Bubblegum Crash

Bubblegum Crash seems to get overlooked pretty often. The Crisis OVA and 2040 already seem obscure enough especially around here at MAL and then Crash is just, completely lost in it's own void. Kind of a shame because Crash is certainly worth seeing if you're a fan of the OVA and new series. My review for 2040 was probably too big, so I'll keep this one a little on the shorter side. It could be a good read along with this review though.

Crash is basically a direct continuation of the original OVA and it's completely obvious. The animation and everything in that aspect is the ... same, with many improvements because it's newer - this made me second guess myself after saying I liked the redesigned characters in 2040, because Priss, Nena, Linna, and Sylia all looked really cool in this one. The cyberpunk setting is still very grim, dark, heavily detailed, like it rightfully should be! The music also retains its awesomeness from the original OVA, great 80's hair metal that you can't help but love if you grew up in the age. The BGM fits the mood and is great too. Oh and the opening is just downright awesome, timeless stuff!

I've head some complaints about this one mainly geared towards the plot being a little contradicting against some events in the OVA. The only issue that might bother me here is that Priss could be a little out of character, with her constant attitude and decision with being a Knight Saber and fighting Boomers changing - but I have to ask, do you really go in watching Bubblegum Crisis for an in depth story and thought provoking characters? Not exactly, if you ask me... that aside the characters reminded me a lot of how they act in 2040 pretty often. Priss can be pretty hotheaded, Nena is cheerful and weary that the Knight Sabers are breaking up, Linna is just all over the place, and Sylia is her mysterious self but shows a little more character towards the end. They're all fun and enjoyable characters.

The three episodes do connect in the end. They're a little episodic, but 40 minutes pure episode isn't bad. The horrible events in episodes 1-2 eventually lead up to the finale, where a previous villian is brought back (one of the best ones from the OVA, with that being said some can maybe make a guess as to who that is). Though the show does get a little silly towards the end kind of like 2040 did, it tries a little too hard to be overly weird and thought provoking. But it's just part of the episode, rather than an entire story arc ... so it's not a huge complaint.

Overall Bubblegum Crash is simply put, more Bubblegum Crisis, more Knight Sabers kicking ass, great cyberpunk settings, awesome old school music. It's always been something you shouldn't take TOO seriously, but if you go in just looking for some quick enjoyment with action/comedy this should deliver. If you're a fan of the OVA, 2040, and still haven't seen this - definitely give it a shot sometime.

"THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS"

Bubblegum Crash had a lot of features that would make it a cool sequel to )one of) the Cyberpunk Epic(s) of the 80's, Bubblegum Crisis. It has a spetacular Opening, with great visuals and an awesome song. It had improved animation, whichi could only add for its awesomeness. But it lack one little very important thing: It lacked memory. It did not remember its own story. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Mother of all Trainwrecks is here. This is the sequel that contradicts its original story. I have never heard of something like this before. This thing here gave birth to my first ... Anime-Impulsed Facepalm.

It's possible that you think that I am overreacting, since Bubblegum Crisis was created mostly as an action show, and for many people, plot is secundary. Well, you won't think so when you hear about what happens here.

Story: 3 of 10

You know what? The story wouldn't be that bad... If it weren't for the fact that it contradicts the story of the show it is supposed to be a sequel of. And not just any part of the story: IT CONTRADICTS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE SHOW!!! Let me break it down for you.

1 - Boomers, GENOM's creation, are Cyborgs which are a junction of cybernetics, biotechnology and nanotechnology, that have multiple purposes. They have varying degrees of Inteligence, with many of them reaching sentience. This is particularly true for sexaroids, but present elsewhere. They are widespread, specially, it seems, in the Multiethnical Japan of 2032. Several of them go out of hand, and the Knights Sabers (our protagonists) are there to fight them, among other opponents). One of our protagonists (Priss) eventually befriends two of these (sexaroid) boomers, and fans will probably speculate about the relationship with one of them (probably just fan wank, though). These friendships are actually a key point in the story's most important arc.

2 - The Big Bad, the leadership of the MegaCorp GENOM, is heavily present in the story. One of the villians from this corporation eventually transfers his consciousness to a Boomer body, and gains a God Complex. This is also a key point in the story's most important arc.

