Cyberpunk 2077 Edgerunners trailer officially drops: 5 takeaways from Netflix anime showcase

While fans were eager to set foot in the world of Cyberpunk 2077 and were promised the moon by CD Projekt Red, its much-anticipated 2020 release was disastrous.

Two years later, CDPR has pushed out several updates that have significantly improved the player experience in the futuristic world.

The Polish developers are also bringing an anime series based in the same world, which will be released on Netflix in September. The streaming giant recently revealed the official trailer for the same, and the initial reception has been positive, with the art style being singled out for praise.

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Notes from trailer of Netflix anime based in Cyberpunk 2077's world

The official description for the anime, found on Cyberpunk 2077's website, states:

"Cyberpunk: Edgerunners tells a standalone, 10-episode story about a street kid trying to survive in a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future. Having everything to lose, he [the protagonist] chooses to stay alive by becoming an edgerunner - a mercenary outlaw also known as a cyberpunk."

Here are five takeaways from the trailer that will get fans excited to dive into Edgerunners come September.

1) Standalone experience

As noted in the above-quoted description, the anime series will be a standalone experience that will not require a prior playthrough of Cyberpunk 2077. Of course, players who have already completed the game will find the world of Cyberpunk Edgerunners familiar.

This is a clever choice from CDPR. Given the debacle surrounding the video game, it would have been a questionable move if they had made any prior experience with Cyberpunk 2077 integral to the viewers' understanding of the series.

Making it standalone allows people to enjoy the anime without such shackles and maybe even play the title once they are done, provided they like it. The 10-episode format allows the team behind the project to properly polish the product, and a hit will surely force Netflix to opt for new seasons.

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2) Mature audience & violence galore

The official trailer focused plenty on why the show has a rating equivalent to Cyberpunk 2077's M. The latest clip begins with bursts of blood, followed by a body being riddled with bullets.

The trailer showcases the jarring violence perpetrated throughout Night City and how the protagonists survive through the mess. The focus on violence, nudity, body modifications, and the likes are not uncommon in the cyberpunk genre, and the Edgerunners series will be no different.

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3) Protagonists

The trailer showcased a host of characters part of the Edgerunners crew, namely David, Maine, Dorio, Kiwi, Pilar, Rebecca, and Lucy. The show's protagonists are David and Lucy, drawn by Yoh Yoshinari.

The former starts as a street kid who turns to being an Edgerunner to survive after a tragic accident involving his mother.

Lucy is an introverted netrunner who is an excellent hacker, utilizing the cybernetically augmented interface system implants in her body. The trailer showcases their interaction, with Lucy asking David if he was sure about edgerunning.

Viewers will be eager to learn more about the backstories of not only David and Lucy but all the others who made brief appearances in the trailer.

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4) Edgerunners

The official description for the series does not explicitly explain what an edgerunner is but does call them mercenary outlaws. Coupled with the skirmishes shown in the trailer, Edgerunners are likely to operate outside the law and are rallying against the usual antagonists of the cyberpunk genre.

In Cyberpunk 2077's world, that role is taken up by the Arasaka Corporation. Judging from the trailer, as an edgerunner, David will be akin to an outlaw mercenary-for-hire squaring up against Night City's most notorious cyber-enhanced criminals.

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5) Studio Trigger x CDPR

CD Projekt Red's decision to tie up with Studio Trigger, the animation studio behind masterpieces like Kill la Kill, has been positively received by fans. Those familiar with the studio's art style eagerly awaited to see how they visualize the Cyberpunk 2077 world.

Netflix's official trailer for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was the Studio Trigger version, and for fans, it clearly shows. They have praised the animation and color palette, with everyone agreeing that Studio Trigger was the perfect choice to bring this anime to life.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinion.