Why Cyberpunk Edgerunners Stuck With Me

The message behind cyberpunk edgerunners can be hard to pick out amongst the amazing visuals. But if you look past the cyberware, flash, and gore, there is a message of broken people coming together. And I think Cyberpunk Edgerunners deserves all of the hype and credit in the world.
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00:00 Patreon
00:35 Intro
02:14 What I Want to Say
03:06 David
04:25 Lucy
07:14 Maine
07:57 I'm Just Special
09:58 Dreams
11:24 Rebecca
12:22 Too Late
14:00 A Hollowness
15:20 I Want to Stay With You

[@AFlyingWalrus]

Keep in mind this is just how I saw and interpreted the show. Your viewing experience may differ from mine, but I hope I was able to offer another perspective on the show.

[@dohjoe5747]

Great video, thank you a lot! :) Such a terrific and entertaining series that leaves a very bittersweet aftertaste. Isn't it somehow characteristic of our time that some of the best stories we tell each other on an every day basis often take a dystopian approach, in which we even question the very principle of hope itself? It is perhaps one of the darkest distopian worlds I have ever seen. Lucy's destiny is to lose everything, although she has simply been cherishing an almost childishly naïve dream of walking on the moon one day in order to get as far away as possible from her childhood trauma and the monster that Arasaka personifies. In this world, even the dream of a child must turn into the opposite and become an absolute nightmare. Your "dreams" may still come true but at what cost? Is this really a life worth living for or are the dead to envy? I'm a child of the 90s myself and the media landscape of that time felt like the completely other side of the coin..it's sometimes really frightening to see it that way.

[@broforcefreedom4936]

Could you please review the movie CHUMBSCRUBBER there are no reviews on KZbin about it and I feel it’s a very underrated movie

[@karolinakuc4783]

@@dohjoe5747 Art could help her deal with loss and help her express her emotions. They would no longer be so intense. Point of this show is both Lucy and protagonist do not realize it. They feel too much trapped in the city they simply went into survival mode

[@karolinakuc4783]

Game by CD Projekt Red has even darker plot

[@Sammy-tw6zv]

I finished the show maybe 2 weeks ago and still think about it everyday. It hurts to think it ended the way it ended. Shows never affect me but man Edgerunners is a different beast

[@littleregrets8810]

See Akame Ga kill. Similar story, execution isn't that good but its also really good

[@AFlyingWalrus]

May I recommend Arcane for more pain?

[@itsblitz4437]

I just finished the show 4 days ago.

[@Sammy-tw6zv]

@@AFlyingWalrus Arcane wasn't close to Edgerunners for me it's a really goof sho nonetheless

[@frozenmountain020]

@@littleregrets8810 Akame ga kill didn't deliver anything of substance or anithing but anger too me. Not even close to this masterpiece.

[@ventrirose3738]

This series hit me so hard with seeing Maine’s and David’s bodies breaking down. It reminded me a lot of my own Dad. He works in construction, and has had to support his extended family since he was a teenager. In his mid 50’s now his body has started to break down, needing multiple surgeries from working 70+ hour weeks for most of his life. This pressure (from a poor/working class perspective like David) meant he never got to have dreams, it was about fulfilling others. His aspirations are rooted in seeing my sister and I succeed now

[@thedoomslayer5863]

While not nearly the weight he must've have shouldered, that must still be a big weight for you. Knowing someone's dream now that they never got to have one then is for you to be something.

[@mepollack]

Speaking as someone who didn’t personally relate to the personalities of these characters, I nonetheless found the show very affecting. The slow-moving tragedy that was this series, where things were largely kicked off by Maine’s death, is one that’s incredibly moving. For once, the tragedy isn’t in the MC’s failure to reach their dreams, but in their inability to establish a dream of their own or recognize the changes in others. That was Maine’s own tragedy, but rather than learn from it, David shouldered it, running down the same doomed, unfinished road as Maine.

[@AFlyingWalrus]

As soon as the show started, I knew the ending. But that didn't make it any less moving or memorable to watch.

[@dashzag]

I also knew from the first scene that David was going to die. But I think for me that did affect the way I viewed it. For some reason this show didn't reach me, didn't resonate. This may be cynical but I couldn't invest in a character who I know will die, but also it didn't feel like David was living or fighting for himself or his life, always for others.

[@mepollack]

@@dashzag I get that, though it’s usually not too big of a problem for me to invest in a character that’s going to die so long as the death flags aren’t just continuously thrust in my face. Tragedies work for me so long as the journey is interesting, even if I know the destination, but I get how that can put some people off. The latter point about why David acts the way he does definitely rubbed me the wrong way, even if they utilize it well. It just didn’t jive with me.

