The 90s Crime Anime That Makes R-Rated Look Like Disney
Mad Bull 34 is a bonkers 90s OVA anime series based on the manga series of the same name written by Kazuo Koike and illustrated by Noriyoshi Inoue. While you would be hard-pressed to find a streaming service that lets you easily watch this hyper-violent series, you can check out a rip of it on Archive.org. If you like the buddy-cop genre, a ton of violence, and crass humor in your anime, then this might fit what you’re looking for.
A Cop That Doesn’t Play By The Rules
Mad Bull 34 ran from 1985 to 1991 in Shueisha’s Young Jump before eventually getting a four-part original video animation that was released from 1990 to 1992. The series follows the toughest and most imposing cop in the 34th precinct of the NYPD, “Sleepy” John Estes, aka “Mad Bull,” and his partners Daizaburo “Eddie” Ban and Perrine Valley. Mad Bull is basically the definition of a loose-cannon cop, killing criminals without hesitation, and doing a ton of damage while hunting down criminals.
Problematic Is An Understatement
Mad Bull 34 can be accurately described as problematic in a lot of ways, but if you like the craziness of 90s OVAs then this series is well-animated, full of creatively violent scenes, and zany characters. The series even has an ending theme song that was composed and performed by none other than James Brown, which is a crazy fact on its own.
The first English DVD release of the series came out from Discotek Media in 2013, and outside of DVD rips online, that’s pretty much the only way you’ll be able to watch it at home.
Hard To Find Today
Diskotek Media ended up losing the license of Mad Bull 34 in 2020, so it’s unlikely that there will ever be a full-on Blu-ray or HD re-release of the show, so the ripped version is at 720p. You can also choose between watching the dubbed version of the original subbed version, though some fans say the dub for the series is pretty good, which isn’t always the case for older anime. One fan on My Anime List even said the voice-acting is “stupendous” and that the dub is the way to go since the “accents are unbelievably well done.”
Not Good, But Not Boring
Mad Bull 34 is set in New York, so the dubbed version would likely lend some authenticity to the series. Of course, the series is also full of profanity at every turn, which probably just doesn’t have the same impact if you’re not hearing it in your native language. Some fans on My Anime List also mention that the series is “so bad it’s good” because it’s so over the top, with one reviewer explaining, “above all else, it is NOT boring.”
A Throwback To A Different Era
Of course, it’s also worth mentioning again that Mad Bull 34 was created by Kazuo Koike, who is best known for the iconic Lone Wolf and Cub. This series is miles away from Koike’s most legendary work, but it’s still interesting to think this series came from the same mind. In any case, you can stream the series now if you want to rewind back to the 90s’ OVA days.
