The "Bubblegum Crisis" is centered around four female main characters; Celia, Priss, Nene, Linna, who use their weapon-laden hardsuits under the collective label "Knight Sabers," to battle the worldwide conglomerate known as the Genom corporation, and its military androids/henchmen known as "Bumas".
In the year 2003 Tokyo was destroyed by an earthquake, and from the ruins rose Megatokyo, helped financially by the Genom Corporation. As the city struggles to rise out of the shadow of its benefactors, the Genom tower dominates the skyline. BC may be the first cyberpunk soap opera, as relatives, friends, and lovers move in and out of the storyline. Genom corporation itself has internal battles which more often than not result in massive external clashes. The company not only designs and tests the new Bumas, but they end up fighting off more intelligent androids with designs on the company. Amidst all this, the AD Police try to keep order in Megatokyo.
Celia's father, who created the Bumas for Genom as deep space astronauts, was assassinated by the corporation. She inherited her father's fortune, and much of the data from his life's work which was placed directly into her brain. This allowed her to develop the hardsuits, and bring together the Knight Sabers. Not only is the rock musician Knight Saber known as Priss, but her back up band is called the Replicants, an obvious nod to Blade Runner, which furnishes much of the look of the series. Genom tower bears a startling resemblance to Tyrell Corporation Headquarters from that film.
The first eight (of a planned thirteen) episodes have been completed, the property has been sold with a series now being planned under the title "Bubblegum Crush".
(A. Mayer)
Links:
Bubblegum Crisis 2030
8 episodes
Original Video Animation
Artmic Productions
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Bumas are initially indistinguishable from humans, but use their metal absorbing abilities to shed their skins and become deadly steel machines.
It was hinted in one episode that Celia might actually be a Buma, although nothing else has been mentioned since.
