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REVIEW: Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 DVD


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penguintruth



Joined: 08 Dec 2004
Posts: 8458
Location: Penguinopolis
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:16 am Reply with quote
Really? I thought the English dub was pretty mediocre. Christine Auten was a great Priss and I liked Hilary Haag's Nene, but Sylia's VA couldn't act her way out of a paper bag and Linna's VA fumbled a lot of the dialogue. Most of the secondary characters sounded awful. The less said about Spike Spencer's Mackie, the better. The Japanese version was better.

As for the show itself, it's pretty decent. I have the old boxset from ADV and watch it now and then. I like where it took the premise. However, at times it feels too cold and clinical. Everything is a little too shiny. I prefer the bombastic eighties BGC.
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Craeyst Raygal



Joined: 30 Apr 2002
Posts: 1383
Location: In the garage, beneath a 1970 MGB GT.
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:44 am Reply with quote
Outdated? Kenichi Sonoda character designs OUTDATED?

Sorry, but 2040 stripped away almost all of what made Bubble fun, fresh, and a launching pad for the careers of men who would define just about a decade's worth of anime. The attitude of Bubble was the attitude of a Gibson Flying V, a screaming endorsement of an electric style borne of an era where the future was right around the corner, and damn was it going to be a party.
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DRWii



Joined: 16 May 2007
Posts: 636
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 2:01 am Reply with quote
Seeing this just reminded me how much I'd love to see a new addition to the franchise. Even if you include the AD Police spin-offs, there's been nothing new for almost a decade.
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belvadeer





PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 3:28 am Reply with quote
penguintruth wrote:
Linna's VA fumbled a lot of the dialogue.


I only ever heard Kelly Manison in Those Who Hunt Elves (a lot of smart mouth dub dialogue), D.N. Angel and the Conqueror of Shambala movie. Was she that bad this time around?

I'm curious as to why this anime has always had bubblegum in its title.
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pachy_boy



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1323
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 7:23 am Reply with quote
Excellent review of a classic sci-fi action series that stands out even today!

I first heard of Bubblegum Crisis when reading a review on it in Newtype USA, and it seemed interesting. So I went to my local Suncoast, saw the title, and purchased it. It wasn't until I saw the DVD menu that I realized--I got the wrong series. This definitely wasn't the 80's show that the review was talking about, it must've been a newer version. I watched it nonetheless, and I was hooked the entire way through. It had solidly excecuted concepts, the music rocked, it was as inventive as well as action-packed, and it turned out to have a complex, interconnected and intriguing story. The dub acting really was excellent and has aged very well, and I agree with Theron that it brought the characters to life so much that to this day I have yet to watch this show in the original Japanese. And Christine Auten's singing voice was beautiful as well as workable. It's a shame they didn't do dub versions for the opening and closing theme songs, but 'Waiting for You' remains a beautiful, haunting tune regardless.

Afterwards, I watched the original OVA, which made a lesser impression on me. It wasn't just its 80's look and music style, it just didn't have the character development and intriguing come-together-in-the-end narrative that the TV series had. But like with most things I didn't like the first time around, I appreciated the OVA the second time around. Like those who came to grips that the TV series actually has its own charms, I came to understanding the same thing with the OVA. As popular as the Konya wa Hurricane song is, the song that really made the OVA for me was Say Yes!. But if I definitely had to pick one series over the other, I'd still say the TV series, due to its linear narrative, its hard rock music that's aged better than the OVA (I have all the soundtracks for this), and Mickey doesn't have the disturbingly inappropriate behavior toward his sister that he had in the OVA (where apparently it's supposed to be funny and we're supposed to still care about him as a character).

As you can tell by this long post, I'm a fan of the TV series and it's one of my definite top-10 favorites. It's a shame that Funimation has done only a bare-bones release of this series, so I'm glad I got ADV's thinpak with all the commentaries. My only other disappointment with Funimation's release is their tagline, "Their bodies are their deadliest weapons." Seriously?! It's not a fan-servicey show like the tagline implies (despite the nudity of the last two episodes), and it's like they feel this is the best way they can market this show while they're simultaneously releasing Heaven's Lost Property and Rosario Vampire. I remember when the Funimation guys came on ANN and talked about the TV series, and how it's a classic cyberpunk series in which there's nothing like it today. I couldn't help but think, why couldn't they properly market it that way?

