Cyberpunk: Edgerunners - Reviews

I came into this show as someone who found some enjoyment in Cyberpunk 2077 but not enough to really become a fan (I was uber hyped before it released like many). I am a huge Studio Trigger fan though. 

Story:

I found the story to be very fun and engaging all the way up until the last few episodes where it lost me a bit before finishing off really nicely. I found the world more fleshed out and believable than what the game has done for the world of Cyberpunk. I also found the story in the anime more interesting than what we got in the game as well. 

Animation:

It's studio Trigger... it's obviously amazing, fresh, and vibrant the entire time. There was some CGI vehichles mixed in but they almost fully blended in with the show and wasn't an eyesore

Sound:

I loved the soundtrack, wasn't expecting an English soundtrack and it fit really well with the show and the cyberpunk universe.

Characters:

Many enjoyable characters, found some were better/more enjoyable than ones in the game. None that I hated but there was a few character designs that I thought looked goofy but it was mostly 1-2 second lasting enemies or enemies we don't meet for long. The main cast were very well done, and glad they showed off a lot of the fashion in the game.

Overall: 

While I am certain that this will never get close to the money earned as the game has, I'd wouldn't be surprised if the anime outlives the game in popularity. The show is engaging and fun, with very few to no problems with the animation, sound, or plot. Studio Trigger raising the bar once again and can't wait to see there next project! 

The initial response from the community regarding this show was nothing but praise and lots of 10s flying around. On the other hand my reaction to it was complete apathy since I was looking at the whole thing from a neutral perspective. Once you do that most shows are nothing special and Edgerunners is no exception. Let’s get this out of the way right away. The reasons so many people liked it are:

1) It did not suck like the videogame it was based on (the bar was set very low)
2) Anything by studio Trigger is always praised and is well animated (the studio’s fame played a part)
3) It has an ‘underdog in a ghetto going up the ladder’ type of story that appeals to most young people (especially those living in large cities).
4) The ending is tragic (most people are used to happy endings).

Although these reasons can be enough for someone to like such a show without needing to elaborate any further, the moment you see past them and you focus on more technical aspects, you realize the show is nothing special. The plot is fairly typical, the characters are average people, and there is no big objective they have to fulfill. It’s essentially a social drama set in a sci-fi setting. It has action as well, but it’s not the focus of the show. If anything it exists as a break from the drama as well as for keeping awake the impatient sakugatards.

Anyways, watching the show with no biases in favor of the above reasons results in boredom. The biggest issue is how it doesn’t try to explore a profound message about humanity in bigger than life situations, which is what cyberpunk used to do in its glory days. Watching classics like Bladerunner, Johnny Mnemonic, or Ghost in the Shell make you question everything, they stick to your brain with their superb atmosphere and never leave. Edgerunners on the other hand is… a social drama about people living in a slum and doing petty crimes for making lots of money. There’s nothing to explore or ponder. Take out the sci-fi angle and it’s a show that could happen in any lowtech society. Touches like the implants gradually making you insane can easily be swapped with drugs. So basically the core genre is underused and as a result the whole show becomes passable.

Another issue is the characters who are average people. None of them is super important or has a high enough position of power for feeling like someone worth following for 10 episodes. Their objectives are also petty and shortsighted as they never go beyond making money through petty crimes. They ain’t even as cool as the gangsters in games like Gran Theft Auto or Yakuza . You are just not made to care about them and when someone dies you feel nothing was lost.

The third issue is more like a result of the other two. Although there is a lot of action, it’s about typical people doing petty crimes. Despite being well-animated it doesn’t feel epic because it’s about nobodies doing nothing of importance. Thus even the sakuga goes to waste. It didn’t feel like that when I was watching Akudama Drive or Rage of Bahamut, since the characters there feel important and so does everything they do.

The fourth issue is the pacing which gets really wonky because of a time skip in the second half of the show. Character dynamics change out of screen and the rest of the plot goes on overdrive because it is not given enough episodes to develop properly the new status quo. Basically, the changes are sudden and are not given the time to settle in before the anime ends.

The verdict for the show can best summarized as EEEEEEHHHH. Compared to the far more popular titles of the same genre it is very simple. It doesn’t explore the setting much, it doesn’t have a charismatic cast, all the effort in the action and animation department goes to waste since there is not much to hold you in, and even when there is it is ruined by a rushed second half. Edgerunners may seem highly regarded for now, but it will be forgotten by most as soon as the next season comes up and everyone will be dancing around the sakuga of Chainsawman.

I'm a big fan of the game. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners delivered on fronts. It's a gritty and depressing look at what goes on in night city. The action is astonishingly good, animated by trigger the studio behind classics like Kill la kill, they did a really good job. Edgerunners is really faithful to the game, from locations, characters, UI, and sounds, it's truly amazing to see the world of cyberpunk 2077 animated for our televisions. The story and characters are on par with the actual game, you cannot skip this one. 

Netflix's Edgerunners is a Straight Shot of Adrenaline.
"Bout Time I Chrome The F Up."

Holy Nova! Edgerunners succeeds in areas where the video game quite couldn't, but it's still able to implement a lot of things from the game which I'm glad, from the music to the little details like hearing that iconic line "Goood Morning Night City" said atleast once to other obvious nods to the game like receiving a simple call and hearing that ring/alert. I've been recently playing a lot of the game myself for the last four months, pouring countless of hours into it and I must say I felt right at home when I binged Edgerunners but not to worry, you won't need to know anything from the game to follow the show's story but as always, it does help with understanding what type of place Night City is. Edgerunners delivers high octane action scenes with a surprisingly strong dramatic story as we follow the life of a troubled young teen boy who struggles to live a normal life with his mum, but after tragedy strikes he is forced to grow up fast and quickly witnesses first hand the harsh reality of surviving and living life in Night City.

The characters in Edgerunners are very bombastic on the surface but get very likeable and interesting as the show progresses forward. The show is led by our main character David Martinez, a smart but troublesome teen that cares dearly for those close to him but after a devestating tragedy, he is forced to learn on how to survive the streets of Night City. As he struggles to adapt, his life later takes another drastic turn as he meets a mysterious, white haired girl by the name of Lucy. Throughout David's journey, he's accompanied by some great characters that compliment him well from his explosive, fun crew to the more condemning and tricky protagonists of the show. The characters are fantastic and are definitely a highlight for the show.

Studio TRIGGER (Kill la Kill) does their thing here and nail it by not holding back with the nudity, blood and gore, showing off their unique style. The animation and its wild colors, adrenaline-fuelled action scenes and trippy effects make Edgerunners such a fun watch from start to finish. The music is brilliant, taking most of its tracks from the game as well as the solid opener; This FFFire by Franz Ferdinand, same goes for the sound effects which were perfectly done. The voice acting was solid with a noticible performance from the one and only Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad, Far Cry 6), so I highly recommend watching this in English this time around but to each their own. Overall Edge is a excellent kickass show that exceeds my expectations with its visual spectacle and engaging story and characters, it's also not afraid to show you some nudity and violence. Here's hoping more people would also find interest in the world of Cyberpunk and maybe even give the game a try or another chance, since it's in a much healthier state right now. 

+ Gorgeous Animation and Sound

+ Engaging Story and Characters

+ High Octane Action and BLOOD AND VIOLENCE!







hope this helps...🤙

I can't believe it, I never thought I would cry so much with this anime, it's fucking 4 am here and I can't sleep with depression after the end of the anime...

I just wish they went to the moon together ❤️🙁