Perfect combination
Within the gaming medium there are always a lot of trends and fashions. Currently, we can say that one of the most predominant is to adapt famous franchises to other forms of entertainment. It seems that those who are in charge of the industry are on a kind of crusade to change the perception we have about how terribly bad they are, for example, movies based on video games. On the side of cartoons and anime, things are not so drastic. There is something in these works that makes us absorb in a much better way the attempt to take this or that series out of its zone. Things like Castlevania, Dragon’s Dogma and not to mention Pokemon, are proof that gaming can have good adaptations. In a somewhat unexpected move but one that undoubtedly sounded like a great idea from the start, the folks at CD Projekt Red found an alliance with Studio Trigger, a studio famous for works like kill la kill, Little Witch Academia and more, to create an anime set in the universe of Cyberpunk 2077one that will be transmitted by Netflix and that will tell us a completely original story. How is it Cyberpunk: Edgerunners?
I mention that the idea of mixing the Cyberpunk 2077 universe with how modern anime works seemed great to me, because if you remember, CDPR’s work always had a fairly close relationship with Japanese. Arasaka, Jig-Jig Street and other elements made it clear to us how important Japanese culture is for Polish developers; and since the first trailer was shown Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, it was clear that we were facing a well-planned production and that above all, it was seen that those who were behind them understood what makes the game on which they are based so special. Despite having some plot holes here and there, the truth is that this new anime bet based on a video game has left me more than satisfied, to the point that I am already in the middle of my second pass to see how much I got lost
back to night city
Anyone who has played and enjoyed Cyberpunk 2077 will know perfectly well that despite the great stories they told us throughout the adventure, the great and true star of the entire experience ended up being Night City. This deeply atmospheric place that hugs you and doesn’t let go. Well, Studio Trigger understood this matter and made David a great protagonist and that the characters around him support him in a good way, in the end, the city is the one who raises its hand as the most important thing of what it attempts to feature in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
The above brings me to the question of “Do I have to have played Cyberpunk 2077 to see Cyberpunk: Edgerunners?” The answer would be no, however, you could feel a bit lost with elements such as the factions and general organization of Night City if you haven’t played the video game. Despite the above, the truth is that it is also clear to me that the anime is built so that anyone can enjoy it. My recommendation would be to play CDPR first, but it’s not like it’s crucial either.
The story of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners unfolds in parallel to what V and company are experiencing in Cyberpunk 2077. The story is played by David Martinez, a young man who attends high school at the Arasaka Academy, when after a tragic event, he loses his mother, his only family. In the middle of a tremendously dark moment, David realizes that his mother had hidden a military-grade spinal implant. In the midst of a moment of madness and a lot of emotional instability, the boy decides to install it to realize that it belonged to a renowned soldier. After realizing that the mod gives him impressive speed, he runs into a thief on one of the Night City trains who, realizing his potential, recruits him into a gang of edgerunners, who are basically outlaws in the city. the futuristic city.
In this way, our protagonist begins to get involved with the so-called Scottish Night City, which, just like in Cyberpunk 2077, is in the midst of a serious crisis of Cyber Psychos that are constantly wreaking havoc, of course, next to all the corporate injustices that companies like Arasaka commit without any kind of legal consequences. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners focuses heavily on the ravages of tech-enhanced human implants and modifications. The issue of what can cause inserting machines into the human body is one of the most addressed in anime and it works great, because unlike the game, several of the characters that surround us are very involved in all this and a strong attempt is made to present concepts of people who are morally good, but who are in the middle of desperation and the need to insert implants in order to survive.
