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Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Review

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a 2022 science fiction anime series that was released on Netflix. It is one of the best new anime shows of the year.

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“I feel better in metal than in my own skin“

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In a dystopia overrun by corruption, crime, and cybernetic implants, an impulsive but talented street kid named David, after losing everything he has in a drive-by shooting, makes the choice to survive on the wrong side of the law as an “edgerunner” also known as high-tech cyberpunk. First and foremost, I haven’t played the video game, but after watching this amazing anime, I am bound to play it sooner rather than later. The fact that Netflix secured this show bodes well for the future of anime productions on the streaming service.

The series contains ten episodes and it won’t continue for more seasons, which was a terrific choice from the creators as there is no need to stretch things out when we got this excellent, self-contained season. The pacing and directing are excellent throughout and the animation style is incredible. The cityscapes here are just gorgeous to behold as it is bursting with nightlife, neon signs and high-tech gadgetry. It is a very colorful, slick show that is also impressively well handled in its action sequences. It also features an incredibly eclectic score that mixes genres while consistently sounding suitably modern and futuristic.

The fact that this anime has incredible action, but also enough room to breathe in terms of plot and character development is what made it different from other more excessive shows in the similar space. Here, the fights are vibrant and so much fun, but we also get to care for the characters and what happens to each and every one of them. There is an added theme of people becoming too reliant on technology and just how damaging constant operations and body changes can be for humans, which is an apt metaphor for everything that is going on today in many countries’ apparent over-medicalization of their populace.

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David is an instantly memorable anime protagonist. His arc is a heartfelt one and his eventual shift in personality and physicality is what drives the plot in terms of suspense and emotion. Lucy is his love interest and the romance that develops between the two is actually quite sweet. The Moon scenes are particularly romantic.

Rebecca is this over-the-top punk girl who loves shooting everything in her sight and she was a blast throughout this show, being effectively the comic relief. Kiwi and Dorio needed more development, though the latter’s extremely buff physique made her quite memorable. Maine was the heart of the season before he died and the funny and unforgettable father figure to David.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners features a strikingly brutal finale and the show ends with most of the characters dead, which was unexpected. The show has extremely heightened stakes and undoubtedly that was impressive, but the gore and violence were too much to handle at times. But making you care for the characters only to then crush them before your eyes surely made the show very bold.

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