AKA: バブルガム・クラッシュ! (Bubblegum Crash!)

Genre: Cyberpunk science fiction

Length: OAV series, 3 episodes, 60 minutes each

Distributor: VHS and R1 DVD available from AnimEigo

Content Rating: PG-13 (violence)

Related Series: Bubblegum Crisis (sequel to)

Also Recommended: All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku, Bubblegum Crisis 2040

Notes:

Rating:

Bubblegum Crash

Synopsis

Bubblegum Crash takes place about a year after Crisis starts. GENOM seems to have decided to take a backseat for a while, but a new wave of Boomer crimes causes the Knight Sabers to reconvene after a brief period of inactivity. Just who is the mysterious voice behind the various thefts of components of a highly advanced artificial intelligence system? Ah ah ah... I'm not telling; you'll just have to see for yourself.

Review

People either hate this series or love it. The biggest complaint that fans have against Crash is that it doesn't live up to the tone or flavor of Crisis. That much is true -- Bubblegum Crash takes itself MUCH less seriously than Crisis. Less charitable critics sometimes call Crash "Sailor Moon in Hardsuits." Also, Priss's Japanese voice actress is different in Crash due to contract reasons, which seems to tick off a lot of Priss fans.

The production team is different than the one that created Crisis, and it shows. Artwork is a lot more colorful and cheerful, instead of the moody, brooding cityscape of Mega-Tokyo present in Crisis. The Boomers have been majorly dumbed down, and look like rejected applicants to the role of C-3PO. Not terribly menacing. Plot takes a serious downturn in the sophistication department, too, preferring to go for "fun" stories rather than intricate, involved ones.

One thing Crash has over Crisis, though, is the characterization. Personality comes through much more strongly in Crash than Crisis (at times a bit too strongly), and the "cute" factor is much more prominent here. However, as an added bonus, Nene gets to actually take out Boomers by HERSELF! Yay, Nene! Yay, yay, yay, yay...er, um...sorry about that.

Overall, not terrible. A fun watch, but die-hard Crisis fans will probably want to stay away.

Not as good as Crisis, but still fun. Nene fans can add an extra star. — Raphael See

Recommended Audience: Less graphic than Crisis. Deaths are done mostly off-screen, and Priss even cleans up her language. There is a scene of casual nudity in the last part, though, and Boomer fights are still fights, after all.