There are other points to the story, but these are enough for what's about to come. So, how does our beloved sequel treat these facts? Here's How:

1 - In 2034 (Crash setting), a top secret experiment consists of the first sentient boomer, who looks like a tin can... If I recall it right, in 2032 and 2033, SENTIENT BOOMERS ALREADY EXISTED, could be confused for Human, and in several cases, had artificial blood deposits. Now people could come to me and say: ''They were probably referring to the first sentient boomer that is entirely artificial''. No they're not. They only mentioned boomers, and the fact that you could confuse this boomer for a human being on the phone was considered impressive... :( What just happened here? So, technology is lesser in 2034, and everyone forgot the previous years? First Facepalm.

2 - Priss, one of out protagonists, befriended two sexaroids in Crisis. One year later, as if she hit her head somewhere, she doesn't seem to recall them, and outright claims to hate boomers. She has a change of heart with tin can later, but... What happened to Sylvie and Anri (the sexaroids)? And nobody else seems to remember anything either. Second Facepalm, in result of the first.

3 - GENOM, so important to the narrative of Crisis, controler of even the Japanese Government, is absent from the story altogether, leaving only its gigantic tower behind. Never is the name GENOM uttered, nor is Quincy, the CEO ever mentioned again. Also, the city, with a notable divide between rich and poor, is suddenly cleaner... What happened in here? Third Facepalm.

4 - But hey, if you think the main villian of Crisis woudn't show up, you're quite mistaken. The member of GENOM who resurrected as a boomer with a God Complex, who persoaded one sexaroid boomer that he would free boomers, and who fought Priss with said sexaroid nearby... IS BACK!!! And according to his words, he's back to settle unfinished business... WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!? This is too much to take in. It's messing my mind up as I write this review. It's awful. Fourth Facepalm, in virtue of all the others.

And you know what's the worst part? There are parts of this story that were actually usable. What a waste.

Art: 8

The art was spetacular. It was the sharpest art in all of the early Bubblegum Crisis franchise. It was awesome. Bright colours, a well drawn cyberpunk setting, great action animation, etc. It even has a spetacular Opening Animation. It still doesn't make up for anything though.

Sound: 6

It brings us an awesome OP song, and three forgettable ones. It has a mostly unimpressive soundtrack... The OST is a shadow of Bubblegum Crisis' diverse OST, which is awesome to have. Also, while Crisis' cast was fine before, which even some seiyuu who would appear in other prominent roles, in Crash, Priss' seiyuu is replaced, and her work wasn't that great. Still, she sang the awesome OP and with some effort, she would've made it. She just didn't, though. No offense to her.

Character: 4

I mentioned Priss' amnesia regarding 2032-2033, right? Priss' unexplainable hatred of boomers. I shall also mention how Priss dropped her interest in Rock music, disbanded her band, and... tried to record a pop album... Yeah... Also, Linna, another protagonist, seems to not have evolved her character after past events, but because such events were not mentioned on this review, lets not go any further... This is just a part of a whole. Everyone's ''amnesia'' decreases their worth as characters. Sorry, that's how it goes.

Enjoyment: 6

The action saves it from a mediocre rating, and so does the Opening and the Animation... But for all the reasons above, it doesn't go above 6.

Overall Score is 5. A sequel that kills everything the original was is too lucky for having such a high score.

Bubblegum Crash isn't a BAD series per se, but it is certainly inferior to its predecessor Bubblegum Crisis. Where as Crisis had a unique opening scene for every episode of the series as well as a unique outro, Crash uses a stock opening and a plain credits. The animation is overall less impressive than Crisis' fantastic artwork, the violence is toned down and there are continuity errors particularly in the second episode.

THAT ALL SAID - I enjoyed Crash a fair deal. No where near as much as Crisis, but it certainly is not awful. Continuity errors aside, each episode's story is fairly interesting and the ... four Knight Sabers are as fun to see as always. It also provides an actual conclusion to the story, which gives Bubblegum an actual sense of closure after Crisis had its mother of all non-endings. There's still a few good cheesy songs as well (though nowhere as many as in Crisis) so the spirit is still there. All in all, Crash isn't a bad way to end the series on, and for all its flaws its still an enjoyable watching. At 3 episodes long, its not even that time consuming either, making a quick fast watch.