Search - You're Under Arrest - Mini-Specials (Vol. 1) on DVD

Too much fanservice in too little time compared to TV eps

Steven Myers | SF Bay Area | 09/19/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The Mini-Specials are, sadly, the least enjoyable part of the You're Under Arrest franchise. While they are not bad, they suffer from a lack of creative energy and from their structure: these are truly "mini" episodes, lasting only a few minutes. Briefly, You're Under Arrest focuses on two unorthodox female police officers in Tokyo, with a large and likeable cast of weirdos (police and civilian alike) around them. If you haven't already gotten into the show, you don't want to start here--these mini-specials would be even less enjoyable not knowing who the characters are.For those who do know You're Under Arrest, the problems are simple. First, much of YUA's charm comes from the interaction between the characters. That's severely hampered by the brevity of these mini-specials--the characters don't have much time to do anything other than charge through the miniscule plot that covers the few minutes allotted. Second, the episodes don't have much life to them. The fanservice and perverted elements are made much stronger here versus the show--there are multiple underwear thieves, peeping tom cameramen, and flashers on this one disc. There just isn't much else here, and because it's so single-mindedly fanservice oriented, it just lacks the charm of the TV episodes.In sum, then, if you're a completist and have the rest of YUA, you might want to get this, particularly if you liked the more limited fanservice elements of the TV episodes. If you haven't checked out YUA, you should, but not via these mini-specials. Look at the TV series (or the original comic)."

Girls, cars, and fireworks!

C. W. Fitch | Wichita Falls, TX | 01/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some anime series have it all. Case in point: "You're Under Arrest!", based on the super-cool comic series of the same name by the legendary Kosuke Fujishima. Beautiful female lead characters? Check. Heart-thumpin' action? Check. Interesting plot twists? Yup. Humor? You bet. I could go on, but neither of us have all day, do we? The bottom line is, this is one of the slickest OVA series ever produced. The story starts out with a pair of female police officers who find out they're partners after one busts the other for reckless driving on the way to her first day on the job. Needless to say, they get off on sort of the wrong foot at first, but later on they put on an excellent display of teamwork in catching a runaway "terrorist". It's made all the more exciting with one of the most well-animated car chases in the business. The animation and writing teams did a wonderful job of capturing Fujishima's passion for vehicles of all kinds and attention to detail was right on par with the comic. The animation itself is nearly flawless; clean and fluid, the way an OVA should be. The "Starsky-and-Hutch"-ish soundtrack is a nice touch as well. I'd highly recommend this series for any anime fan, and this is a good place to start for those just getting into anime as well. Word of caution, though; now that all four episodes are available on one tape, the "Criminally Complete Collection" would be a wiser choice (and you'd save a few bucks, too!)"

A great anime, a great technical feat of animation ...

C. W. Fitch | 04/15/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You're Under Arrest, the OVA series, presented here is probably one of the finest technical achievements in animation history. For the first time, animation has successfully pulled off car and motorcycle chases with keen attention to detail and an impactful style of storytelling that rivals the best live action film makers in the world. The timing, design and effects are all marvelous and flawless. Occassionaly there are some cliche anime shots in order to save on animation, but they always give you some stunning artwork to dwell on while the stories progress. Each episode has a slightly different theme as you follow two young women who become traffic cops in modern Tokyo, live their lives and pursue their loves and desires. Great action sequences and cute characters. Everything about this series is an absolute winner. Every anime or animation fan should own this series. I only wish it were on DVD."