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The Bubblegum Crisis: Before and After sourcebook covers the Bubblegum Crash! and AD Police Files anime video series (sequel and prequel to the original Bubblegum Crisis series). The source material almost flawlessly explains not only the information contained in the series but also the inconsistencies between events in Crisis and the later series (such as the almost complete lack of cyberware in Crisis and Crash! despite its prevalence in AD Police Files. As in the main book there are full-page panels for each episode with a short synopsis (though not in full-color).

The AD Police Files section of Before and After mainly focuses on the differences in the more "gung-ho" AD Police of 2027, but also includes information on Genom and Boomers with special emphasis on the "Boomer Syndrome"--essentially the cyberpsychosis in Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0--since it played such an important role in the videos. Character and mecha information from the series is also added as well.

The majority of the Crash! section is the character and mecha information for the series (the changes in MegaTokyo from 2032 to 2034 not being quite as dramatic) but also include information on Geo City and mercenary action in 2034.

The Referee Notes section contains rules on making a Boomer player character and adding cybernetics to your game (although only a few cybermods are listed--you will have to pick up a Chromebook or two to play a cyber-heavy game). Also in this section is a page on how to design a Headquarters for the group.

Of the two drawbacks listed in my earlier review of the Bubblegum Crisis main book, only one remains. They give conversions in the front of the book on how to convert the Kill based damage system into Hits (and d6 Damage Codes) thus removing the need to convert between the two systems in mid-game. Unfortunately, R. Talsorian has again failed to give a hardsuit creation system and suggest that you pick up Mekton Zeta Plus (an $18 sourcebook) and use its system to create hardsuits--then convert from the Interlock system that it uses into Fuzion. This is ridiculous since the basic mecha build system in the Mekton Zeta main book takes up only about 20 pages and it couldn't have been very difficult to cut-and-paste that material into either the Bubblegum Crisis main book or this sourcebook and then if you want to use the more advanced creation rules you could pick up MZ+.

All in all, a useful book if you plan on running BGC in either the pre- or post- Crisis timeframe, but definitely not vital for gameplay.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 3 (Average)

Bubblegum Crisis: Before and After
Author: David Pulver Category: game Company/Publisher: R. Talsorian Games, Inc. Capsule Review by David Davenport on 08/26/97. Genre tags: none	The Bubblegum Crisis: Before and After sourcebook covers the Bubblegum Crash! and AD Police Files anime video series (sequel and prequel to the original Bubblegum Crisis series). The source material almost flawlessly explains not only the information contained in the series but also the inconsistencies between events in Crisis and the later series (such as the almost complete lack of cyberware in Crisis and Crash! despite its prevalence in AD Police Files. As in the main book there are full-page panels for each episode with a short synopsis (though not in full-color). The AD Police Files section of Before and After mainly focuses on the differences in the more "gung-ho" AD Police of 2027, but also includes information on Genom and Boomers with special emphasis on the "Boomer Syndrome"--essentially the cyberpsychosis in Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0--since it played such an important role in the videos. Character and mecha information from the series is also added as well. The majority of the Crash! section is the character and mecha information for the series (the changes in MegaTokyo from 2032 to 2034 not being quite as dramatic) but also include information on Geo City and mercenary action in 2034. The Referee Notes section contains rules on making a Boomer player character and adding cybernetics to your game (although only a few cybermods are listed--you will have to pick up a Chromebook or two to play a cyber-heavy game). Also in this section is a page on how to design a Headquarters for the group. Of the two drawbacks listed in my earlier review of the Bubblegum Crisis main book, only one remains. They give conversions in the front of the book on how to convert the Kill based damage system into Hits (and d6 Damage Codes) thus removing the need to convert between the two systems in mid-game. Unfortunately, R. Talsorian has again failed to give a hardsuit creation system and suggest that you pick up Mekton Zeta Plus (an $18 sourcebook) and use its system to create hardsuits--then convert from the Interlock system that it uses into Fuzion. This is ridiculous since the basic mecha build system in the Mekton Zeta main book takes up only about 20 pages and it couldn't have been very difficult to cut-and-paste that material into either the Bubblegum Crisis main book or this sourcebook and then if you want to use the more advanced creation rules you could pick up MZ+. All in all, a useful book if you plan on running BGC in either the pre- or post- Crisis timeframe, but definitely not vital for gameplay. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 3 (Average)