Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040

Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040
Company type	Anime television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	1998
Founder	AIC
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Products	Anime television series

is a 1998 Japanese cyberpunk anime TV series produced by AIC. Serving as a reboot of the 1987 OVA Bubblegum Crisis, it centers on the Knight Sabers, a vigilante team of four women who utilize powered suits to fight against malfunctioning Boomer robots engineered by the megacorporation Genom.

Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 was broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 8, 1998, through March 31, 1999. The series was released by Toshiba EMI on VHS and Laserdisc across 13 volumes, each containing two episodes, between January 21, 1999, and July 26, 2000. Subsequent DVD editions were based on the American versions and encoded for Region 2.

Critics responded favorably to the series, with several regarding it as a superior iteration compared to the original OVA.

Plot

Set predominantly in Tokyo like its predecessor, Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 depicts a future where robots known as Boomers handle much of the city's manual work under the control of the advanced megacorporation Genom.

Linna Yamazaki, newly employed at Hugh-Geit Corporation—a subsidiary of Genom—witnesses a Boomer going berserk and causing havoc. The AD Police struggle to contain the chaos until the Knight Sabers—a rebellious group equipped with cybernetic Hardsuits—arrive to intervene. Impressed by their actions, Linna joins the team alongside leader Sylia Stingray, rock musician Priscilla “Priss” Asagiri, and Nene Romanova, a computer expert who works as an AD Police dispatch operator and acts as the group’s insider.

The Knight Sabers focus on eliminating rogue Boomers, much to the frustration of AD Police officers Leon McNichol and Daley Wong. Meanwhile, Genom chairman Quincy Rosenkreutz and his adviser Brian J. Mason aim to enhance Boomer technology to capture the Knight Sabers. Sylia’s younger half-Boomer brother Mackie joins as an assistant alongside chief mechanic Nigel Kirkland. Leon pursues a romantic relationship with Priss; after discovering her secret identity, they confess mutual affection.

Mason reactivates Galatea, a humanoid entity derived from Sylia's DNA with the ability to control all Boomers and pose a grave threat to humanity. Galatea disables the Knight Sabers’ suits, prompting Nigel and Mackie to engineer new liquid metal Hardsuits. Following Mason’s assassination of Quincy and his takeover of Genom, AD Police funding is cut, leading to a strike. Galatea incites widespread Boomer rebellions throughout Tokyo, trapping both Knight Sabers and AD Police personnel within buildings. The government orders an evacuation of Tokyo, disbands the AD Police force, and forces the Knight Sabers to relocate to Nigel’s workshop. Mackie malfunctions under Galatea’s influence and is presumed dead. Galatea spirals out of control, seizes Genom Tower, and kills Mason. The Knight Sabers’ efforts to stop her fail; Sylia sustains severe injuries.

Sylia retires from frontline operations and sends Priss, Linna, and Nene to confront Galatea aboard a Genom space station using Nigel’s Motoslave weapon. Overwhelmed during battle, Linna and Nene crash-land on an uninhabited island while Priss faces Galatea alone. Her Hardsuit transforms into a Boomer form that tortures her mentally; however, Priss resists, summons the Motoslave, destroys Galatea, and drifts into space. In a final act of respect, Galatea uses her remaining power to save Priss and return her safely to Earth.

Subsequently, Mackie is revived and reconciles with Sylia and Nigel. Linna and Nene remain stranded on the island while Priss lands in a desert area, singing a song intended for her band’s upcoming performance.

Characters

Several characters bear strong resemblance to those featured in the OVA series.

Priss stands out as the Knight Sabers' most formidable member, specializing in heavy combat. She is a Japanese-American underground rock singer residing in Tokyo's impoverished districts and tends to be a wary loner. Leon McNichol, an AD Police officer, is drawn to her; their initially adversarial dynamic gradually shifts into collaboration. Although she fiercely guards her privacy, over time she becomes more open with her teammates.

Linna, a farm girl who left her family behind to settle in Megatokyo, is the sole Knight Saber without Hafu heritage. Working for Hugh-Geit Corporation, a Genom subsidiary, she endures workplace harassment but maintains an optimistic and justice-oriented outlook. Her assertive demeanor secured her position on the team. She develops a close friendship with Nene.

Sylia, a mysterious billionaire and founder of the Knight Sabers, is the daughter of Dr. Katsuhito Stingray, the creator of Boomers. Of British Hafu descent, her brain implants influenced Boomer technology, though she regards them as monstrous creations. She provides tactical support from the ground and manages Silky Doll, a boutique that doubles as the Knight Sabers' headquarters. Due to traumatic experiences in her youth, she seldom participates directly in combat.

Nene is an 18-year-old Hafu hacker with Russian roots who serves as an AD Police operator specializing in sensor operations and electronic warfare. After hacking Sylia’s system, she was recruited by her and formed a strong friendship with Mackie, with subtle romantic undertones.

