Bubblegum Crisis. I have often wondered about that series. After all, with all the BGC home pages on the net, that series is obviously popular. It was described as "The Japanese Animated Cyberpunk Classic" by AnimEigo, the compagny who brought it to the American market. From what I've read, BGC would actually really be a classic, it seems it was quite popular. Now, as for Cyberpunk… I never was exactly sure about the meaning of that word, but sure thing, I've seen many SciFi movies that fitted this adjective a lot more then BGC. But, BGC is indeed a SciFi story, with a bit of fighting.

The story… Well, the action takes place in future MegaTokyo, a mega city builded after the destruction of Tokyo in 2025 by an earthquake. Responsible for most of MegaTokyo construction is the Genom corporation, thanks to a technology called Boomers, a combination of robotics, cybernetics and artificial intelligence in human form. But Genom is not just a company like any other. It has a specific goal. World Domination. For the sole purpose of stopping Genom's evils ambitions where created the Knight Sabers, a vigilante group composed of four women equipped with hardsuit (a form of high-tech body armor), big guns and handy motorbike. The leader of the Knight Sabers is Sylia Stingray, daughter of Doctor Katsuhito Stingray, the man who initiated research on Boomer technology.

Quite frankly, I wasn't so trilled by this series. Fact is, I've found the first episodes quite boring. Some people might point out that BGC for his views about humanity (what is man? what is machine?). Well… That as been made so often that I don't find it that interesting and it's only in later episodes (5 and 6) that this subject is really developed. If you want to ponder about the man VS machine, then I suggest that you rather watch a movie like Ghost in the Shell or read a manga like Gunnm. Not to mention that I didn't find that the characters where much developed, with maybe the exception of Priss, who is obviously viewers favorite. As for the artwork, it is fine, even if it's not really the kind of drawing style I enjoy the most.

In short, Bubblegum Crisis is not bad, but it's not either in my opinion an excellent series, it doesn't make it to my favorite animes list. It is surely no Neon Genesis Evangelion. I do not really recommand it, unless you've run out of titles you want to rent or buy.

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Updated March 30th 1998