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IMDbPro

Bubblegum Crisis

Original title: Baburugamu kuraishisu
  • TV Mini Series
  • 1987–1991
  • TV-MA
  • 25m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
2K
YOUR RATING
Akiko Hiramatsu, Michie Tomizawa, Yoshiko Sakakibara, and Kinuko Ômori in Bubblegum Crisis (1987)
JapaneseAdult AnimationAnimeCyberpunkHand-Drawn AnimationSuperheroActionAnimationFantasySci-Fi

A female mercenary team, armed with unique power armor suits, battle the forces of the corrupt mega-corporation, Genom in futuristic Tokyo.A female mercenary team, armed with unique power armor suits, battle the forces of the corrupt mega-corporation, Genom in futuristic Tokyo.A female mercenary team, armed with unique power armor suits, battle the forces of the corrupt mega-corporation, Genom in futuristic Tokyo.

  • Creator
    • Toshimichi Suzuki
  • Stars
    • Yoshiko Sakakibara
    • Kinuko Ômori
    • Michie Tomizawa
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Creator
      • Toshimichi Suzuki
    • Stars
      • Yoshiko Sakakibara
      • Kinuko Ômori
      • Michie Tomizawa
    • 22User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Episodes8

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated1 season

    Photos55

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    Top Cast99+

    Edit
    Yoshiko Sakakibara
    Yoshiko Sakakibara
    • Sylia Stingray
    • 1987–1991
    Kinuko Ômori
    • Priscilla 'Priss' S. Asagiri
    • 1987–1991
    Michie Tomizawa
    Michie Tomizawa
    • Linna Yamazaki
    • 1987–1991
    Akiko Hiramatsu
    Akiko Hiramatsu
    • Nene Romanova
    • 1987–1991
    Nozomu Sasaki
    Nozomu Sasaki
    • Mackie Stingray
    • 1987–1991
    Toshio Furukawa
    Toshio Furukawa
    • Leon McNichol
    • 1987–1991
    Ken'yû Horiuchi
    • Daley Wong
    • 1987–1991
    Shûichi Ikeda
    • Brian J. Mason
    • 1987–1991
    Kazuyuki Sogabe
    • Largo
    • 1987–1991
    Kiyoshi Kawakubo
    • Quincy
    • 1987–1991
    Shigeru Chiba
    Shigeru Chiba
    • Dr. Miriam Yoshida
    • 1987–1991
    Michael Sinterniklaas
    Michael Sinterniklaas
    • Young Mackie…
    • 1987–1991
    Amy Parrish
    Amy Parrish
    • Sho's Mother…
    • 1987–1991
    Joyce Leigh Bowden
    • Interviewer…
    • 1987–1991
    Elizabeth Becka
    Elizabeth Becka
    • Linna Yamazaki
    • 1987–1991
    Mark Fincannon
    Mark Fincannon
    • Mr. Chang
    • 1987–1991
    Sinda Nichols
    Sinda Nichols
    • Priss Asagiri
    • 1987–1991
    Ted Davis
    • Sho
    • 1987–1991
    • Creator
      • Toshimichi Suzuki
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews22

    7.31.9K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    9chribren

    Pretty cool cyberpunk OVA of the late 80s

    "Bubblegum Crisis" is an 8-episode anime OVA-series which was released in Japan through 1987-1991. Made by AIC, Artmic and Youmex.

    Basic plot: The year is 2032 in MegaTokyo, seven years after Tokyo was destroyed by a giant earthquake. Genom Corp, the big company which recreated the city, began mass-producing cyberdroids called Boomers meant to serve mankind by taking part in recreating MegaTokyo. When the Boomers started to run out of control, the A.D. Police tried to stop these cyberdroids, something which proved to be more difficult but deadly than imagined.

    But, the hope isn't over yet, because four girls who have banded together as the Knight Sabers are also in MegaTokyo. These girls in powerful armor suits are strong enough to defend the city from Genom and the Boomers. And their names are: Sylia Stingray, Priscilla S. Asagiri, Linna Yamazaki and Nene Romanova.

    I first heard about this anime around year 2004. However, for some reasons, I didn't get a chance to watch this anime until late autumn 2014. And I'm so glad to get to see this for once, at least with Japanese dub. This anime was epic, with lots of cyber/robot-action, car chases, humor and a pretty cool soundtrack which all together made me hooked from beginning to end. The MegaTokyo-setting in this anime was fairly realistic.

    This anime was originally planned as a 13-episode long OVA-series, but was cancelled after 8 episodes due to legal problems between Artmic and Youmex. However, a 3-episode sequel called "Bubblegum Crash" was made. Still, the entire franchise remains a cult classic among anime fans.

    This anime is highly recommended for any fans of Japanese cyberpunk animation set in future. I mean, if you haven't seen this yet, then this anime is not to miss, the same with "Bubblegum Crash". My overall rating for such a classic is therefore: 9/10.

    Some similar anime also to be recommended include: "Angel Cop", "Appleseed", "Genocyber" and "Battle Angel".
    9Vegeta-2

    Finally, the classic series given the treatment it deserves.

