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Burn-Up Excess
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Burn-Up Excess
Cover of Burn Up Excess Volume 1 DVD
Genre
Created by
  • Yasunori Ide
  • Jun Kanzaki
  • AIC
Anime television series
Directed byShinichiro Kimura
Produced byKinya Watanabe
Takeshi Akabane
Yoshiyuki Matsuzaki
Written byKazumi Koide
Music byKouichi Namiki
Shinobu Uchida
StudioMagic Bus
Licensed by
Original networkDirecTV Japan
Original run December 12, 1997 – July 1, 1998
Episodes13 (List of episodes)
icon Anime and manga portal

Burn-Up Excess is a Japanese anime television series based on Burn-Up! OVA franchise by AIC. This series was directed by Shinichiro Kimura and animated by Magic Bus. It aired from 1997 to 1998 for a total of 13 episodes, exclusively through DirecTV. Four volumes were released on VHS and DVD in North America by ADV Films.

The series is a tongue-in-cheek look at a special operations unit in the Tokyo police force called "Team Warrior", with large amounts of fan service thrown in for good measure, exemplified by the inclusion of ADV's trademarked "Jiggle Counter" on the DVDs along with Plastic Little.[3][4]

Plot summary

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The story revolves around Rio Kinezono, a buxom member of Team Warrior who consistently overspends her paycheck, but is also a top-flight martial artist and a valuable member of the team. In the field, Rio is usually flanked by Maya Jingu, the green-haired team sniper who appears to have a serious lust for ranged weapons (specifically assault rifles). Their antics are backed up by the inventions of Nanvel Candlestick, the exotic team engineer whose job is to devise and implement special combat and surveillance hardware for the team's use. Lilica Ebett, the sprightly pink-haired girl who's a computer expert, can pretty much crack into any information system, and Yuji Naruo, a perverted, camera-toting voyeur, always serves as Warrior's drop-operation pilot and driver. Maki Kawasaki, the mysterious, bespectacled superintendent, is charged with commanding Warrior in the field and administering their various missions as they arise.

The series chronicles the team members' adventures as they slowly track down a sinister city plot involving the manufacture and distribution of military armaments.

It was preceded by the AIC's OVA miniseries Burn-Up W, although there are some inconsistencies with several elements, the most notable of which is the malevolent and calculating Ruby, who seems to be a completely different character altogether in Burn-Up Excess, despite the two anime being considered canon.

Characters

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Main characters

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Team Warrior

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Rio Kinezono
Voiced by: Yuka Imai (Japanese); Amanda Winn Lee (English)
This busty blonde is the main protagonist of the series. She's trained in martial arts and is always the person leading an attack. She likes to look good and loves buying pretty things. Unfortunately, her spending habits keep her in eternal debt, so she's always looking for good-paying jobs to support her lifestyle. She has a desk job working for the police in Policetown and counts on work with Team Warrior to pay her bills. Always trying to find the easy way out, she tries to hook up with any rich guy she can find in the hopes that he'll be able to buy her all the pretty things she desires.
Maki Kawazaki
Voiced by: Mami Kingetsu (Japanese); Beth Wernick (English)
Team Warrior's commander and a no-nonsense type of leader. She was awarded the command to distract her from her investigation into Black Diamonds. She married fellow investigator Masato who was killed in an explosion on a boat on their wedding day.
Lilica Ebett
Voiced by: Sakura Tange (Japanese); Kimberly Yates (English)
The computer expert of the group, with pink hair done up in bows. Lilica is usually seen in a control room and has the ability to hack into computer systems and provide intelligence support to the rest of the group.
Maya Jingu
Voiced by: Maya Okamoto (Japanese); Lani Minella (English)
Maya loves her guns and treats them like her men. She has green hair and is almost always seen wearing a headband.
Nanvel Candlestick
Voiced by: Yuri Amano (Japanese); Allison Keith (English)
Team Warrior's resident engineering wizard. She is the one responsible for creating a lot of the high-tech gadgets the team uses. She has a bad habit of coloring her creations either purple or pink.
Yuji Naruo
Voiced by: Ryotaro Okiayu (Japanese); Jason Lee (English)
Yuji is the only male in the group and the team's vehicle expert. He has a crush on Rio, much to her chagrin. He is a lover of female legs and undergarments and a great example of a hentai (pervert). He has a bad habit of showing up in the girls' locker room while they're either changing or taking a shower.
Rio's boss
Rio's boss is always pushing Rio to finish her work. She tries to use her charms on him to let her off the hook.

Neo Tokyo Police

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Miyuki
Miyuki is Rio's friend from the police academy. She works as a traffic cop.
Miyuki's boss
Just like Rio, Miyuki is constantly in trouble with her boss.

Other characters

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Osaka

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Jingu Syndicate
A crime syndicate in Osaka run by Maya's father.
Maya's father
The boss of the Jingu crime syndicate in Osaka.
Bob
The redheaded member of the Jingu crime syndicate in Osaka.
Ken
A chubby guy who wears glasses and is a member of the Jingu crime syndicate in Osaka.
Tommy
A member of the Jingu crime syndicate in Osaka.
Yamada
A tall guy who wears glasses and is a member of the Jingu crime syndicate in Osaka.
Gondo Construction
An aggressive company bent on land development in Osaka and eliminating the Jingu crime syndicate.

