Review of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Okay, no holding back, let’s just jump right into it. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is really good. I might even go so far as to say it’s probably the best thing I’ve watched all year. The non-stop action mixed with sci-fi thriller elements keeps the viewers on the edge (pun I know) in literally every episode. The anime is based on the game Cyberpunk: 2077 released in 2020 but follows a different, younger, and browner protagonist.

Prequel MV to the series

Set in the year 2076, we’re introduced to David Martinez, a headstrong young man who attends the most prestigious school in Night City, Arasaka Academy. Although he’s extremely talented and is the head of his class, David’s talents are overshadowed by his low economic class compared to the rest of his classmates. Together with his mom the two of them were able to make a somewhat comfortable life, but as with almost everything in Night City, one unfortunate and bloody event sets David down the unforgivable path of crime as an Edgerunner.

It’s amazing how much story is squeezed into only 10 episodes. But I suppose the high speed of the episodes serves the environment of Night City and shows how no one is safe from harm, not even our protagonists. We’re introduced to a variety of characters early on both heroes and villains but as the story unfolds it becomes increasingly apparent that the real horror of this universe is becoming a “cyberpsychosis”. The condition cyberpsychosis in the anime, is a mental breakdown that occurs when someone replaces too much of their body with cyberware. It’s often referred to as “going over the edge” in the show. Referring to how Edgerunners constantly toe the line between reality and the looming possibility of psychosis with each cybernetic upgrade. The story beats of every episode move quickly, hardly allowing the viewers to fully process what’s happening to the characters as the lows come just as quickly as the lows. Edgerunners looks like a typical shonen anime on the surface but once you get into the series you’ll realize that it’s anything but, subtly subverting all the tropes we’ve all come to love in this genre.

Episode 1

Video game adaptations tend to be pretty disappointing but Cyberpunk: Edgerunners shows that you can create a good story with invigorating graphics from games. Studio Triggers was able to capture the essence of Nigh City and the insane lives of its inhabitants while making us yearn for more. If you’re a fan of sci-fi anime, this should definitely be on your watch list.

Rating: 9.2/10 Incredible and Moving