Kankakee Area Anime Association --> Reviews --> AD Police

AD Police: To Protect and Serve

Format: TV Series
Length: 12 episodes x 25 Minutes
Genre: Cyberpunk
Original Air Date: 1999
Creator: Hoshikawa Taiko
Director: Ueda Hidehito
Voice Talent:
Sasaki Kenji Chiba Shinbo
Hans Kraf Yamazaki Takumi
Miyano Kyoko Kawazumi Ayako
Musuhiro Agemi Zawaumi Yooko
Kurata Hideaki Tsuji Shinpachi
Nancy Willson Nozawa Yukari
Jose Collins Ishii Kouji
Karen Jordan Tetsuoka Chiharu
Mary Malow Kodama Takako
Ralm Fletcher Furuzawa Toru

Ratings: PG-13
Grades: 10 scale
Animation Quality: 4
Art Quality: 3
Fun Factor: 4
Music Quality: 5
Plot Quality: 4
Script Quality: 4
Overall: 4
Stars: 2 (Poor)
Synopsis: After a disastrous earthquake, Genom City is rebuilt through the use of robot laborers known as Boomers (a.k.a. Voomers). For an unknown reason some Boomers go out of control and mutate into menacing cybernetic monsters. The A.D. Police are commissioned to stop these rogue Boomers before they wreak havoc to Genom City. Officer Sasaki Kenji and his new partner Hans Kraf are at the forefront of this battle. Unwittingly, they and the rest of their police unit stumble onto a plot concerning the source of the rogue Boomers.
Review: This prequel spin-off to the Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 suffers from lackluster art and a relatively un-engaging script. Because I’ve never seen the original OVA series from the late ‘80’s, I am unable to make any comparisons. Unlike police firearms in Bubblegum Crisis, A.D. police firearms seem equal to the task of destroying the Boomer threat; although, police casualties do seem to run pretty high. Hans Kraf is Officer Sasaki’s latest partner. Hans is a German police officer on loan to the A.D. Police. Despite getting off to a rough start, he and Kenji eventually develop a good working relationship. Sasaki Kenji is a character modeled after Dirty Harry. He is a loose cannon, who seems to burn through partners very quickly due to high risk behaviors. The rest of the supporting ensemble serves to primarily support and add depth to the two main characters Hans and Kenji. They are fairly unremarkable. One interesting note is that Kenji seems to maintain a very good, loving relationship with his girlfriend (or is she his wife?). The relationship between the two of them creates a refreshing spin on the Dirty Harry archetype that I do not recall seeing in the past. Unfortunately, A.D. Police builds up to its plot twist in a much too overt fashion. The viewer is not surprised when the show’s characters are surprised. All in all, A.D. Police, the TV series, had some potential; however, a mediocre storyline and poor quality art makes the viewer quite pleased that there are only twelve episodes to suffer through. Only Bubblegum Crisis aficionados are likely to find A.D. Police to be a must see. Most anime fans can safely skip this series.

Reviewed by: Jacob Jett