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[R1 DVD art]
AKA: ダーティペアFLASH
Genre: Girls with guns action comedy
Length: OAV series, 6 episodes, 30 minutes each
Distributor: Currently licensed by Right Stuf International
Content Rating: PG-13 (violence, fan service)
Related Series: Dirty Pair, Dirty Pair Flash Mission 2, Dirty Pair Flash Mission 3
Also Recommended: Original Dirty Pair, Burn Up W, Kiddy Grade
Notes: This is an alternate-universe reset of the Dirty Pair series, with new character designs and plotlines.
Rating:

Dirty Pair Flash

Synopsis

The Dirty Pair franchise, created by Haruka Takachiho, is one of the most well known of 1980s anime. This series retells the story of Kei and Yuri, as they begin their misadventures in the WWWA as the "Lovely Angels".


Review

Okay, let me tell you now, this was my first exposure to Dirty Pair. I was not impressed. Since then, of course, I have seen Project Eden and Flight 005 Conspiracy, both of which were suspenseful, snappy, action-adventure movies that emphasized that Kei and Yuri are actually quite competent, but jinxed "Trouble Consultants". Flash introduces them as ditzy, incompetent, and completely incompatible ne'er-do-wells. Do we sense something amiss? You bet.

Dirty Pair Flash has semi-decent action, interesting character designs, and some hilarious action sequences. However...that's about it. Every other aspect of this series has failed to live up to expectations. The "new" Kei and Yuri are painted as these "the-universe-has-done-me-wrong" demolitionists that are hardly sympathetic, reminiscent of Adam Warren's unwarrantedly bloodthirsty "manga" Dirty Pair. So what if Yuri can't get a date because of her job and doesn't like her partner? Boo hoo. And what reputable agency lets a pair like these two get their hands on a spaceship when they use it to promptly and directly destroy major highways and industrial complexes? At least in Flight 005 Conspiracy the destruction was justified, and in Project Eden it was all a chance occurrence that occurred *after* the fact. But Flash is utterly idiotic in its chaos.

The animation was okay, though Yuri seems to serve as fan service target even more than what you'd usually expect. (Not to mention the "magical girl transformation sequence". I wish I were kidding.) The music ranged between utterly bad and utterly forgettable (especially the pretty insipid theme songs) and you get the feeling that the "new-look" Dirty Pair really can't live up to their past incarnations.

That's what's so disappointing about Dirty Pair Flash. When given a chance to restart a good series, many times, the new versions are either okay rehashes of the old, or interesting, innovative takes on the originals. Sadly, for newbie and Dirty Pair fan alike, Dirty Pair Flash seems to be nothing more than a horrible accident waiting to happen. This set of "riot-grrl" Lovely Angels is a real misfire.

Again, this barely misses the turkey-bin. If it were any other series, it may have merited an extra star...maybe.Carlos/Giancarla Ross

Recommended Audience: Some violence (largely because these versions of Kei and Yuri are irresponsible idiots) as well as close-up shots of Kei and Yuri's bodily assets limit this one to teens, who'd probably like the mindless action this series depicts. (It's no wonder ADV is used to treat this thing as a pet project - it was all over their website for years!) Long-time Dirty Pair fans may be insulted by this offering, though.



Version(s) Viewed: VHS, Japanese with English subtitles
Review Status: Partial (4/6)
Dirty Pair Flash © 1994 Haruka Takachiho / Studio Nue / Sunrise
 
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