Right Stuf recently re-released this three movie collection previously issued by ADV Films here in the U.S. back in '03. The three 50-minute (more or less) features are each moderately different interpretations of these agents of the 3WA, these space bikini-clad "Lovely Angels."
If you're unfamiliar with the characters, space cops Yui (the sweet, sensible one), and Kei (the hotheaded, tough one) are gun-toting space cops working for the Interpol-like 3WA. The duo has a reputation for getting their man and causing massive property damage (and being distractingly attractive to most of their quarry). They've had their time to shine in their own ongoing TV series, features like these, and manga, and the characters' dynamic and the pretty loosely-defined setting of the series allows any studio that tackles the Dirty Pair to drop these dangerous ladies into pretty much any adventures that have guns, things going boom, and baddies on the run.
A mix of over-the-top gun action, explosions, and a healthy dose of fan service (heroines Kei and Yui have very impractical uniforms), the three features vary wildly in quality, but there are some bright, shining bits worth checking out.
Project Eden (1986)
The Lovely Angels go Geiger. Yui and Kei investigate the destruction of energy processing plants br strange creatures on a federated planet, with two separate nations blaming each other for the incident. Before it upgrades from "incident" to all-out war, Yui and Kei look into it and discover that a mad scientist plotting to create some kind of perfect creature is behind the destruction.
The thing you'll note right off are the Aliens-inspired design (probably not coincidentally, James Cameron's film was out the same year), but there's not much in terms of a story. The mad scientist is appropriately nuts and lots of insect-like grey-black aliens good splat (and boom), but there's not really a lot for Yui and Kei to do here. There are some brief stabs at blending sci-fi and horror, but Kei and Yui are a little too goofy to carry this off.
The feature can't help but feel padded out by a couple of musical montages featuring the duo tooling around in their ship. Check this one out strictly if you're looking for some 80's style power pop and interesting (if derivative) alien designs.
Flight 005 Conspiracy (1990)
When a ship blows up with a defecting scientist on board, Yui and Kei seek justice for the other passengers on the flight. Of the three features, this one involves the most espionage, aided by a bit more serious feel. This is Yui and Kei at their most dangerous, threatening suspects at gunpoint, secret agents suiciding themselves, and just a stack of dead bodies.
Flight 005 Conspiracy has a fair share of surprising twists and of the three has the strongest story which trades on Soviet-era cloak and dagger action.
Affair of Nolandia (1985)
Thanks to a mix of Hong Kong-style action, wild shifts in tone, and fan service kicked up a notch (this is the only feature with nudity), Affair is the greatest and the least of the three movies. Like Flight 005, the Angels get involved after foul play comes to light in the deaths of a flight crew and their passengers, and before long they discover that a psychic child is behind it.
There's a long stretch where Affair of Nolandia grinds to a halt as the duo frolic in the wilderness in the attempt to earn the child's trust, but when the action gets back to the city, it's one long, frenetic chase through the streets of a bustling metropolis that mixes, shootouts, relentless cyborgs, and an extended car/bike/rocket skate chase that culminates in an exploded plane.
If you can get through that middle bit, you'll be treated to the climactic action which recalls some of the best extended chases in films like Supercop.
Special Features
The set includes both Japanese and U.S. trailers for the features on each disc, along with a line art gallery.
The Dirty Pair Original Features Collection is available now on DVD from Nozomi Entertainment.
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