Hundreds of exciting new anime services come out every year and Netflix has become a major player when it comes to original animated productions. One of the most promising series to hit the streaming service this year is Cyberpunk: Edge Runners, a neo-noir cyberpunk heist story set in the rich world of CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 video game.
Anime series based on video games have always been in vogue, but there is more respect and artistry in these projects. Cyberpunk: Edge Runners is a stunning example of how far the video game anime series has come and there is a lot in this show where the audience is talking.
9 It stands alone with no video game knowledge
One of the biggest hurdles that anime video games face is that they are either unnoticeable to those who haven’t played the games or are extremely corrective to the built-in fans. Cyberpunk: Edge Runners wisely tries not to adapt Cyberpunk 2077‘s plot and instead presents a parallel story that compliments the game’s universe.
David Martinez is a desperate orphan who aligns with vigilantes, edgerunners in a story that hits just as hard for a complete cyberpunk newcomer. It strikes the right balance for an edit where video game lore is hardly useless, but not essential either.
8 It is animated by Studio TRIGGER and directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi
Anime fans are increasingly aware of which animation studios are responsible for bringing their favorite series to life. It’s devastating when an acclaimed manga gets a lackluster anime because the wrong studio takes it on without the right resources. Studio TRIGGER has earned an enviable reputation in the anime industry for their beautiful visuals and creative use of color and action choreography.
The best of edge runners is that it is a TRIGGER production and directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi, the brain responsible for Kill la Kill, Promare, and Gurren Lagann. Cyberpunk: Edge Runners fits the standard TRIGGER mold, but it’s easily one of their best work.
7 An excellent English dubcast has been put together
There is still a healthy discussion between anime’s “subbed vs dubbed” communities, but the quality of dubbed series has undeniably improved. It’s still a good idea to experience an anime in the original language, but it’s always easier to watch the dubbed version if it’s clearly treated with respect.
The English dub for Cyberpunk: Edge Runners gathers impressive talent with a mix of both established anime voice actors and popular live-action actors who don’t bubble in their performances. Zach Aguilar and Emi Lo excel in the central roles of David and Lucy, but talented actors like Giancarlo Esposito make up the supporting cast.
6 The Elevated Body Mod Fight Sequences
One of the central conflicts in both Cyberpunk: Edge Runners and its video game predecessor is the growing prevalence of Body Mod improvements in Night City. David’s struggle with his Body Mod powers and his slipping hold on his humanity is one of the more compelling dynamics in Edge runners.
This power allows David to accomplish incredible things, but this power is elegantly illustrated by kaleidoscopic bursts of power. The stylized choreography and expressionistic color palette make these fights feel like a unique spectacle. These fights even mix with a bit of body horror to go side by side with the action and sci-fi.
5 Using music and recording English songs
Music represents so much of an anime’s identity and Cyberpunk: Edge Runners benefits from a fantastic score courtesy of the acclaimed Akira Yamaoka of Silent Hill and Silent Hill 2 fame. Yamaoka creates a blood-curdling score that perfectly accentuates the neo-noir cyberpunk sensibility.
edge runners contains some excellent insert songs throughout the season, but the real showpieces are the opening and closing numbers of the anime, the first of which is Fran Ferdinand’s “The Fire”. It’s a sublime mix of music, lyrics and visuals that prepares the audience for the action ahead.
4 It creatively expands the Cyberpunk universe
Modern television and film productions can be so preoccupied with a connected universe and the future of the franchise that initial offerings fall flat. Cyberpunk: Edge Runners tells a complete story that functions entirely on its own, but it also does an exceptional job of how it establishes Night City for a series of future stories.
Just like in the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, edge runners highlights so many fascinating figures and sections of society that could easily fuel their own series. edge runners does not sell itself short by focusing too much on the future, but in the process builds a confident world that would be nice to return to in a new context.
3 The extremely thrilling car chases
The powerful Body Mods the characters possess in Cyberpunk: Edge Runners means that elevated battles are typically the way problems are solved. That being said, edge runners intentionally features diverse action sequences that indulge in many exciting scenarios beyond futuristic punches.
There are a handful of thrilling car chases that use future technology in mind-boggling ways. Cars bounce down the highway in extreme displays that both defy reality and carefully respect physics. There are a handful of these quick sequences and none of them feel distracted from the previous one.
2 The open conclusion allows for the possibility of more seasons
Anime can certainly enjoy extremes when it comes to series length, with many shows either wrapping up too quickly or getting lost in hundreds of episodes of unnecessary padding. Cyberpunk: Edge Runners is a tight package, even for a Netflix anime.
The show’s first season consists of just ten episodes, and while a season two has yet to be announced, it’s far from impossible based on where the season ends. Cyberpunk: Edge Runners carefully constructs a complete story that doesn’t end on a manipulative cliffhanger, but there’s still plenty of character details and plot threads to explore in a hypothetical second season.
1 Edgerunners DLC Has Made Its Way To Cyberpunk 2077
CD Project Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 faced a very rocky launch that many believed the game could not recover from. The title has managed to achieve stability and there is even a nice synergy that was recently included in Cyberpunk 2077 which refers to elements from the edge runners animation.
The New “Phantom Liberty” DLC Story Expansion Features edge runners‘ main character, David Martinez, with a new mission that runs parallel to the game’s story. In addition, new edge runners appearances and weapons will be available such as the Kappa, Kyubi and the Hypercritical Iconic Precision Rifle.
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