    The DVD set of this series is excellent. The sound is great, and the picture quality is perfect, even surpassing the laserdisc release. The ability to watch it in the original Japanese without subtitles covering the picture is nice, also. All 8 episodes are in the set, which is a steal at about $50 (compared to about $120 for the tapes, or around $100 for the laserdiscs, if you can even find them). My only complaint is that the music videos are compressed really badly, giving them an M-PEG look, and compared to how the actual episodes look in this set, that low quality is unacceptable. Still, that one complaint aside, this set is more than worth the money if you like this series even a little.
    magehedgemon

    Best. OAV. Ever

    I like Scots. Hell, I am a Scot. But the guy above me is nuts. We all know that you can't just jump in the middle of a series. It's a cardinal sin of animé-watching, and something that will get you mocked mercilessly. And he did this.

    The ep he's referring to is 'Revenge Road', and relies on you knowing who Priss, Linna, Nene, and Sylia are. Want to get a better picture of this animé without watching all eight episodes? Watch 5 and 6, 'Moonlight Rambler' and 'Red Eyes', respectively. You'll see some of the best drama, action, and plot to come out of animé ever.

    /rant over.

    Anyway, this is definitely worth a view. The premere babes-in-battlesuits animé, and home of the Knight Sabers (the most ass-kickin' group of mercs in animé.)
    10Moonbeam_87

    MY CHILDHOOD IS COMPLETE

    TERMINATOR/BOOMER MEETS JEM/PRISS MERGED WITH TRANSFORMERS/EXO-ARMOR PRODUCED BY AIC, MY CHILDHOOD IS COMPLETE! Come on, You know What I have to Rate Bubblegum Crisis. It's getting My TM M for Moonbeam 87 Approved.
    DarthBill

    Good stuff, but...

    In a "Blade Runner" like future, four vigilante women - the Knight Sabers - assist the AD Police in fighting boomers, living machines not unlike the Replicants from "Blade Runner". The Knight Saber ring leader is Sylia Stingray, a rich, mysterious brunette who is the daughter of the man who created the boomers and whom might actually be a boomer herself. The others include rebellious biker girl Priss Asagiri, aerobics instructor Linna Yamazki and ADP computer hacker Nene. Other characters include ADP man Leon McNichol, a Brad Pitt like pretty boy with high ideals and a jerky attitude as well as a thing for Priss and with Leon is his hilarious partner Daley Wong. Oh and Sylia has a pervert whiz kid for a brother by name of Mackey. The villains include Quincy, chairman of GENOM, the company that produces the boomers, his right hand man Brian J. Mason (killed off too soon) and an obnoxious boomer man named Largo.

    A good series overall, but being dated is the least of its problems. Originally slated for 13 episodes, it was cut short at episode 8, leaving many series plot threads unresolved. A sequel series, Bubblegum Crash, was concocted to solve this problem but it didn't help. Also the characters are never as well developed as you would like them to be. The most interesting character, the Knight Saber ringleader Sylia, is never completely explored. Linna had potential, but her subplot involving a friend who was apart of a mafia family was never resolved and most of the time Linna was just ignored. Nene was cute and funny but only had one episode to call her own, the last one. Sadly, most of the series attention was centered on Priss, who somehow became the most popular character of the series, so much in fact that although she was originally suppose to die, a fan backlash saved her; I think this was due partly to the fact that she was voiced by a then popular Japanese singer. But Priss herself was not that interesting of a character: all her episodes basically revolve around her seeking revenge for a minor character friend that we the audience sometimes didn't even get to know in depth. Priss became repetitive and dull after a certain point. I could never quite figure out what Leon saw in her.

    But the series itself is not inherently bad. Animation is still pretty good in most of the eps (excluding the first one, which is a bit herky jerky, and the last one, in which the characters are drawn much too thinly) and it had an interesting theme on humanity VS technology.

    Remade for TV as "Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040" in 1999. Hate to say it, but 2040 was superior in many ways, though not completely perfect in and of itself.

    More like this

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    6.4
    Bubblegum Crash
    Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040
    7.1
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    AD Police Files
    6.6
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    Angel Cop
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    6.3
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    6.7
    Mad Bull 34

    Related interests

    Hidetoshi Nishijima and Tôko Miura in Drive My Car (2021)
    Japanese
    Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Alex Borstein, and Seth MacFarlane in Family Guy (1999)
    Adult Animation
    Steve Blum and Kôichi Yamadera in Cowboy Bebop (1998)
    Anime
    Ryan Gosling and Ana de Armas in Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
    Cyberpunk
    Jodi Benson, Jason Marin, and Samuel E. Wright in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Hand-Drawn Animation
    Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, and Chris Hemsworth
    Superhero
    Bruce Willis and Taniel in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    Fantasy
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      There are many references to Blade Runner:
      • The band is called "The Replicants";
      • The general mission in both is to kill androids who are almost too human;
      • There happen to be characters named Leon and Priss in both;
      • Both feature a huge, pyramid-shaped building.
    • Quotes

      Priscilla S. Asagiri "Priss": You little idiot! If you die, what will Sylvie have died for?

    • Connections
      Edited into Hurricane Live 2032 (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Konya Wa Hurricane
      (There's a Hurricane Tonight)

      Lyrics by Tomoko Aran (as Aran Tomoko)

      Music by Kisaburô Suzuki (as Suzuki Kisaburoo)

      Arranged by Nakashima Masao

      Performed by Kinuko Ômori (as Oomori Kinuko)

      English Performance by Joyce Leigh Bowden

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    FAQ15

    • How many seasons does Bubblegum Crisis have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 10, 2014 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Languages
      • Japanese
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 吹泡糖危機
    • Production companies
      • Anime International Company (AIC)
      • Artmic
      • Youmex
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 25m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1
      • 4:3

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