"Knight Sabers 2034: Bubblegum Crush!" Review: A thorough analysis of the exploits of the warriors of the future

Night Saviors 2034 Bubble Gum Crush! - Warriors of the Future City

■ Public Media

OVA

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

May 25, 1991

■Release and sales

Holidor

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 3

■ Director

・Director: Hiroshi Ishiodori

■ Production

AIC

■ Story

In the year 2034, a group of plunderers called the "Illegal Army" appears in Megalocity TOKYO. Even the AD Police, whose job is to suppress riots, are no match for this enemy, so the Knight Sabers, a group of four beautiful women, decide to resume their activities. However, the hearts of each member are far removed from the Knight Sabers, and the group soon faces the threat of disbanding.

■Explanation

This original video animation is set in a near-future Tokyo and depicts the exploits of the "Knight Sabers," four beautiful women who fight in sexy combat hard suits. Three episodes in total, "Illegal Army," "Geo Crikies," and "Meltdown," were produced. This work is a sequel to the video animation series "Bubblegum Crisis," which was a hit overseas, but the software is sold by a different company and the animation studio is different from that series.

■Cast

・Cyria Stingray/Ryoko Sakakibara/Priscilla S. Asagiri/Ryoko Tachikawa/Rinna Yamazaki/Michie Tomizawa/Nene Romanova/Akiko Hiramatsu/Largo/Kazuya Sogabe

■ Main staff

・Planning, production: Suzuki Toshimitsu・Supervision: Ishiguro Noboru・Script: Ari Emu・Character design: Sonoda Kenichi・Production design: Aramaki Shinji, Akutsu Junichi・Animation director: Noda Yasuyuki, Kiyozumi Norifumi・Art: Ogata Yumiko・Director of photography: Konishi Kazuhiro・Sound director: Matsuoka Yuki・Sound production: 81 Produce・Music: Nakazawa Takehito・Producers: Maeda Hitoshi, Kasuga Yutaka, Koizumi Satoshi・Director: Ishiodori Hiroshi・Production cooperation: Artland, Darts・Production and copyright: Artmic

■ Main Characters

Priscilla S. Asagiri The main character. Nicknamed Pris. She was once scouted by Cilia and became a member of the Knight Sabers. She is the best among the Knight Sabers in terms of firearms handling and fighting ability. She has a harsh personality and speaks in a masculine manner, but she also likes parfaits and loves children.
- Cilia Stingray The other main character of this work and the leader of the Knight Sabers. A beautiful woman with a calm and collected mind, she is the one who founded the Knight Sabers and scouted the other three. She is also the designer of the hard suits worn by herself and her members.
Rinna Yamazaki is a member of the Night Sabers. She was aiming to be an entertainer, but was scouted by Cilia and became a member of the Night Sabers. She has the strongest athletic ability out of all the members, and has an open-minded personality.
Nene Romanova is the youngest member of the Knight Sabers. She is good with computers and has excellent hacking skills, so she was scouted by Sylia and joined the Knight Sabers. She comes from a good family and has a spoiled personality.
・ADAMA
The second generation of Booma, a sub-human race developed to work in harsh environments. It has an AI that is more human than the first generation, and speaks and acts like a human child.
Largo: An enemy who also appeared in Parts 5 and 6 of the previous "Bubblegum Crisis" series, and the mastermind behind the series of events in this work. He has extraordinary intelligence and physical abilities.

■ Related works

"Bubblegum Crisis"
OVA series "AD.POLICE"
Remake TV series "Bubblegum Crisis TOKYO 2040"
TV anime "ADPOLICE"
"PARASITE DOLLS"

Night Saviors 2034 Bubble Gum Crush! - Detailed Review and Recommendation

■ Background and setting of the work

Night Saviors 2034: Bubblegum Crush! is an OVA series released in 1991, set in the near-future Megalocity Tokyo. The work is positioned as a sequel to the Bubblegum Crisis series, but due to a different production studio and publisher, it has its own charm and new perspective. Mega Tokyo is depicted as a city where technology is highly developed, but social turmoil is also on the rise. This background setting provides an opportunity for the viewer to consider the possibilities and problems of the near future.

