Baburugamu kuraishisu (1987) (V)

Directors:

Katsuhito Akiyama
Hiroaki Gôda
(more)

Writers:

Katsuhito Akiyama (writer)
Shinji Aramaki (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

25 February 1987 (Japan)

Genre:

Short | Sci-Fi | Animation

Plot:

A female mercenary team, armed with unique power armor suits, battle the forces of the corrupt mega-corporation, Genom in futuristic Tokyo.

Plot Keywords:

Power Armor | Anime | Mercenary | Cyberpunk | Cyborg

Cast

Yoshiko Sakakibara	...	Sylia Stingray (voice)
Kinuko Ômori	...	Priscilla S. Asagiri 'Priss' (voice)
Michie Tomizawa	...	Linna Yamazaki (voice)
Akiko Hiramatsu	...	Nene Romanova (voice)
Nozomu Sasaki	...	Mackie Stingray (voice)
Toshio Furukawa	...	Leon McNichol (voice)
Ken'yû Horiuchi	...	Daley Wong (voice)
Shûichi Ikeda	...	Brian J. Mason (voice)
Kiyoshi Kawakubo	...	Quincy (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Arnold	...	Quincy (voice: English version) (as David J. Arnold)
Elizabeth Becka	...	Linna Yamazaki (voice: English version)
Nicholas Bottom	...	Executive B (voice: English version)
Jack Bowden	...	Sings Of The Replicants, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Joyce Leigh Bowden	...	Interviewer, Sings Of The Relicants (singing voice)
Pierre Brulatour	...	Largo (voice: English version)
Jay Bryson	...	Captain, Ebisu Worker, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Dick Bunting	...	Miriam (voice: English version)
Katherine Burton	...	Ann (voice: English version) (as Katherine Kopec Burton)
Marshall Carroll	...	Dailey Wong (voice: English version)
Shigeru Chiba	...	Dr. Miriam Yoshida (episode 8) (voice)
Sean Clay	...	Company Man B, Executive A, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Annabelle Clifton	...	Harmonies For The Replicants, Sings Of The Replicants (voice: English version)
Clifton Daniel	...	Frederick (voice: English version) (as Daniel Clifton)
Ted Davis	...	Sho (voice: English version)
Chuck Denson Jr.	...	Announcer, Newscaster, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Kevin Dowling	...	Professor Stingray (voice: English version)
Jemila Ericson	...	Sylia (voice: English version)
Hadley Eure	...	Meg, Sings For The Replicants, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Mark Fincannon	...	Mr. Chang (voice: English version) (as Mark Finncannon)
Marc Garber	...	Retort, Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Mark Garber)
Nathan Gray	...	Guard 1 (voice: English version)
Susan Grillo	...	Nene (voice: English version)
Jon Gutman	...	Flint (voice: English version)
Kyôko Hamura	...	Sho (episode 3) (voice)
Zach Hanner	...	Gibson, Boomer, Kou, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Eddie Harrell	...	McLaren (voice: English version)
Maiko Hashimoto	...	Vision / Reika Chang (voice)
Megumi Hayashibara	...	Nam (episode 5) (voice)
Aya Hisakawa	...	Lisa Vanette (episode 8) (voice)
Tom Holmes	...	Doctor (voice: English version)
Geoffrey Honaker	...	Fargo (voice: English version)
Jean Hrdlicka	...	Irene Chang (voice: English version)
Miki Itô	...	Irene (episodes 2 & 7) (voice)
