With the success of series like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Castlevania, and Arcane, there has been a noticeable surge in anime-inspired series based on video games. Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix is the latest offering from Ubisoft Film & Television.

Inspired by the world of the Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon expansion, this series presents a futuristic world in which humanity is governed by the technological super corporation Eden. Our main hero is Dolph Laserhawk, a super soldier turned mercenary who is wanted for numerous crimes against the state. After a betrayal, Laserhawk finds himself a prisoner in the Supermaxx prison where he is forcibly recruited into a strike team called the Ghosts. From here our team of unlikely heroes embark on a variety of secret strike missions hoping to stop the anti-Eden resistance movement, DedSec.

The story here certainly isn’t breaking any new ground. In fact, the plot is especially similar to any given Suicide Squad comic. However, what the show lacks in originality it makes up for in charm. Captain Laserhawk is action-comedy first and foremost, as well as being chock full of satirical interpretations of Ubisoft game characters and franchises.

There’s a frog who dresses as Ezio from Assassin’s Creed, while platforming legend Rayman acts as a news host and general marketing tool for Eden. Characters inspired from dead franchises such as Beyond Good and Evil as well as Splinter Cell also fulfill major roles in the plot. I enjoyed how Ubisoft wasn’t afraid to place their characters in ridiculous scenarios; the presence of so many certainly gives the world a fun atmosphere as you never know who will pop up next.

Additionally, the animation is fantastic throughout. It’s helmed by Adi Shankar, who previously worked on the Castlevania anime series. Shankar certainly knows how to craft visually stunning and exciting action scenes and I’d recommend the show for these alone. He also employs a variety of styles throughout the episodes.

These shifts help to further flesh out the tone of the world and solidify its core influences within 80’s action films and arcade beat ’em ups. There’s everything from 2d pixel sprites to even a few live-action sequences. Though these can be hit or miss, the inclusion helps Captain Laserhawk to distinguish itself from other shows within the same genre, bestowing a sense of unique style to an otherwise unremarkable plot.

In terms of characters, surprisingly I found the best-developed one to be Rayman. He has an arc that is equal parts hilarious and strangely compelling. The other characters aren’t bad either, Laserhawk and crew have defined personalities but their arcs weren’t as memorable. Nonetheless, each serves their purpose well within the story. The antagonists are also well executed for the most part with each having defined motivations. However, there is a twist villain unveiled during the final episode that felt somewhat contrived.

The biggest weakness of Captain Laserhawk is simply the runtime. There are only six episodes in the first season, each of which is around 25 minutes. Given the number of characters here and the relatively ambitious plot, there needed to be a few more episodes to fully explore our respective arcs, character relationships, and plot details.

As it is now, things move along at a blistering pace. Often resulting in forced characterization regarding friendships, and some important plot details are quickly glossed over. It’s a shame given the writing is clearly competent but simply doesn’t have enough room to breathe. Instead, viewers are constantly rushed between scenes which build towards a grandiose climax that doesn’t feel especially rewarding and left me with only more questions than answers.

Though Captain Laserhawk is far from a perfect show, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy my time with it. It’s certainly one of the best things Ubisoft has put out in recent years. If you do, or have in the past, enjoyed Ubisoft franchises then you certainly don’t want to skip Captain Laserhawk. The series is a quick and fun watch, though be warned it is definitely not for kids.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix

6.5

Score

6.5/10

Pros

• Great animation
• Satirical tone
• Fun worldbuilding

Cons

• Pacing
• Some characters underdeveloped
• Cliche plot