Very few shows can undo lousy publicity and a loss of public trust like Cyberpunk Edgerunners did. In 2020, CD Projekt Red disastrously launched the video game Cyberpunk 2077, and the backlash from that event hurt the company’s good reputation and general interest in the game.
Years later, they were able to fix the game and make it good, but back in 2022, when interest in Cyberpunk 2077 was at an all-time low, one miracle collaboration with the legendary animation company Studio Trigger (Kill la Kill, Darling In The Franxxx, SSSS. Gridman, Delicious in Dungeon) saved the franchise and generated a lot of renewed hype for the game. The show that resulted premiered on Netflix in September 2022 and was called Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
Edgerunners is set in Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City and tells the story of the orphaned David Martinez and his fateful encounter with the Sandevistan, a military-grade implant that sets him on the path to becoming an Edgerunner—mercenary outlaws who modify and upgrade their bodies as they take on dangerous jobs and try to make their mark in the city’s history as legends.
This led him to a fateful meeting with Lucy, Maine, and the rest of his edgerunner crew. While David seemingly found a new family in the group, the life of an edgerunner is a dangerous one – constantly filled with death and deception in every corner, along with the looming threat of going rogue from cyberpsychosis caused by the ever-increasing need to upgrade to stay competent in the job.
The 10-episode series follows the group’s fate as they encounter a series of events that lead to David becoming a Night City legend. Edgerunners is best remembered for its captivating narrative, charming cast of stylish characters, violent and brutal action, and the fantastic soundtrack that became one of the anime anthems of 2022 – “I Really Want To Stay At Your House” by Hallie Coggins and Rosa Walton.
So, if you’ve missed it back in 2022 and are interested in seeing how a show’s power can revive a supposedly dead franchise, give Cyberpunk Edgerunners a try. Actually, scratch that. Just watch it choom—it’s simply that good.
Edgerunners aren’t necessarily the nicest people in Cyberpunk 2077, but they really capture our attention. Our article below might explain why.
