Exactly one year ago on this day, Studio Trigger changed the world when it aired the grand finale of beloved anime series Inferno Cop. Today two members of the Glorio crew reflect on that fateful day, and ask ourselves, “Where were you when Third Destroy Finale hit?”

Gee’s Thoughts

Inferno Cop showed up at an interesting juncture in my life as an anime fan. With Gainax dying a slow death, and anime in general being pretty unimpressive, my dreams and hopes lay in the hands of Studio Trigger, the mysterious new studio founded by Hiroyuki Imaishi and the old Gainax crew. Thankfully, my prayers were answered by the shining light of Inferno Cop. I initially balked at the very concept of it. A flame headed cop? German music? Some of the finest animation I had ever seen in my life? I couldn’t comprehend what Trigger was doing, and yet I continued to be drawn to the strange allure of its madness. Why? I cannot answer that. Perhaps within the flaming soul of my very being, a small voice called out, knowing the peerless quality of the lessons I was about to learn. Oh, if only I had listened to that voice, maybe I could have been saved from my foolishness without the sacrifices that were required.

Throughout Inferno Cop’s adventures, I was narrow-minded and skeptical of what I was watching. So what if Inferno Cop fought to bring down the tyranny of Southern Cross? So what if he valiantly struggled against both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the judicial system? He was just a punk with a flaming head and an itchy trigger finger. Sure, he almost won a race once and helped some punk kid sidekick realize his true calling, but it wasn’t like the guy was anything special. As you read this, you probably realize that I was young and foolish. The product of a decadent and stupid generation, I couldn’t comprehend the magnanimity and complex motivations of Inferno Cop and his righteous crusade.

It wasn’t until the finale when I truly understood what Trigger was trying to teach us. Inferno Cop wasn’t just the purgatorial flame of this rotting shithole, he was inside each and every one of us. We’re all Inferno Cop. He gave his life to teach us that lesson, and I blame my own narrow-minded views for preventing me from understanding this before he was forced to sacrifice his life. While Claudia was misguided, her aims were pure and fathomable within the realm of my only-human morality. But she misunderstood. We can all be Inferno Cop without being Inferno Cop. Inferno Cop isn’t some holy title or call to justice, it’s a way of life, a set of ethics that everyone can ascribe to. If only I had been wiser, or more understanding, then maybe I too, could have been the Inferno Cop the world needed. Maybe all of us could have been the Inferno Cop the world needed. Maybe I could have understood what Third Destroy Finale actually was. He died man. He died for his cause and the lesson he preached. I’ll never forget him, and as long as a part of my heart is Inferno Cop, he’ll live on forever.

Marlin’s Thoughts

Friends, Romans, Otakumen, lend me your ears! We are gathered here today to remember a man whose life was one of humble service. As a beat cop in Jack Knife Edge Town, Inferno Cop went above and beyond the call of duty, helping all those he saw. When Southern Cross’s marauding gangs and lobster monster babies were running rampant, who had the audacity to stand up to them, the courage to resist their petty bribery and truly serve this town as a man of the law should? Who fought them tooth and nail, going back in time to foil their evil plots? Only Inferno Cop, his head bright with the light of justice, could scorch the diseased hand of tyranny that befell our great city.

He beat the mummy. How many people do you know have beat the mummy? Not a single one. Any normal man could not stare down such ancient power and remain unscathed. Even like great Orpheus, he was able to climb in and out of hell. He was not alone though, he was able to turn former enemies to his side. Great Mecha Cop, once a tool of the Southern Cross, was enlightened by Inferno Cop, and became one of the greatest Mecha Heroes in known history. Ever the defender of the Common Man, he imparted some of his tremendous powers to help Hellfire Boy realize his true potential. This boy, who would probably have just become a dead end computer technician for a south beach accounting agency, was given that great chance to elevate his life and become something greater than himself. His sacrifice to power Glitter Inferno Cop is the greatest known instance of sacrifice in the history of humanity. No ordinary man, born today or two thousand years ago, could possibly have done something more for his fellow man. He owes his extraordinary story to that great paragon of virtue, our great Inferno Cop.

And yet, these clamorous accolades give not even a fraction of the gratitude this great man deserved. When the Third Destroy Finale hit, Inferno Cop was tempted as no man has ever been tempted before. Who else could defeat himself and the horrible temptress that created such twisted machinations? He overcame the burdens of Godhood, sacrificing his own energy to bring us back to our mortal coils, and yet he did not ask for thanks, no our safety was his only reward, and that was all that was needed for him. It is as the Good Book says: And so the Lord gave his only begotten Cop, so that all who believe in awesome explosions may not die, but live. The next time you are getting dry humped on the hood of your car, just remember, it was he who let you grind on that sweet ass. Our friend, our King of Glory, our Inferno Cop.