Neo Tokyo

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Ramen shop owners
The couple that owns the ramen shop next to Police Town. They have two children, a boy and a girl.
Chi Mama
The leader of a group of cross-dressing thieves and owner of a nightclub. He generally refers to Rio by a pet name of "Stephanie".
Underwear thief
A masked thief who travels around Tokyo, stealing women's underwear, but he is actually a cram school student.
Prince Hasan
The heir to a powerful oil company in the Middle East, he arrives in Tokyo and requests protection from the Warriors. Rio hoped to marry him and get him to pay off her debts until she found out that he is a pervert.
Thunderstorm
A group that wants to kill Prince Hasan to cause disorder in the Middle East.
Henry
An advanced strategic tank with artificial intelligence and multiple forms of advanced weaponry, from standard machine guns to a large pulse cannon capable of destroying an entire division of standard tanks in seconds. One of Team Warrior's missions is to escort Henry from Japan to Switzerland.

Antagonists

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Ruby
Ruby is the woman that coordinates much of the criminal activity against which Team Warrior fights. It is apparent that she has a considerable amount of funding for her criminal operations. She visits Tokyo to host a fashion show disguised as designer Miriam Bardo. She is also very adept in hand-to-hand combat.
Harry
Ruby's boss and with scars on his hand and face. He was the husband of Maki whose hand was scarred when he saved her from a crazed gunman. He was supposedly killed in an explosion on a boat on their wedding day. He survived and turned to crime and the underworld, becoming an international arms dealer.
Drone bugs
Used by the Ruby and the Dawn Mirage to take over Neo Tokyo Tower.
Shiguru Tomoyama
Former prime minister of Japan who becomes involved with the production of mechanized police and military personnel.
Mecha Cops
The Mecha Cops are robotic police manufactured by the Sukurada factory under the control of the former prime minister Shiguru Tonoyama and sold to the Neo Tokyo police. They have advanced artificial intelligence with black diamond CPUs, and are impervious to most normal weaponry. They are designed to subdue criminals using non-lethal force. They have many other features, including the ability to run faster than speeding cars and interface directly with computer systems in Police Town for quick data retrieval.

Nanvel's inventions

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As the group's electronics expert, Nanvel's job is to design and build machines to help the team achieve its goals.

Pin-Ele
Pin-Ele is a giant pink elephant that Nanvel advertises as an Optical Diet Machine. It is able to project a hologram over someone to make that person look slimmer. People who want to change their looks wear receptors shaped like flowers on their heads and Pin-Ele transmits the new images to those receptors which are then projected over their wearers. During the series, she builds three versions of the machine, each smaller than the last. The final version is so small that it can be carried around by one person.
Pink Cockroach
A pink device the size and shape of a cockroach, designed to sneak into inaccessible locations and transmit audio and video back to the team. It can also be used as a communications device. Nanvel also states that if the cockroach's wings are opened, it can be used as a hand grenade although this function is never demonstrated.
Pink Rabbit
This is a giant pink robot shaped like a rabbit. Nanvel rides in a large glass bubble that makes the rabbit's head. It doesn't have any weapons, but it has heavy armor and is able to punch, kick, and shoot its hands off like pop guns. She uses the rabbit to help fight the super androids in the last episode.

Episode list

[edit]

Episodes 8 to 12 contain short segments at the end of each episode called "Yuji's Additional Theater", mainly focusing on Yuji's attempts to film the female characters in their underwear.

