Angel Cop

Sometime in the future, terrorism in Japan has become commonplace, and the police have become almost as brutal as criminals. A member of the Special Security Force known as Angel, is the best of the best, stopping at nothing in her fight for justice.

Things get interesting for Angel and her partner, Raiden, when they begin investigating a series of murders in which the victims were known criminals, killed in very unpleasant ways. This trio of killers known as Hunters, is a group of psychics that have banded together to hunt down the lowest scum in the city and bring them to justice.

After a couple of encounters between the cops and the psychics, two of the psychics begin to think that maybe they're not the good guys after all; but the third prefers killing to morality. Augmented by cybernetics from a mysterious source, this third hunter heads out on a killing spree, with the Special Security Force as the first target.

Even with help from the other two psychics and her newly cyborged partner (after an unfortunate accident), Angel is going to have her work cut out trying to find the rogue psychic and the organization behind the Hunters.

Mikawa, Angel Main

Doi, Mika Japanese

Sakada, Isamu Main

Ebara, Masashi Japanese

Lucifer Supporting

Hironaka, Kumiko Japanese

Asura Supporting

Sasaki, Nozomu Japanese

Freya Supporting

Mizutani, Yuuko Japanese

Haishyo, Taki Supporting

Utsumi, Kenji Japanese

Ichihara Supporting

Kitamura, Kouichi Japanese

Yogawa, Reika Supporting

Sakuma, Rei Japanese

Tachihara Supporting

Seki, Toshihiko Japanese

Togawa Supporting

Genda, Tesshou Japanese

Itano, Ichirou Director, Episode Director, Script, Storyboard, Screenplay, Animation Director, Original Creator

Aikawa, Shou Script

Wolskel, John Script

Kitakubo, Hiroyuki Storyboard

Reviews

Jun 26, 2023

Bensonas

Recommended

First things first with this one. I was aware of this exact issue before I started and yet still I went along with it, walking straight into it with full understanding....the dub genuinely is horrendous, especially Freya. Freya's dub voice acting in particular is honestly one of the worst I have ever heard. It's not necessarily the scripts fault either. Has some decent parts of dialogue, some of them great in fact, a lot of the character acting is just really garbage. Despite this, I'm not going to hold it against the show. Long before Funimation was the dominant dubbing force it is today, we ... had stuff like this. So, I'm going to give it a break. Mainly because the show is genuinely pretty damn good, setting the dub aside.

Just like with all animation from the Golden Era, this is in the same vein. It's great. There some very well executed scenes here and, speaking retrospectively from a guy born in 91, ahead of its time (take that comment with a pinch of salt). I have zero complaints about how any of the animation was executed. Great colour pallet, excellently captured movement, excellently drawn characters, it's really great.

The story is pretty damn solid too. You may read the synopsis and think 'how could this go wrong' and well, you'd be right. It essentially set itself up to not fail. As I understand it, a lot of the sci-fi elements from the Manga were omitted, having not read the Manga, I have no issue with this as I don't know what I'm missing. Upon the shows conclusion, I didn't think anything was missing in fact. The show had great pacing, decent character development and a not dissatisfying conclusion. It did everything it needed to I guess. It certainly didn't blow me away but I'm not sure it needed to. It just needed to be solid. It delivers on that.

I normally stick to 3 key points of review when writing these; Animation, story and music. Not sure I can tell you much about the music to be completely honest. I've reached the end of this show and have no recollection of what I heard. So I can really review it. What I will say however is if it was incredible, I would have noticed. Equally, if it was garbage it would have noticed to. But I didn't, therefore, again, this anime did what it needed to on another front.

In summary I would recommed it. For those who haven't experienced much of the Golden Era, it's a good example of it outside of the obvious choices of Bebop and Trigun etc. For thos who have experience with the Golden Era, I would still recommend it as the more familiar one is with this era of anime, the better it is.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

What did you think of this review?

Nice 0

Love it 0

Funny 0

Confusing 0

Informative 0

Well-written 0

Creative 0

More reviews by Bensonas (88)

Show all

Read more

Show less

Open

Gift

Report

Oct 10, 2024

n1mr0d

Mixed Feelings

good physical design and intelligence, kynestethic understanding beyond most we can see today.
the rest is a rather shallow character development and characters in general. the spirituality of the creation is not well constructed although it does attempt to be phylosophical to the best of its capability.

Puts a big focus on action which can drag out, would've been better with less
clearly a high IQ creator, engineer as you might say, that managed a quality product.

for me it was mostly sensory enjoyment .. the story and politics get confused and confusing, though rather realistic and plausible.
"the jews took over america" , welcome to ... 2024 :) enough said ..

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

What did you think of this review?

