Cheap Bubblegum Crash 1 (Japanimation) / Subtitled (Video) (Hiroyuki Fukushima, Hiroshi Ishiodori) Price

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Customer Reviews of Bubblegum Crash 1 (Japanimation) / Subtitled

Human-android relations probed in sequel to BUBBLEGUM CRISIS
BUBBLEGUM CRASH was a 1991 spin-off of BUBBLEGUM CRISIS and continued the adventures of the gorgeous young Knight Sabers as they combat the aggression of rogue "boomers" in 21st century Mega-Tokyo. Interestingly, I saw this tape, "Geo-Climbers" (episode 2 of CRASH), right after watching the first three episodes of CRISIS (see my review of BUBBLEGUM CRISIS: ARC 1: MASON) and I found this to be a vast improvement over those episodes from the earlier series (which reportedly got better as it went along). For one thing, "Geo-Climbers" tells a coherent, gripping, imaginative story that truly explores the implications of a society which creates bio-engineered androids and then embarks on a love-hate relationship with them. Here, the rock-singing Priss, one of the Knight Sabers, finds herself saddled with a runaway Boomer, Adama, which was created to be as human-like and non-threatening as possible. Having earlier declared, "I hate Boomers and the jerks who make them," Priss is forced to reflect on her attitudes as Adama saves her life and tries to be a good companion. At one point he asks her plaintively, "Why do you hate Boomers?" This hits close to home for Priss since Adama was created from plans perfected by Dr. Stingray, father of Priss's fellow Knight Saber, Sylia. All this happens while the evil Dr. Yuri sends a team of gun-wielding Boomers out to recapture Adama, followed by a monstrous new Combat Boomer which gives the Knight Sabers a run for their money.

I liked the animation and design better in CRISIS, chiefly because of the bold lines, bright colors and graphic simplicity. There may be greater detail here, but the linework is softer and the colors more muted. On the plus side, there are not as many intrusive songs as in the earlier tape and, most importantly, the writing is so much sharper and the story clearer and more compelling. While it's important to note how much this series owes to such Hollywood sci-fi as BLADE RUNNER and ROBOCOP (which provided the model for one whole plot thread here), it's also part of a larger body of anime that probes the meaning of humanity in a world where humans and androids co-exist in a mutually dependent way. As such, it looks forward to the later anime sci-fi classics, GHOST IN THE SHELL and ARMITAGE III.

Lackluster sequel, good in its own right
The original BGC OVA series was meant to be thirteen episodes, but was shortened to eight when funding ran out and companies split up. The result? "Bubblegum Crash!" This production fails to live up to expections. The original is a favorite among many fans, but this sequel is often dismissed as a shoddy rehash of old plotlines in a rushed and unfulfilling attempt to finish the story. It doesn't work. The animation is mediocre, the music is poor, the story is immature, and the antagonist is... redundant? Yeah. Characterization is also so different from the first eight OVAs that some cast members are unrecognizable. Relationships have dissolved for no apparent reason, and others have taken on bizarre and unsettling new dimensions, with a hint of pedophilia. Plot elements are of the eyebrow-raising variety, as is interaction between humans, Boomers, and anything else. It's a very sentai Bubblegum. The high points? It does technically conclude the BGC story and the final episode focuses on Sylia and the moral question of how 'human' the Boomers really are. Almost fascinating, but a bit too preachy for my tastes. Saying more would spoil the fun.

Overall this anime tries too hard to fit too much into too little. It's too action oriented and the characters and story are shallow. The final episode DOES have some insights into Sylia that are worth salivating over, but they were executed in a manner that leaves much to be desired. Recommended to fans of the original eight episodes, but not to someone who did not care for the original.