No.TitleOriginal release date
1"Warrior Team Deploys"
Transliteration: "WARRIOR shutsudou" (Japanese: WARRIOR出動)		December 12, 1997 (1997-12-12)
Rio eats in a ramen shop next door to Police Town because it's the only place she can afford. Suddenly, the Neo Neo Tokyo Tower just down the street is attacked by a swarm of robotic insects and the Dawn Mirage terrorist group takes its occupants hostage. Team Warrior is summoned to rescue them. Maya fires an EMP grenade that disables the drones and Rio goes into action, disabling the terrorists and freeing the hostages. However, the mastermind, Ruby, is pretending to be a hostage and is controlling the terrorist attack which is a cover to infiltrate and embed a Code Scrambler in the tower's control system.
2"Undies, Go!"
Transliteration: "Shitagi de GO!" (Japanese: 下着でGO!)		TBA
Neo Tokyo is undergoing a series of jewelry thefts. Meanwhile, Rio is in need of money to pay her debts, but Team Warrior is assigned to a low paying job tracking down a women's underwear thief. However, Rio, the thief and leg fetishist Yuji stumble upon clues to the mastermind behind the jewelry thefts after they encounter the cross-dressing Chimama gang in a bar. Although Rio and Team Warrior crack the case, the costs she incurred in the process wiped out any possible bonus, so Rio still has to get a part-time job to pay her debts.
3"From the Desert With Love!"
Transliteration: "Sabaku yori ai wo komete" (Japanese: 砂漠より愛をこめて)		TBA
Middle Eastern Prince Hasan visits Neo Tokyo and needs protection. A group called Thunderstorm is planning to kill the prince and cause chaos in his country. Rio's excited about the job because she hopes that she can marry him for his money and pay off her debts. Secretly, she takes him to a favorite spot of hers, Gasoline Town, where thieves and miscreants rule. While enjoying their time alone, they are captured and taken aboard a booby-trapped tanker. As the situation become more dire, Rio sees the opportunities for a big bonus escalating and she manages to get the prince to safety. As a reward, he offers her a piece of desert which she declines, only to find out later that it was rich in oil reserves.
4"Rogue Father"
Transliteration: "Gokudō Fāzā" (Japanese: 極道ファーザー)		TBA
Maya travels to Osaka to visit her sick father, the boss of the Jingu crime syndicate. When she arrives, she finds the Gondo construction company is trying to take over the area including the family home. Team Warrior investigations reveal that Gondo is also involved in illegal arms dealing, and the Jingu group infiltrate an arms auction aboard an airship. When Maya gets her hands on the weapons, she lets loose, bringing down the airship, leading to the arrest of the Gondo group and the captain. Unfortunately, the mastermind, Ruby escapes.
5"An Idol Never Sleeps!"
Transliteration: "Aidoru wa nemurenai…" (Japanese: アイドルは眠れない…)		TBA
Rio is given the mission of protecting pop star Anna Katagowa from a stalker, while Ruby must attend a conference to sell data on a Super Stealth Missile and other weapons. However, Ruby's special pen with the data stored in Liquid Memory Particles is accidentally switched when Ruby bumps into Anna, but Maki realizes its importance. Meanwhile, Rio takes Anna to Gasoline Town where they get drunk together. Days later, Ruby attacks Anna to retrieve the pen but is intercepted by Rio, meanwhile Anna is attacked by the stalker who turns out to be her building caretaker. Because Ruby eventually escaped with the pen, Team Warrior gets no reward although Anna decides to follow Rio's advice to do what she really wants and becomes an Enka singer.
6"Rambo Bravo! Rio Bimbo!"
Transliteration: "Ranbo! Buraboo! Rio binboo!" (Japanese: ランボ!　ブラボ―!　利緒ビンボ―!)		TBA
In a flashback to Rio's days before joining Team Warrior, Maki first meets Rio working behind the counter in a convenience store to earn extra money for her debts. Maki witnesses her fighting skills as Rio takes down a thief who's trying to rob the store. After putting Rio through some tests, Maki asks her to join Team Warrior, but Rio refuses. However, after Rio rescues her fellow officer Miyuki in a hostage situation, the reward money convinces her that Team Warrior is the place for her.
7"Short Vacation"
Transliteration: "Shooto Bakeeshon" (Japanese: ショ―ト・バケ―ション)		TBA
Maki goes to the airport preparing to take off on her annual vacation, visiting the site where her husband Masato died in a shipboard explosion on their wedding day. While she is gone, Miyuki discovers possible evidence of a murder in the bathroom, Lilica finds evidence of a hacker who's been in the police's computer system erasing data and officers throughout Police Town discover that many of their personal possessions are missing. As well, an old lady pesters the police to find her missing boy Takuya or "Tah". Rio begins an investigation into the recent events, deducing that there is a single culprit within the Police Department. However, the Police Profiler Masuoka, says that Rio is the guilty one and she is arrested. Continuing their investigation, the Team Warrior finally trap the culprit: the old lady's pet crow Tah.
8"Nanvel Kidnapped!"
Transliteration: "Nanberu Yūkai Jiken" (Japanese: ナンベル誘拐事件)		TBA
Nanvel wins the prize for Inventor of the Year for her Optical Diet Machine Pin-Ele which can change a person’s appearance. Walking home from a celebratory dinner, she and Rio are kidnapped by the Chimama gang and Nanvel is forced to construct a version of her illusion machine to make them invisible so they can carry out bank robberies. They dump Rio because of the cost of feeding her huge appetite. Rio then helps Team Warrior trace the criminals by their exotic food purchases to please Nanvel. Team Warrior catches them in the act of robbing a bank using the device and Maki forces Nanvel to destroy Pin-Ele. The episode ends with a fake TV test card onscreen.
9"Slam Tank Part 1"
Transliteration: "Suramu Tanku (zenpen)" (Japanese: スラム・タンク（前編）)		TBA
Rio is given the task of guarding Henry, a United Nations VIP which turns out, to her disappointment, to be a high tech tank rather than a handsome man. Their transport airplane is hijacked by the pilots who are working for Ruby and crashes in the Desanian desert, where Rio and the tank are the only survivors. The Desanian leader sends a division of tanks in pursuit, but Henry destroys them when they attempt to capture it. Lilica and Nanvel hack into a Desanian satellite and manage to trace Rio and Henry's location.
10"Slam Tank Part 2"
Transliteration: "Suramu Tanku (kōhen)" (Japanese: スラム・タンク（後編）)		TBA
Rio and Henry the tank are stranded in the Desanian desert and must find their way to the border while evading capture. Rio eventually establishes a rapport with Henry, but they are captured by Ruby and the Desanian leader who try to analyse the tank, but are unable to understand how it operates. Rio realizes she must to activate the self-destruct instruction to destroy Henry but she cannot do it. When the Desanian troops are about to eliminate Rio as being of no further use, a satellite beam activates Henry, and the tank goes on the attack, defeating the Desanian forces but being badly damaged in the process. Rio and Henry limp to the border and are picked up by Team Warrior and returned to Japan where they discover Henry’s intelligence is stored in the satellite. Rio promptly spends the reward money on fashion items.
11"Watch Out for the Mecha Cop!"
Transliteration: "Mekakoppu ni goyoujin" (Japanese: メカコップに御用心)		TBA
To avoid being captured by the police, bank robbers raid a local pre-school and take hostages. As the police are try to handle the situation, a business man arrives and sends in a highly advanced android Mecha Cop who quickly subdues the criminals using non-lethal force. Over the next few days, the Mecha Cops show their many other skills and begin serving as policemen. However, Nanvel and the rest of Team Warrior are suspicions because the Mecha Cops seem to be too advanced to be real. Nanvel discovers they are each controlled by a black diamond, made from a thousand compressed diamonds. Maki links this discovery to a case that her fiancee Masato was working on when he was killed. Unexpectedly, the Mecha Cops begin to malfunction, but Team Warrior is able to defeat them and claim a large reward.
12"Invitation from the Past"
Transliteration: "Kako kara no shoutaijou" (Japanese: 過去からの招待状)		TBA
Maki dresses the girls up in school uniforms and sends them on a field trip to the Sukurada factory which manufactures the Mecha Cops. They do not find much, but they do discover some important people are involved, including the former prime minister Shiguru Tonoyama. In a flashback, it is shown that Maki was offered the job to lead the Warrior team to remove her from the black diamond investigation. Miriam Bardo, a famous fashion designer arrives in Neo Tokyo to put on a fashion show and Maki recognizes the scar on her partner's had as the same as on her fiancé Masato, obtained when he saved her from a crazed gunman. The designer is really Ruby, who has smuggled black diamonds into Japan for Tonoyama. Meanwhile, Rio and Nanvel infiltrate the factory and discover the illegal manufacture of battle androids. Maki confronts her chief with the evidence, but he does nothing so she and Team Warrior take matters into their own hands. They become involved in a shoot-out with the battle androids, but when the Armored Riot Squad arrives, Team Warrior are accused of being terrorists as well and come under fire. Meanwhile Masato reveals himself to Maki as being the mastermind behind the diamond smuggling operation.
13"The Last Stage of Goodbye"
Transliteration: "Ketsubetsu no Rasuto Suteeji" (Japanese: 訣別のラストステ―ジ)		July 1, 1998 (1998-07-01)
At the completion of the fashion show, Miriam Bardo reveals a new type of advanced female battle android to the world. They open fire on the audience displaying amazing agility, speed and power and can even heal themselves during battle and easily defeat the Armored Riot Squad who goes to the rescue. Meanwhile, Masato tells Maki how he found that Tonoyama was behind boat explosion, and how he turned to crime and the underworld. He became an international arms dealer called Harry and has embedded his control program into the logic core of the Neo Tokyo Tower. Masato then kills Tonoyama and asks Maki to join him, but she refuses. Team Warrior manages to escape through the sewers and arrive at the noodle store. They then confront the police chief over his corruption, recording his confession. Team Warrior then goes to Neo Tokyo Tower where Maki tells them to destroy the logic core of the tower which controls the battle androids and they save the day. Later, a new police chief is appointed, looking a lot like Ruby.

