Angel Cop

Angel is a tough, beautiful cop in the Special Security Force, assigned to protect a future version of Tokyo against terrorists, especially Communist terrorists. When she and her partner Raiden are assigned to take out the Red May organization, mysterious beings appear who quickly reduce the would-be provocateurs to so many burned and mutilated bodies. The assignment grows even more complicated when Raiden disappears after he's badly injured in a motorcycle accident. While the Special Security agents are fighting the commies, a cadre of corrupt politicians schemes to have them all murdered before they uncover who's really behind the actions of the Red May and other radicals. Cyborgs, nuclear-waste dumping, psychic mutants, superweapons, and economic terrorism figure heavily in this rambling and exceedingly violent adventure, perhaps to compensate for the lack of credible character development and dialogue. Characters are routinely mutilated, tortured, shot, dismembered, and burned with sadistic glee. Although it's not unusual to find differences between the subtitled and dubbed versions on many anime DVDs, the gap between the two versions is striking on Angel Cop. The subtitles tell a story that is much more chauvinistic and anti-American, though no better written or structured. Contains these episodes: 1. "Special Security Force," 2. "The Disfigured City," 3. "The Death Warrant," 4. "Pain," 5. "Wrath of the Empire," 6. "Doomsday." Not rated: Parental discretion strongly advised for nudity, nonstop profanity, and graphic violence, including torture and violence against women. --Charles Solomon