Hiroko Kasahara	...	Cynthia (episode 1) (voice)
Belinda Keller	...	Female Boomer, Nam, Naoko (voice: English version) (as Belinda Bizic)
Chuck Kinlaw	...	Kaufman, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
David Kraus	...	Chopper 3 Pilot, Police Chief, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Steve Lalla	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
J. Patrick Lawlor	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Barbara C. Lewis	...	ADP Commander (voice: English version)
David Long	...	Ebisu President (voice: English version)
Mindi L. Lyons	...	Naomi, Vision, Reika (voice: English version)
Tomoko Maruo	...	Meg (episode 5) (voice)
Loren Mash	...	Young Sylia (voice: English version)
Marc Matney	...	Bogey, Funk, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Yasunori Matsumoto	...	Kou (episode 7) (voice)
Michael McGovern	...	Manager (voice: English version) (as Mike McGovern)
Yûko Mizutani	...	Anri (episodes 5 & 6) (voice)
Brad Moranz	...	Leon McNichol (voice: English version)
Senri Nakajima	...	Sho's Mother (episode 3) (voice)
Sinda Nichols	...	Priss Asagiri (voice: English version)
Patt Noday	...	Deputy Commander, Outrider (voice: English version)
Kenichi Ogata	...	Raven
Teiji Ômiya	...	USSD Chief (episodes 1 & 2) (voice)
Eric Paisley	...	Mason (voice: English version)
Amy Parrish	...	Sho's Mother, Lisa, Harmonies Of The Replicants (voice: English version)
Eliot Preschutti	...	Ebisu Operator, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Steve Rassin	...	Checkpoint Guard, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Kevin Reilly	...	Staffer A, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Silivea Robinson	...	Sings Of The Replicants (voice: English version)
Masaharu Satô	...	Chief (voice)
Martha Ellen Senseney	...	Sylvie (voice: English version)
Kaneto Shiozawa	...	Gibson
Mayumi Shô	...	Naomi (episode 4) (voice)
Gray Sibley	...	Yamada, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Scott Simpson	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Michael Sinterniklaas	...	Young Mackie, AD Police Officer, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Kazuyuki Sogabe	...	Largo (episodes 5 & 6) (voice)
Tammy Starling	...	Lou (voice: English version)
Matt Sullivan	...	Company Man A (voice: English version)
Yoshino Takamori	...	Sylvie (episode 5) (voice)
Urara Takano	...	Kate Madigan (voice)
Amanda Tancredi	...	ADP Receptionist, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Michael Titterton	...	Dr. Raven (voice: English version)
Sophia Tolar	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Yumi Tôma	...	Lou (episode 5) (voice)
Frank Trimble	...	Mackie Stingray (voice: English version)
Hank Troscianiec	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Steve Vernon	...	Callahan, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Timothy J. Walsh	...	C&G Chairman (voice: English version)
Michael S. Way	...	Commander Swarz (voice: English version)
Cyndi Wheeler	...	Sings Of The Replicants (voice: English version)
Kôichi Yamadera	...	Fargo
Emily Young	...	Kate (voice: English version)

