Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
This review contains spoilers
Generally disappointing with a sparse few decent moments. Both quality and tone whiplash wildly from scene to scene throughout the whole series and make it hard to place the narrative theme or take anything seriously, and an almost dogmatic insistence on recreating the locations and styles from the CP2077 game is ruined by not also matching the games level of realism.
Cyberpsychosis has been transformed from a long running mental disorder that builds up over time into a gamified system that can be managed second to second by just pumping 'immunoblockers' at an overly comical level and pace. Nearly all cyberware seems to have a huge variance in effect/power based on what the current scene requires, in particular David's Sandevistan is elevated to almost magical and unique levels (it's commonplace in the game) where anything he interacts with also benefits from the time-dilation (average sedans can turn at right angles and grind sideways, eg.).
Adam Smasher is dragged out as his usual boogeyman trope, but actually seems realistic and grounded against the comical 'gundam' style mech David becomes in the finale.
The artwork is almost hilariously cheap and low effort at some points, characters can go from highly detailed to a vague blocked shape that doesn't even scan as human in the space of a few frames. Sandevistan scenes in particular stand out, the characters don't even actually move, just get copy pasted in a stop-motion format. Music is generally decent, but effectively steals the OST wholecloth from the videogame, can hardly give bonus points for re-using someone elses work.
Beyond all the failed tie-in points with the video game, the story itself is just kind of boring. The plotline is uninspired and can be seen coming a mile away, literally no character present has any kind of progression or growth through the entire series. Lucy appears to be instantly smitten with David for no apparent reason, to the point that she actively risks her own life to a ridiculous extent just to save a kid she barely knows. Weeaboo fanservice is in full force, about halfway through both Lucy and Kiwi are just start showing up fully nude in every scene for no real reason (they 'don't like' netrunning suits). Characters repeatedly die, but since effort is made to reiterate that none of them mean anything to each other, and have no connection beyond being on a crew to earn cash, all deaths feel meaningless and carry no narrative weight.
Ultimately a below average anime that wouldn't be distinguishable from thousands of others if they weren't riding the CP2077 coat tails.
Cyberpsychosis has been transformed from a long running mental disorder that builds up over time into a gamified system that can be managed second to second by just pumping 'immunoblockers' at an overly comical level and pace. Nearly all cyberware seems to have a huge variance in effect/power based on what the current scene requires, in particular David's Sandevistan is elevated to almost magical and unique levels (it's commonplace in the game) where anything he interacts with also benefits from the time-dilation (average sedans can turn at right angles and grind sideways, eg.).
Adam Smasher is dragged out as his usual boogeyman trope, but actually seems realistic and grounded against the comical 'gundam' style mech David becomes in the finale.
The artwork is almost hilariously cheap and low effort at some points, characters can go from highly detailed to a vague blocked shape that doesn't even scan as human in the space of a few frames. Sandevistan scenes in particular stand out, the characters don't even actually move, just get copy pasted in a stop-motion format. Music is generally decent, but effectively steals the OST wholecloth from the videogame, can hardly give bonus points for re-using someone elses work.
Beyond all the failed tie-in points with the video game, the story itself is just kind of boring. The plotline is uninspired and can be seen coming a mile away, literally no character present has any kind of progression or growth through the entire series. Lucy appears to be instantly smitten with David for no apparent reason, to the point that she actively risks her own life to a ridiculous extent just to save a kid she barely knows. Weeaboo fanservice is in full force, about halfway through both Lucy and Kiwi are just start showing up fully nude in every scene for no real reason (they 'don't like' netrunning suits). Characters repeatedly die, but since effort is made to reiterate that none of them mean anything to each other, and have no connection beyond being on a crew to earn cash, all deaths feel meaningless and carry no narrative weight.
Ultimately a below average anime that wouldn't be distinguishable from thousands of others if they weren't riding the CP2077 coat tails.
Mini Review: Overall disappointing with a few higher moments. Both quality and tone whiplash wildly from scene to scene throughout the whole series and make it hard to place the narrative theme or take anything seriously, and an almost dogmatic insistence on recreating the locations and styles from the CP2077 game is ruined by not also matching the games level of realism.
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