By Alison L. Roberts

Cover art for volume 10 of ADV's U.S. VHS release.

Since the release of BGC2040, debates on message boards and mailing lists have continued. Which is better, the original OAVs or the TV series?

The topic can be polled in many ways: original designs v. new designs, OAV format v. television series format, j-pop v. techno-rock, unfinished story v. completed story, and more.

This kind of debate is a disservice to both incarnations of the series, since it is largely a matter of personal preference rather than quality.

BGC2040 has all of the ingredients that make great anime: a well-executed visual style, an exceptional soundtrack, fantastic action sequences that keep viewers on the edge of their seats, compelling characters and storytelling that doesn't pander to its audience by spelling everything out.

Time will tell if the television series achieves the "classic" status of the original OAVs. (It makes one wonder how the debate would be viewed had Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 been the first to debut.)