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Burn-Up Excess

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Burn-Up Excess is a Japanese anime television series produced by AIC and Japan, animated by Magic Bus, and directed by Shinichiro Kimura. The series consists of 13 episodes that originally aired weekly from December 12, 1997, to July 1, 1998, on Japan. It serves as a direct sequel to the 1996 OVA Burn Up W, continuing the story of Team Warrior, an elite all-female anti-terrorist squad within the Neo-Tokyo Police Department's . The narrative centers on the team's high-stakes missions against criminal organizations and terrorists in a futuristic Neo-Tokyo, blending intense action sequences with comedic elements and prominent fanservice. Key members include Maki Kawasaki, the team's composed leader; Rio Kinezono, the impulsive and debt-ridden field operative; Nanvel Candlestick, an enthusiastic firearms expert; Lilica Ebett, the shy computer hacker; Maya Jingu, the composed sniper; and Yuji Naruo, the team's sole male officer providing support. Throughout the series, the plot explores the characters' backstories, interpersonal dynamics, and confrontations with antagonists like the terrorist leader Ruby and the shadowy figure known as "Harry," while uncovering connections to past events from Burn Up W. Burn-Up Excess is notable for its exaggerated character designs, particularly emphasizing the female leads' physiques, which contributed to its reputation as an ecchi anime with satirical undertones on police procedurals. The series was licensed in North America by ADV Films, who released it on VHS and DVD between 2002 and 2003, and it remains part of the broader Burn Up! franchise that includes earlier OVAs and a later 2004 television adaptation titled Burn-Up Scramble.

