The content of this piece was written during a viewing of the first episode of Bubblegum Crisis on September 29, 2010. Edits have been made for spelling and grammar, but the rest is completely untouched, and un-edited from its original format.
9:02: Good evening, everybody. Welcome to night 3 of AIC week!
9:02: Tonight, I’ll be covering Bubblegum Crisis.
9:02: This is an absolute classic – one I actually wrote up in ’02. However, I also haven’t seen it SINCE ’02.
9:02: This makes the question of the night “Does it hold up well eight years later?”
9:02: I guess we’ll find out soon enough!
9:02: But first, some basic info:
9:03: Directed by Katsuhito Akiyama (Gall Force, Pumpkin Scissors)
9:03: Character designs by Kenichi Sonoda (Gunsmith Cats, Gall Force, Otaku no Video)
9:03: Mecha designs by Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed, Megazone 23, Wolf’s Rain)
9:05: It’s about 9:05, so let’s get this rockin’ ’80s party started!
9:06: Starting off in a sunset shot of MegaTokyo
9:06: (It’s not just a shitty webcomic!)
9:06: And now some demolition.
9:06: While the city glitters in the night
9:07: Very cinematic opener – helicopter flies by, title appears: Mega Tokyo 2032: The Story of Knight Sabers – BUBBLE GUM CRISIS
9:07: And sirens in the background as the helicopter continues
9:07: I forgot how gorgeous some of these backgrounds are. Absolutely stunning detail
9:08: Anyway, we’re seeing the city now – choked with cars
9:08: And a flythrough – girl in Sylia’s dress shop, aerobics class with Linna, hobo on a bus…
9:09: Graffiti: THE PRISS <3 REPLICANTS
9:09: And a poster for Priss
9:09: And real Priss working on her bike
9:09: Into the slums we go.
9:10: Right down to the millions of hobos >_>
9:10: Now is a good time to mention that I miss cyberpunk.
9:10: A lot.
9:10: Aniwho – down to a shitty club: Hot Legs – AND THE 80S MUSIC BEGINS >:o
9:10: As we see Priss getting ready for her show… saabisu saabisu!
9:11: The ’80s music is definitely one of the high points of the series
9:11: Oomori Kinuko at her finest, and amazing animation to really set the mood
9:12: “KONYAWA HARIKEEN! >:o”
9:12: You can really tell that they didn’t have a budget for this. Simply outstanding animation
9:12: And the cuts to the AD Police hunting down a rogue Boomer really help sell the feel of this series
9:13: Fun fact: The dub for this show was atrocious, but the dubbed songs were actually really, REALLY good
9:14: And we have the precursor to Master Chief gunning down Frankenstein. How nice. T_T
9:14: OH NOES THEY SHOT HIS SKIN OFF D:
9:14: Boomsticks don’t work on robots – good to know
9:15: This whole fight sequence is pure ’80s OVA excess. I can’t help but love it
9:15: “GEEF ME TAACH :D” Engrish is fun
9:15: As is ’80s fashion.
9:17: And the music fun is over – AD Police officer Leon’s heading to the scene, and so are everyone’s favorite vigilantes
9:17: We’ve got a runner!
9:17: And some epic shots of hardsuits
9:17: “Where’d the bastard go? oh D: uaaah D:” XD That doesn’t sound right for a guy who’s getting his head squished
9:18: And the Knight Sabers are on the prowl – with more epic ’80s music!
9:18: The fight scenes in this are just so fun to watch.
9:19: Oh yeah – Priss DID have a robot, didn’t she? Wonder what happened to that
9:19: And the boomer’s cornered – time for an ass-whuppin’
9:19: Or extreme Vulcan Gun frisbee >_>
9:20: “This one’s different… a whole new breed :o” …and he runs headless o_o Boomers are like chickens I guess
9:20: “NEWTAIPU? :O” Again – Engrish is fun
9:20: “FUNYDAY TAKE OUT OK” …wat
9:21: “Is that… Priss? :O” He seems shocked that a chick that works in a shitty bar goes to McDonald’s.
9:21: What kind of world does Leon live in? ‘_’
9:21: Wait, don’t tell me
9:21: “This is something – getting to make friends with you :D” Presumptuous, I see
9:22: “I hate the police – especially the AD Police. T_T” ice burn
9:22: “Instead of chasing girls’ asses, go for some Boomer butts!” Double burn! Priss, YOU ARE THE BURN MASTER >:o
9:23: Off to some random military peoples now… talking about the Knight Sabers
9:23: “They will work for money :D” well yeah… that’s how vigilantes work
9:23: And apparently, the military is corrupt… SHOCK OF SHOCK!
9:24: And the president of GENOM looks like John Boener… with bad fashion sense
9:25: I mean really – white suit with no shirt? Yuck!
9:25: “Don’t forget that Genom is a respectable company!” Oh… one of THOSE deals
9:25: Random scene of Sylia swimming… why? No reason
9:26: And flashback
9:26: Sylia’s dad has that stereotypical 10-dollar haircut
9:27: And the other scientists have mullets – business in front, party in back, douche all over!
9:27: “We’re making something to help mankind with Boomers :D” -flash to crime scene- Suuuuure ya were.
