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| Overall | Art | Animation | Character Design | Music | Series Story | Episode Story | Reviewer | |
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| Rent | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
 Ggultra2764
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[series:166#1552] |
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Having had mixed perceptions of the original Bubblegum Crisis and hearing of the Tokyo 2040 spinoff expanding on what the 1988 OAV series didn't do, I decided to give BGC Tokyo 2040 a shot. While this take on Bubblegum Crisis didn't really wow me, there were aspects of it which made me enjoy it more over the OAV series. The series still features Sylia and the Knight Sabers dealing with mad boomers and corrupt activity within the Genom corporation with the girls still a likeable bunch. The characterizations with many of the prominent characters have changed a bit from their 80s counterparts with how you enjoy them depending on how you liked them ten years earlier. Here are some examples:
The series isn't without its flaws however. Like the original series, I still found the other Knight Sabers to be quite underdeveloped compared to what we learn about Sylia. In addition, the quality of the plotting for the final episodes to the series left quite a bit to be desired for me as deus ex machina seemed to take place for the Knight Sabers to overcome a seemingly powerful foe and it becomes a bit too centered on making Priss into the heroine who saves everyone in the end. I was also left with some questions over what happened in the series finale with events and characters. While not the major improvement I was hoping to get out of the Bubblegum Crisis franchise, Tokyo 2040 still offered enough with its plot and characters to give it a better quality feel for me than the more style-driven OAV series. Last updated Thursday, December 29 2011. Created Thursday, December 29 2011. | ||||||||
| Rent |
 Stretch
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[series:166#628] | ||||||
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For a long time I thought of BGC 2040 as the "rich man's Bubblegum Crisis", because whereas I had gotten hold of used copies of the original OVA series, I couldn't afford this one. Having finally watched the entire 2040 series (which, ironically, I finally managed to buy in brand-new condition for even less than I'd paid for the used OVAs), my conclusion is that the question of which version you would enjoy more comes down to this: Do you prefer style or substance? During the very first episode of BGC 2040, I noticed that although this show did a good job of explaining the basic premise, it seemed to lack the style of the OVAs (rock music, cyberpunk-ish atmosphere, easy to follow episodic plots, plentiful action at the expense of character development, etc). Adjusting to the modified personalities of the main characters was difficult for me (you might say I was used to some characters not having personalities at all!). Also, I prefer the 80's music of the OVAs (which I didn't hear for the first time until well into the 21st century). In general, I prefer OVAs over TV series, since I need not commit myself for nearly as long, and quality tends to be better (though I did notice the animation of BGC 2040 was surprisingly good relative to the OVAs). When I choose the word "substance" to describe the strong points of BGC 2040, I'm referring to a long term plot with an actual ending to it*, and time for character development and some humor, too. At times, however, it seemed the writers had too much time on their hands--in episode 12 I found myself grateful that they got the usual boomer-of-the-week fight out of the way early then concentrated on intriguing plot development. As a whole, the plot would have been even more intriguing if it had made a little more sense to me. "Substance" in an anime isn't always good--sometimes you get so many details in such a confusing manner that you just end up saying "what the hell just happened?". Why do boomers gone berserk transform into hideous monsters with fangs and claws, and a zombie-like hatred of humans? How do they grow to fantastic sizes? Even if it has become a gigantic boomer, how the hell did the Genom tower do what it did near the end (you know, gravity)? What was that rain-like phenomenon at the end of the final episode? I, for one, would need to watch this series at least twice in order to understand why things happened the way they did--but for me, the action, the suspense, and the plot twists were not rewarding enough to make that option worthwhile. I'd rather re-watch the best of the OVAs. So, I guess my vote goes with "style" rather than substance (Rock music... Knight Sabers GOOD... Boomers BAD--hey, I think I understand!). Okay, having made my preference clear, I must admit BGC 2040 is by no means a bad show. Certainly, the average episode is better than the worst of the OVAs. Those who are not impressed by late-80's "style" and possess a bit more memory, brainpower, and tolerance for confusing plots than I do might enjoy it. *Recently this series was included on a list in Anime Insider magazine of 10 shows with the worst endings! Last updated Thursday, February 07 2008. Created Sunday, August 01 2004. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
