“I’ll Take You To The Moon! I Promise!”
– David Martinez
Year Released: Sep. 13th 2022
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was a series I wanted to end my reviews on with a high note. I’ve never played the game the animated series was based off of, or at least within the shared universe. The mini series was nothing short of amazing and it went beyond my expectations. I’ll say it, before I even start my review, I suggest that you drop what you’re doing and watch it on Netflix asap! Created by Rafal Jaki and Mike Pondsmith (creator of the Cyberpunk universe) the series was more or less meant to be a soft promo of the game while expanding its lore. The animation was helmed by the legendary studio Trigger, who are known for their work on Kill la Kill, Star Wars: Visions, and Promare. Check out the teaser here!
In this 10 episode mini series, we are introduced to a lowish class student, David Martinez who’s too smart and crafty for his own good. It leads him to being angsty and getting into trouble with the more pompous rich kids in his high end high school. As it’s set in a cyberpunk era, everything is futuristic with VR, advanced holograms and implants abroad. The story kicks off when David is suspended and the school decides to give him a second chance thanks to his mother. Not long after, he and his mother were caught up in a fight on a highway, leading to a car crash and eventually, his mother’s passing. At this point, David’s alone and seeks to go to drastic measures to make ends meet and his life spirals out of control from there. I’m leaving out some details but it’s a single season and caps off on the 10th episode with no real need for another season. All of the loose ends are tied up and it’s one of the few shows to really hit me on a strong emotional level. Happy Holidays, everyone!
-By Jamarri Taylor