Nonetheless, it's great that Funimation is helping keep this series alive. If any new fans find appeal in what Theron wrote it in his review, or even what I wrote in my post, by all means, take advantage of the Funimation sale at Right Stuf and add it to your library!
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Vortigernus



Joined: 31 Aug 2009
Posts: 13
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:31 am Reply with quote
Quote:
I'm curious as to why this anime has always had bubblegum in its title.


Seriously, what's the deal with the title?

Aside from the fact of not being "serious" at all.
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Saffire



Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 1255
Location: Iowa, USA
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:32 am Reply with quote
belvadeer wrote:
penguintruth wrote:
Linna's VA fumbled a lot of the dialogue.


I only ever heard Kelly Manison in Those Who Hunt Elves (a lot of smart mouth dub dialogue), D.N. Angel and the Conqueror of Shambala movie. Was she that bad this time around?

I'm curious as to why this anime has always had bubblegum in its title.
I remember reading that the "bubblegum crisis" was a reference to blowing a bubble with gum. You let the bubble grow bigger and bigger until finally it pops and makes a mess.
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Vortigernus



Joined: 31 Aug 2009
Posts: 13
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:37 am Reply with quote
I had a bubblegum crisis too once.

It was in grade school.

And it cost me 2 dental fillings.
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dawgstar



Joined: 10 Oct 2009
Posts: 34
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 9:24 am Reply with quote
belvadeer wrote:
penguintruth wrote:
Linna's VA fumbled a lot of the dialogue.


I only ever heard Kelly Manison in Those Who Hunt Elves (a lot of smart mouth dub dialogue), D.N. Angel and the Conqueror of Shambala movie. Was she that bad this time around?


No, Kelly Manison's fine in pretty much anything I've heard her in. So is Laura Chapman, for that matter.

Quote:
I'm curious as to why this anime has always had bubblegum in its title.


The way I heard it was, and I can't remember the source because it's been years, was when bubblegum gets in your hair more and more hair gets stuck until you finally have to cut it out. A bubblegum crisis is a problem that gets worse and worse until drastic measures need to be taken.

Or apply peanut butter.
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18137
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 9:50 am Reply with quote
dawgstar wrote:
Quote:
I'm curious as to why this anime has always had bubblegum in its title.


The way I heard it was, and I can't remember the source because it's been years, was when bubblegum gets in your hair more and more hair gets stuck until you finally have to cut it out. A bubblegum crisis is a problem that gets worse and worse until drastic measures need to be taken.


I've heard a somewhat different interpretation, and I believe it came from a book about anime which had Bubblegum Crisis as one of its feature sections but was based on comments made by the original director or writer. (I'm at work now, but I'll double-check this when I get home.) It has to do with the tension on the surface of a blown bubble and how if you blow too hard the bubble is going to pop. And that's really a fairly accurate description of what happens in the TV series.
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HeeroTX



Joined: 15 Jul 2002
Posts: 2046
Location: Austin, TX
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:14 am Reply with quote
I think this one really comes down to 2 things:
1. Era
2. Music

If you're from the 80s, you'll PROBABLY like the original better, bother because it's what you saw first and (kinda like KOR) is just Soooo 80s. OTOH, if you're younger and didn't really "live" the 80s, you'll probably prefer the new version. Regarding the music, I think if you LIKE 80s pop/rock kinda fusion then you'll love the music of the OVAs, if you prefer 90s grunge rock, then the TV series will be your speed. I HATE most 90s rock, so I was immediately turned off of the tv series.

All that said, the review makes this sound interesting, so I may give the tv series another shot based on the review.
(altho, for the record, on top of everything I noted above, I agree that the Sonoda designs were great and above all others I HATED Priss' redesign)
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
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Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:51 am Reply with quote
HeeroTX wrote:
(altho, for the record, on top of everything I noted above, I agree that the Sonoda designs were great and above all others I HATED Priss' redesign)


Priss was the least redesigned of all of the characters, however. They just tweaked her hair and clothing styles a bit and didn't have her wearing the wig when singing.
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The American Average



Joined: 17 Sep 2010
Posts: 644
Location: Jehuty
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 12:52 pm Reply with quote
I wish Gunsmith Cats would have gotten the same love as Bubblegum Crisis. Crying or Very sad
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pachy_boy



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 1323
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:35 pm Reply with quote
The American Average wrote:
I wish Gunsmith Cats would have gotten the same love as Bubblegum Crisis. Crying or Very sad


ADV did release a 3-episode OVA back in the day, a prequel to the manga, if that's what you mean.
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mannyperson



Joined: 22 Feb 2010
Posts: 62
PostPosted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 1:47 pm Reply with quote
Yes! I absolutely loved the cast for the most part as well!
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