Overview

Premise

Burn-Up Excess is set in near-future Neo Tokyo, a technologically advanced metropolis plagued by sophisticated crime syndicates and that test the limits of conventional policing. The story centers on Team Warrior, an elite anti-terrorism unit within the Neo Tokyo Police Department, consisting mostly of female operatives trained for high-risk missions against and terrorist threats. Led by the composed chief Maki, the team features Rio, a skilled but financially irresponsible martial artist; Maya, the composed sniper; Lilica, a proficient computer ; Nanvel, an enthusiastic firearms expert; and Yuji, the unit's male helicopter pilot with voyeuristic tendencies. Team Warrior's primary objective involves probing a clandestine network orchestrated by the enigmatic "Harry," which supplies military-grade weaponry and engages in corporate to undermine security in the city. Their operations include disrupting arms rackets and countering attacks by , a formidable terrorist agent loyal to the shadowy cabal behind these activities. As a to the 1996 OVA , the series retains the core team dynamic but introduces minor canon divergences in character backstories, such as alterations to Maki's history. The narrative fuses action-packed sequences with comedic elements and fan-service, highlighting the team's quirky personalities and exaggerated mission scenarios, including wardrobe malfunctions and absurd tactical blunders amid intense confrontations.

Release history

Burn-Up Excess premiered in on December 12, 1997, airing exclusively on Japan, and concluded on July 1, 1998, for a total of 13 episodes. The broadcast schedule was irregular, with significant gaps between airings, including a three-month hiatus after the early episodes before resuming in May 1998. In , ADV Films licensed the series and released it on and DVD starting in 2002, with four volumes covering all episodes; the releases included a unique "Jiggle Counter" feature that tracked instances of fan-service animation for each main female character. The English dub, produced by ADV, featured voice actors such as as Rio Kinezono, as Maya Jingu, and Kimberly Yates as Lilica Ebett. Internationally, the series received subtitled and dubbed releases in regions including the through ADV Films (UK) and via , utilizing the same English dub as the North American version. As of November 2025, Burn-Up Excess lacks official streaming availability on major platforms such as or , and its releases are following the dissolution of ADV Films.

Production

Development

Burn-Up Excess originated as a direct sequel to the 1996 OVA miniseries , also produced by (AIC), which consisted of three episodes and established the core concept of the elite all-female Team Warrior unit in a near-future Neo-Tokyo setting. The success of , particularly its mix of police action and prominent elements, led AIC to expand the project into a full 13-episode television series format to further explore the characters and capitalize on the franchise's growing appeal among adult audiences. Development of the series began in the wake of 's release in October 1996, with planning and production ramping up through 1997 as exports to international markets, including , saw increased demand. AIC greenlit the project that year, partnering with Magic Bus for animation and involving ADV Films in co-production efforts to facilitate a push for overseas distribution and dubbing. This timeline aligned with broader trends in the late 1990s industry, where OVAs like were leveraged into TV series to meet rising global interest. During pre-production, key decisions focused on amplifying the ecchi humor and high-octane action to distinguish Burn-Up Excess from its predecessor, with AIC producers emphasizing suggestive character designs and comedic scenarios to target fans of the original's boundary-pushing style. The series composition by Kazumi Koide incorporated ongoing arcs for Team Warrior to create a cohesive extended narrative.

Animation and staff

Burn-Up Excess was primarily produced by AIC, with animation handled by Magic Bus. The series was directed by Shinichiro Kimura, who helmed several episodes and contributed to its action-comedy timing. Key production staff included producers Kinya Watanabe and Yoshiyuki Matsuzaki from AIC, alongside Takeshi Akabane from Japan. The writing was led by series composer Kazumi Koide, who shaped the episodic structure. Music composition was handled by Koichi Namiki and Shinobu Uchida, incorporating energetic tracks for action sequences and themes performed by artists like Mami Kingetsu for the opening "Show Time." The Japanese voice cast featured Yuka Imai as Rio Kinezono, Maya Okamoto as Maya Jingu, Sakura Tange as Lilica Ebett, Yuri Amano as Nanvel Candlestick, and Ryotaro Okiayu as Yuji Naruo. The English dub, produced by ADV Films, included as Rio, as Maya, Kimberly Yates as Lilica, Allison Keith as Nanvel, and Beth Wernick as Maki Kawasaki. As a late-1990s television , Burn-Up Excess employed traditional 2D , emphasizing exaggerated physics and dynamic poses to highlight elements during comedic and action scenes. Budget constraints typical of the era led to static backgrounds and simpler in dialogue-heavy segments, with more fluid motion reserved for combat and chase sequences.

