Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2: Bigger, but Not as Emotional

All 10 episodes of the anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 will be released on Netflix on October 20. In a Gizmodo review, critic Isaiah Colbert notes that the sequel tells a bigger story about Night City but falls short of the first season’s emotional impact.

Instead of one central protagonist, the story focuses on four characters: Roman, Dee, Weak, and Talia. Their stories intersect, but they often act in pairs. In the critic’s view, the concept broadens the perspective on the city and its inhabitants, though the characters do not always come together as a convincing ensemble.

Colbert praises the series’ visual style, describing its animation as rougher and more untamed. In some action scenes, the colors disappear, leaving the characters in unusual outlines. Footage from Roman’s camera, the critic notes, shows both Night City’s brutality and fleeting moments of joy.

At the same time, montage sequences and jumps in time sometimes disrupt the pacing and make the season’s second half feel uneven. The critic also feels that viewers do not always have enough time to understand the characters’ motivations and decisions. The sequel does not reach the emotional heights of the first season.

Translation editor: Ловушкин А.