Leon is an American AD Police officer committed to public safety but initially skeptical of the Knight Sabers' vigilante tactics. He becomes a protective older brother figure to Nene and develops romantic feelings for Priss, eventually accepting her secret identity.

Daley, Leon’s partner and an adept investigator, questions the nature of the AD Police's relationship with the Knight Sabers. As a Chinese-American openly gay character—a rarity in anime at the time—he disappears late in the storyline after assisting in containing the Boomer crisis.

Nigel is a former Genom engineer involved in the Boomer Project who helped design the hard suits and now serves as their mechanic. He shares a romantic connection with Sylia, mentors Mackie, and has created specialized gear for Priss. While both Priss and Sylia are attracted to him, his own feelings remain unclear.

Mackie is Sylia’s male doppelganger, engineered by her father as an artificial prototype combining human and Boomer characteristics. Naïve and mechanically gifted, he retains an eternal adolescent demeanor. After surviving a significant earthquake, he joins the Knight Sabers and builds close relationships with Nene and Nigel.

Mason is a ruthless corporate executive who opposes Chairman Quincy’s vision of harmony between humans and Boomers. He seeks control over Galatea through Genom’s energy initiatives and previously collaborated on Boomer development alongside Sylia’s father and Nigel. His bitterness drives him to exploit Galatea as a means to achieve his goals.

Quincy, GENOM’s CEO, supports peaceful coexistence between humans and Boomers but struggles to rein in Mason’s ambitions. His deteriorating health necessitates life-support systems until he is assassinated by Mason’s secretary.

Kuzui operates as a double agent within GENOM, selling intelligence to both Sylia and Mason purely for profit without moral consideration. After utilizing him to track Galatea, Mason ultimately orders his elimination.

Galatea is a secret Boomer project created by Dr. Stingray using Sylia’s brain implants. Initially appearing as a child resembling Sylia, she quickly matures into an adult form identical to Sylia after being awakened from stasis by Mason. Emerging as the main antagonist of the series, Galatea undergoes mental evolution and grapples with questions about her existence before Priss helps her discover purpose, prompting Galatea to save Priss’s life.

List of Hardsuits

Hardsuits are powered combat armor created by Sylia Stingray and Nigel Kirkland. Initially, the four Knight Sabers wear body stockings beneath their suits to ensure close skin contact and facilitate "plumbing" connections. Sylia clarifies that all Knight Sabers are female because it was simpler to find women with body shapes matching hers rather than redesigning the suits for diverse anatomies. After the original suits were lost, replacements take the form of a viscous silver 'biometal' liquid that transforms into colored hardsuits. It is later revealed that the new hardsuits and the Motoslave represent Boomer technology connected to Sylia's consciousness. Early versions of the suits failed due to unsuitable users, leading Sylia to select operators who could synchronize with the Boomers' emerging consciousness to enhance functionality. The limited power supply was intentionally designed to prevent the suits from becoming uncontrollable.

Priss's Hardsuit is optimized for hit-and-run tactics in alley environments. Her dark blue suit with red highlights is equipped with "knuckle bombs," which are shaped-charge explosives mounted on her gauntlets used to penetrate Boomers' cores from within. Priss served as the primary combatant until Linna joined, and her suit is featured in Linna’s initial test simulation.

Linna's Hardsuit is characterized by a green base with orange trim and exceptional agility. Being the newest model, it incorporates advanced technology such as ribbon-like cutters edged with mono-molecular blades capable of slicing nearly any material. However, its novelty results in failure during its first mission, nearly putting Linna at risk. The suit has heavily armored gauntlets but does not include knuckle bombs.

Primarily designed for reconnaissance and support roles, Nene's Hardsuit features reddish-pink and purple coloring. It includes a railgun capable of firing armor-piercing spikes, reinforced gauntlets, and an advanced computer system with sophisticated scanners for intelligence gathering. Although Nene initially overestimated her combat abilities, her suit was later upgraded with automated features that improved her fighting performance.

Due to Sylia's health constraints limiting her combat involvement, Sylia's Hardsuit appears less often. When used, it is equipped with a retractable Katar blade for lethal close-quarters attacks and employs a fighting style more aggressive than Priss’s. The silver and white suit accented with teal and pink incorporates active stealth capabilities and remote-controlled explosives.

Episode list

The titles of each episode are inspired by rock or punk albums or songs, frequently sharing names with their corresponding albums. The series features two theme tracks, "y'know" and "Waiting for YOU," both performed by Akira Sudou.

This 26-episode anime series was directed by Hiroki Hayashi, with character designs by Hidenori Matsubara and Masaki Yamada. It premiered in Japan on October 7, 1998, airing weekly until December 23. The remaining 12 episodes resumed broadcast on January 13, 1999, concluding on March 31. Episodes 25 and 26 were not aired on television but were released directly on VHS and laserdisc alongside the OVAs. Licensed for English-language distribution by AD Vision, the dubbed version debuted on August 24, 1999. As of November 3, 2010, Funimation (now Crunchyroll) holds the licensing rights.

