Note: all of the DP novels are still in print and can be readily obtained from Japan through appropriate bookstores, except for the David Lewis translation of the first book (verified April 2006)

Much the same as is done here in America, the novels were often first published in Japan as "trade" paperbacks (5 x 7-1/2 in.) and later in regular paperback formats (4 x 6 in.)

Almost all of the novels have been through multiple printings: all known variant covers are presented below

You can see selected cover artwork and interior illustrations by clicking on the indicated images

Daatipea no Daibouken

Great Adventures of the Dirty Pair (1980)

two stories originally serialized in SF Magajin, February (#244) and October (#253) 1979

"Daatipea no Daibouken" <The Great Adventure 
     of the Dirty Pair>: 6 chapters;
"Sakaba nite (Daati Supeshyaru)" <At the Bar
    (Dirty Special)>: an epilogue of sorts;
"Inakamono Satsujin Jiken" <The Case of the
    Rustic Murder>: 10 chapters;
afterword by Nakashima Azusa

cover art and illustrations: Yasuhiko Yoshikazu

(click on either cover)

ISBN4-15-030121-2 (May 1980) [JA 121], 297 pages;
ISBN4-04-154401-7 (August 1983);
ISBN4-25-720204-1 (July 1990) &
                -720206-8 (Sept. 1991) [two audio cassettes!]

Daatipea no Daigyakuten

Great Return of the Dirty Pair (1985)

["The Dirty Pair Strike Again"]

originally serialized in SF Magajin, April to August 1985 (#324 - 28)

prologue, 5 chapters, epilogue; afterword by Kagami Akira

cover art and illustrations: Yasuhiko

(click on either cover)

ISBN4-15-203292-8 (July 1985);
ISBN4-15-030262-6 (April 1988) [JA 262], 339 pages

Doruroi no Arashi

Tempest on Dolroy (1986)

Crusher Dan meets the Dirty Pair

Crusher Joe Side Story #1: Dairansen is a re-telling of this story from the Angels' viewpoint

5 chapters

cover art: Yasuhiko

(click on either cover)

ISBN4-25-776363-9 (December 1986), 383 pages;
ISBN4-25-777001-5 (28 March 2003 - reissue of CJ series)

Daatipea no Dairansen

Great Turmoil of the Dirty Pair (1987)

["The Dirty Pair's Rough-and-Tumble"]

two stories originally serialized in SF Magajin, November 1985 to February 1987 (#331, 334 - 36, 345 - 47, & 349) and in March 1987 (#350)

the Dirty Pair meets Crusher Dan (Joe's dad);
plus the Dirty Pair meets Dragon Li


"Akumeroido Koroshi" <Akumeroid Killer>:
      prologue and 5 chapters;
"Soshite Daremo Shinakunatta" <And Then
     Nobody Played>: short story;
appendix: DP Fan Club News issue #51,
  from Nokuma(?) Asuza

cover art and illustrations: Yasuhiko

(click on either cover)

ISBN4-15-203325-8 (March 1987);
ISBN4-15-030300-2 (August 1989) [JA 300], 467 pages

Daatipea no Daidassou

Great Escape of the Dirty Pair (1993)

originally serialized in SF Magajin, March 1991 to December 1992 (#408 - 09, 411, 413, 415 - 17, 419 - 20, 423 - 25, 427 - 31, 433 - 435)

6 chapters and epilogue; afterword by Yasuhiko

cover art and illustrations: Yasuhiko

(click on either cover)

ISBN4-15-203551-X (March 1993);
ISBN4-15-030519-6 (July 1995) [JA519], 481 pages

Dokusaisha no Isan

Legacy of the Dictator (1998)

Dirty Pair Side Story: originally published on the Microsoft Network in Japanese and English translation, 1997

24 sections and epilog; afterword by Takachiho

cover art and illustrations: Yasuhiko,
computer graphic effects: Honda Shinichi

(click on either cover)

ISBN4-15-208181-3 (August 1998), 209 pages;
ISBN4-15-030655-9  [JA655] (10 January 2001)
[Note: the new printing is not illustrated]

Daatipea no Daifukkatsu

Great Resurrection of the Dirty Pair (2004)

["The Second Advent of the Dirty Pair"]

5 chapters and epilogue

cover art and frontispiece illustration: Yasuhiko

(click on cover)

ISBN 978-4-15-208584-9 (10 August 2004), 280 pages
ISBN 978-4-15-030876-6 [JA876] (24 January 2007)
 

Daatipea no Daiseifuku

Great Conquest of the Dirty Pair (2006)

["Dirty Pair, The Conqueror"]

5 chapters

cover art and illustrations: Yasuhiko

(click on cover -- soon...)

