Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic
Based on The Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 Anime Series
by P. Kristen Enos
SPOILERS WARNING!!!
Most of these stories take place AFTER the TV Series! So DON’T blame me if I ruin the ending for you because you read these stories first!
Lesbian/Yuri/Shoujo Ai Warning! (Non-explicit — at least in the “PG13″/”R” sort of way.) Just not written for children because they probably wouldn’t get half of it.
All rights belong to JVC/AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story.
Special Author’s Intro as of February 2, ’10:
Wow, I’m genuinely shocked that when I realized I had posted part one on April 17, 2001. And the last installment (after a few years break) was posted August 26, 2009.
I’ve seen some people describe these stories as novel-size with warnings that you needed hours to get through them. So now imagine what it was like to write them. It was my main creative outlet for most of the years this universe and set of characters were active in my brain. And the only time these characters settled down was when I finally put their voices and actions out for the public to read.
However, all jests aside, I’m very proud of this body of work. It proved to me that I could finish a story that I was willing to present in public. It also helped me sharpen a crucial skill: that I could write a story as I went along that still felt solid and wholistic at the end of it, even if it took years to complete it.
The fanfic also gave me exposure and connections to people I never would have crossed paths with otherwise. It still amazes me how many people who have told me that they love this series even though they’ve never seen the actual anime.
Plus I won’t deny that unexpected thrill I got when my fanfic was mentioned in the ADV commentary track by Matt Greenfield. (The fangirl in me was in heaven!)
Thank you for reading!!!
Original Author’s Intro as of April 17, ’01:
This is a fanfic series I’ve started (originally as a lark) as a continuation of the stories in the “Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040″ Universe.
So for someone who has her own original novel and column to write, what exactly is it about this series that inspired me to write fanfic too? I definitely don’t claim that it should be listed as one of the greatest anime of all time since I’m not blind to its faults. But it was the series that really hooked me into anime, appealing to my basic nature of being a fan first and foremost. As I once explained to someone, “It’s a series about four sexy, intelligent women who can kick ass. So of course I’m going to like it!”
Linna Yamazaki is my favorite of the 2040 Women, embodying a “do the right thing” quality that I find appealing in my personal criteria of heroes, and it doesn’t hurt that I believe she’s a lesbian. Sylia being a close second in terms of favorites (often taking the number one slot depending on the episode, and just losing it completely when she whimped out towards the end), Nene’s in third and Priss last. (It took me a while to realize that Priss was only interesting to me when she interacted with the other women, and that there was more lesbian than heterosexual vibes from her.)
I avidly consumed all of the episodes as they were released on VHS wanted to find out what will happen to these characters, even though I’m a selfconfessed DVDphile at heart. The irony is that by the end of the series, everyone had seemed to reach a closure both in their life and in their romances, except for Linna. This being a character that even the English voice actress Kelly Manison considered to be a mystery on some levels.
So as a way for me to achieve my own closure with the character (unless of course the Powers That Be decide on a sequel that will address this lingering issue – preferably in the way I want,) I’ve decided to write “Stripes in the Jungle.” I have no idea how long it’s going to be or how often I will write it, or if I’ll even complete the story given that there’s a chance I could lose interest without proper motivation and encouragement. I’ll probably post a chapter every couple of weeks to a month, if the rest of my life permits. I’ve already idea-plotted at least six chapters to get through the first sub-arc. And the troublemaker in me hasn’t even decided if the series as a whole is going to have a happy ending yet. At the very least, I wanted to carry Linna through her first real romance now that she’s finally settled the question for herself about her orientation.
The trick of course is that I’m using characters who were created in the Original BGC universe since I think there’s great story-telling potential in revamping them in “the Spirit of 2040”, as I often like to say. So no, I won’t be doing any self-insertion stuff, being quite content to use characters that were already created for this purpose.
Also, because this is Post 2040, it helps to have actually seen the series so I don’t have to explain everything as I use spoilers left and right. But I will try to explain where it seems reasonable. And for clarification, everything is based on the English dub dialogue since there are some significant differences in which characters say what in certain scenes.
And by the way, Priss fans, she won’t be showing up for a while. This is purposeful due to plot elements I have to establish before her reappearance, not just because she’s my least favorite of the four – although I won’t claim there aren’t some influences in that area.
Hope you enjoy it. I find that the fun of this project is sharing the experience with other 2040 (and open minded BGC) fans who may feel the same way. Constructive feedback and input welcome since I’m basically writing this as I’m going along.
This series is dedicated to the English voice actresses who made watching the show so enjoyable: Kelly Manison (Linna), Laura Chapman (Sylia), Hilary Haag (Nene) and Christine M. Auten (Priss). And to egret, who encouraged me to try out the project and see if it would fit.
Special, special thanks to Greenegret, without whom Files #1 thru 6 would not have been started, much less completed.
And special thanks to my beta Analogk37, who also kick-started to picking up this series again with File #7.
Plus a nod to the rest of the beta team over the years: David, Templar, Red Riddle, Nico