CD Projekt Red to Produce a Cyberpunk 2077 Anime

On June 25, 2020, CD Projekt Red announced its intentions to collaborate with Netflix and Studio Trigger on an anime based in the Cyberpunk 2077 universe called Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.

Here’s what we know so far. The series will be taking place in the same universe as the game, which is still under development, but will be centering on a wholly different story and set of characters. It’s intended to be a ten-episode arc, focusing on the life of a street kid who in his efforts to survive, will become an Edgerunner or mercenary.

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7dKVCw7bkE

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners will be directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi, known for his directing work on Kill La Kill and Promare. He will be joined by Assistant Director Masahiko Otsuka and Creative Director Hiromi Wakabayashi. Yoh Yoshinari and Yuto Kaneko are to be responsible for character design, with an adapted screenplay coming from Masahiko Otsuka and Yoshiki Usa. The series’ score will come from Akira Yamaoka, whose name you may recognize from the Silent Hill franchise. The series is expected to first reach Netflix sometime in 2022.

I’ve watched the announcement video and while it doesn’t show any of the animations that will be appearing in the series, it does feature Saya Elder, Japan-based producer for Edgerunners, talking a little about the inspiration behind the anime series and paying a visit to Studio Trigger to talk to some of the team involved.

What happens when you put together CD PROJEKT RED, Studio Trigger, and Netflix?

CYBERPUNK: EDGERUNNERS – an original anime series from the universe of #Cyberpunk2077, coming in 2022!

Details: https://t.co/HFyUNRWjbp pic.twitter.com/WjzXwtovOV

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) June 25, 2020

Many of the fan responses to CD Projekt Red’s Twitter announcement have been positive and excited, including fans who haven’t previously been interested in anime but are willing to give the series a shot. However, some fans are skeptical, concerned that work on the anime will delay the game’s release even further.

Personally, I’m looking forward to it. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners sounds like it could be a lot of fun and I hope to catch some glimpses of the animation as work on the anime continues. The delays on the game, though definitely regrettable, are happening for unavoidable and wholly sensible reasons, and I don’t think we’re doing ourselves any favors griping. What do you think?