Dirty Pair
Encyclopedia
is a series of sci-fi
comedy
light novel
s written by Haruka Takachiho
and illustrated by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
that was later adapted into anime
and manga
versions.
The stories take place in the years 2138-43, by which time humanity has spread across some few thousand star systems. A corporation called the World Welfare Works Association (also WWWA or 3WA) helps member systems of the United Galactica (UG) federation deal with various planetary-scale problems, for profit, by sending agents called "trouble consultants". Probably the most high-profile arm of the organization is the Criminal Investigations section, which works to solve crimes or mysteries. The series focuses on a team of trouble consultants in that section, named Kei and Yuri, who have a reputation for leaving a trail of destruction behind them, for which they are known publicly as the "Dirty Pair".
The franchise has bounced across multiple formats and production companies, resulting in (so far) eight novels and a few shorter stories, a television series, two OVA
series, two OVA features, a feature film, a number of graphic novels, and two short Japanese radio series. The series won the Animage
Anime Grand Prix prize in 1985.
, probably in 1978. On his itinerary was a stop at the young Studio Nue, which Takachiho co-founded. As something to entertain their guest, two of the staffers there, Yuri Tanaka and Keiko Otoguro, hit upon the idea with Takachiho of taking Chandler to a tournament of the All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
organization, which was a member of the World Women's Wrestling Association (WWWA). The card included the highly-popular wrestling (and singing) team, the Beauty Pair. Something that passed among the foursome during that match led Chandler to remark to Takachiho something to the effect that "the two women in the ring may be the Beauty Pair, but those two with you ought to be called 'the Dirty Pair'."
This became the germ of an idea for a novella Takachiho decided to write, transplanting the rough-housing of pro-wrestling to the realm of space-opera mystery stories, with which he already had experience in his already successful Crusher Joe
series. The team code-name "Lovely Angels" is also play on the names of certain women's teams of the time, such as the Queen Angels.
affiliates from July to December 1985. However, two remaining episodes called With Love from the Lovely Angels were produced during 1986 and released as OVAs. The first was released on 1 January 1987. The second was released on 21 April 1988. The TV series has been licensed by Nozomi Entertainment. Nozomi Entertainment has also re-licensed all of the OVA's and the Project Eden film.
The American comic company and manga translator Studio Proteus
acquired rights to create comic versions of The Dirty Pair
in 1989; the first two graphic novels were published by the since-defunct Eclipse Comics
. Later the rights were transferred to Dark Horse Comics
. The first three series were written by Toren Smith
and Adam Warren
and drawn by Warren—after that Smith left the project and Warren took over writing completely. These stories have a much more cyberpunk
style than the other versions; the later stories, starting with Fatal but not Serious, move into the transhuman
subgenre.
The light novels are written by Haruka Takachiho
with illustrations by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
. The first four books were originally serialized in the Japanese publication SF Magajin. The light novels have begun to be released in English translation from DH Press (Dark Horse): the complete first book appeared in September 2007, and the second book appeared in March 2008. English translations previously existed only for the first story (published as one of a series of short books for Japanese students of English) and the fifth book, which was originally released in Japanese and English translation on the Microsoft Network during 1997–99.
A second radio series, "Daatipea91: Kunoichi" began on FM Osaka on 15 October 2007. This time written by Takachiho himself, it places eighteen-year-old Kei and Yuri in Japan in the year 1791 as student ninjas who find themselves embroiled in political affairs of the period. Horie Yui and Minagawa Junko reprised their voice roles. Again, a streaming broadcast was available. This series was re-broadcast during March to April 2009.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
light novel
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
s written by Haruka Takachiho
Haruka Takachiho
is a Japanese science fiction author and founder of Studio Nue. Takachiho is best known as the creator of Crusher Joe, Dirty Pair and Dirty Pair Flash....
and illustrated by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
is a Japanese animator and manga artist in the anime industry.Yasuhiko dropped out of Hirosaki University and was hired by Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Productions in 1970 as an animator. He later went freelance and worked on various animation productions for film and television. In 1981 he won the Seiun...
that was later adapted into anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
versions.
The stories take place in the years 2138-43, by which time humanity has spread across some few thousand star systems. A corporation called the World Welfare Works Association (also WWWA or 3WA) helps member systems of the United Galactica (UG) federation deal with various planetary-scale problems, for profit, by sending agents called "trouble consultants". Probably the most high-profile arm of the organization is the Criminal Investigations section, which works to solve crimes or mysteries. The series focuses on a team of trouble consultants in that section, named Kei and Yuri, who have a reputation for leaving a trail of destruction behind them, for which they are known publicly as the "Dirty Pair".