Plot

Overall synopsis

Burn-Up Excess follows the formation of Team Warrior, an elite anti-terrorism unit within the Neo-Tokyo Police Department, tasked with addressing escalating criminal activities in the futuristic metropolis. The series begins with the team's assembly, comprising skilled operatives who undertake initial missions to dismantle illicit arms deals and robbery networks threatening public safety. These early operations uncover connections to a larger terrorist drug syndicate operating in the shadows of Neo Tokyo, setting the stage for the team's high-stakes interventions. As the narrative progresses, the threats intensify with the syndicate's coordinated attacks, including the deployment of advanced robotic insects and other high-tech weaponry against key . Personal dimensions emerge, particularly for team leader Maki Kawasaki, whose past intertwines with the enigmatic figure "Harry," later revealed to be her presumed-dead husband Masato, adding emotional depth to the syndicate's machinations. The team navigates these escalating dangers through a mix of tactical prowess and improvised strategies, balancing intense action sequences with lighter moments of camaraderie. Recurring elements include comedic mishaps, such as rookie Yuji Naruo's habitual voyeuristic blunders, and tropes like frequent wardrobe malfunctions during battles, which underscore the series' blend of humor and sensuality. The story builds to a climactic confrontation at Neo Tokyo Tower, where betrayals within the organization come to light, leading to gadget-enhanced battles against the syndicate's core forces. Team Warrior employs their specialized skills and inventions to thwart the trafficking plot at its heart, resolving the central conflict with a decisive victory. The series concludes with the team reaffirming their commitment to ongoing police duties in Neo Tokyo, tying up narrative threads from prior installments while hinting at future challenges without unresolved loose ends.

Characters

Team Warrior

Team Warrior is the elite all-female (with one male exception) unit of the Neo Tokyo Police Department, specializing in high-risk missions against terrorists and criminal syndicates. The team combines martial prowess, tactical expertise, technological innovation, and aerial support to execute operations that exceed standard police capabilities. Led by a disciplined , the members exhibit a mix of professional skills and personal quirks that drive both their successes and comedic mishaps during deployments. Rio Kinezono serves as the team's lead field operative and martial artist, excelling in during close-quarters engagements. Known for her impulsive shopping habits and pursuit of wealthy suitors to alleviate her chronic financial woes, Rio's precocious and materialistic personality often injects levity into tense situations, though her bravado sometimes leads to reckless actions. Her contributions include spearheading assaults and providing frontline muscle, drawing on her background as a desk sergeant who joined for supplemental income. Maki Kawasaki acts as the strict commander of Team Warrior, overseeing mission planning and deployment with her tactical acumen and leadership experience. Presumed widowed from a painful past that weighs heavily on her enigmatic demeanor, Maki bears the burdens of command, maintaining discipline amid the team's chaos and ensuring operational integrity. She frequently coordinates from the field or base, directing resources to counter threats effectively. Lilica Ebett functions as the team's and , delivering real-time technical support from the control room. Her bubbly and sprightly personality contrasts with her sharp tech skills, allowing her to breach systems and relay critical data during missions. Lilica's role is pivotal in providing , such as hacking enemy communications or analyzing surveillance feeds on the fly. Maya Jingu is the designated , renowned for her obsession with sharpshooting and extensive knowledge of firearms. Despite her gun-crazy enthusiasm, Maya maintains a calm and focused demeanor in , delivering precise long-range support to cover team advances. Her green-haired appearance and are signature traits, and she often flanks Rio in field operations to neutralize distant threats. Nanvel Candlestick, the eccentric engineer and American expatriate, invents specialized gadgets with a penchant for pink and purple themes, enhancing the team's versatility. Her quirky creativity drives the development of unconventional weapons and tools, often explosive or deceptive in nature, tailored to mission needs. Key inventions include:
  • Pink Cockroach Device: A compact tool resembling a that infiltrates restricted areas to transmit audio and video feeds, doubling as a for explosive diversions.
  • Heart-Shaped Bombs: Themed explosives designed for area denial or targeted destruction, emphasizing Nanvel's stylistic flair while packing significant destructive power.
  • Net-Shooting Gun: A that deploys restraining nets to capture suspects without excessive force, useful in crowd control scenarios.
  • Invisibility Suit: A camouflaging garment that renders the wearer optically for stealth infiltrations, aiding covert entries.
  • Universal Hacking Device: A portable tool capable of breaching various computer systems remotely, complementing Lilica's efforts in cyber operations.
  • Pinel (Giant Elephant): A holographic projector disguised as a large , used for creating illusory distractions or slimming visual effects in disguises.
  • Pink Robot: An armored mech in rabbit form, providing heavy and mobility for direct confrontations.
Yuji Naruo provides piloting and vehicular support as the team's sole male member, often serving as through his voyeuristic tendencies and leg fetish. Frequently finding himself in compromising positions due to his perversions, Yuji handles transport via helicopters or cars, ensuring rapid extraction or insertion during missions. His skills keep the team mobile, though his antics strain group interactions. The dynamics within Team Warrior blend tight-knit camaraderie with underlying rivalries, fostering resilience in high-stakes environments. Rio's bold bravado frequently clashes with Maki's rigid discipline, sparking tension that motivates sharper execution, while Lilica's cheerfulness and Nanvel's eccentricity lighten the mood. Maya's stoic focus and Yuji's humor round out the group, creating a balanced unit where personal flaws enhance rather than hinder collective contributions to Neo Tokyo's security.