 MarX
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[series:166#1033] | |
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It has been quite the while since I have seen this series...(A year and a half I think).. Still... There is Priss one of the best female character I have seen in a while... (Then again I gots a ton of anime to go through) Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 was lent to me by a friend.. When I saw the entire series I had fallen in love with all four Knight Sabers.. Each having there own distinctive personality.. Priss: Bad Ass/leader, Linna: Tries hard, Nene: Gentle computer hacker, and of coarse Sylia: the founder of the Knight Sabers. There are twist and turns in the entire plot with Genom (Boomers 'R Us) and the Knight Sabers.. And tons of secrets to discover... If I shelled out $80 (American) for a series that I had seen uncut from beginning to end then it has to be pretty damn good, neh? Last updated Saturday, January 10 2004. Created Saturday, January 10 2004. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
 AstroNerdBoy
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[series:166#436] |
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I saw BGC:2040 prior to seeing the original Bubblegum Crisis and I really enjoyed it. However, after seeing the original series (and learning that many of the original creative staff of the original came back to do this remake), I re-watched BGC:2040 and I liked it even more. As remakes go, this has to be one of the best ones out there. Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 is a mecha series which starts out feeling like a Japanese female version of Batman. The story centers around four women who comprise the team Knight Sabers. They exist only to destroy rogue (mad) boomers (androids), something the AD Police have had trouble doing. Since they are run by a rich heiress and their base of operation is her large building in Tokyo, this is where the series gets a lot of its Batman feel. The series is rarely slow and for a long stretch, the action and story moves at a breakneck pace! For those who saw the original Bubblegum Crisis, this will be a welcome relief. Whereas the original series was very episodic, the remake is very serial in nature. The writers looked at the original Bubblegum Crisis and Bubblegum Crash series and decided to take elements of both, then address the wrongs there. As such, Geneon isn't a stupid "evil" company, but feels like a real business. Its leaders have good intentions for their actions which helps blur things. Changing boomers from super-soldiers to a wide variety of service droids was cool. Imagine R2D2 or C3PO going mad and then have their appearance change as a symptom of their new condition before going on a rampage. That's what we get here. In addition, there are plenty of plot twists that form as the story unfolds. I think what I like is that as the writers answer some questions, they raise others but not annoyingly so. Everything gets answered in the end. The writers deal with the apparent Japanese plight of capitalism vs. scocialism as well as technology vs. techno-fearism. Very interesting. Add to this mix a ton of action, a bit of romance, and a bit of humor and you've got a really good series. The only bad part was that I think the writers got enamoured with Priss. Certainly she is the most facinating character so I guess that is understandable. Of course having Asakawa Yu as her seyiuu doesn't hurt. However, this caused characters like Linna to get somewhat short changed as well as Nene. The series started with Linna as its focus so the shift off of Linna changes the perspective we have. The ending was...well, I was going to say anti-climactic, but that's not right. Something about it didn't set right with me. Still, I suppose this was the best way to end the series. With that ending in place, there's one thing I would have liked to have seen happen which did not. Oh well... I don't know how they will pull off the planned sequel since the ending seems pretty final. Bottom line: A really good anime title that should be enjoyed even by those who (like me) don't really watch mecha titles.Last updated Monday, February 07 2005. Created Monday, March 24 2003. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
 nodoubt
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[series:166#399] |
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The animation of this series is very well done. Each girl looks good and the action scenes look fluid. The character design is also very good, giving each girl a distinct look and personality to match. Basically you have four girls, Sylia, Priss, Nene, and Linna, who are all part of a group called Knight Sabers. They rid the city of boomers (robots) gone mad and fight against the Genom Corporation, the producers of the boomers. I don't recall watching any filler episodes, which means the pacing of the series is excellent. As you watch the series, background information unfolds and you will be able to understand the motives of the individual girls. I truly enjoyed this series, which is filled with comedy. The ending, like just about every anime out there nowadays, is a bit unsatisfying. 10-14-02 Last updated Monday, October 14 2002. Created Monday, October 14 2002. | ||||||||