The franchise has bounced across multiple formats and production companies, resulting in (so far) eight novels and a few shorter stories, a television series, two OVA
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
series, two OVA features, a feature film, a number of graphic novels, and two short Japanese radio series. The series won the Animage
Animage
is a Japanese anime and entertainment magazine which Tokuma Shoten began publishing in July 1978. Hayao Miyazaki's internationally renowned manga, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, was serialized in Animage from 1982 through 1994...
Anime Grand Prix prize in 1985.
Lovely Angels
Kei and Yuri are the two voluptuous members of Trouble Consultant team 234, code named "Lovely Angels". Almost every mission they are involved with ends up in disaster, but not failure (they'll catch the crook, but a city may be destroyed in the process), and thus they are more generally known as the "Dirty Pair", a nickname they hate. They are always cleared of any wrongdoing by the 3WA's Central Computer because the extreme collateral damage is never actually their fault (though their mere presence has been known to make things worse). In some but not all continuities, they have joint ESP powers, usually limited to precognition. This talent was the reason they were recruited in the first place.(This is alluded to in the Adam Warren Collection "A Plague Of Angels")- a hot-headed tomboy with red hair and tanned skin who wears a silver-white uniform. Favors large weaponry and prefers to "shoot first, ask questions later". The more aggressive of the two, she is also the bustier of the pair and is attracted to manly, muscular men. She has been voiced by Kyouko Tonguu (Japanese), Lara CodyLara CodyLaura Ann Cody , better known as Lara Cody, is an American voice actress. She also goes under the name "Deanna Morris." She is best known for her role for playing "Rosemary" in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots.-Anime:*A Little Snow Fairy Sugar -...
(English, Streamline Pictures dub), Pamela Lauer (English, ADV Films dub): Japanese in ethnicity, wears a golden-yellow uniform. Often uses non-gun weaponry such as energy whips. While the more feminine of the two, she is known to become very violent when crossed. She is the more bottom-heavy of the team and is also a coy flirt who prefers cultured, refined men. Her most recognized weapon is the Bloody Card, a technologically-enhanced throwing card that can be used to take down several people at once. While Yuri often uses it in the novels, it only appears in the anime a few times, once in Affair of Nolandia, in Flight 005 Conspiracy, and in episode 6 of the OVA series. In that episode, it is used by Madame Beryl instead of Yuri. In the comic series, it is used in the stories "Biohazards" and "Start The Violence". She has been voiced by Saeko ShimazuSaeko Shimazuis a Japanese voice actress from Isehara. Shimazu is notable for having had voice roles in all four of the major TV anime series based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi - she played Shinobu Miyake in Urusei Yatsura, Sayako Kuroki in Maison Ikkoku, Kodachi Kuno in Ranma ½, and Abi-hime in InuYasha...
(Japanese), Wendee LeeWendee LeeWendee Lee is an American voice actress. While she has done voice work for many video games as well as several episodes in the Power Rangers franchise, she is particularly prolific in the dubbing of anime. As of April 2009, with 223 credits to her name, she has more credits in this medium than any...
(English, Streamline Pictures dub), Jessica CalvelloJessica CalvelloJessica Lynn Calvello is an American voice actress primarily known for her anime voiceover work, particularly with ADV Films and later 4Kids Entertainment....
(English, original ADV Films dub), Allison SumrallAllison SumrallAllison L. Sumrall is an American voice actress working with ADV Films and Seraphim Digital, known for her roles in the English-language dubs of anime series...
(English, replacement ADV Films dub)
Other characters
- a CoeurlCoeurlCoeurl is a fictional alien race of predators created by the late science fiction novelist A. E. van Vogt and featured in his first published short story "Black Destroyer" , later incorporated in the novel The Voyage of the Space Beagle...
, a large cat-like creature (in the OAV series, he is shown to be genetically engineered, though not to what the designers intended) who sometimes accompanies the Dirty Pair on their missions. He has some proficiency with electronic devices, Kei and Yuri usually relying on his help as co-pilot or gun-runner while their spaceship the Lovely Angel orbits the planet they're on, but typically takes a passive role in the Dirty Pair's adventures. In the anime series, Mughi is depicted as more like a cat or small furry pet than the somewhat threatening creature seen in the novels. Mughi's name has been said to be an acronym for "Military Unit of Genetic Higher Intelligence", according to the character designer.- Nammo: a small robot owned by the Dirty Pair in the TV series. Usually referred to as a "she", Nammo communicates through beeps and whistles and has one known arm, as well as the ability to fly in space, operate and repair vehicles, and use hand weapons. She has been rebuilt at least once, when she hinted for the weaponless Pair to rig her body to self-destruct by handing over her memory disk. They sent her chassis into the bowels of the machine that trapped them, leaving only her memory disk and her tennis shoe-like feet behind.
