The Great Adventure of the Dirty Pair

The Dirty Pair #1

by Haruka Takachiho, Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (Illustrator)

Charged with keeping the peace and investigating crime among the stars, the Worlds Welfare Work Association (WWWA) prides itself on a reputation of safety and regard for life and property. If only someone would tell that to Agents Kei and Yuri, codename "the Lovely Angels," but better known as the Dirty Pair. Part female James Bond and part walking disaster, this duo gets the job done, though there are no guarantees that a city or two won't get razed in the process. In this adventure, the Angels are called in to investigate the cataclysmic destruction of the Gravus Heavy Industry facility on the planet Dangool. What they find there hurls the pair into a danger-filled trek across the galaxy. Created by popular science fiction author Haruka Takachiho in 1979, The Dirty Pair are among the most beloved characters in popular anime and science fiction circles.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Japan, Manga

251 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2007

About the author

高千穂 遙

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The “Dirty Pair” of the title are Kei and Yuri, two young interplanetary agents in the distant future who investigate crimes for the World Welfare Works Association or WWWA. They’re essentially female James Bond types who travel in their own space ship with their pet Mugi, which is essentially an intelligent, alien cat. Their code name is “the lovely angels” but because they’re famous for leaving death and destruction in their wake, they’ve come to be known as “the dirty pair.”

This volume contains the first two "Dirty Pair" novels. What I most enjoyed is that Kei and Yuri are strong, well defined characters. Kei is more hot-tempered and impulsive while Yuri is more thoughtful. It’s fun to see their camaraderie and how the situations regularly blow up for them to cause damage worthy of a contemporary superhero film. What I found a little annoying is that at times it feels like Kei and Yuri are Betty and Veronica from Archie comics each competing for the next cute boy, even in the midst of worlds blowing up around them.

The Dirty Pair novels are fun if you’re a fan of diverting science fiction stories with plenty of gun battles and explosions. Just don’t go in expecting a lot of depth. You can find strong women who will tell more thoughtful stories in other places.

[Patrick Conner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a huge fan of the anime growing up, and when I saw this at a used bookstore I had to pick it up.

This had exactly what I was expecting and some things I didn't. The book is a very fast paced zany sci-fi action buddy comedy, which is what I expected. What I didn't realize is that the anime adaptions turned the violence down several notches. I was a bit caught off guard by the amount of violent death in this.

That said it was still fun. It's pulpy goodness. The main characters Kei and Yuri bicker then make up while having adventures in a very broadly drawn space opera setting. And while wearing silver hot pants and halter tops. They just... also kill a hundred or so people in surprisingly bloody, well described ways. The author put a lot of thought into all the things you could do with a remote controlled flying knife.

16 year old me would have thought this was the best book ever. Older me still enjoyed it.

[John Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Dirty Pair" is my favorite anime series, and I had no idea that it had been based on this book, so I was excited to read it. It's very similar to the resulting show - Kei and Yuri are two beautiful (and vain) young ladies who are Trouble Consultants that end up causing almost as much trouble as that which they're solving. They call themselves "Lovely Angels" (their code name), but everyone else calls them the "Dirty Pair" because of their habit of accidentally destroying lots of property. This book is probably a bit over the top for some readers, but it's fast-paced fun. There's not much depth to the story, but you really don't need it to make too much sense - the ride is the thing.

[Kristofer Hamrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun light novel, don't expect any earth-shattering pros. This story thrives on the strength of its two main female protagonist, and the sandbox world that they get to inhabit, and the fact that the characters and setting have survive the test of time is a testament to the groundwork that was laid out in this first light novel.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Takachiho's work is dated at points (and was problematic even when written) but has within it the elements that launched the highly successful manga, anime, and movie series.

[Kelley Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty juvenile

[Miyagami Noriko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a fan of The Dirty Pair since forever. I remember them when their series was still airing the first time. I remember their Movie, their original OVA, the later OVA, and the OVA series. I even remember their cameo in the Crusher Joe movie. And I always knew they were based on a series of light novels, which apparently I read the first one once a long time ago, but I did not remember it--so here I go again.

Yuri (obviously the better one--objectively) and Kei are Trouble Consultants for a ginormous organization called the 3WA/WWWA or World Work and Welfare Association. They are very good at their job, which is to solve problems. They are so good at it in fact that when they are done, there is no problem anymore--ever--seriously, the planet the problem was on is gone. But, it is never their fault--because the 3WA computer clears them of any wrongdoing. Which means they have a perfect record and get deployed more.
This is a story of their work.

Sadly it is told from Kei's viewpoint. Did I mention that Yuri is objectively best girl?

The story is not going to win any prizes. It is kind of outdated. Being told from Kei's viewpoint means it spends a lot of time describing the physical characteristics of what I assume are her idea of tasty men, and because she is the inferior of the two TCs, she spends a lot of time complaining about being second fiddle to Yuri--see also pining.

It is a great book for people like me, but YMMV. If you do like it, give the anime a try: Dirty Pair TV, then Affair of Nolandia, Then the OVA series, then the Movie, then the OVA.

[Mike McDevitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I happened upon the 1985 anime series 'Dirty Pair' recently and fell in love with agents Kei & Yuri & Mugi and their madcap worlds.

So I set about online ordering the translation of the 1979 novel on which it was based, as well as the 1987 series and movies. Pretty much whatever I could get my hands on.

It's very cool. Recommended for boys, primarily, but could be enjoyed by most fans of sci-fi and out-there espionage. The book was slightly more serious and scads more violent than the TV series. For example: Yuri makes ready and uncompromising use of 'The Bloody Card', a razor-edged hovering metal weapon the size of a credit card that (as the name suggests) makes WITHDRAWLS of geysers of blood.

Don't worry- the agents of Lucifer are 100% guaranteed bad guys. 3WA types like Kei & Yuri are clearly in the right.

Mugi is a delight: I want a hyper-intelligent genetically engineered giant ridable cat for a friend. One who can fly spaceships and control the electromagnetic field with his ears.

[Made DNA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kei and Yuri work for the World Wide Welfare Association, a trouble consulting firm that helps local planetary governments throughout the known galaxy of 3000 worlds colonized by humans. In this debut novel Mr Takachiho, the Dirty Pair investigate two different crimes.

Told in first person from Kei's perspective, this is a great collection of two novellas. Expect over the top action, humor, sexy girls, laser gun fights and more. Perfect book for anyone who loves anime, pulp fiction, and/or Golden Age sci-fi.

[Tommy /|\ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book on which the Anime heroes are based off of. Its not a bad SciFi story...though its told from the first person perspective of Kei. Yuri is a secondary character that is communicated with in the story. Therefore, the inner thoughts solely belong to the character of Kei. The action segments are somewhat stilted and cheaply thought out - but considering that this was written with the aim of teaching young Japanese students how to read English novels - its not a bad book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, there is so much that the Dirty Pair anime left out from the novel - like Mugi's true abilities and the fact that Kei and Yuri are espers. Plus, they really earn their Dirty Pair nickname in the book, what with the massive casualty rate their missions usually end with. Still, was a fun pulpy sci-fi read! I just wish Dark Horse was still releasing this series in English - apparently, after the sequel to this one is when they stopped :(

[TheBigGSN5 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seems to have lost a lot in translation. Not nearly as appealing as the animated versions or Adam Warren's rendition. Certainly not as intelligent as Warren's version either.

[Erik Wirfs-Brock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably the least interesting version of the Dirty Pair I have watched/read, which is funny since this is the original, but it's not bad for a pulpy/stupid sf novel.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, but the translation sure is clunky.