Every major franchise can be tracked to its modest beginnings. Before Rio, Maya, and Lilica took the stage, Maki, Yuka, and Reimi paved the way in Burn Up's inaugural installment. Bullets, breasts, and beautiful babes accompany the fast-paced police exploits through this short, yet satisfying adventure.

Within the first five minutes, viewers are given an ideal view of what is to come via a heated car chase that ends with someone's head being blown off. Unlike its descendants, Burn Up's plot is simple and to the point. Maki, Reimi, and Yuka are officers in a futuristic version of Tokyo. Apparently, in the future, whores are a dime a dozen. Therefore, the "white slave" trade has taken off. Of these futuristic flesh merchants, a man by the name of McCoy stands as one of the most infamous due to his success and untouchability. As one can expect, the three heroines decide to investigate without the proper permissions, which leads to Yuka's inevitable capture. While the plot seems fairly generic, it serves as merely a means to an end. The real attraction to Burn Up is its hefty doses of fanservice and violence, which are both delievered in a surprisingly lighthearted atmosphere. Humor, both clever and obvious is omnipresent, be it in witty images tucked in the background, or Banba's random appearances that entail the inevitable, somewhat creepy "Hello!"

Maki's assets bring all the neighborhood boys to her yard.	In the future, all women will fight crime in skin-tight leather.

Like any good fanservice feature, Burn Up! is packed to the gills with busty beauties. Maki, Reimi, and Yuka all appear to have the kind of breasts that can defy gravity and eclipse the sun, as well as the miraculous ability to walk (presumably) without pain. The male roles aren't completely forgotten, though, as Kenji proves to be a sculpted piece of man-meat that serves as fanservice for the female crowd. Banba serves as Kenji's balance, with his goofy looks and a need to wear shades twenty-four hours a day. Since Burn Up! hails from an era in which the OVA was king the feature benefits from a high cel-count which, as a result, means gorgeous animation. The feature pays close attention to detail with clean, fluid animation that cuts few corners.

Much of the soundtrack is what people would expect from an action flick. Wailing electric guitars and heavy synth provide much of the melodic force, especially in action scenes. At other times, the background tunes tend to be more forgettable techno beats. The feature's sole vocal theme, "Burn Up My Heart", is a catchy, bouncy piece that captures the playful nature of the main characters.

From start to finish, Burn Up! is an action-packed thrill ride. While it isn't overly deep, Burn Up! proves to be the ideal popcorn feature filled with fast-paced, gun-toting fanservicey fun.

Distributor: ADV Films
Creator: AIC
Released: 1991

Plot: B
Character Design: A
Animation Quality: A-
Music: B
Overall: B+