- Chief (Andrew Francis) Gooley: Kei & Yuri's immediate supervisor. He has the unenviable task with assigning the Lovely Angels assignments, as well as writing the paperwork on the damage they cause. While they cause him much grief (and stomach pains), he still cares for them greatly and is confident in their abilities. They, in turn, are fiercely loyal to him, even disobeying orders in order to rescue him.
- Calico: Gooley's right hand man in the TV series. A former TroCon himself (capacity unknown, Trouble Consultants can also be accountants and lawyers), he has at least one episode to show he still has what it takes, though he proves to be more trigger happy than Kei.
- Madame Beryl: Appearing in the OVA series, she is a retired TroCon of legendary status. Only one of her cases was never solved until the Lovely Angels stumble across the missing clue. In another appearance, she proves she is still able to hold her own with the Bloody Card. She appears in the series as a classic grandmotherly type wearing a cheongsam.
- Dr. Q: Appearing in the OVA series, Dr. Q is the scientist responsible for the creation of Muhgi, as well as some of the high-tech devices and weaponry the Lovely Angels use. However, his genius is questionable, since his brilliant devices have a tend either to malfunction, or blow up in the Angels' faces.
Origin of names
The instigation of "the DP Concept" was a visit to Japan by the British Australian SF author A. Bertram ChandlerA. Bertram Chandler
Arthur Bertram Chandler was a British-Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M....
, probably in 1978. On his itinerary was a stop at the young Studio Nue, which Takachiho co-founded. As something to entertain their guest, two of the staffers there, Yuri Tanaka and Keiko Otoguro, hit upon the idea with Takachiho of taking Chandler to a tournament of the All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling
, nicknamed Zenjo was a joshi puroresu promotion established in 1968 by Takashi Matsunaga and his brothers. The group held their first card on June 4 of that year...
organization, which was a member of the World Women's Wrestling Association (WWWA). The card included the highly-popular wrestling (and singing) team, the Beauty Pair. Something that passed among the foursome during that match led Chandler to remark to Takachiho something to the effect that "the two women in the ring may be the Beauty Pair, but those two with you ought to be called 'the Dirty Pair'."
This became the germ of an idea for a novella Takachiho decided to write, transplanting the rough-housing of pro-wrestling to the realm of space-opera mystery stories, with which he already had experience in his already successful Crusher Joe
Crusher Joe
is a series of science fiction light novels by Haruka Takachiho and released by Asahi Sonorama from 1979 to 1983. During the late 1970s one of the founding fathers of Studio Nue, Takachiho decided that besides being a designer he would try his hand at penning novels...
series. The team code-name "Lovely Angels" is also play on the names of certain women's teams of the time, such as the Queen Angels.
Television series
An anime TV series based on the novels, simply titled Dirty Pair, ran for 24 episodes that aired on Nippon TelevisionNippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
affiliates from July to December 1985. However, two remaining episodes called With Love from the Lovely Angels were produced during 1986 and released as OVAs. The first was released on 1 January 1987. The second was released on 21 April 1988. The TV series has been licensed by Nozomi Entertainment. Nozomi Entertainment has also re-licensed all of the OVA's and the Project Eden film.
OVAs
- With Love from the Lovely Angels: "What?! The Boy In The Mansion Is A Terminator!"
- With Love from the Lovely Angels: "Seriously? The God Cannon Is A Beauty's Keyword To Escape"
- Affair of Nolandia 1985
- Flight 005 Conspiracy 1990
Additional OVA series
- Original Dirty Pair 10 episodes, December 21, 1987–April 21, 1988
- Dirty Pair FlashDirty Pair Flashis a humorous science fiction anime and manga franchise based on the light novel series by Haruka Takachiho.Although it is often said that these are younger versions of the original Lovely Angels Kei and Yuri, in truth this series is an alternate universe telling of Dirty Pair, set in the years...
three series totaling 16 episodes, 1994–1996- The story premise and character designs are very different from any of the other versions.
Film
- Project EdenDirty Pair: Project EdenDirty Pair: Project Eden known in Japan as Dirty Pair: The Movie , is a feature length anime film based on the Dirty Pair anime series originally released in Japan on November 28, 1986. The movie was originally licensed in North America in 1994 by Streamline Pictures but was later redubbed and...
1986 (known as simply "Dirty Pair" in Japan)
Comics
Studio Proteus
Studio Proteus is a Japanese manga import, translation and lettering company, founded in 1986 by Toren Smith and based in San Francisco. Other staff included translators Dana Lewis and Frederik Schodt, letterer Tom Orzechowski and translator/letterer Tomoko Saito...
acquired rights to create comic versions of The Dirty Pair
The Dirty Pair
The Dirty Pair is an original English-language manga written and illustrated by Adam Warren, based on the Dirty Pair characters created by Haruka Takachiho....
in 1989; the first two graphic novels were published by the since-defunct Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market...