The development of both the characters and the story is sensational. David and company are not the same at the beginning, than what we see at the end. My only “but” is that probably, from episode six or seven, you feel that everything begins to speed up too much, that is, you stop delving so deeply into some facts and consequently, some not-so-important plot holes are generated. , but that he undoubtedly preferred that they were not there.
fan service? Of course. Even though at least I didn’t see a direct connection between David’s story and V’s, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners totally feels like part of Cyberpunk 2077. Details like seeing characters reviewing a map and having it be identical to the one we use in the game, I thought it was great. Same case of the sound of the calls and that they come out with text. This is only surpassed by events such as seeing the Afterlife again, walking the streets of downtown or taking a walk through Arroyo. Yes, several of the most important Night City locations that we enjoyed so much in the CDPR title are back better than ever. That feeling of progress but at the same time of decline of this fictional metropolis, was portrayed in a great way by Studio Trigger. In the same way, I love that within the story, David also becomes more powerful and capable, just like V, only of course, at the cost of his mental health.
To end this section, I would like to make an important point that Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is not only based on making references to the work on which it is based. No, the collaboration between the Polish game developer and the Japanese studio makes the lore of this franchise grow, suggesting new concepts at all levels that ratify the enormous potential that exists around Night City and its inhabitants. Get ready to meet new factions and new places in the city.
Scream Production
Without being someone who regularly consumes anime, I feel that the current industry is going through some instability when it comes to production levels. In my opinion, the level of quality that you can come across whenever you sit down to see any work of this type can be a real blow. As I told you a few weeks ago, I was very surprised by the poor quality of animation and production in general of Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles, especially when we are talking about such an important franchise. Just with my reservations I started to see Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, which, unlike the aforementioned, struck me for its great level of detail, refined animation and an extremely outstanding art direction that remains constant throughout its 10 episodes. .
Night City is a city that can saturate you with everything that is happening within it, something that would not be easy to replicate in something like an animated series. Fortunately for all of us, Studio Trigger is a production house that rose to the challenge, making each of the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners scenes a true painting. The best thing about this whole thing is that it doesn’t stop there, because the animation quality, both in action-packed scenes and in calmer moments, makes anyone’s eye fill with extremely complex fluid movements that, in effect, , help the cinematography in general of the entire work, reach new levels. A true delight.
Another point that most caught my attention in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was its handling of violence. I think that especially today, the abuse of the so-called gore within anime is a constant. Several productions base almost all their appeal on presenting bloody scenes without much meaning. In the new Netflix, the truth is that this was taken care of in a very special way, because in addition to having quite shocking and even disturbing visceral moments, it feels like they were placed in the right place to generate a special emotion and reaction within the audience. What I want to tell you with all this is that the violence within this anime has a very clear reason for being.
On the subject of music I have not been so happy. It seems to me that the constant use of license songs was not the most appropriate. The truth is that I deeply missed the many and varied radio stations in Cyberpunk 2077 that perfectly fit the tone of the game and even things like Pacific Dreams, I undoubtedly missed them.
One of the main reasons why I decide to start watching an anime or any animated series in general, is to see moving art and the world of Cyberpunk 2077 was perfect for something like that. I’m happy to tell you that basically since Evangelion 4, I haven’t been so impressed by what can be achieved in terms of animation nowadays, this mixing modern techniques like the use of 3D, with touches made entirely by hand. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a beauty that will make even the most demanding in all these sections extremely satisfied.
brilliant result
In the end, I can tell you to take this opinion as that of a passionate fan of Cyberpunk 2077 with a huge thirst to return to Night City. It’s true that I don’t consume anime on such a regular basis, but I’m constantly trying to catch up on one or two things that catch my eye. Ever since it was first announced, I knew that Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was for me, and that someone like Studio Trigger would do a good job of it. However, the reality is that one never knows, but luckily for us, on this occasion we are being given a sensational work that I hope can continue. At the moment there are no announcements about what could be a second season or something beyond these 10 chapters. Do you have an ending for more? I think that’s best you find out for yourself now that it’s finally premiering on Netflix.
A fantastic development of both characters and its main plot, impressive recreation of Night City, good use of violence, expansion of the lore of the series, as well as an animation, art and general level of howling production, make Cyberpunk : Edgerunners one of the best moments of anime in this 2022. Needless to say, if you are a fan of Cyberpunk 2077, this series should be among your priorities, the same case if you are simply a follower of good animation made in Japan. I keep my fingers crossed that this type of collaboration continues.
#Anime #Review #Cyberpunk #Edgerunners #Atomix