| Rent | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 |
 Courtney
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[series:166#80] | |
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I never saw the original series of BUBBLEGUM CRISIS but I cant imagine it could have been any better than its revision. Not only is the series action packed but it actually went to the trouble of making an interesting plot to justify it. The Knight Sabers are unique and vital to the welfare of the team and the conspiracy running throughout BUBBLEGUM CRISIS that gradually unravels is interesting. One of the things to like best about BUBBLEGUM CRISIS is the music, whether or not techno-rock is your musical preference, you have to admit that it seems to really fit in with the feel of the series. Additionally, the animation is of a remarkable quality and rather slick. More so, as the series runs its course, you find that the characters grow a little along with it (Sylia starts to trust people, Nene gets more of a backbone, Lina sees being a Knight Saber as something more than a thrill-seeking past time, and Priss actually lets herself get attached to people). This is one of those series where it can appeal to a lot of audiences and for those who are especially into the girl action team or mecha animes, this one is something not to miss but I don't want to give it the full BUY rating since I found it to be one of those Animes where it is really good to watch once or twice through but its not something I could just watch over and over again. Last updated Friday, November 02 2001. Created Friday, November 02 2001. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
 Black Panther
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[series:166#142] | ||
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This is a must see for any anime collector. I completely enjoyed every moment of the series. It kept me with the "Whats going to happen next?" feeling. Definitely one I would recommend buying. It has great character depth, art, and animation. Not to mention great music! I am sure you will love this series! I am now the proud owner of that entire series Thank you Coyote! ^_^
Last updated Thursday, October 24 2002. Created Monday, February 19 2001. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
 Dr.Yoshi
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[series:166#110] |
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Ok I finished it. And this was a great anime. The ending lacked something but I can't put my finger on it. But then again the rest of it was so good I guess it would be hard to make the perfect ending. This story has a really good pace to it. So that's a good sign, and best part (Well at least I think so) are the characters. I first I thought this was going to be just some really bad sci-fi chick series. Once again, like so many times before, I was wrong. There really cool, and well played. (In the Sub. version) So far I think the best character is Nene. She just really happy, and stuff. I like that in a girl who's trying to save the human race from robots gone mad. All in all a must see. Check it out. Last updated Wednesday, July 04 2001. Created Wednesday, December 27 2000. | ||||||||
| Buy | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 8 |
 The Coyote
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[series:166#64] | |
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This is an excelent anime I have enjoyed it much more than its highly touted predicesor. In my opinion the characters are much more enjoyable and the storyline is very griping without being horribly confuseing (like the first one was) Priss is the differance between the two in a nut shell she is overbaring and iritateing in the first in 2040 she is much more a withdrawn and aloof character whose human side and real story are hinted at tantilizingly well parents a violent but otherwise clean show I have no problems with it.
Last updated Tuesday, August 01 2000. Created Tuesday, August 01 2000. | ||||||||
| Buy | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 10 |
 CatWoman
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[series:166#65] | |
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This is one of my fav. anime! For a person who loves romance, this series has practicly none at the begining at lest, it does get a LITTLE by the end, but it has a great storyline inspite! it keeps you on your toes. The characters are really good! Priss is one of my fav. girl character out of all anime, and I just adore Mocky, maybe becouse {in the dub. virshion} he has the same voice as Acketo from Nadesico but I love this character as well! I like all the characters, they all have a lot of depth, with perhaps the exseption of Nene. It is pretty clean, though it does have short nudity, (a little worse then Sailor Moon and as the series goes on it gets worse that way) I don't think it is a show for anyone under 12. Other then that it is a MUST SEE, MUST BUY!
Last updated Monday, February 26 2001. Created Thursday, July 27 2000. | ||||||||
