Amanda Ross

Staff writer

Amr8469@psu.edu

“Brave Police J-Decker” is a Japanese cartoon that aired from February 5, 1994, to January 28, 1995. The series was produced by Sunrise Productions and was the fifth entry into a larger series known as the “Brave” series. Focusing on the robotic Brave Police and their human companion Yuuta Tomonaga, the show harkens back to classic mecha anime traditions while also introducing a much lighter tone fitting of its lower age rating. While Brave Police has faded into obscurity with the creation of its more popular peer, “Transformers,” it remains one of the highlights of toyetic children’s shows. 

The series follows Yuuta Tomonaga, a third-grader in the fictional city of Nanamagari in the late 21st century. After befriending the first Brave Police robot, Deckerd, Yuuta is placed in charge of the suddenly sentient robots and tasked with helping them navigate the human world while acting as the city disaster response squad. Each episode follows the team as they face a new monster or evil scientist, deepening their relationships with one another while also activating new powers. Brave Police fits in with many of its contemporaries, such as Voltron, by emphasizing the ability of the robots to transform and combine. This lends the robots a variety of forms, which is useful not only for their potential as marketing devices but also serves as one of the series highlights. 

Brave Police is concerned not only with flashy action scenes but with its characters. Yuuta and Deckerd, the police robot, act as the show’s emotional core, their original bond being what drove Deckerd to gain his sentience. The dynamics between each character within the team are vibrant and well thought out, with several episodes dedicated to developing these dynamics. The combining of the robots is typically accompanied by a particularly strong emotional beat between characters, whether that be their fellow robots or the human characters who influence the team. This enhances both the gaining of new members and the loss of old ones, each change meaningful. While it is not the only show to do so, Brave Police sticks out among similar shows of the time by daring to engage with its audience on a more complex level. 

Yet the mecha elements are not neglected either. The designs of the robots are simultaneously complex and expressive without losing detail. As well, in a cast of around eight by the time the series ends, each design remains unique. No two characters are given the same vehicle or theming. This principle also applies to the villains. In a 48-episode series that’s primarily a monster of the week format, it would be easy to rotate in the same few villains every few episodes. But Brave Police takes the time to craft multiple villains, leading to the futuristic setting becoming less of a backdrop and more of a lived-in world. 

Brave Police J-Decker is a series more than deserving of a watch. Its heart, superb animation, and overall message of the importance of emotional connection ring true even today. The series is available to watch on most anime streaming sites.