■ Story and Theme

The story of this series begins with the emergence of the "Illegal Army," whose purpose is plunder. With the AD Police unable to deal with this crisis, the Knight Sabers once again begin their activities. However, the members' hearts have already drifted away from the Knight Sabers, and they are on the verge of disbanding. The story depicts the unity of the team and their individual growth, while also addressing themes of social turmoil and personal conflict. In particular, the backstories and inner conflicts of each member of the Knight Sabers depicted in each episode will resonate deeply with viewers.

■Charm of the characters

Each member of the Knight Sabers has a different background and personality. Priscilla S. Asagiri (Pris) has strong fighting abilities and a manly tone, but also shows an unexpected side of herself, such as her love of parfaits and children. Cilia Stingray is a calm and intelligent leader and the designer of the hard suit. Rinna Yamazaki has excellent athletic ability and an open-minded personality, and is pursuing her dream of becoming an entertainer. Nene Romanova is a computer and hacking expert with a charming spoiled personality. These characters provide the viewer with diverse perspectives and emotions, enriching the story.

■Visuals and Music

The visuals of this work are of very high quality for a 1991 OVA, with realistic depictions of near-future cityscapes and battle scenes. In particular, the Knight Sabers' combat hard suits make a visual impact in both design and movement. In addition, Takehito Nakazawa's music enhances the tense battle scenes and moving scenes, enhancing the atmosphere of the work as a whole. The opening theme "Mad Machine" and the ending theme "Never Say Never" are memorable masterpieces that will stay with viewers.

■ Achievements of the production staff

Director Hiroshi Ishiodori has skillfully depicted the near-future worldview and inner thoughts of the characters in this work. Screenwriter Emu Arii has dealt with deep themes in each episode, providing a story that makes the viewer think. Character designer Kenichi Sonoda has drawn the members of the Knight Sabers in an appealing way, enhancing the visual appeal. Sound director Yuki Matsuoka and composer Takehito Nakazawa also played an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. Thanks to the cooperation of these staff members, Night Sabers 2034 Bubblegum Crush! is a work that excels both visually and aurally.

■ Comparison with related works

This work is positioned as a sequel to the Bubblegum Crisis series, but because it is produced by a different studio and publisher, it has its own unique appeal. The Bubblegum Crisis series depicts a broader story and character growth, but Night Saviors 2034 Bubblegum Crush! succeeds in depicting deep themes and the inner thoughts of the characters in a short three-episode series. In addition, the uniqueness and appeal of this work can be better understood through comparison with related works such as the remake TV series Bubblegum Crisis TOKYO 2040, ADPOLICE, and PARASITE DOLLS.

■ Recommendations and ratings

"Night Sabers 2034 Bubblegum Crush!" is a work that combines a near-future worldview with deep themes, attractive characters, and high-quality visuals and music. In particular, the backstories and inner conflicts of each member of the Knight Sabers will deeply resonate with viewers. In addition, the work is also praised for providing excellent visual and audio quality in a short three-episode series. Highly recommended not only for fans of the "Bubblegum Crisis" series, but also for viewers who enjoy near-future sci-fi and action. This work provides viewers with thought-provoking deep themes and visually appealing entertainment.

■ How to watch and related information

The film is available for purchase on DVD and Blu-ray, and is also available on streaming services. Related information includes the official website, fan sites, and social media exchanges. Additionally, you can gain a deeper understanding of the film by watching related works and finding more information about the characters and setting.

Conclusion

"Night Saviors 2034 Bubblegum Crush!" is a work with deep themes and fascinating characters set in the near-future megalocity of Tokyo. It provides excellent entertainment both visually and aurally, and depicts deep themes that make the viewer think. It is highly recommended not only for fans of the "Bubblegum Crisis" series, but also for viewers who enjoy near-future sci-fi and action. This is a wonderful work that offers viewers diverse perspectives and emotions, enriching the story.