Directed by
Katsuhito Akiyama
Hiroaki Gôda
Hiroki Hayashi
Masami Ôbari
Fumihiko Takayama

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Katsuhito Akiyama		writer
Shinji Aramaki		writer
Hideki Kakinuma		writer
Kenichi Matsuzaki		writer
Toshimichi Suzuki		story

Produced by
Junji Fujita	....	executive producer
Hiroshi Tazaki	....	producer
Kinya Watanabe	....	producer

Original Music by
Kôji Makaino

Cinematography by
Kazuhiro Konishi
Akihiko Takahashi

Production Design by
Shinji Aramaki
Hideki Kakinuma
Kimitoshi Yamane

Art Direction by
Kazuhiro Arai
Shigemi Ikeda
Kazuhiro Konishi
Yoichi Nango

Sound Department
Noriyoshi Matsûra	....	sound director

Animation Department
Kunihiro Abe	....	animator
Atsushi Aono	....	animator
Kôji Aono	....	animator
Fujiko Aoyagi	....	animator
Shinji Aramaki	....	mechanical designer
Toshiko Baba	....	animator
Hisashi Ezura	....	animator
Yoshimitsu Fujitaka	....	animator
Miki Fujita	....	animator
Hiroaki Gôda	....	guest character designer (episodes 5 and 6)
Tadashi Hasegawa	....	animator
Takashi Hashimoto	....	animator
Chihiro Hayashi	....	animator
Kôichi Horikawa	....	animator
Hiroyuki Horiuchi	....	animator
Kiyoshi Iijima	....	animator
Takeshi Ijima	....	animator
Nobuyuki Ikigame	....	animator
Masaya Irahara	....	animator
Atsuko Ishida	....	animator
Ken'ya Ishitani	....	animator
Akihiro Izumi	....	animator
Masaki Kajishima	....	animator
Hideki Kakinuma	....	mechanical designer
Jirô Kanai	....	animator
Katsunori Kimizuka	....	animator
Mitsumasa Kimura	....	animator
Nobuyuki Kitajima	....	animator
Masaru Kitao	....	animator
Hiroyuki Kitazume	....	animator
Shigetaka Kiyoyama	....	animator
Yukihiro Makino	....	animator
Hidenori Matsubara	....	animator
Hideaki Matsuoka	....	animator
Makoto Matsuo	....	animator
Shinichirô Minami	....	animator
Tôru Misaka	....	animator
Kazuhiko Miyake	....	animator
Sadami Morikawa	....	animator
Masaru Nagashima	....	animator
Ken'ichirô Nakamura	....	animator
Masanori Nishii	....	animator
Masami Ôbari	....	animator
Fujio Oda	....	animator
Shin'ya Ôhira	....	animator
Hiroyoshi Ôkawa	....	animator
Haruo Ôkawara	....	animator
Jun Okuda	....	animator
Hidetoshi Omori	....	animator
Ken'ichi Ônuki	....	animator
Ikuyo Ôtani	....	animator
Hirotoshi Sano	....	animator
Hideyuki Satô	....	animator
Yûichi Satô	....	animator
Satoru Shigeta	....	animator
Yoshiharu Shimizu	....	animator
Ryûji Shiromae	....	animator
Kenichi Sonoda	....	character designer
Kenichi Sonoda	....	mechanical designer
Hiroyuki Sugano	....	animator
Eiji Suganuma	....	animator
Shigeyuki Suga	....	animator
Noboru Sugimitsu	....	animator
Akio Takami	....	animator
Akira Takeuchi	....	animator
Atsushi Takeuchi	....	animator
Tatsuyuki Tanaka	....	animator
Kenji Teraoka	....	animator
Shinsuke Terasawa	....	animator
Tomokazu Tokoro	....	animator
Atsushi Tsukamoto	....	animator
Katsutoshi Tsunoda	....	animator
Tomomi Urayama	....	animator
Satoshi Urushihara	....	animator
Satoshi Urushihara	....	guest character designer (episode 7)
Kôichi Usami	....	animator
Kôichi Wada	....	animator
Eiji Yamanaka	....	animator
Michihiro Yamane	....	animator
Masashi Yanagishita	....	animator
Jun Yano	....	animator
Hidetoshi Yoshida	....	animator

Other crew
Yasunori Ide	....	technical director (episode 3)
Kenichi Yatagai	....	technical director (episodes 1 and 2)

Also Known As:

Bubblegum Crisis

Runtime:

USA:25 min (8 episodes)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M (DVD rating) | UK:12 (episodes 4-8) | UK:PG (episodes 1-3)

Trivia:

The logo of AIC, the studio that animated the BGC, appears throughout the series' run. The logo even appears on Priss' motorcycle helmet in episode 2.

Quotes:

Largo: Dead, eh? Or rather, I imagine it would be more exact to say it has ceased functioning. It IS a machine after all.
Priscilla S. Asagiri "Priss": You bastard!
[fires railgun]
Largo: [catching the spike] Is this all your anger amounts to?

Movie Connections:

References Streets of Fire (1984)

Soundtrack:

Asu E Touchdown

Knight Sabers...GO!

"Bubblegum Crisis." Those are words you hear said with reverence from just about every anime fan. It's one of those shows that inspired so many imitators and so many fans. When you hear so much good stuff about anything you really have to wonder if it can live up to the hype. In my opinion it does.

One thing that surprised me was just how much time was spent on characterization. While you hear mostly about the action, BGC does devote a good amount of time to its characters. Even one-shot characters like Irene Chang and Vision are well drawn. But the focus is on the Knight Sabers and each of them get at least one very good moment.

BGC also comes with an array of fun secondary characters like sleazy informant Fargo, who's always hitting on Sylia, cops Leon NcNickel and Daley Wong, Dr. Raven, and Slyia's perverted little brother Mackie. These guys also have their little moments and add some comic relief.

One thing that surprised me was that this show wasn't as dark as I'd expected it to be. You hear a lot of talk about how Mega Tokyo is really grim and gritty and stuff like that. But except for Genom running just about everything, Mega Tokyo doesn't seem that bad to me. It's really no worse than New York during a high crime year.

While it may look a little silly now, for 1985 BGC was really something big. Besides, what doesn't look goofy after fifteen years? In the end its formula of four really cute women, some really great mecha, good villains, cool VAs and some pretty decent music works. This is one for any anime fan.