Anime: Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040

First off, let me say that, I'm kinda disappointed as to how this series is overlook. It really is a whole of fun from beginning to the end.

Positives: The primary characters were absolutely fun to watch especially Priss. Each had their own personality. Also I felt that this was somewhat inspired by Evangelion in design. Also I remember one of the boomers looked like Eva Unit 03. The fanservice isn't distracting and I actually welcome it here. Going back with the characters, my favorites would have to Priss and Linna. Priss being a strong willed and mystique character and Linna being more of your everyday woman who actually has depth in her character.

Negatives: With all that said, there are still things about the show that doesn't make it quite perfect. Some scenes don't link up together very well, some things are left unexplanied and a few, a few scenes where animation was kinda rough looking and could have been more polished up. The very last scene could been extended and explained better. There isn't too much that will detract the show that much.

Conclusion: I'll say if any anime fans get tired of anime series being set up in the highschool setting or typical boy meets girl scenario, which most animes are based upon, I say watch this, fans should definitely enjoy this series.

Belated franchise continuation that wants to be Evangelion instead, ending up so derivative it’s hard to keep track of the many things it ineptly emulates. The 80s original was hardly pioneering, but it did have great animation, fun stories, and most of all an amazing soundtrack — where instead 2040 has patchy direction, dire OP music, and a nonsense plot. However many of the half-formed or downright stupid ideas are revised into a reasonable and watchable form in Blue Gender.

The animation is amazing for its time, the action and plot get you hooked in from the first episode. And the best part of this series is undoubtedly the soundtrack. Both OP and ED songs are great and the BGM is spectacular. Really sets in the right mood for enjoying the series even more. As Rock fan the music really made me enjoy this the most. I could actually feel the hi-octane action that followed the music.

This by no means has a "deep" storyline or anything, its all fairly straightforward with some really good twists. I suggest watching this if you just want to crank up the volume and have some braindead fun. Cause thats what this series is... just plain fun!

Animation
Excellent animation for its time, very fast paced and suited!

Sound
As mentioned simply the best part of the anime. Rock fans shouldnt miss.

Story
Not bad, I really got hooked and was really intriguing. The revelations really kept the mood good.

Character
Good characters, the singer into superheroine... heh heh awesome.

Value
Greatly watchable... just dont expect an epic or anything. Just have fun watching this.

It would be impossible to review Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 without at least some comparison to it's predecessors (the OVA's) but I'll try my best to keep on topic. With that disclaimer out of the way...

Synopsis:
Tokyo of the future employs advanced technologies - not the least of which are cyborgs called "Boomers" who function as laborers. Boomer technology was spearheaded by one Dr. Stingray, and subsequently bought by corporation giant GENOM. After a massive earthquake devastates Tokyo, GENOM employs boomer technology to rebuild the city, and to create the infrastructure to support the advanced society found there in the year 2040. Unfortunately, biological elements in all boomers allow for them to descend into madness, which results in morphological changes and violent/destructive behavior. Enter the Knight Sabers. A team of female vigilantes whose ultimate motives are unknown, but who exterminate mad boomers. Headed by Sylia Stingray, daughter of boomer designer Dr. Stingray, the team consists of Priss Asagiri, Nene Romanova, and as the story begins, a new recruit - Linna Yamazaki. In the debris of old Tokyo, and the shadows of GENOM, a dangerous and uncertain future for humanity and boomer-kind awaits.

Animation:
Superb. Excellent use of color, CG, and detail. Each character is unique, but the style of the animation is smooth throughout. I was very impressed by the level of quality put into this anime. The backgrounds and environments are very realistic both in terms of the time and space they are supposed to represent, and in terms of appearance. The animation as a whole surpasses many similar anime in some respects (characters not as flat in appearance as in Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex (hereafter GitSSAC), more realistic looking than Gundam Wing; environment and motion more detailed and smoother as well). There are instances however where action is jumpy/jerky.

Sound:
Very Good. (Here's where I'm going to start getting into trouble with hardcore fans of the OVAs) The music in BGC has always been original, and indeed - an integral part of the story (at least as far as Priss is concerned). Both the OVAs and the 2040 series have used music that fits the time they were released well, so in that sense nothing has changed. However, it is clear the production value of the 2040 music is higher. That is not to say it's perfect though. You will get tired of hearing the same themes over and over throughout the series. What worked for Melodie in Noir simply does not work here. On the other hand, the sound effects of 2040 are very well done. They have great depth, and are very believable. The voice acting is also very well done - voices are clear and easily heard over background music (not like .hack//SIGN).

Story:
It has been said before, that 2040 is the story the OVA's would have had if there had been more money and interest at the time. Be aware that this is only true to a point. The character backgrounds and personalities are similar in parts to the OVA; elements of the action, and plot developments allude to events from the OVAs, but never recreate them. Be assured, 2040 is a new story. The essence of BGC has always centered on the man/machine struggle; with the advances in technology blurring the lines between the two concepts. BGC-2040 takes a more fantastical approach to this dilemma than what you'll find in GitSSAC - (especially later in the series) and so to many viewers it may be somewhat less appealing. The boomer concept covers much greater scope in 2040, allowing the more detailed plot, and deeper character interactions and development. Of course, having 26 episodes to do it in helps as well, rather than just the 8 OVA's. My only complaint about the whole series is that the ending felt a little abrupt given the large buildup.

Character:
Quite good, but not "Sugoi!". Each of the characters in the BGC story has been fleshed out from the OVAs. For example, Leon and Daley are more than just comic relief - they actually support the plot-line now. Each of the Knight Sabers personalities are well designed to be unique to themselves, and complement one another as a group. Considering the massive changes the Knight Saber characters underwent in the design of 2040, it is amazing they stayed so true to their originals. Priss is more brooding, and far less social, but still is the rock'n roll girl we came to love in the OVA. Linna has a personality and a background now, instead of simply filling space as she did in the OVA. In fact Linna is, in many respects, the main character to watch in 2040. Nene is well... Nene: cute as a button, and dangerously overconfident. Sylia and Mackie represent the most drastic character recasting - and some of Sylia's personality traits will come as a shock to fans of the OVAs. Like nearly all anime, there is a humor element in 2040. Unfortunately, most of the humor seems forced, especially later in the series. All in all, most changes were for the better, and the end result is a team of characters that work well together but unfortunately do not have the chemistry found in GitSSAC, for example.

Value & Enjoyment:
Very Good/Superb. In my opinion, this one for all of its ups and downs, is worth the money - especially if you were a fan of the OVAs. The early episodes can stand well on their own for when you just want to watch one or two; the later ones are good for "anime night". Considering anime DVD prices, the $80 you'll shell out for the box set is actually a decent deal, and the re-watch value is very good so in that sense this box set will pay for itself.