Neo Tokyo Police and allies

The Neo Tokyo Police Department functions as the overarching institution in the series, providing the framework for Team Warrior's specialized anti-terrorism efforts while embodying bureaucratic constraints that limit broader departmental resources. At the helm is the Police Chief, voiced by in the Japanese version, who serves as an overbearing authority figure responsible for assigning high-stakes missions to elite units like Team Warrior. His role highlights internal politics, often clashing with the team's independent style through strict oversight and protocol enforcement, which underscores the department's hierarchical nature and occasional resource shortages for routine operations. Supporting officers include figures like Miyuki Fujidera, a traffic cop and longtime friend of Rio Kinezono from the police academy, who occasionally lends backup during investigations. Voiced by Ayako Shiraishi in Japanese, Miyuki appears in episodes 6 and 7, where she aids in uncovering evidence related to a murder plot, representing the everyday beat cops who handle standard duties amid the city's chaos. Her unnamed boss, a strict supervisor, frequently reprimands her for minor lapses, illustrating the pressures on non-elite personnel and contrasting with Team Warrior's specialized autonomy. Generic detectives and patrol officers provide sporadic assistance in cross-city cases, emphasizing the department's reliance on Warrior for complex threats while regular forces manage baseline security. Non-combat allies among Neo Tokyo civilians, such as local informants or witnesses, contribute indirectly to probes into and , offering contextual support without direct involvement in combat. The Mecha Cops, advanced robotic units acquired by the department, act as mechanical allies equipped with and non-lethal weaponry, deployed in episode 11 to bolster operations against escalating threats.

Antagonists

The primary antagonists in Burn-Up Excess are and Harry, who lead a shadowy criminal organization involved in and terrorist operations against Neo Tokyo. serves as the operational mastermind, coordinating high-stakes attacks and schemes while maintaining a facade of elegance. She poses as Miriam Bardo, a renowned fashion designer, to infiltrate and facilitate her illicit activities, such as unveiling advanced battle androids during a public to mask their deployment in criminal enterprises. Driven by greed and a desire for profit through illegal arms deals, orchestrates the of into the city, employing ruthless tactics like deploying drone bugs for tower assaults that endanger civilians and . Her key traits include exceptional skills and a deceptive charm that conceals her brutality, allowing her to manipulate criminal networks and evade detection. Harry, Ruby's superior and a scarred international arms dealer, provides the strategic oversight and resources for their operations. Revealed to be Masato, the presumed-dead husband of Team Warrior leader Maki, he faked his demise in a wedding-day ship explosion to escape his past life and pursue a career in black-market weapons trading. His motivations stem from deep resentment toward and the system that he believes failed him, fueling a revenge-driven agenda to undermine government control through escalating threats like diamond smuggling and attempts to seize the Neo Tokyo Tower's logic core. Harry collaborates closely with Ruby to introduce cutting-edge android weaponry, blending ideological opposition to authority with personal vendettas in their culminating assault plans. Supporting the duo are various syndicate members, including henchmen from groups like Dawn Mirage and corporate collaborators who smuggle military tech into Neo Tokyo for profit and power. These operatives execute on-the-ground tasks, such as hostage-taking at key landmarks and assassinations aimed at destabilizing regional stability, all while embodying the antagonists' collective greed and anti-establishment ideology. Their tactics—marked by advanced and unyielding aggression—stand in stark contrast to the protagonists' defensive heroism, highlighting the villains' commitment to chaos for personal gain.

Media adaptations

Episode list

Burn-Up Excess aired for 13 episodes exclusively on DirecTV Japan from December 12, 1997, to July 1, 1998.
EpisodeTitleAir dateSummary
1Warrior Team Deploys!December 12, 1997The series introduces Team Warrior, a special unit of the Neo-Tokyo Police, as they assemble for their first major mission involving a hostage crisis at Neo Tokyo Tower caused by a terrorist group's robotic insect attack.
2Undies, Go!December 12, 1997Rio investigates a bizarre series of thefts targeting women's underwear, leading the team to suspect a larger criminal operation in Neo-Tokyo.
3From the Desert with Love!January 9, 1998Team Warrior is tasked with providing security for a Middle Eastern prince visiting Japan, navigating assassination threats and international intrigue.
4Rogue FatherJanuary 9, 1998Maya returns to Osaka to check on her ailing father, the head of a crime syndicate, only to discover her family entangled in corporate extortion schemes.
5An Idol Never Sleeps!February 13, 1998The team goes undercover to protect a famous pop idol from a persistent stalker, while dealing with internal mishaps involving lost equipment.
6Short VacationFebruary 13, 1998With Maki away on leave, Rio takes charge in a quiet suburb to probe suspicious activities, blending routine patrol with unexpected action.
7Rambo Bravo! Rio Bimbo!February 13, 1998A flashback episode explores Rio's early recruitment into Team Warrior, highlighting her initial challenges and the team's formation.
8Nanvel Kidnapped!May 8, 1998Nanvel faces abduction by criminals seeking her expertise for a high-tech device, forcing the team to race against time; includes a "Yuji’s Additional Theater" bonus skit focusing on personal team dynamics.
9Slam Tank Part 1May 8, 1998Rio escorts a prototype tank on a transport mission that goes awry with a plane crash, stranding the team in a hostile desert environment; features a "Yuji’s Additional Theater" bonus skit exploring character backstories.
10Slam Tank Part 2June 1, 1998The team continues their desert survival ordeal with the tank, confronting escalating threats to deliver their cargo; includes a "Yuji’s Additional Theater" bonus skit on interpersonal tensions.
11Watch Out for the Mecha Cop!June 1, 1998Suspicious robotic police units appear during a bank heist response, prompting Team Warrior to investigate potential corruption; contains a "Yuji’s Additional Theater" bonus skit delving into personal stakes for the officers.
12Invitation from the PastJuly 1, 1998A fashion event turns chaotic as connections to the team's history and the rogue mecha cops surface, heightening personal risks; features a "Yuji’s Additional Theater" bonus skit on unresolved character arcs.
13The Last Stage of GoodbyeJuly 1, 1998Team Warrior confronts a climactic terrorist plot involving advanced android technology, bringing the series to its high-stakes resolution.