[@dashzag]

@@mepollack I've definitely enjoyed stories where the protagonist(s) die at the end. I just felt that here it was too obvious, and once again that fact that David seems to be a reactionary character, rather than a proactive one. Also thanks for replying, I've had a hard time trying to figure out why this show didn't reach me, when so many people love it, and talking about it helps me figure out my thoughts.

[@mepollack]

@@dashzag I totally get it. I think visually this anime is fantastic, but I’ve got my quibbles with how David’s story hits as well. If anything it’s the characters around him that kept me invested.

[@karolinakuc4783]

The game has even darker plot. But it is such a meaningful story

[@MurderousEagle]

I at first didn't think that they didn't really stick to the cyberpunk setting but they really brought it together. See, the chrome is supposed to be a way to win, a way to escape the neon colossus. It doesn't work that way, the people so desperate that they lean on it are still eaten, body and soul. Taken by degrees by the colossus. It's done in such a trigger way, and it really makes me remember why I love cultural exchange in sci-fi (Japan's take on a Polish interpretation of a British take on a western critique of capitalism).

[@finnvost9349]

is the British aspect William Gibson? If so, I feel the need to add just after Polish interpretation that it's not only but also with help from an American Roleplaying Game, since the Cyberpunk Edgerunners/2077 canon is firmly situated in Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk TTRPG, to the point where the man the myth and the legend himself actually voices a character in the game. Not only that but the character he voices is not quite a conspiracy theorist, in the sense that not only do his theories make sense (considering the level of bio and med tech in the Dark Future, the Werewolf and Mycelium AI theories aren't too far fetched from the top of my head) but also in a way you can, although I'm not sure you should, take it as hints of Revelations from essentially God

[@FanGirl9463]

Cowboy Bebop and Edge runners broke me.

[@feduckil9238]

Oh, wow. I watched the show a few weeks ago, and by now most of my emotions have subsided. But this essay just sparked all of them anew and sent me crying again. Amazing job and f u!

[@AFlyingWalrus]

Talking about sad shows seems to be my specialty

[@chthoniccelestial]

I think Lucy as a character is so incredibly well written. Her mysterious character, dream, and her love for David. As you mention though, it comes down to dreams. While they change, and she ends up going to the moon after David died. Its honestly heart wrenching, as it makes you think. The moon is no longer her dream, its that she is living the dream David sacrificed for her to live... Also Rebecca hit me hard, she is well written in a more obscure way. Which is honestly very realistic, she did many things in her power to help David, even if it was his love she would never get. This show is really good at writing characters, without insulting the audience in any way. Every detail is realistic, and you have to think about them. Which is part reason why the show sticks long after you watch it. Thank you for an amazing video btw, I wish it got more praise and attention!

[@hrudaymohite6756]

I was avoiding watching this, coz i knew your review would amplify all the emotions i felt after i finished this show. And lemme tell ya, they did it way too damn well. Adding a few more factors in play while watching, i almost damn cried, which i didnt even while watching the show itself. Keep up the amazing work, man.

[@gregexD]

After Edgerunners, I watched Grave of the Fireflies, Jin Roh The Wolf Brigade and Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal. Seems emotional damage is my favorite genre...

[@reeceh8048]

Binged watched Edgerunners a few days ago and jesus christ I've never felt so emotional after watching anything. The whole show was a blast!

[@nepntzerZer]

The very last scene was the real clinch for me. It just seemed to be such a totally superficial thing to go do, yet it was played out to be this big amazing life goal. It was just a whimsical fantasy.

[@nerd26373]

The way you make these videos are overall impressive. Seems like there’s a lot of hard work and effort invested into all of them. Keep up the good work and may God bless you always.

[@AFlyingWalrus]

Glad you like them!

[@Adeeviant]

your reviews and analysis are seriously underrated, thank you kindly for providing us with quality. You discuss different perspectives about different shows that i never have looked from or sometimes missed. and i really appreciate the time and effort put in these videos. keep doing what you do good sir

[@AFlyingWalrus]

Much appreciated. I'm glad my ravings have helped you see shows from a different perspective.

[@markwalks4205]

You nailed it! Spot on Review! 10/10 the show is a Master piece of Character. All show writers can learn from this show 👍

[@AFlyingWalrus]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@nancyweatherred1764]

I LOVE your videos. Especially when you talk about how you saw the shows you talk about. You don't hold back your thoughts and emotions and that's WONDERFUL. Never stop making videos!☺

[@przemek9606]

I finished the show yesterday and thought just like you, it was a good anime, but after that the characters and theirs relations were comming back to me and i feel emptiness after all. Your interpretation is great, one thing which is really important and you didnt mention is music. It's helping to understand their motives even better

[@fuelhemi426]

I did binged the show too, it broke me; maybe unrealted but it's really enjoyable the way you make your videos.

