Ken Burns does Anime
A.D. Police: To Protect and Serve (1999): 4 out of 10: After greatly enjoying AD Police Files (1990) I was looking forward to this updated series. What a disappointing mess.
The first disk is a repetitive find malfunctioning robot (In the series they are called Voomers but trust me they are simply robots), Shoot said robot (one bullet usually does the trick) Find a new malfunctioning robot. (This town doesn’t need the AD Police, it needs the consumer protection agency.)
The actual plot doesn’t rear its head for half a dozen episodes and when it does, it’s a sleeper. The villain is right out of Batman, complete with silly explosives designed to look like toys and a big secret. There is a double-crossing love interest with a big secret. There is a guy who endlessly shows pictures of his kids and how he will retire soon (No secret what happens to him.) There is a big company that owns everything. (Gee, you think they have a big secret?)
You can see the secrets a mile away and the entire plot reminds me of the background story on a third rate Playstation game. (Think Twisted Metal, not Final Fantasy) The show also demonstrates some of the sloppiest police workarounds. (If you’re going to arrest a subject under surveillance, shouldn’t you cut off the exits first?) Also, the characters seem to drink at Leaving Las Vegas levels (one entire episode takes place entirely at the bar.)
The voice work on the dub is good, but the animation is the last straw. Done in that Ken Burns style (pan the photo as a substitution for action) it is cheap and, like the show itself, repetitive.
I’ll admit I watched all twelve episodes as they are short and I had hoped for a good payoff at some point. I wouldn’t recommend anyone else take the same plunge.