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No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original airdate

{{Episode list │ EpisodeNumber =18 │ Title = We Built This City │ DirectedBy = Satoshi Saga │ WrittenBy = Sadayuki Murai │ OriginalAirDate = }} {{Episode list

│ EpisodeNumber    =19    
│ Title           = Are YOU ExperienceD?    
│ DirectedBy      = Hayato Date    
│ WrittenBy       = Chiaki J. Konaka    
│ OriginalAirDate  =

}} {{Episode list

│ EpisodeNumber    =20    
│ Title           = One of thesE Night    
│ DirectedBy      = Yukihiro Shino    
│ WrittenBy       = Chiaki J. Konaka    
│ OriginalAirDate  =

}} {{Episode list │ EpisodeNumber =21 │ Title = Close to the Edge │ DirectedBy = Tōru Yoshida │ WrittenBy = Sadayuki Murai │ OriginalAirDate = }} {{Episode list │ EpisodeNumber =22 │ Title = Physical Graffiti │ DirectedBy = Minoru Nakagawa │ WrittenBy = Sadayuki Murai │ OriginalAirDate = }} {{Episode list │ EpisodeNumber =23 │ Title = Hydra │ DirectedBy = Makoto Fuchigami │ WrittenBy = Chiaki J. Konaka │ OriginalAirDate = }} {{Episode list │ EpisodeNumber =24 │ Title = Light My Fire │ DirectedBy = Hayato Date │ WrittenBy = Chiaki J. Konaka │ OriginalAirDate = }} {{Episode list │ EpisodeNumber =25 │ Title = Walking On The Moon │ DirectedBy = Yukihiro Shino │ WrittenBy = Chiaki J. Konaka │ OriginalAirDate = }} {{Episode list │ EpisodeNumber =26 │ Title = Still Alive And Well │ DirectedBy = Yasuhiro Geshi │ WrittenBy = Chiaki J. Konaka │ OriginalAirDate = }}

Episode title allusions

"Can't Buy a Thrill" (album by Steely Dan)
"Fragile" (album by Yes, also a song by Sting, and an album by Dead or Alive)
"Keep Me Hanging On" (track originally by The Supremes from The Supremes Sing Motown; famously covered by Vanilla Fudge and Kim Wilde, among others)
"Machine Head" (album by Deep Purple, also the name of a thrash metal band and a song by Bush)
"Rough and Ready" (album by guitarist Jeff Beck)
"Get It On" (song by T. Rex; covered by The Power Station, with multiple artists producing tracks of the same title)
"Look at Yourself" (album by Uriah Heep, also its title track)
"Fireball" (Deep Purple album, including the title song)
"My Nation Underground" (album by musician Julian Cope)
"Woke up with a Monster" (Cheap Trick album and its title track)
"Sheer Heart Attack" (Queen album, also a song from News of the World)
"Made in Japan" (live album by Deep Purple)
"Atom Heart Mother" (Pink Floyd album featuring a six-part suite)
"Shock Treatment" (song by The Ramones from Leave Home; also the name of a musical film)
"Minute by Minute" (album and eponymous track by The Doobie Brothers)
"Surrender" (track from Heaven Tonight by Cheap Trick)
"Moving Waves" (album and title song by Dutch band Focus)
"We Built This City" (hit song from Knee Deep in the Hoopla by Starship)
"Are You Experienced?" (Jimi Hendrix album and its title track)
"One of These Nights" (eponymous album and track by The Eagles)
"Close to the Edge" (album and title track from Yes)
"Physical Graffiti" (iconic album by Led Zeppelin)
"Hydra" (album, title track, and name of a southern rock group)
"Light My Fire" (classic song from The Doors by The Doors)
"Walking on the Moon" (track from Reggatta de Blanc by The Police)
"Still Alive and Well" (Johnny Winter album)

Critical response

Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 garnered predominantly positive critiques, frequently viewed as a superior iteration compared to the initial OVA series.

Jason Bustard of THEM Anime Reviews awarded it four stars out of five, praising improvements in narrative, soundtrack, and character artwork. He particularly noted the enriched character portrayals, highlighting details such as Nene's penchant for snacks and Priss's mercenary demeanor, which contributed greater complexity than the more detached personalities in the original.

Tim Henderson and Theron Martin from Anime News Network provided generally favorable yet somewhat mixed evaluations. Henderson assigned a B− grade, lauding the animation quality, character design, and storyline while pointing out a sluggish beginning and an ending that lacked originality. Martin gave it a B+, applauding its plot development, character depth, musical score, and English voice acting, though he considered the philosophical conclusion somewhat overextended.

External links