[@giulianonigro774]

I loved your analysis based on dreams because it really encapsulates the show meaning. Great work!

[@sharpnelshots]

Alright that outro was pretty good man! like many other video essays like these my own main lesson for after watching the anime is "know your limits" there are certainly risks we have to take but risks we shouldn't take because of how deep the consequences will come. I am still like David looking for my own dream but I will keep in mind to look at my own actions if they will benefit me in the long term.

[@poptoonsskaff2016]

I watched the show a couple of months ago, and I didn’t understand why people were raving over it so much. I tried to by looking at review videos, but it wasn’t until seeing this review that I now understand. Thank you

[@samsonmario2305]

It's been 4 fucking months and I still can't recover from the emotional dmg. I play the game daily bc of that anime and I started to love the game story as well

[@OzeroCa]

You’re gonna carry that weight, choom.

[@inferno1738]

And just like the show did. This video has broken me simply because it sounds like u summing up my last few years. Just being the guy who can't find his own dream so he just accepts the dreams others have for him.

[@AFlyingWalrus]

I'm in a place where I'm finally finding myself after losing everything I thought I was. Starting over at 27, so yeah, the show hit me a little hard as well.

[@Makise3]

You nearly got me crying just talking about it my dude. Great video and message 👍

[@chobbsyboi5065]

Good shit my dude! But how dare you, nobody makes me feel my own feels! D:

[@AFlyingWalrus]

Hehe, it's my specialty

[@hiteshpulivarthi6542]

thank you for your videos they are soothing, soft spoken and interesting. Just what i need rn!

[@edwardwestmoreland-caunter6128]

Absolutely incredible video once again! Not sure if you've played Cyberpunk 2077, but one of the big focuses of its story is dealing with the inevitability of death, and what we do with the time that's given to us. Both the show and the game excel in the "slow-moving tragedy" department. Also, for the record, your outro nearly broke me. I knew someone like that and although we're not on speaking terms anymore, they literally changed my whole perception of the world and my place in it and I'll never forget them. Ever. Thanks for the amazing content, and much love from the UK

[@speedytigertig]

While it may be late, while this may nobody truly read, i just want to say thank you. Just for the end, for the little ending that comes around and what you can take away from a show like it. I had to think of it during the most down time when i feel like i am stuck and i just disappoint everyone, but when you remember, that everyone is there for a reason, everyone is there only for so long, you realize how much you might be missing out on. How much you are gonna be scared of if you don’t see the world outside. You may feel anxious, you may feel nervous, it may all seem to frightful, but when you look back and see all the time that has passed and all the things you have achieved and all the things you can still achieve.. you feel. You feel the things you can still accomplish and the things you can look forward to. But most of all, never to forget what you have right now and to cheerish it. Your friends are there only for so long, your family is there for only so long, enjoy every moment you get with them because there might not be a lot left. So.. going out there, it feels easier and it also feels hopeful for once. It’s something to look forward to

[@dkgames1159]

I red it wonderful

[@thedoomslayer5863]

We're all nobodies in this world. Having a channel and publicity telling others your opinions on things doesn't change that.

[@zabnorg]

It's okay to change your dreams. Adjust, adapt, and move forward. Otherwise, your dreams might crush you. It's even worse if they're not your dreams, but someone else's. You highlighted how Lucy's dream changed but she wasn't able to articulate that for David. David was so lost in his own "specialness" that he couldn't see ever losing to anyone. I had to stop watching for a while when he started getting cocky while they were getting ready for the heist. I knew he was doomed. Yeah, this show fucked me up the same way Cowboy Bebop fucked me up. I think a classic work is something that you can come back to again and again throughout your life and always appreciate, as it speaks to you from different angles. With more life experience you will begin to see why (or why not) some characters might do what they do. I can only watch Cowboy Bebop every few years or so. It hurts like hell every time, but it's an amazing thing to bear witness too. I tried watching Edgerunners again but I ran out of steam halfway. I didn't want to see them all crushed again. Found family makes for some screwy personal dynamics, but you can tell these characters really care about each other. Rebecca is BEST BEST GIRL. The loli stays, lol. Do not question Studio Trigger if they're making your anime. They knew exactly what they were doing. Anime is an amazing media, it's so awesome to see how it has changed over the decades. The only limits are the imagination of the artists and the available technology and budget. There's an anime for everyone now. Enjoy it, folks. Remember, dorks brought you this, lol. Thanks for the video Mr Walrus, I appreciate the thought you put into it and your passion for the art form. I think I've seen all the takes on YT about this show and you managed to bring something fresh to the table this late in the game; that takes skill. Respect.