Nice 0

Love it 0

Funny 0

Confusing 0

Informative 0

Well-written 0

Creative 0

More reviews by n1mr0d (4)

Show all

Read more

Show less

Open

Gift

Report

Feb 6, 2025

EverySportsAnime

Not Recommended

Angel Cop is a relic of late ‘80s anime, a hyper-violent OVA dripping with the era’s gritty cyberpunk aesthetic. At first glance, it presents itself as a straightforward, ultraviolent battle between a ruthless police force and a group of anarchic terrorists. However, as the series progresses, it takes a sinister turn, weaving in an antisemitic conspiracy theory that taints any potential enjoyment. The final arc reveals that Japan’s troubles are orchestrated by a shadowy group of "foreign capitalists," a thinly veiled reference to longstanding antisemitic tropes. These harmful narratives have fueled real-world oppression, and seeing them resurface in an anime—especially one meant to entertain—feels deeply ... unsettling.

As a Jewish viewer, it’s impossible to ignore the way Angel Cop repackages these dangerous myths into a dystopian thriller. The idea that an external force, particularly one coded as Jewish, secretly manipulates national affairs is an age-old libel that has justified discrimination and violence throughout history. That such rhetoric made its way into an anime, a medium many turn to for escapism, is a stark reminder of how deeply ingrained these biases can be, even in unexpected places. While the series boasts crisp animation and brutal action sequences that some may appreciate for their sheer intensity, its reliance on such insidious ideas ultimately mars any artistic merit. Rather than being just another gritty ‘80s OVA, Angel Cop stands as a case study in how media can perpetuate dangerous ideologies under the guise of entertainment.

Adding to the discomfort is how Angel Cop leans into a nationalistic worldview, painting Japan as a victim of foreign influence, a theme that has historically been used to justify xenophobia. While some may argue that the antisemitic elements were toned down or lost in translation in later releases, the original script makes the intention clear. This isn’t just an unfortunate misinterpretation—it’s an explicit propagation of a harmful ideology. For those aware of these tropes, watching Angel Cop becomes less about enjoying an action-packed thriller and more about dissecting how prejudice seeps into pop culture. Rather than being just another dystopian anime, it serves as a reminder that critical viewing is essential, even when diving into something as seemingly simple as an old-school cyberpunk OVA.

Reviewer’s Rating: 1

What did you think of this review?

Nice 0

Love it 0

Funny 0

Confusing 0

Informative 0

Well-written 0

Creative 0

More reviews by EverySportsAnime (4)

Show all

Read more

Show less

Open

Gift

Report

Anime's Video Nasties: An Introduction to 80s and 90s Hyperviolence

by LoveLikeBlood

16 Entries · 58 Restacks

Dark Adult Anime

by Mike_Castle

50 Entries · 432 Restacks

Bad Funny Shitshows (So Bad It's Good) - Part 1

by BirbSMB

50 Entries · 218 Restacks

North American Anime & Manga Releases For February

Here are the North American anime, manga, and light novel releases for February. Week 1: February 1 - 7 Anime Releases Adachi to Shimamura (incl. Mini Anime) (Adachi...read more

Feb 4, 2022 9:30 AM by Aiimee | Discuss (4 comments)

North American Anime & Manga Releases for September

Here are the North American anime & manga releases for September Week 1: September 4 - 10 Anime Releases Bungou Stray Dogs 2nd Season (incl. Hitori Ayumu) Comple...read more

Sep 3, 2018 2:56 PM by Sakana-san | Discuss (27 comments)

	Poll: Angel Cop Episode 4 Discussion jonnjonzz - Sep 18, 2011	6 replies	by Farabeuf »» Feb 14, 1:48 PM
	Poll: Angel Cop Episode 1 Discussion jonnjonzz - Sep 18, 2011	10 replies	by Apratim »» Feb 9, 4:49 AM
	Poll: Angel Cop Episode 2 Discussion jonnjonzz - Sep 18, 2011	9 replies	by Farabeuf »» Jan 29, 9:01 AM
	Poll: Angel Cop Episode 6 Discussion jonnjonzz - Sep 18, 2011	28 replies	by banheesoo »» Jan 13, 9:27 PM
	Poll: Angel Cop Episode 5 Discussion jonnjonzz - Sep 18, 2011	11 replies	by TheVistrian »» Jul 25, 2024 8:15 PM

15 of the Best Adult Anime of All Time

You've always known that anime is a medium that breaks down boundaries. Now, we're going to be taking a look at the best adult anime which push things beyond the limit!

by MisterD98

2,237,837 views

RecommendationCollectionActionCute GirlsCute GuysDespairHorrorSupernatural

So Bad It's Good: 15 Unintentionally Funny "Comedy Anime"

Some anime are bad. Some are so bad, they become absolutely hilarious. Here are ten unintentional so bad they're good "comedy anime."

by Littoface

110,915 views

Collection