ISBN 978-4-15-208724-9 (30 April 2006), 318 pages

 

 

 English translation (1987) of first story and interlude from Daatipea no Daibouken

translation by David Lewis

Kodansha English Library, volume 30

intended for Japanese students of English

cover art: Yasuhiko (click on pic)

ISBN4-06-186030-5 (August 1987), 156 pages including translation notes

[Note: this book is out-of-print] 

Great Adventure of the Dirty Pair

North American release of English translation

ISBN1-59582-100-7
(13 June 2007, Dark Horse),
280 pages

includes 20 illustrations by Yasuhiko

 

Note: the Dirty Pair Flash novels follow a completely different story continuity, discussed in the "Flash" section; they also differ significantly from the DPF anime; unlike the other stories in the original series, these are told in third-person

Daatipea Flash 1 : Tenshi no Yuutsu

Dirty Pair Flash 1: Angels' Melancholy (1994)

["Angel with the Blues"]

originally serialized in SF Magajin, October (#458) and December (#460) 1994

introductory four-page manga; 5 chapters; afterword by Takachiho (and the Lovely Angels in a 1-1/2 page manga)

cover art, illustrations and manga: Rulia046

(click on either cover)

ISBN4-15-207893-6 (December 1994), 277 pages;
ISBN4-15-030614-1 [JA614] (May 1999) 
   

Daatipea Flash 2 : Tenshi no Hohoemi

Dirty Pair Flash 2: Angels' Smile (1997)

["Angelic Smile"]

5 chapters; afterword by Takachiho

cover art and illustrations: Rulia046

(click on either cover)

ISBN4-15-208061-2 (January 1997), 286 pages;
ISBN4-15-030619-2 [JA 619] (15 July 1999)
 

Daatipea Flash 3: Tenshi no Itazura

Dirty Pair Flash 3: Angels' Mischief (1999)

["Mischievous Angels"]

prologue, 5 chapters, and epilogue; afterword by Takachiho

cover art and illustrations: Rulia046

(click on cover)

ISBN4-15-030625-7 (30 September 1999) [JA 625], 285 pages

 

 

Credits

The discussion of the early history of Japanese science fiction comes from Japanese Science Fiction, by Robert Matthew (London: Routledge , 1989)

The quote from John Apostolou is from his introductory essay for The Best Japanese Science Fiction Stories, edited by John L. Apostolou and Martin H. Greenberg, with Grania Davis and Judith Merril as contributing editors (New York: Dembner Books, 1989)

The cover image from SF Magajin is from a Japanese site which has since disappeared.

 

Interviews

There are a few print interviews with Takachiho available in English (through a translator) in Anime UK #10 (1993), V-Max #7 (1993) , and Animerica 2, #5 (1994) [reprinted in Anime Interviews] and 5, #10 (1997).

There is an interview with Yasuhiko, reviewing his career, available in English (through a translator) in two parts in the double issues of Animerica 9, #8/9 and 10/11 (Aug./Sept. and Oct./Nov. 2001). A collection of his illustrations spanning thirty years, The Complete Works of Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, was published in Japan in December of 2000 (shown above).

 

Links (updated 1 March 2007)

Story blurbs and other details can be found at Wim von Vollenhoven's site in the Novels section, carrying information compiled by Matthew Davis for his now-vanished site.

Information on the various printings of the novels was kindly provided through a Kinokuniya search by Tiger Takahashi at Nihongo Circle.

You can see an announcement for the on-line novel on Takachiho's page at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan site. I have the cool animated banners for it spotted around this page [cycle is about 45 seconds long]; the artwork is by Yasuhiko.

If you'd like to see what the Author is doing, watching, and thinking about lately, you can visit his own Website, Takachiho Notes [in Japanese, natch]; you will find a journal of things he finds of interest, essays, announcements of upcoming publications, and even a picture gallery of his cat, Fu-chan!

the animated banner features DPF portraits by Rulia046

If you are also interested in Takachiho's premier series, Crusher Joe (which is even more popular in Japan than DP), you will find excellent coverage at the Japanese fan site, Joe's Room (mirrored here)

 

Forward to Classic DP