On September 13, the first ten-episode anime season in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe was released on Netflix. The project was produced directly by CD Projekt RED, the game’s development studio. Written, animated and directed by Trigger Studios, creators of the cult anime Kill la Kill. The series had a lot of expectations. First off, this is a new anime from Trigger that should shake up the animation world. Secondly, the project should return players to Cyberpunk 2077 (the game, by the way, even received a new major patch in honor of the anime release). Thirdly, to restore people’s trust in CD Projekt RED and expand the studio’s sphere of influence. What came of it?
Anime review Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Let’s start with a little background. In 2020, CD Projekt RED released Cyberpunk 2077, a PC game based on Michael Pondsmith’s tabletop RPG. She became the biggest disappointment of the studio at the start of sales. It was developed for about eight years, a lot of money was spent, but they still hurried with the launch of the product for sale. The game turned out to be too raw, and the versions for consoles were completely broken so that they could not be completed due to critical errors. As a result, Cyberpunk 2077 went from potentially the biggest game of the decade to an absolute flop. After two years and several major patches, the game finally looks like it should have. However, many players no longer want to return to this universe.
And now comes the anime, the action of which develops in the same Night City as in the game. CD Projekt RED claims to have been directly involved in the creation of the series, which should encourage fans of the Polish studio and its games (the Witcher series) to appreciate Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Moreover, many fans of the anime genre have also been put on hold for this project thanks to the involvement of the Trigger studio. From the very first seconds, Edgerunners tries to live up to everyone’s expectations. The series kicks off quite cheerfully with groovy electronic music and a brutal action scene. Players immediately get a portion of the canonical details from Cyberpunk 2077 (for example, in the very first battle, you can see the use of a rocket launcher arm, blades leaving the limbs, a time dilation implant, and so on).
Ordinary viewers are immersed in the atmosphere of Cyberpunk, where people are trying to improve their bodies with the help of implants. And those who overdo it with this business can pay with the development of cyberpsychosis, when a person simply goes crazy and starts to destroy everything around. In such cases, a special MaxTac group is called in, which is capable of either hacking the criminal if he does not have special protection among the implants, or simply killing him. In this world, no one is in a hurry to stand on ceremony with anyone. For example, Trauma’s elite medics, even if they arrive at the scene of an incident, will only save those who have a subscription. If you are not a customer, then lie down and wait for the scavengers who will take you apart for parts.
For those who played Cyberpunk 2077, a lot of familiar words have already sounded. And in general, in the series, you can notice enough elements from the game: making calls, streets filled with strange people, the main character David, who is called Dee (just like V), studies at the Arasaki Academy (the most influential corporation), braindances that allow you to view fragments of memories other people, experiencing, including feelings and emotions. And also virtual reality with full immersion, thanks to which you can visit anywhere, even on the moon. Feel the heat of the Sun and weak gravity without leaving your home.
It is also worth noting that the 16+ rating is used to the maximum (blood, violence, nudity) and in places it is surprising that it is not 18+. This is reflected in the story as well. The anime touches on more adult philosophical issues. For example, already in the first episodes, the characters talk about the relationship between parents and children and why the former go out of their way to give the latter a chance to realize their own dreams. They are killed at work, they burn out morally, and they also do not want to see that children want to chase their own dreams, which are different from the ideals of their parents. And so the series after the series goes: brutal action, some future technologies and dialogues about the eternal.
Conclusion: Best playable anime adaptation?
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is the perfect game to explore the underworld of Night City. Yes, it has some elements that some viewers might not like. For example, poor elaboration of background images, which are often devoid of even minimal animation. However, these are the things that are not included in the list of unequivocal minuses when evaluating series. Of the pluses, it is worth highlighting the mature narrative, seasoned with branded, one might even say extravagant, banter inherent in the Trigger studio. Good level of entertainment. Also, Edgerunners still complements the CD Projekt RED game world well. The immersion of the protagonist of Cyberpunk 2077 into the criminal world was shown in a ten-second cutscene between the prologue and the first act. In the series, a good half of the season is allocated for this. All in all, Edgerunners is a good cyberpunk anime and should appeal to fans of the game.
Source: Trash Box
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
