A.D. Police: To Protect and Serve

A.D. Police: To Protect and Serve was produced by studio AIC in 1999 as a twelve-episode television series that serves as a prequel to the broader Bubblegum Crisis universe. The series was designed to shift the focus toward the daily operational challenges of the Advanced Police, a specialized unit tasked with managing Voomer-related crimes in a dystopian, near-future Tokyo. By grounding the narrative in the grittier aspects of urban law enforcement, the production team aimed to explore the psychological toll on officers operating in a high-tech, high-risk environment.

The character designs and visual aesthetic were crafted to align with the late-nineties transition toward digital-assisted animation while maintaining the distinct cyberpunk sensibilities established in the original 1987 OAV series. Upon release, the series was noted for its departure from the high-flying, hero-centric themes of its predecessors, opting instead for a somber, procedural tone. While it received a polarized reception from long-time fans of the franchise, it remains a notable example of the era's attempt to expand established anime properties into more character-focused, episodic television storytelling.