I expected a lot more from this film after all the hype. For me, Bubblegum Crisis typifies everything that's wrong with Japanese animation - puerile and unoriginal, as disposable as the bubblegum of its title. The characters are completely unbelievable ('Priss' is a MOR rock superstar who moonlights as a freelance urban warrior with kit that even the military doesn't have access to - what?!), and the plot is virtually non-existent: a mindless stream of mechanoids and formulaic, wide-eyed action chicks.<br /><br />At its best, anime can be superb, with engaging, open-ended narratives and subtle aesthetics of the kind you rarely find in Western animation. The only thing Bubblegum Crisis has got going for it are its visuals, which are very good, but wasted on a lame script.