"This police station has been running a lot more like a soap opera," - Chief Kachou (Episode 3)
1994 was a pretty good year for anime titles. There was the Studio Ghibi film Pom Poko, a story centered around environmental issues. The Street Fighter movie, based on a wildly popular video game series, briefly fumbled its way into the spotlight. 1994 also introduced the anime world to Marmalade Boy, a well-known school-oriented series. Finally, '94 was the year in which television networks came across a mini-series, a hidden gem if you will, titled You're Under Arrest (YUA). When people think of police shows, they conjure mental images of good-cop/bad-cop roles, of homicides and kidnappings, and of undercover officers raiding a criminal hideout. You're Under Arrest doesn't conjure these images in viewers because it's the complete opposite of the typical cop series; this is a show where comedy is at the forefront instead of action, where the only serious crime that people commit is reckless speeding, and where the officers are more concerned with maintaining friendships than anything else (and please don't mention anything to do with romance to these people. They're really serious about that). With these factors inserted into the plot, this anime explores the adventures of police officers Natsumi and Miyuki for four enjoyable episodes.
While You're Under Arrest is certainly an enjoyable OVA, it is not without its flaws. The acting in the series isn't the best, the supporting characters are relegated to a couple of unimportant lines, and (if you want to be really critical) the animation looks a little dated to me, even for an anime from the early '90s. However, I can brush past those flaws thanks to the five main characters. Miyuki is a gentle officer/driver with good looks and a hobby as a mechanic (Basically, she's Winry Rockbell before Winry Rockbell). Yoriko, a goofy gossiper who proves to be the series' best voice actress, is that one bespectacled female that you seemingly must have in order for an anime to be called an anime. Ken is my favorite character, a sunglasses-wearing tough-guy/motorcyclist who really loves Miyuki and is affectionately nicknamed "Kenny" by the other officers. Chief Kachou doesn't really do much besides giving out orders and pondering over situations (I just act like the guy's not there). By far the most interesting character of the bunch has to be Natsumi, the protagonist. She's a hotheaded slacker with purple eyes, impulsive tendencies, an infamous reputation for oversleeping, a habit for getting drunk, and impeccable skills as a motorcyclist. The other main characters are appealing, besides the Chief, but Natsumi is simply beyond that.
I don't know exactly where I would place You're Under Arrest on my anime list. I don't speak of this series with the mystified reverence that I do for Monster not with the unbridled hatred that I have for Inuyasha. You're Under Arrest instead settles in a special category for me, one without severe criticism or deep analysis. Here's the best way I can explain my appreciation for YUA. For me, this anime induces a wave of nostalgia, even though it's my first time finishing this. Maybe it's the beautiful theme song which really grew on me or the show's lively soundtrack with a hint of jazz that does it for me. Maybe it's You're Under Arrest's lighthearted atmosphere sprinkled by some truly touching moments that hypnotizes me. Maybe it's the excellent episode 4 (titled "On the Road... again") or the amazing sequence that occurred in the episode, where Ken rides his motorcycle out from the raging flames that causes me to write so passionately about this. Maybe it's the fact that YUA is completely appropriate for children (believe it or not, this doesn't occur often in anime), besides the cursing that pops up once-in-a-blue-moon that makes me love it so much. Regardless, You're Under Arrest is the perfect title for this OVA. It captures you, alternately thrilling you and pulling your heartstrings along the way.
