Dirty Pair Flash

About Dirty Pair Flash

Here is what Dirty Pair Flash (ダーティペアFLASH) is about, retold in plain terms: an action, adventure and comedy anime by Sunrise (1994). The premise: Kei and Yuri were originally junior auxiliary agents in the Worlds Works and Welfare Agency (W.W.W.A. or 3WA for short) when the two were paired together under the codename "Lovely Angels. Kei was coming off her fourth probation for something she had done, and Yuri's dating exploits were common knowledge, not to mention the two had an instant dislike for each other when they met.

Further in, at first, Kei and Yuri refused to work with each other, and Kei even resigned from the 3WA. Afterwards, the two continued to work together, although they earned their nickname, "the Dirty Pair" because of all the collateral damage the two (unintentionally) cause in the completion of their cases. Even though the two now get along with one another, they continue to bicker and complain to each other.

As an action title, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Voice work is led by Rica Matsumoto as Kei and Mariko Kouda as Yuri. It will appeal most to viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. At 6 episodes in total, it is easy to plan a viewing schedule.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with Sunrise, which means the visual identity of Dirty Pair Flash follows that studio's craft. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. With a 6.2/10 score, it is more of a niche pick than a universal crowd-pleaser. On the casting side, Rica Matsumoto voicing Kei gives the lead role a recognizable voice. It aired in 1994, which makes it easy to place in the wider anime calendar.