no ordinary patrol car, either!
-Natsumi's newly improved Motocompo makes its debut but "The Fox" has another surprise up his sleeve!
-Can they make it there in time to stop the "bomb" from going off?
-Natsumi & Miyuki make it in time for...lunch?
-How about moving in with me, partner?
-A beautiful partnership is born...

Next time: File 2, "Tokyo Typhoon Rally".

[Jimmie M]

-Typhoon 32 is headed northeast for the greater Tokyo metropolitan area but this guy in the yellow sportscar is actually looking forward to it. Why?
-All those plans will have to wait 'til after the storm, Natsumi! Besides, little Maho has a sick cat that needs to go to a vet.
-That yellow Lancia sportscar again! Ken, what do you know about it?
-The cat isn't sick after all but about to have kittens!
-No Natsumi & Yoriko, Ken's not asking Miyuki out at long last but rather for a favor concerning his bike...And you're going to help!
-A stop to help a wrecked truck driver no thanks to that Lancia driver (Who seems to like reckless driving during typhoons).
-The cat has a breech birth so our duo has to get her to a pet hospital. Oh no, that Lancia is on Miyuki & Natsumi's tail & in these weather conditions...
-"The White Hawk Of Bokuto" takes him on!
-A dead end? Only one chance to get the cat there now...It's up to you, Natsumi!
-Never underestimate "The White Hawk Of Bokuto"!
-Goal! And a long night ends with six newborns & a thank you from the preschool kids (Which isn't easy to wash off a windshield).

Next time-File 3, "Love's Highway Stars".

[Jimmie M]

-Natsumi's late for work again (Yeah, I know-Broken record ). Why didn't Miyuki wake her up?
-One peek at Miyuki's calendar gives Yoriko fuel for a wild rumor about Miyuki seeing someone this weekend & it's not Ken!
-Next time get your facts straight, Yoriko! Miyuki's actually going to a high school class reunion & not to an Omiai!
-You can't sit here moping all weekend, Ken! Get your bike & let's ride!
-Miyuki hooking up with an old boyfriend?? No way I'm letting that happen! Let's get to that reunion!
-Just like at the station, there's no getting away from ribbing about your love life, huh Miyuki?
-C'mon, Ken! Let's drown your sorrows!
-Miyuki returns but Natsumi & Ken are...Together???
-Be a man, Ken! Tell Miyuki how you feel about her! Miyuki, wait...
-You're right, Miyuki..."Need" & "love" aren't the same thing.
-Uh-oh, a speeder! And the debut of Natsumi's famous feet brake!
-The Chief has had enough of all the rumors so he gives Ken & Miyuki a special assignment-GO OUT ON A DATE (Including an itinerary & surveillance to make sure the date goes smoothly)!
-Back to work, everyone-There's a car crash in front of the train station! But first, a quick whisper in Ken's ear...


When Animeigo first released YUA! on DVD I originally bought just the first volume with the 4 OVA episodes & by the time I got here to File 3 I was completely hooked-So much so that I traded Vol. 1 for something else after I finished it & bought all 4 boxsets at once! One other thing in this episode though-While she & Ken were praying at a temple on their roadtrip Natsumi mentions someone named Tokuno (Who I assume to be Detective Tokuno) whom we haven't seen up to now but will see later on in the series. Anyway, onward!

Next time-File 4, "On The Road, Again".

[Jimmie M]

A year has passed now since Miyuki & Natsumi became partners with them becoming a very effective team against lawbreakers-At least most of the time, even though the speeder that they were after in the opening scenes got away by out-running Natsumi's Motocompo). Their partnership is about to possibly end though as the Chief tells Natsumi that he recommended her for membership on the White Bike Troopers motorcycle team. A huge opportunity to be sure & also one that Natsumi accepts even though it means leaving Miyuki & Bokuto Precinct. With both getting used to life without each other (Natsumi with her training & Miyuki with her new partner Yoriko), Natsumi makes her debut with the White Bike Troopers during the Bokuto Half Marathon Grand Prix (With Bokuto Precinct providing traffic control, of course). A vehicle fire ties up traffic but then a runaway tanker truck adds to the emergency but Natsumi (Who had been listening in on the radio) breaks from the Troopers & with Ken's help is able to stop the truck before it runs into the fire. She felt too restricted by the precise routes anyway () so she goes back to where she always belonged-At Miyuki's side in "Today".

This episode also ends the OVA series which BTW was edited for broadcast to open the TV series; however, Animeigo's release has the OVA episodes in their original form without the TV edits. In this one, it's clear as to how much Miyuki has grown to depend on Natsumi when they are separated for a time (And with Yoriko's becoming Miyuki's partner-Car sickness pills & all ) & then brought back together by the emergency during the half marathon. As in the previous 3 episodes there's a nice blend of humor & seriousness (Plus the likability of the main characters) that IMO works nicely throughout. From here the TV series begins in earnest & even though the animation will be uneven (TV budgets-What can you do?) don't let that throw you-The stories & the characters themselves (All ably portrayed by their seiyuu & English VAs) make up for it IMO.

Next time-File 5, "A Beauty To Be Reckoned With-Her Name Is Aoi".

