Police in a Pod features Mai, a struggling police officer. After graduating from high school, she seeks a job in the civil services to avoid turning out like her father, who got involved in a company scandal. Sadly most institutes deny her, and Mai ends up joining a police academy. Finding that the life of a police officer is unexpectedly harsh, Mai considers quitting after only months of being a cop, but after the charming Seiko Fuji becomes her instructor, Mai decides to give being a police officer a second chance.

As a slice of life anime, Police in a Pod gives a realistic look into life as a police officer. While the anime depicts Mai and Seiko solving crimes, including serious ones like suspected abuse, and dealing with disgruntled citizens who might go as far as harassing them for being female police officers, these elements aren’t unnecessarily dramatic or edgy. On the other hand, the anime certainly doesn’t avoid mature topics like other slice of life anime focused on high school girls might. Instead, it’s focused on painting a true picture of the functioning of a police station and the people working in it. Since the author is a real police officer, she is able to utilize her knowledge to flesh out the setting in a respectful manner.

When it comes to the characters, they’re all pretty fleshed out and well-inserted into the story. It’s easy to relate to Mai’s struggles of not being inspired at her job and struggling to find meaning in it. Despite her troubles, Mai tries her best to do a good job. She’s a protagonist that is easy to cheer on. Mai and Seiko make a good partnership, with Mai being the plucky beginner and Seiko being an expert. While Police in a Pod is certainly more serious and realistic than most other slice of life anime, there are funny moments and cute scenes involving the main girls too!

Overall, the production quality is decent. While the character designs aren’t flashy, they fit well with the themes of a police anime. If you are looking for a slice of life anime that’s a bit more realistic and for older audiences, or if you are curious about the inner workings of a police station, we recommend giving Police in a Pod a try.