"Miami Guns" (2000) TV series

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Directors:

Yoshitaka Koyama
Scott Houle

Writers:

Yutaka Hirata (writer)
John Opplinger (subtitles)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

22 June 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Crime | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot Keywords:

Police Detective | Danger | Post Apocalyptic | Shot In The Leg | Criminal

Cast

Megumi Toyoguchi

...

Yao (unknown episodes)

Runtime:

Japan:30 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Chile:14 | Argentina:14 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13

Extremely fun anime

The first thing that can be said about Miami Guns is how fun it is to watch. Though a police show, the approach is satirical and often quite wacky. Though the formula of two very different cops trying to work together to solve crime is hardly new, the way it is carried out is fresh and funny.

Yao is rich and spoiled, and only joined the Miami Police because she likes the limelight to be found in fighting crime, as well as the chance to drive fast. She is also quite a fighter, relishing the chance for a contest. Her partner, Lu, is the daughter of the chief superintendent. She is much more sedate, and thinks before acting. Also assisting the pair is Kaken, the (female) technician. The chief, Lu's father, wears an afro and is usually furious about some cock-up. (Needless to say, Yao antics account for much of his irritation). Also appearing from time to time is the enigmatic Julio Peacemaker, and his pet baby alligator. All of these characters seem like true people, albeit caricatured. In fact, much of the humour depends upon the interactions between them, their conflicting ways of thinking and acting, as well as idiosyncrasies.

Most of the episodes are self-contained cases, though there is an enemy who appears in several of the later episodes, and the grand finale is expanded over two episodes. While the buddy-cop setup and even some of the cases initially seem clichéd, the writers have added extra elements, as well as lashings of humour and spontaneous energy, to attain to a great degree of originality and enjoyment.

The animation is quite good for a TV series, and the characters are well-drawn (which is just as well since the plot writers looked tirelessly for reasons for them to be deprived of articles of clothing). The voice-acting is quite well done, which is important for personality-driven comedy, and even the English dub is okay. The opening and closing music does the job required of it, the songs being enjoyable, if undistinguished.

In sum, this is a highly enjoyable police-themed comedy series, with convincing characters, nice animation, and plenty of laughs and novel ideas. Fans of FLCL or Excel Saga (and Mezzo DSA) should definitely check it out.