[Jimmie M]

This one opens with the Chief & Oshou discussing a few things over tea, mainly Bokuto Precinct's reputation (Which seems to rival that of Special Vehicles Division 2-But that's another show ) & the new officer that's joining the traffic section today. Even as Yoriko is dishing out the scoop on the new officer in the women's locker room, she & the others get an unexpected (To say the least!) introduction to Bokuto's newest traffic cop-Aoi Futaba, who comes to them from the Anti-Chikan unit (They investigate male molesters, mostly on commuter trains). Aoi was a decoy while with the unit & in order to be effective as one he-Yes, he-essentially "Went native", even to the point of learning the tea ceremony, knitting, etc. in order to become in all appearances a woman (And a drop-dead attractive one who's even more feminine than the female officers to boot). Even as everyone tries to adjust to Bokuto's newest arrival a friend of Aoi's from high school, Reika Katsui comes to the station needing his help-Her brother is being shaken down by three thugs for his basketball shoes that Aoi gave her after high school graduation. By episode's end we get the first of what I call the "Standard reaction" when guys outside of the police learn the truth about Aoi or at least learn what he really has on under his uniform skirt. At any rate, Aoi is here to stay!

Next up: "Inspector Arizuka-The King of Hades"

[Jimmie M]

Oh, what a day this is going to be! Chief Inspector Arizuka is coming to Bokuto Precinct to conduct an inspection of the station's operations, which is not exactly good news considering his reputation as "The King of Hades" & the precinct's own less-than-stellar reputation. First, he sidesteps the Chief (Who was going to Headquarters downtown to pick him up personally) & goes to Bokuto ahead of time, finds some of the contraband items that Miyuki & the others cleaned out & boxed up, finds out about Aoi & top it all off meets a hung-over Natsumi who couldn't hold it in anymore & promptly throws up all over his uniform! It all becomes secondary when the officers get a call about a drunk teenage girl threatening to jump off a bridge after a fight with her boyfriend, which they handle in their own unique style (Including some quick thinking & action by Miyuki & Natsumi to save the girl). Detective Tokuno makes his first appearance in this episode and...Who's that old lady on the scooter? She was in the last episode too...Seems to be in big hurry, doesn't she?

Next time-File 7, "Strike Man-Defender of Justice?"

[Jimmie M]

First, a drunk left for Miyuki & Natsumi to arrest, then an illegally parked car, a driver running a red light...All feel the wrath of a masked vigilante calling himself the "Strike Man" (Who apparently has just arrived in Tokyo from Detroit!). Miyuki, Natsumi & Ken almost corner him but then...That old woman on the scooter again! Finally, after using Ken as a decoy they finally catch up to him & thus comes the first of many showdowns between Natsumi & Strike Man (Complete with Natsumi calling her shot ). Will "Home Run Girl" prevail???

Natsumi: DON'T CALL ME HOME RUN GIRL!!

Next time-File 8, "Big Duel for Lucky Yoriko"

[Jimmie M]

Did you know that Yoriko graduated from the police academy at the top of her class? Turns out her high marks were pretty much flukes & not letting her forget that is Chie Sagami-Ono, Yoriko's former roommate at the academy (Also second in their class, stuck-up, egotisical, spoiled...You get the idea ) who claims Yoriko ruined her life by out-doing her & wants to get even. She challenges Yoriko to a race-First to collect the most violator points by 5PM on the day of their challenge wins (With Miyuki & Natsumi all too willing to help after Chie insults them & "Today"). While Chie races out to a hot start, Yoriko stops to help some kids in a crosswalk & to help an elderly lady cross the street (Which lets Aoi-Who's been worried about how all this is affecting Yoriko-remind Miyuki & Natsumi that they do much more than just issue citations & catch violators). Chie has the most points at the end of the day but who's the real winner here?

Next time-File 9, "The Love Triangle".

[Jimmie M]

Remember the date that Ken & Miyuki had back in File 3, "Love's Highway Stars"? Well, they haven't gone out together again since then; in fact Yoriko & Aoi (Now patrol partners) are discussing it while on patrol when they spot Ken at a smoke shop talking to an attractive girl. His bringing cakes to her & asking about her father (All overheard remotely by Yoriko, Natsumi & Miyuki via a parabolic microphone later) doesn't make the picture any better, especially the next day when Miyuki & Natsumi spot the two riding together on Ken's bike. But no worries-The girl's father owns the smoke shop & is a fancier of vintage auto parts who happens to own a Toyota tachometer that Miyuki's been wanting for some time. It would make a great birthday surprise for Miyuki if Ken could get it, wouldn't it? Two flashbacks in this episode help give a little continuity from the OVA series: 1) Miyuki referred to the work she put into fixing Ken's bike back in File 1 & that is recalled here & 2) the key charm that Ken gave her on their date in File 3. As for Natsumi, well...So many lunches & so little time (For the Chief & Detective Tokuno, that is)...

BTW, that old lady on the scooter makes another appearance! Who is this lady & why does she always seem to be in hurry? We'll all find out about her next time in File 10, "The Outlaw Scooter Mama".