[@Tacoman9228]

Brilliant video bro keep up the work

[@AFlyingWalrus]

Appreciate it

[@anamoose461]

Sometimes all we have left is a dream.

[@dewseff8492]

the one big problem i have with the show is it felt like it was flying by too fast, like it needed longer episodes or a 2nd season before reaching that conclusion

[@Jasoncalvo7]

You said it perfect. Just like cowboy bebop these characters stay with you. This is the first and only show since cowboy bebop to do that to me.

[@dkgames1159]

Well spoken💪

[@aurnemes]

GREAT VIDEO. I JUST FINISHED CRYING watching the finale. im broken.

[@apricotoatmeal]

This was another beautiful video, and as someone who has never seen this anime, I was able to understand what you were talking about with ease, thanks to your wonderful writing skills. I was wondering, would you consider looking at The Owl House? Yes, it is a “kids” show, but the second season especially has some excellent writing I would love to see your take on!

[@jacoboakley5793]

Well said.

[@shieldsa899]

Something I find intriguing about Edgerunners is that there isn't a primary villain/nemesis who's machinations are in direct opposition to the protag. Faraday was simply trying to buy his way to the top without regard to who paid the cost, cybercycosis is a natural rejection of implantation saturation, Arasaka chews up and spits out people on a daily basis while always wanting more like any toxic company, and Adam Smasher is more of an evil force of nature than a villain. The true enemy they fight and lose to is the city itself. Night City lives on money, chrome, and the work of the masses while it's built on bloody bones and spent lead. This is reflected in the intro where David falls apart before a cutout in the shape of an anthropomorphic building - he fights the system, but the system is designed to not be beat, and he's just one guy. He was never going to win, no matter how much we wanted him to.

[@OfficialJesseUSA]

Awesome prospective on the show. I saw things differently on certain things but either way you gave an awesome view on the show. One thing I would have liked to see in the game was a side quest that should exactly what Lucy did after the moon as it shows she went on a moon tour which meant she had to come back One thing that did catch me interest. Officially CD Projekt Red revealed the end events of Edgerunners takes place one year before V comes to night city so I think we should gave gotten more info on exactly what Lucy and Falco did after Edgerunners.

[@AFlyingWalrus]

I wonder if they will add on more Edgerunners content with the Liberty City expansion after the success of the show. I doubt it, but it would still be interesting.

[@OfficialJesseUSA]

@@AFlyingWalrus Cd Projekt Red did say in an official dtatement they looking forward to working with Studio TRIGGER on more anime so while there is not going to be a season 2 of Edgerunners if things work out there will be other Cybepunk anime released in the future. But I think many in the community of Cyberpunk 2077/Edgerunners would like to see some kind of in game content to find out what Lucy did exactly. We all know CD Projekt RED is seeing all this online discussion about Lucy.

[@I.Simmonds]

That was melancholic, I know that's the genre in general, but damn.

[@AFlyingWalrus]

Well, I had to match the tone of the story in some way

[@TheUnrealjester]

My man walrus, have you seen Gurren Lagann yet

[@AW-xc1xc]

Algorithm algorithm fantastic amazing jawdropping good inspiring wow

[@AFlyingWalrus]

Algorithm, algorithm, hear this commentors plea.

[@nwoduhenry5723]

David broke his promise to lucy

[@episky]

Formidable

[@broforcefreedom4936]

Can you please please review “CHUMBSCRUBBER” it’s such an under rated movie and there are NO reviews on KZbin yet

[@broforcefreedom4936]

Reported for spam

[@johnbzn6508]

I put two pictures of Lucy and David on Instagram

[@esbeng.s.a9761]

what is the end song called?

[@esbeng.s.a9761]

found it

[@AFlyingWalrus]

Glad you found it. Every music used in the video are pieces from the game and show. Off the top of my head, "Major Crimes, Let you Down, Jackies Death, Outsider No More, Modern Anthill, I Really Want to Stay at Your House." I'm probably forgetting one or two

[@otakunemesis34]

It needed more time for its material if not anthology rework I did not particularly care for the characters

[@OnePieceFan4Ever2]

Hi my name means flying whale in german

[@housemouseshorts]

theres also the bait and switch scene right after the time skip that shitts on the typical anime protag that carrys the exact opposite extreme of davids values but is the typical garbage shonon anime protag main charictor. He is hated by everyone within the first five minutes and dies pointlessly.

[@johnbzn6508]

I need a picture of Lucy and David on my Instagram I put it on Instagram sorry but the two good pictures