NoaIzumiBonus Manga Review: Bubblegum Crisis, Grand Mal
December 15th 2008 02:44
When a foreign mercenary shows up in Mega-Tokyo with a grudge against Genom, the Knight Sabers are back in action. He seems like an ally, but if he gets what he’s looking for, he could turn into a worse threat than Genom ever was.
Bubblegum Crisis: Grand Mal is a comic book by the American manga artist, Adam Warren (savvy readers will note the similarity in mecha designs between this and his Dirty Pair comics). It came out a few years after Bubblegum Crash. The story is a stand-alone, not continuing from any point in the series, although I’d advise watching at least one episode before reading it. The plot is a pretty good one, even if it doesn’t make much sense in spots, involving a dying mercenary and a Genom secret. The best part of this contribution to the BGC universe, however, is the expansion on the background of the world and the characters. It even (finally) answers some of the biggest mysteries about Sylia and the Knight Sabers, such as why she formed them and where they got those cool powered suits. Warren achieves this partly through the use of panels labeled “video clips,” that arguably interfere with story flow, but the insights they provide are worth it. But be warned, the first time you read it, it will probably be difficult to follow the plotline. For me, it wasn’t until the third time I read it that I could really understand it. The extra time is worth it though, and true to Bubblegum Crisis, it really delivers on the action.
Summary: Good action manga, which answers some questions the series missed. Grade: B plus.
Age rating: 14 and up. Violence is a little more gruesome than in the previous incarnations, and the fan service is a little more fan-servicey.
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