Since its 1990 release, Bubblegum Crisis prequel AD Police couldn’t seem to catch a break: due to clashes animation studio Artmic and production company Youmex, the series was cut short and only three OVAs were ever produced. Then, in 2015, AnimEigo announced plans for a Kickstarter to fund a film-to-digital transfer of the original 35mm print, but that never materialized, and in 2022, the company said in a Facebook comment that “film materials for ADP had been lost.”
But things seem to finally be looking up for the cult classic series. Turns out those film materials weren’t lost forever: at AnimEigo’s Anime Expo 2026 panel, the company announced a new AD Police 4K remaster from the original camera negative. The Blu-ray/4K UHD combo release will include updated subtitles, as well as the existing U.S. and U.K. dubs. It will also include a new interview with Lou Bonnevie, whose music is featured in AD Police. The company also shared some screenshots from the remaster and, even though they haven’t been color-corrected yet, they look incredibly promising.
A few screenshots from the new remaster.
These screenshots have not been color corrected yet. pic.twitter.com/hFObqjJnk6
— AnimEigo (@AnimEigo) July 3, 2026
AD Police follows Advanced Police (AD Police for short) officer Leon McNichol’s early days on the force. The organization’s purpose is to deal with crimes perpetrated by “Boomers,” or cyborgs. It is set in 2027, five years before the events of Bubblegum Crisis.
AnimEigo also announced the first English releases of Sakon the Ventriloquist, Drucker in the Dugout, and Baby & I, and the first HD release of House of Five Leaves.
The new AD Police remaster will release in January 2027. And if you want to catch up on Bubblegum Crisis before hand, the company has you covered with a Blu-ray set of the whole series.
io9 is on the ground at Anime Expo 2026. We’ll be bringing you updates on all the biggest panels, screenings, and announcements, plus exclusive one-on-one interviews with the people behind some of the best and most popular anime around. You can check out all of io9’s Anime Expo coverage here.
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