. Later the rights were transferred to Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
. The first three series were written by Toren Smith
Toren Smith
Toren Smith is a manga translator and founder of Studio Proteus. He was born in Alberta, Canada, learned to read by the age of four, and by the age of 12 had won his first award for writing from the Calgary Stampede and Exhibition. By thirteen he had sold his first magazine article, an...
and Adam Warren
Adam Warren
Adam Warren is an American comic book writer and artist who is most famous for his adaptation of the characters known as Dirty Pair into an American comic book, and for being one of the first American commercial illustrators to be influenced by the general manga style...
and drawn by Warren—after that Smith left the project and Warren took over writing completely. These stories have a much more cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
style than the other versions; the later stories, starting with Fatal but not Serious, move into the transhuman
Transhuman
Transhuman or trans-human is a term that has been defined and redefined many times in history. In its contemporary usage, “transhuman” refers to an intermediary form between the human and the hypothetical posthuman.-History of hypotheses:...
subgenre.
- Biohazards: four issues, December 1988–April 1989 (trade paperback TPB, 1989; 1998, reissue)
- Dangerous Acquaintances: five issues, June 1989–March 1990 (TPB, 1991; 1997, reissue)
- A Plague of Angels: five issues, August 1990–November 1991 (TPB, 1994)
- Sim Hell: four issues, May–August 1993; colorized reissue, May–August 2001 (TPB, 1994; 1996, second edition; 2002, colorized reissue)
- "I Honestly Hate You": eight-page short story originally published in August 1994 in the (annual) San Diego ComicCon Comics, #3 (reprinted in 1998 Dark Horse Comics reprinted TPB of Biohazards)
- Fatal But Not Serious: five issues, July–November 1995 (TPB, 1996)
- Start the Violence: one-shot, May–July 1998 (TPB, 1999; also included in Run from the Future TPB)
- Run From The Future: four issues, January–April 2000 (TPB, 2002)
- "A Big 'Merci Beaucoup'".: six single pages originally published May–August 2001 in the back of each colorized reissue of Sim Hell, also in the back of the colorized Sim Hell TPB reissue (2002).
Light novels
Haruka Takachiho
is a Japanese science fiction author and founder of Studio Nue. Takachiho is best known as the creator of Crusher Joe, Dirty Pair and Dirty Pair Flash....
with illustrations by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko
is a Japanese animator and manga artist in the anime industry.Yasuhiko dropped out of Hirosaki University and was hired by Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Productions in 1970 as an animator. He later went freelance and worked on various animation productions for film and television. In 1981 he won the Seiun...
. The first four books were originally serialized in the Japanese publication SF Magajin. The light novels have begun to be released in English translation from DH Press (Dark Horse): the complete first book appeared in September 2007, and the second book appeared in March 2008. English translations previously existed only for the first story (published as one of a series of short books for Japanese students of English) and the fifth book, which was originally released in Japanese and English translation on the Microsoft Network during 1997–99.
- ダーティペアの大冒険 (Daatipea no Daibouken
, 1979; book: 1980) - ダーティペアの大逆転 (Daatipea no Daigyakuten
, 1985; book: 1985) - ダーティペアの大乱戦 (Daatipea no Dairansen
- ダーティペアの大脱走 (Daatipea no Daidassou
- ダーティペア外伝 独裁者の遺産 (Dokusaisha no Isan
—Dirty Pair Side Story #1, 1997; book: 1998) - ダーティペアの大復活 (Daatipea no Daifukkatsu
- ダーティペアの大征服 (Daatipea no Daiseifuku
- ダーティペアの大帝国 (Daatipea no Daiteikoku
Radio series
A fifth version of the "DP Concept" made its debut on 1 October 2006 in a 26-week radio series on FM Osaka, entitled "Lovely Angel: Kei & Yuri". A streaming Internet broadcast of successive episodes became available beginning 15 October. The story involves a case in which the Lovely Angels assist the FBI on a case which takes them along the route of the old Route 66. The series features Horie Yui as Yuri and Minagawa Junko as Kei. While Takachiho participated in the selection of the voice artists, he was not involved in the writing for this series. (Additional information on the series, in Japanese, can be found at Nihon Sunrise's site.A second radio series, "Daatipea91: Kunoichi" began on FM Osaka on 15 October 2007. This time written by Takachiho himself, it places eighteen-year-old Kei and Yuri in Japan in the year 1791 as student ninjas who find themselves embroiled in political affairs of the period. Horie Yui and Minagawa Junko reprised their voice roles. Again, a streaming broadcast was available. This series was re-broadcast during March to April 2009.