Home video and licensing

In North America, ADV Films released Burn-Up Excess on VHS and DVD starting in the early 2000s, with four individual volumes distributed between August 2002 and January 2003. The series was also compiled into a complete collection DVD set on April 27, 2004, containing all 13 episodes with English dubbing and subtitles. These releases featured unique extras, including production sketches, textless opening and ending sequences, promotional previews, and the proprietary "Jiggle Counter™," a feature tallying instances of character-specific fanservice moments during playback. Internationally, ADV Films handled distribution in the through a Region 2 DVD release titled Warrior Case Files under the ADV Classics Collection on September 18, 2006. In , served as the distributor for releases, including DVD editions adapted from ADV's North American masters. Following ADV Films' in 2009, the North American and UK licenses expired, leading to lapsed rights and no subsequent official re-releases in those regions. As of 2025, Burn-Up Excess lacks official streaming availability on major platforms such as or , with its prior listing on no longer accessible following that service's discontinuation. has become increasingly scarce, primarily available through secondhand markets, while unofficial fan-subtitled versions circulate online due to the absence of renewed licensing.

Reception and legacy

Critical reception

Burn-Up Excess received mixed reviews from critics and audiences, often praised for its energetic humor and action but criticized for its reliance on and lack of narrative depth. On , the series holds a rating of 6.6 out of 10 based on 1,197 user votes (as of November 2025). users rated it 6.414 out of 10 from 427 ratings, reflecting a generally decent reception with the majority falling in the "Good" to "Decent" categories. scores it at 6.53 out of 10 from 5,176 users, positioning it as a mid-tier entry in the genre. Reviewers highlighted the series' strengths in and action sequences, describing it as a lighthearted, self-aware filled with absurd situations and memorable fights. The English dub was particularly commended for its energetic , featuring talents like and Allison Keith from the cast, which added a fun, punchy delivery to the characters' antics. Early reviews from the ADV Films era, such as one from Impulse Gamer awarding it 7.9 out of 10, praised its accessibility and entertainment value as a breezy watch for fans of the genre. Criticisms centered on the repetitive fan service, including frequent nudity and a "jiggle counter" gimmick, which overshadowed the thin plot and stereotypical character archetypes. One Anime News Network review called the animation mediocre and the story "silly and pointless," emphasizing the overemphasis on breasts at the expense of substance. Modern retrospectives, like a 2020 Bleeding Fool article, noted its nostalgic appeal as earnest "brain popcorn" but acknowledged it feels dated and politically insensitive by contemporary standards.

Cultural impact

Burn-Up Excess played a significant role in the genre by exemplifying the "panty fighter" style, where female characters engage in action sequences laced with heavy fanservice, often emphasizing and comedic exaggeration. This approach, blending high-octane police operations with overt , set a template for subsequent series that incorporated similar elements of group-based ecchi humor and visual gags. The series cultivated a among fans, particularly for its Jiggle Counter—a novelty feature on ADV Films' DVD releases that tallied instances of exaggerated , which the company trademarked in as a unique selling point. This gimmick became a hallmark of nostalgic discussions in communities, underscoring the show's unapologetic embrace of 1990s fanservice tropes. While specific memes tied to character fetishes like those of Yuji Naruo persist in online forums, the broader fan legacy centers on its earnest blend of absurdity and action, fostering enduring appreciation despite its age. On a broader scale, Burn-Up Excess contributed to the anime export boom in through ADV Films' licensing and distribution, one of its early efforts, which helped localize and distribute titles to Western audiences via satellite TV and . This effort aided in expanding the genre's visibility beyond niche markets, though the series' depictions of tropes—such as hyper-sexualized officers and fetishistic elements—have sparked critiques for reinforcing outdated stereotypes in action anime. As part of the larger Burn-Up franchise, which spans from the 1991 OVA to Burn-Up Scramble in 2004, the series lacks direct sequels but echoes in spiritual successors through its "cute " formula. Recent analyses, including a 2023 retrospective, have revived interest by highlighting its comedic legacy and potential for modern reboots amid shifting genre norms.

References

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  25. https://www.anisearch.com/anime/2375%2Cburn-up-excess
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  27. https://www.impulsegamer.com/igversion01/dvd/dvdburnupexcessvol1.htm
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  29. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2005-10-18/adv-registers-jiggle-counter-trademark
  30. https://vocal.media/geeks/anime-rise-in-the-us
  31. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/InternationalCoproduction
  32. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmtCVp20a0c
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