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bgc_o002.jpg bgc_0000.gif

Bubblegum Crisis

Episode 2: Born To Kill



[ production info ]

Distributed by: TOEMI (Japan), AnimEigo (North America)
Length: 30 minutes
Rating: NR, parental guidance suggested
Format: Subtitled/Dubbed (VHS/LD)


[ plot summary ]

vhs jacket

The destruction of Aqua City has temporarily put the AI module in Cynthia out of reach of U.S.S.D. Commander Swartz hires the Knight Sabers to recover the module -- but he is not the only one after it. Mason, in his quest for power within the GENOM ranks, has sent his three boomer bodyguards after the AI module. For Mason has already a receptacle for the unit: the new Super-Boomer. Meanwhile, Linna befriends a young woman, Irene, whom she had been teaching at the gym. Irene's fiancé had been mysteriously killed while working on a classified boomer project, and now Irene was determined to expose the culprits.


[ capsule review ]

Once again, the episode starts with a great opening song -- in this case, Mad Machine. (This statement does not apply in the dubbed version of the video. Unfortunately, all the power and drive is gone in the English remake of the song.) We also get to see a lot of character development, especially in the case of Linna, the aerobics instructor. There are some really good combat scenes between the Knight Sabres and the female boomers; unfortunately, the quality of animation isn't up to the standards we've come to expect in shows these days. It's a short episode, so you can't really cover a lot of ground, but overall, it's well directed -- no dead spots in the scripting. Ito Miki (Gally in Battle Angel) does a fine job as Irene, Linna's new friend. The show ends with a really odd-ball choice of end themes -- the scene is a gravesite, but the song (Kizudarake no Wild) has a very upbeat tempo to it. - AN


More really good music for this series with two or three songs being played in this episode. When AnimEigo released the dubbed version of this episode, they completely re-did the vocal tracks as well. Unfortunately the opening theme song, which we hear in its original Japanese form in the subtitled version, has a strong beat and really good vocal, but in the English remake is a real snoozer. The English version is available as a MOV from AnimEigo's site and is about 20 MB long. A shame that they don't tell you which version it is since I wouldn't have bothered downloading the sucker had I known it was the English version.

The episode itself has a decent story to go with the good music. While the animation quality is still nothing to write home about, I've seen a lot worse. Of course, the music played so far in this series is a lot better than the stuff that's been showing up currently on the radio so it's a nice change to watch and listen to this show. - JYN



[ café rating ]

Original: Subbed: Dubbed:
Story: N/A 3 stars N/A
Direction: N/A 4 stars N/A
Acting: N/A 4 stars N/A
Animation: N/A 2 stars N/A
Music: N/A 4 stars N/A
Translation: N/A 5 stars N/A
Overall Rating: N/A 3 stars N/A


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Page last modified 1999.02.27