Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040
#6: For All Mankind

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125 minutes
English/Japanese
English Subtitles
06/15/2001

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Let's not even kid ourselves. I'm going to make some quip about how "LOL, I never update ever, LOL" and you'll be all like "Whatever dude, I never read this site anyway. And I'm not reading it now." Well, I think that's a bit rude on your part. I'm willing to admit I'm in the wrong for not being the best webmaster I could be, it just brings weird metaphysical questions to mind about how you're aware of me repeating myself if you're not actually reading the site. I don't think in this modern world, in this polite society, that people should do that sort of thing.

I guess that's not as pertinent an issue as I might want it to be, not when we're faced with a more important one. All good things must come to an end and, assuming that you enjoyed Bubblegum Crisis 2040 as much as I did, then this is one of those things for both you and me. If you didn't care for the show, then I don't care for you. If you were kind of middling about it I guess that's okay, but you're certainly not going to get into heaven with that kind of attitude. St. Peter doesn't like people who waffle about all the time and I don't like people who don't like robot smashing and punk chicks.


It's kinda weird but 2040 has maintained the whole way through. The boomer fights in the beginning? High quality. The ridiculous amounts of story line in the middle? Awesome. The lack of a clip show somewhere around episode thirteen? Pretty cool (assuming I'm not making that up). So how is the ending? I've seen shows I've liked as much end poorer. While it seemed like Linna was totally the hero the whole show, Priss eventually steals it and wins the day, which is okay because she's all rocking punk girl anyway. She's lost the dyke attitude, complete disregard for her teammates and 60% of her out of place Bladerunner references. Also, her hardsuit looks funny when it gets infected and its helmet turns into that ridiculous maw with the giant dinosaur teeth and I think I kind of like that.**

Someone told me, long ago, that the final episode comprised some sort of fan-service bonanza. I can't remember that person's name or who they were, but they need to get cracked in the jaw, repeatedly, until the end of time. I, foolishly, was willing to believe it considering 2040 is an AIC show. The episode does have a fair amount of RANDOM (and totally gratuitous, and sorta weird) nudity, but fan service? Hardly! There's no ridiculous circumstances and only a tiny bit of implied lesbianism! When compared to other shows, or even earlier episodes of this show, it's relatively mild.


Despite a few bizarre occurrences, like robot dolphins surviving reentry into our atmosphere, the ending melds together well enough. Hearkening for a moment to the horror genre, Bubblegum Crisis 2040 goes where Pinhead preceded it and Jason would soon follow: SPACE. If you were taking this show seriously at any point, it'd probably be wise to stop just about now or you're never really going to get it. There's more than enough action to keep the train pace, though. I don't always overanalyze everything I watch, just most of the time. I swear to god when that motorcycle started going 780 km/h and hopped onto the space elevator I just wanted to jump out of my seat and punch someone in the mouth, I was so excited!

There's sizably more elevators and face punching in store as the show goes on, too. Nene's calibrating of the solar umbrellas that could spell the end of the world and each Knight Saber's fight against their respectable doubles are most notable. This is nothing we haven't seen before, filed under the categories of "impending danger" and "every Castlevania since Castlevania 2", but it's done in such a relaxing way here that it's easy to overlook.


I don't know what it is about this series, but it really makes me want to get into it. I don't like anime all that often, especially not anymore. When Bubblegum Crisis does things it makes me want to turn and listen, tout suite. So much so that, even though this is at least the third time I've seen this, watching it as background noise while painting felt bad to me. Like I was missing out on something. I think that's a pretty strong testament to its awesomeness, but it might just be me and my fanatical delight re: this show.

Aside from a lack of a legitimate final battle (Galatea got built up too much for it to turn into a Dragonball Z screaming festival, motoslave notwithstanding) there's nothing per se wrong with how this show ends. A bunch of robots die, everyone's happy and a whole bunch of chicks get naked for NO REASON WHATSOEVER. While it might've been better had Priss died up on the space station, that probably would've closed the door on the up and coming Bubblegum Crisis 2041, which I am waiting for with bated breath. As long as they keep making this show I'll keep watching it. This is something you'll probably never hear me say ever again. Bubblegum Crisis 2040 has its fair share of anime clichés to make you cringe, but the overall product is one that I'm going to be glad to buy yet again when the next "special edition" hits the shelves. You gotta be addicted to something.

**As an aside, the Japanese woman who plays Priss, Yuu Asakawa, was Pochi number 2 through 28 in Photon. That both confuses and enrages me.