Allusions in Bubble Gum Crisis to Blade Runner

Ho Lin, Brown University '92

The eight 40-minute episodes of Bubble Gum Crisis (1987-1990) frequently alludes to the landmark cyberpunk film Blade Runner; in fact, it's probably a good idea to watch the latter before the former. Just to name a few of the similarities: in BGC one of the main protagonists is named Priss, although in this case she's human and the leader of a retro-rock group called The Replicants(!), Leon has become the human Leon McNichol, a sometimes obtuse but dogged officer of the AD (Advanced Defense) Police, and MegaTokyo in 2032 shares some of the overcrowded desolation of L.A. in 2019 (although the former also has a shiny, sleek ambience).


Last modified 22 March 2005