Tokusô sensha-tai Dominion

Dominion Tank Police (Parts 1-4) has always been among my favourite anime titles. Based on the SF/comedy manga series by well-known artist Masamune Shirow, it dealt with the titular Tank Police, patrolling in tanks instead of the usual patrol cars, and generally giving new meaning to the term `overkill'; the policemen themselves, while well-intentioned, are borderline psychopaths and almost as bad as the criminals they're after. None of this, however, is to be taken seriously. It's a lot funnier than it sounds, and the series doesn't take itself serious for a moment.

Later on, six additional episodes were made, and released in the West as `New Dominion'. This `new' series takes a more serious approach. It was made by a different animation team, resulting in a different look, slightly more realistic than before. Also, while still fairly funny at times, the wackiness & humour are toned down, with some pretty dark storylines, such as murders, terrorism and hints of large-scale conspiracies unfolding as the series goes on.

The Dominion series is highly recommended for all fans of anime.