By Alison L. Roberts

The Knight Sabers' hardsuits amplify their athletic capabilities, allowing them literally to leap buildings in a single bound.

Tokyo, circa 2040, is a bright and shining metropolis, rebuilt from the debris of a catastrophic earthquake with the help of biomechanical "boomers," designed to perform the tasks humans cannot or refuse to do. The city is packed, with people and the machines who maintain its manicured appearance, but the sheer number of mechs leads to a new wave of boomer-related crime.

The A.D. Police (ADP), a special paramilitary police unit, was created to combat the growing problem. Understaffed and underfunded, the young department is rendered fairly ineffective by the political maneuverings of Genom, the conglomerate behind the proprietary boomer technology.

Sylia Stingray, the Knight Sabers' founder, primarily takes a supervisory role, although she is not above donning her hardsuit when the need arises.

As boomer-related violence increases in frequency, a vigilante squad known as the Knight Sabers appears on the scene. They are outfitted in "hardsuits" that not only disguise their identities but are fully-equipped with weaponry that puts the ADP's most advanced devices to shame. The Knight Sabers' repeated successes frustrate the officers of the struggling ADP, earning them a place at the top of the agency's "most wanted" list, while also attracting the attention of Genom. Although the general public remains oblivious to the happenings around them, rumors begin to make their way onto the 'net and beyond Tokyo — rumors about the Knight Sabers.

A.D. Police colleagues Leon and Nene have a relationship that extends beyond being coworkers and into sibling territory.

Wide-eyed Linna Yamazaki arrives in Tokyo, ready to start her new job and new life. After having followed the Knight Sabers' exploits on the Internet, she also fully expects to see them in action. Although her coworkers dismiss the vigilantes as an urban legend, she can't let go of the idea. A chance run-in with a mysterious biker (Priss), a horrible date with a lecherous supervisor and a very personal encounter with a mad boomer place Linna in the position to become the newest member of the very unique and secret team.

It is through Linna's eyes that the audience is drawn into the story — first viewing the spectacle of a mad boomer and then witnessing the effectiveness of the Knight Sabers. (This is nice touch since she is widely considered to be the least developed main character in the original OAVs.)

Despite her generally antisocial behavior, Priss is the unwilling recipient of Nene and Linna's admiration and of Leon McNichol's romantic advances.

In addition to its well-choreographed action sequences, BGC2040 places a special emphasis on character development, utilizing the classic device of perspective to focus on how the characters view themselves, on the interpersonal workings of the Knight Sabers team and on the relationships each character has with the others. These relationships and the actions they prompt have a profound effect, as the series' ongoing plot slowly unfurls to reveal conspiracies, ethical dilemmas and a menace that reaches far beyond the scope of the original OAVs.

BUBBLEGUM CRISIS: TOKYO 2040 © JVC / AIC, DVD © A.D. Vision, Inc. English-language release, on DVD and VHS, from ADV Films. For more information about the original OAVs, read Aligator Pop's Bubblegum Crisis: Mad Machines.