Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

*** # Introduction Disclaimer: This is a spoiler free review. Considering the hot water that Netflix is currently in, them releasing an anime of this caliber is the last thing that I expected. As of right now, Edgerunner is completely canon to the original game even though it is set in the same universe. However, this could change in the future, due to updates, DLCs, and such. But for now, I assure with full confidence that you do not need to play the game, or have played the game to enjoy this; I myself haven't played it either. With that being said, here are my thoughts on Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and why it is a potential candidate for the anime of the year. *** # The Plot & Characters The plot follows a teenage boy named David Martinez as he transitions from a poor, elite student to an Edgerunner - an outlaw that lives on the edge. He meets more people like him and goes on tries to challenge the system set by society. So yeah, that's basically all I can say without getting into spoilers. The plot-setting and plot-setup in this anime is insane. There is some good world building as well, and even though it's set in a fictional world, it just felt real. This is mostly because of the display of emotions by the characters, and the state of the society which is divided into the rich and the poor. The best part about Edgerunners is how well executed it's first episode was. It does a great job at showing how developed the Cyberpunk world is and the mannerisms and behaviors of the people and how they adapted to it. For example: There's this guy on the street who has this automated-Fleshlight (or whatever zoomers call it these days), and he's just using it in the public (legit every time the MC walks through that road he's doing it). People also use software, freeware, and microchips to help with day to day tasks or to even do extraordinary things like give powerups or even slow down time. The characters were decent; not the most well-written, but they were beautifully designed, and did leave a strong impression, which is all I can ask for from a 10 episode anime. There is no plot armor as well which gets a huge plus. *** # The Brilliant Display Of Aesthetics Cyberpunk: Edgerunner has the strongest use of aesthetics I've seen in a very long time. Even a person who has only watched the trailer will agree with this. The artistic touch is what makes it stand out as an anime. It has great animation and breathtaking visuals, as one would expect from Studio Trigger. And to no ones surprise, it is very fast paced, but not in a bad way. I was very impressed by how they packed such a story into a mere 10 episodes. In order to reduce that sense of 'rushed', Trigger used transitions in the form of glitch effects to fit the theme of Cyberpunk, when switching from scene to scene. They also used the Zack Snyder Effect (slowing down a scene), to heighten fight scenes, along with repetition and blurring of short fight sequences for added effect. The color usage and themes were set perfectly as well. Backgrounds beautifully drawn and detailed to the dot. Typography techniques were also used to heighten the modernity. Even though Edgerunners is an anime, it doesn't feel like one at times, and there are a lot of reasons for this. The main one being, the story takes place in US. Essentially, it has a lot of western elements, and those are balanced together with the Japanese ones to bring a very unique blend which just works. In addition to the visual pleasers, there's also a vast array of beautiful soundtracks and OSTs. There was even a Spanish soundtrack. The OP is decent, but it was way more visually pleasing and I love the ED. A lot of great cinematography as well. Sound effects were really good, and voice acting as well. Shoutout to my GOAT Kenjirou Tsuda who was a treat to hear, even though he plays only a minor role. The only complaint I have in this area is the camera movement. It felt a bit jittery, like FPS drops in games. Maybe they put it there on purpose, but I would very much prefer good camera work.
*** # Conclusion Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is not a masterpiece, neither is it flawless. But, this is not the quality that I would normally expect from a Netflix anime. I was definitely proved wrong. The first episode is the strongest first episode I've seen this year. It will hook you all the way to the end of the 10 episodes. And boy oh boy, in that 10th episode, you are in for a treat; a bittersweet climactic ending. Highly recommend you guys watch it as well. Indubitably, a top candidate for anime of the year.