Anime News Network published its full Edgerunners 2 review on November 5, 2026, giving the Studio Trigger production a B+ grade for its vibrant visual craft and emotional depth. Directed by Kai Ikarashi in his series debut with returning writer Bartosz Sztybor, the second installment leaves behind David Martinez to follow four troubled figures through Night City. The new run pairs graphic shootouts with quiet personal grief, while CD Projekt Red clarifies how the fresh storyline fits into the timeline [1].
Early Impressions in Edgerunners 2 Review
Writer Richard Eisenbeis praised the visual execution as equal to the best-looking anime of the year, pointing to fluid action and inventive touches. The show adds analog film grain whenever Roman shoots with his camera, while Capri’s dreamscapes offer surreal imagery [1]. In Animation World Network, Andrew Osmond said the bold unmixed colors and heavy linework resemble Western comic books [2].
The audio presentation divided critics on certain choices, even though the background tracks keep the tension steady throughout each episode. Eisenbeis said the soundtrack lacks an infectious earworm to match “I Really Want to Stay at Your House,” which defined the emotional high points of the 2022 first season [1]. The production relies instead on The Cure’s 1978 song 10:15 Saturday Night as its opening theme song, setting a patient and somber mood before the shooting starts. French singer Petite Meller contributed the ending song “Watson,” giving the credit sequence an airy pop sound that stands apart from the heavy synthesizer rhythms heard during street battles [3]. The contrasting musical styles highlight how Night City swings between melancholy reflection and frantic violence.
Osmond found that quiet character talks felt stronger than the gun battles. The violence felt familiar. He singled out a tense café scene where a girl stabs a hot dog like a predator, rejecting her companion’s advice with feral anger. A later meeting at a drive-in theater plays like a sad love scene [2].
The New Night City Cast
The emotional core of the anime examines the tragic divide between what characters crave and what brings them genuine peace in an uncaring metropolis. Weak Kingsly thought ruling the city’s mercenaries was his ultimate life goal, but he ended up friendless, teetering on the edge of cyberpsychosis, and grieving an old romance until he accepted a fatherly bond with Talia. Talia suffers from a degenerative illness that she fights by adding cybernetic implants, wanting to burn bright and take revenge rather than let her parents control her. She pushes her body past human limits, yet what truly brings her comfort is finding someone who understands her pain and captures her beauty on film, chrome or not [1].
Roman acts as an aspiring filmmaker who captures a bot heist on camera, seeking recognition through celluloid film in a city where that art form has died out. His real comfort comes from loyal comrades who value his creative voice and risk their lives to keep him safe from harm. D. hunts for vengeance to silence his survivor guilt after losing Capri, yet revenge yields no comfort [1]. In the climax, D. sacrifices his life to protect Roman, Omi, and the bystanders caught in the crossfire.
Eisenbeis pointed out that these four leads never unite into a close crew like David Martinez led in the original anime. Their journeys pull in separate directions, so the plot jumps between scattered encounters. The puppy love between Roman and Talia stays sweet, but it lacks the tragic power of David and Lucy [1].
Production Staff at Studio Trigger
The new season marks the series directorial debut for Kai Ikarashi, who worked on the 2022 first anime as a storyboard artist, animation director, prop designer, and key animator [3]. Ikarashi took the helm after Studio Trigger co-founder Hiroyuki Imaishi directed the original run, though Imaishi still contributed storyboards for several episodes with Kazuki Chiba and Akira Amemiya [1]. Veteran writer Masahiko Otsuka returned to pen the scripts, keeping continuity with the franchise lore. Ichigo Kanno stepped up as lead character designer and chief animation director, shaping the visual appearance of the new cast after his animation work on the earlier series [3].
Bartosz Sztybor returned as producer and writer, collaborating with art directors Risa Fujii and Masanobu Nomura as well as director of photography Yuichiro Tozawa [1]. Rapper Rico Nasty wrote and performed the song “YOU CAN’T RUN FROM ME” for the second teaser trailer, adding raw energy to early promotional clips [3]. Sound director Hiroki Urakari supervised the audio mixing, matching sharp mechanical sound effects with dynamic musical cues [1].
PerEXP Teamworks previously reported the Hideo Kojima cameo in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 during promotional reveals. Aniplex of America shipped the complete first anime on Blu-ray in North America in October 2025. Sugoi Co distributed physical copies in Australia, while Anime Limited and Plaion Pictures handled European home video releases [3].
Canon Timeline and 2078 Setting
The narrative takes place in 2078, placing it one year after the main events of the video game, according to CD Projekt Red loremaster Patrick Mills. That date sparked curiosity among players about how the series treats the game’s multiple conclusions. During a tense raid on Arasaka facilities, Roman and D. uncover a confidential document listing viable test candidates for the secretive Capricorn program. The file names David Martinez and displays an entry that looks like a female version of V, fueling debate about whether that design represents official canon [4].
Showrunner Bartosz Sztybor addressed the scene in an interview with IGN, stating that the roster was intentionally left open for viewer interpretation. “It’s left for interpretation,” Sztybor said, noting that the conversation between Roman and D. provides crucial context [4]. He said the writers conferred with the studio lore team so that every choice players made before assaulting Arasaka headquarters remains valid, avoiding a single forced ending.
Sztybor said future comic books might flesh out the state of the world following the game’s events. “So there are discussions,” he said. “There are discussions, but we are not setting one kind of ending.” CD Projekt Red drew a line when Studio Trigger asked to level Night City in the finale, quickly denying the request [4].
Final Verdicts in Edgerunners 2 Review
Richard Eisenbeis awarded the anime an overall B+ grade in his review, assigning an A+ to animation, an A to art design, a B to story, and a B- to music. The animation looks fantastic. The Edgerunners 2 review concluded that while the four main characters lack the tight cohesion of the original squad, the show delivers stunning animation and a moving lesson about appreciating happiness within grasp. Eisenbeis wrote that the work is well worth watching for anyone who enjoyed the game, the first anime, or the cyberpunk genre in general [1].
Writing for Animation World Network, Andrew Osmond offered a more reserved reaction to the anime’s finale. He said the last episode suffers from poorly framed skirmishes, comparing the climax unfavorably to Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1991 anime film Roujin Z. Even with those reservations, Osmond acknowledged that the closing farewell scene feels fully earned and leaves a memorable impression on viewers who stick through the chaos [2].
The second installment proves Night City can support new protagonists without repeating David Martinez’s steps. Studio Trigger keeps its signature visual flair intact under Ikarashi’s direction [1]. The episodes expand the world, proving that peace in Night City never comes cheap.
- ONLINE NEWS Eisenbeis, R. (2026, November 5). Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 Anime Series Review. Anime News Network. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Osmond, A. (2026, November 4). Anime Round-Up: Cyberpunk, Gundam and Mermaids. Animation World Network. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Ibrahim, J.-A. (2026, November 3). Cyberpunk Edgerunners 2 Anime Streams New Music Videos. Anime News Network. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Russell, B. (2026, November 3). Cyberpunk 2077’s canon ending was kept deliberately vague in Edgerunners 2, but may be revealed in “comic books and other stuff”. GamesRadar+. [Article Link]
