Retro anime: Angel Cop is a much-needed 1980s antidote to moetrash

When watching post-2000 anime, you may often feel that you’re overdosing on moe.

You may notice that the cast is 95% female, and that all these females have baby faces even if their breasts are huge and gravity-defying.

You may feel that the show exists only to pump more moe into the culture. That is moetrash syndrome, and the best way to fight it is with harshly anti-moe art styles.

Example: Angel Cop

There are a couple of pretty ladies, but they look like they’re at least 20 years old, and they have bodies like Olympic athletes.


The cast includes OLD MEN, and THEY HAVE WRINKLES. These are not your typical two or three laugh lines like you might find in typical modern anime. These guys look like their wrinkles are harsh enough to use as sandpaper. You could strike blue-tip matches on the beard stubble these guys have.



And the males don’t look like wispy metrosexual herbivores. Even the minor supporting characters have insane muscle tone.


Fans of Ghost in the Shell will note that the ultra-beautiful female protagonist is an anti-heroic Well-Intentioned Extremist, while the hunky male romantic lead is her Jiminy Cricket, much the Major and Batou. However, from what I’ve seen so far, I think Angel Cop does a better job of portraying the human cost to the character of a decent man who is strong enough to be a commando but compassionate enough to want to keep civilians away from danger.





Unlike Wicked City, I doubt that this show will display any fascination with the prurient aspects of sex. It looks like a straight-up action-adventure, suitable for all but the youngest children.