Animes are just like food, may taste good for you or may not, some people like chocolate, others just don't understand how someone can enjoy such thing. This anime it's nothing revolutionary, it try to reach two audiences, juvenil and adults, whit only 10 episodes. And they do and excellent job. Applause for the team behind this challenge.
"Don't trust anyone in Night City."
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners keep the fidelity to the cyberpunk genre, a future good for few and bad for many, betrayal, government secrets, corruption, no justice. This anime is a deep dive into this alternative reality that promises instant dopamine, but at a high price.
IF YOU SEARCH FOR adult content, gore, nudity, romance, action, tits, sex scenes (quick but explicit), gunfight, tragedy, drama, implants and all the cyberpunk vibe, then this anime is for you.
IF YOU SEARCH FOR something more standard, OP MC who kicks ass and beat the shit out of the villain and get that hot chick, saving the day with his friends, drinking in a happy ending, then this is not for you.
Review part 2 - SPOILERS AHEAD
If you think Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is bad because of the ending, then you taste is not for dramatic and more adult stuff. You clearly piss cause the MC is not some 14 OP kid that beat the ass of some 1000 year villain. Beat Adam Smasher was impossible for David, and he knew that. He also knew the path he was taking, same way a smoker does. Put yourself in David shoes and accept that.
Put yourself in Lucy's shoes too. She was trying to protect David. If she tells him about the data with his past, he wold insist on her to stop, leaving him exposed and being hunted by the corps. Her only shot was trying to mess with the data and hide from the netrunners. She spend her life running and hiding, and she finally find someone one she can share a secret, a person who cares for her. I would do whatever it cost to protect that person too.
David made two choices: First, not listening to his mom and friends, second is believing that he was especial or a chosen one. Don't get me wrong, this is a plus for the plot, it cristalizes the "city of dreams" meaning. When Kiwi says "I just made the wrong choices today. There are days when it's just like that.", this apply to David too. Accept the fact that our MC get the sad ending, and it's fine, it was his choice.
Bellow are some positives and negatives:
POSITIVE
a) Break the "happy ending" pattern comparing with others animes in general, with something more dramatic and realistic for the genre;
b) Such a good romance, with kisses, sex and intimate moments. You can see that David care for Lucy, and she for him too;
b1) Explicit content is a plus, there is not so many good adult anime out there;
c) Good development ONLY for the caracteres with enough screen time;
d) Good animation in general, colors, background, etc;
e) Fidelity to the cyberpunk genre;
f) Excellent soundtrack.
NEGATIVE
g) Short time to actually know and get intimate with the characters;
h) Plot is compromised for having only 10 episodes, they should go for 13 but i think it's a budget issue;
i) Opening and Ending has SPOILERS, come on man! I know is not explicit but it was unnecessary;
j) Talking about unnecessary, Rebecca's death has no point. She was fun, cute, faithful to the crew and lost her brother. Besides, she was mature enough to give some advice's to David like a true friend. If you're delivering a dramatic and sad ending for the MC, then is good to keep balance and don't exaggerate killing everyone.
k) Secondary characters death are to fast, and that makes it harder to understand and feel how important that character was for the plot.
l) Plot is not so well explained, i get lost in some episodes.
