BGC, both the original and the new 2040 TV series, is one of my favorite anime series. The original just had something to it..the viewer was introducted to the team after they'd been formed and gotten over some of the problems of working together.
Genom was dark, forboding, and everywhere, and the
AD Police seemed totally clue-less. The name of the series is highly abstract, but it works better I believe than some cheesey "Cyborg Hunters" or something of that ilk. The name Bubblegum Crisis comes from Sonoda (the creator) saying that the city (
MegaToyko) was like a bubblegum bubble. It was expanding and growing and becoming huge, until one day it popped and you had sugery goo all over your face and in your hair. The first eight
OAV's was the expanding of the bubble, showing how the problem's growing despite some form of help from the
Knight Sabers. In the second, lesser
OAV series
Bubblegum Crash, the bubble fully breaks, and all hell breaks loose.
The title is just as appros to the new TV series. From the first episode we're shown how the bubble of the city is expanding and growing while the city strains itself trying to keep it intact. I believe the use of symbolism in this case is extraordinary, and I must applaud
Kenchi Sonada for thinking up a neato title.
The original BGC and the TV series have maaaaany differences, but it's these differences that make them so interesting to watch. As someone who's seen the original BGC a lot (and Crash, even though that's not cannon) there are some references and gentle acknowledgements that's in the new TV series that might not been picked up otherwise. Like the characters. In 2040, the characters have had enough of a cosmetic and personality makeover to be considered different than the orginal incarnations, but they retain enough of the characteristics that they are the original characters, just with new stuff.
Priss and
Nene are a perfect example of this, but I'll leave this node spoiler free for those who haven't seen the new show.
The original Bubblegum Crisis took place between 2032 and 2033. There were eight episodes, which are listed here.
"Tinsel City"
"Born to Kill"
"Blow Up"
"Revenge Road"
"Moonlight Rambler"
"Red Eyes"
"Double Vision"
"Scoop Chase"
Tinsel City, Born to Kill and Blow Up together make up the first story arch; with Moonlight Rambler and Red Eyes as the second. Revenge Road, Double Vision and Scoop Chase are all stand-alone episodes (with the possible exception of Double Vision, since it ties in with Born to Kill). The series was set to continue after episode 8, however
money soon was a factor and production wrapped. Shortly thereafter, the remaining episode story ideas were crammed into a three episode series (the aformentioned
Bubblegum Crash!) which wasn't really that good.