9:27: Apparently, important information was kept on Betamax
9:28: Treachery, murder, boomer, Mason, and back to present. >_> wat
9:28: Jesus Christ, I don’t want Sylia’s alarm clock. That looks like something I’d crush in two weeks
9:29: Fact: Keurig and paper newspapers are both popular in 2032
9:30: …Mackey is a creepy bastard. You don’t stare at your own sister’s tits T_T That’s creepy!
9:30: And off to Silky Doll Lingerie store, where Nene’s browsing and Sylia looks bored
9:30: “Isn’t it RADICAL? :3” XD Holy shit
9:31: 20 mil… expensive panties :O
9:31: “This is uncool. T_T” ’80s slang was great
9:31: Blah blah military job blah blah too good to be true
9:32: And off on the way to the USSD Sylia and Nene go… IN their hardsuits. SMRT
9:32: “Hi :D” They’re very casual for being heavily-armed vigilantes
9:33: “Do you always dress like that? ‘_’ “”YES :3” hah… They’re proud of who they are, and that’s awesome
9:34: “Effu Gi Furedorikku :D”
9:34: Military wants them to find a little girl. >_>
9:35: Yeah, they’re boomers.
9:35: Hey, Reagan’s Star Wars satellites actually get built eventually
9:35: “They’re to insure the safety of our country :O” sure they are
9:35: And my ass spews hot chocolate
9:36: hah :D Nene’s getting cheeky – etched nasty graffiti into the sidewalk
9:36: And the Knight Sabers are GONE – replaced by two womens :O WHO WOULD KNOW :O
9:40: Strategy session is go
9:40: And Priss is looking in a disco XD “Did the guy or brat run out on ya? :D” Poor Priss XD
9:40: That’s one dead bartender
9:40: Bad guys are go
9:40: This show sponsored by Heineken, apparently
9:40: And Priss is being tailed.
9:40: Hey, Alex Kidd is on a pic in the phone booth :D
9:41: On the road to Aqua City – and Priss kicks ass
9:42: …but not without getting hurt in the accident. “Shit, if you’re gonna have an accident, do it neater! T_T – BOOM- O.o”
9:42: Bike theft ftw
9:42: And boomers apparently have jets now
9:43: And it just so happens that Leon is cruisin’ by, to see Priss ride by, followed by ROCKETBUMA
9:43: D’aw… Nene can’t take more coffee
9:43: “I told her to call every hour T_T” Sylia is apparently her mom now
9:44: “R-51 – that’s Aqua City :O” how convenient.
9:44: “We’re not going out T_T” “I’M WORRIED :O” …they’re going out.
9:44: And Leon has a biiiig gun. WOnder if he’s compensating
9:45: And back to Priss, who’s running through the dark
9:45: And she finds the kid, who’s drawing… a full-scale map of MegaTokyo?
9:46: “Who’s you, gramma? :D” ouch! And Priss takes a direct hit to the ego!
9:46: “I’ve seen that drawing somewhere before :O”
9:46: Satellite
9:47: “What the hell are you? :O” Guess: She controls the satellite
9:47: And everyone else is suitin’ up… as Priss gets surrounded
9:47: They apparently have motorcycles – which they could’ve used instead of the fucking BUS
9:48: Boomer boobs have missiles in ’em
9:49: More shots of the Knight Sabers on their motorcycles
9:49: “We’ve shown you nothing but kindness :3” ass-whuppings are kind?
9:49: “Apparently, you know nothing about Cynthia :o” nope
9:49: And just in time, the Knight Sabers save the day.
9:50: Goodbye skin, hello missileboobies
9:50: And badass fight scenes
9:50: “I’d say you’re superior to the military’s K-12 troops :O” So does the military
9:51: And Frederick is apparently a tentacle monster o_o
9:51: WTF Japan
9:51: A tentacle monster that absorbs buildings
9:51: …THERE’S Leon – took him long enough
10:00: And she goes INTO the giant boomer
10:01: Only to get tangled by the tentacles of the beast
10:01: And there he is – a tiny head in the middle of a giant tentacle mass
10:02: That gets blown to bits. But not before it tries to suck in the girl
10:02: “She’s a boomer :O” ya think?
10:02: Something tels me that satellite’s gonna… yep
10:02: Aqua City is now rubble, and the Knight Sabers must now escape an explosion
10:03: Again, the destruction here is simply amazing to see.
10:03: All 100% hand drawn, all gorgeous
10:03: “Can we still get our 20 mil? :D” Oh, Nene and Linna
10:04: Oh… good… Leon made it out alive.
10:04: “Sorry to keep us waiting for our date :D” “I wasn’t waiting for you T_T” Ice burn again, Priss.
10:04: “I wonder if she’s a….?” Yes
10:05: And the camera pans out and fades to black
10:05: End credits time – HEY MISUTAA DANDEE! >:o
10:05: The verdict? Even in 2010, this is amazing.
10:06: The OVA has this cinematic quality to it – the feel of a big-budget flick, but the crazy fun of cyberpunk.
10:06: For the love of god, if you haven’t seen this yet – please, do yourselves a favor – watch Bubblegum Crisis.
