"MAD BULL 34 is the first of a four part cop-thriller. America may be the land of the free, but on the streets prowl those who abuse its freedoms, especially in the crime-ridden streets of New York. It's the job of the New York City Police Department to protect society from the evil on its streets, and this is the tale of New York's finest cops - the 34th precinct. Lurking in its dark alleyways and on poorly lit street corners, you find a vice infested, crime-ridden cesspool. Prostitution, racketeering, drugs and extortion all make the streets less than safe, even in the daytime."
"Into this melting pot of crime and corruption comes a raw young recruit - Diazaburo - a 19 year old, American-born Japanese martial artist and accomplished marksman. Although he's confident of his abilities to deal with anything, he's about to get a rude awakening. His new partner is one of the most notorious cops on the force - known as Mad Bull, due to his unrepentant form of peace keeping. The 34th precinct is in the middle of a Mafia turf war and, as the danger increases, Diazaburo finds himself caught in an increasingly deadly crossfire and Mad Bull becomes the target of an assassination plot - will they make it through alive?!"
Creator: Kazuo Koike
Director: Tetsu Dezaki
Character Design: Keizo Shimizu
Copyright: Kazuo Koike, Noriyoshi Inoue/Shueisha Inc./
Pony Canyon Inc./Magic Bus
Language Format: English Language
Running time: 49/47/50/50 mins
Certificate: 18(cut)/18(cut)/18/18
Catalogue no: MANV 1121/MANV 1122/MANV 1128/MANV 1129
Label: Manga Video
Price: £9.99 each
Release Date: 5th Feb/4th Mar/15th Apr/13th May 1996
Part 1 of a four part cop thriller, set in a New York precinct where all forms of crime and Mafia turf wars are rife. Eager new recruit Diazaburo, a Japanese-American, joins the force and is partnered with an experienced cop known because of his shoot first and ask questions later tactics as 'Mad Bull' . In an action-packed first episode, Mad Bull survives an attempt by an evil black thug, Curtis, to assassinate him, is seen collecting money from the local whores, and is the subject of a police investigation.
This is very average stuff and will appeal most to those who don't mind political incorrectness, tasteful nudity, sexual exploitation or excessive violence. The version you will see has been cut for the British censor. [Geoff Cowie]
This contains few surprises for those who have seen part 1. In this one, a new, attractive policewoman is transferred to the precinct amid varying reactions. Seemingly Mad Bull knows her. Diazaburo is smitten by love, and a corrupt detective dislikes her. A new drugs baron moves into the area and the action is fast and er, violent.
In short, the same naff, sexist and over-violent stuff as last time. Though the animation of the principal characters' faces is quite good. [Geoff Cowie]
In this episode a cop-killer is on the loose, and offs eight 34th Precinct cops in the first few minutes. The killer turns out to look just like a cheaper monochrome version of the Gyyver, and seems strangely reluctant to kill Sleepy and Diazaburo on sight, though it has fewer inhibitions about the SWAT team and their helicopters. Belief is totally suspended by the Guyver clone and the dim and predictable plot. The sex scene was alright though.
By far the best part of the tape is the promotional trailer for Manga Videos in general, and three forthcoming Lupin III titles in particular. This totally outclasses the amateurish promos on Pioneer , Kiseki and Western Connection tapes; indeed in surround sound it's so good as to evoke visions of glassy-eyed kids stumbling down to the video stores. "You WILL buy these videos." [Geoff Cowie]
Jay Fubler Harvey: Three points of interest: 1)Uses one of James Brown's songs as the ED of the first episode. :) 2)Joey Carbone of Project A-Ko fame has a hand with some of the music. 3)Check out the villian's battle suit it episode 4. Cool as hell ;) Michael Studte: It would have to rank as one of the crappiest and badly-animated porno/violence anime I've ever had the displeasure to see. DO NOT, repeat, DO NOT waste money on it. Not even on a rental... Ian Cranston: Mad Bull is a highly reviled anime among the so-called "experts." But if you see it for what it is, it's great. Basically, it's a parody of American action movies, especially the Lethal Weapon flicks--the writer of the manga it was based on said so. Basically, two cops, John "Sleepy" Estes (the psychotic, facist, gunslinging cop) and his partner Diazaburo (rookie cop, and the only one with common sense) take on terrorists, asian gangs, and a nutcase in a suit of cyborg armor (Sleepy gets the loader robot like in Aliens to combat it). The series has lots of gross-out and crude humor, but is hilarious. The only negative is the amount of gratuitous sex scenes---there's one or two every episode, however, this is to make fun of US movies even more