In 2022, Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Pink and famend anime studio Set off collectively launched the Netflix anime sequence Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. In fast succession, the present joined the tremendous unique membership of phenomenal online game diversifications and revitalized its participant base, which had lengthy misplaced religion within the monumentally hyped sport from its traditionally rocky launch. The present achieved a hat trick by successful Crunchyroll’s 2023 Anime of the 12 months award—beating out exhibits like Assault on Titan, Demon Slayer, and Spy x Household.
Though CD Projekt Pink has pressured that there aren’t any plans to make a sequel season, they’re removed from accomplished with creating extra anime content material for the sequence. Key amongst them are characters like Lucy being a visitor character in Responsible Gear Attempt, a tabletop epilogue, and a spin-off animated sequence in manufacturing at Netflix. Whereas the aforementioned content material drops are a methods away from releasing, CD Projekt Pink and Set off are maintaining of us sated with new prequel manga sequence Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Insanity. The sequence, which can quickly get an English launch courtesy of Darkish Horse, follows the exploits of fan-favorite character Rebecca and her brother Pilar earlier than the anime’s occasions. A prequel to the prequel, if you’ll.
We spoke with manga author Bartosz Sztybor to realize insights into the sequence’ creation and what followers can anticipate from CD Projekt Pink and future Edgerunners tales.
Isaiah Colbert, io9: What sparked the concept to revisit Cyberpunk: Edgerunners as a manga?
Bartosz Sztybor: There are various tales not solely in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners however in the entire Cyberpunk 2077 universe. Our concept for the entire franchise is to point out that this can be a massive, genuine, and plausible world and you may obtain that by means of advanced characters and grounded tales. It’s worthwhile to really feel that these characters are alive, that they’ve their very own lives, that they’ve a previous and goals. That’s why Doc from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners had a task within the Cyberpunk 2077: XOXO comedian e-book. Cormac, a fixer from Cyberpunk 2077: You Have My Phrase was seen in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, and Cyberpunk 2077: Blackout and was even talked about in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty.
It makes the viewers really feel that these characters are alive, that they’re not simply from one story, however that they had a life earlier than that and perhaps after — in the event that they didn’t die in fact, what can simply occur in our world… But additionally some characters’ arcs are completed, which is why we don’t like creating prequels or origin tales only for the sake of doing so.
V’s arc was informed from begin to end, David and Lucy had their story closed, however another characters had been passengers and have the potential to be foremost stars. In Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, there have been a number of characters with such potential. When Kadokawa, a legendary Japanese manga writer, raised curiosity in making a Cyberpunk: Edgerunners manga we had been tremendous excited. It’s a historic factor, as not many Western IPs have a manga therapy. So after we realized in regards to the alternative, I began pondering what we might do.
David and Lucy had been out of the image for the explanations I discussed above, however there have been different characters with superb tales. Becca as a fan favourite appeared one of the best concept, however I already knew that it shouldn’t be nearly her. As certainly one of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ themes is parent-child relationships, we would have liked so as to add Becca’s brother Pilar to the story and clarify how their childhood traumas made them who they’re. They had been additionally an ideal match as I needed to inform a darkish comedy with this manga, following a really tragic anime; one thing extra enjoyable, however nonetheless brutal, in fact. I at all times noticed Becca and Pilar as the right characters for a sitcom with a cyberpunk twist.
So you have got a number of slapstick, however you don’t snort when somebody slips on a banana peel however once they slip on a banana peel and shoot their head off with a shotgun. Although it’s not solely humor, it’s nonetheless a character-driven story with a
advanced story, so—as at all times with CDPR—it’s a story about morality and shades of grey.
io9: How lengthy has the manga been in improvement?
Sztybor: Nearly two years. Kadokawa preferred the concept of Becca and Pilar so I began writing fairly early, nevertheless it’s an enormous venture; every chapter is 40 pages and the primary e-book can have six chapters in complete. After a number of passes on the storyline, I dove into the scripts and Asano (the superb artist behind the manga) began drawing the primary pages quickly after.
io9: In what methods has making a manga sequence in collaboration with Set off artist Asano differed from the manufacturing of the Edgerunners anime?
Sztybor: In some ways, nevertheless it’s as a result of making comedian books or manga is way totally different than making a TV present. It’s principally you, the artist, and editors which can be serving to inform the story in the absolute best approach. And I’m blessed with superb editors right here. Our in-house CDPR editor Tetsuya Seya and Kadokawa’s Koeda-san are nice, and assist to convey one of the best out in me.
In anime, you discuss with many extra individuals: you have got producers, a director, and different writers. You all should be on the identical web page and also you all must consider within the story you’re telling so it’s a for much longer course of to grasp one another and align. Making manga/comedian books is extra introverted; it’s a few spark between the author and the artist and happily that spark occurred fairly early whereas engaged on Cyberpunk: Edgerunners MADNESS. So making anime is a staff effort, it’s a soccer match. Making a manga is a date, sitting on the seaside, trying on the ocean, and holding palms.
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『サイバーパンク: エッジランナーズ MADNESS』
エピソード 3（前編）公開⚡️⚡️
◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤戦闘の末、仕事を奪い返すことに
成功したレベッカ。その仕事とは“謎の男”
を連行することだった…。… pic.twitter.com/vQXS1ZeoNW— 月刊コミックアライブ公式 (@comic_alive) February 14, 2025
io9: Will the manga be a limited-run sequence, or are there plans to discover it additional as an ongoing work?
Sztybor: We’ll see. We’re planning to create two books, six chapters every, but when the readers will demand extra, then I’m prepared. I might write tales about Becca without end!
io9: Rebecca is a well-liked character in Edgerunners. Did that affect selecting her as the main focus of Insanity‘ story?
Sztybor: In fact, nevertheless it was additionally the concept to create one thing extra mild and action-packed, and the manga format appeared excellent for telling a narrative a few very manga-eqsue character. At first, I used to be interested by Maine, Becca, and Falco. Maine appeared a bit too noir for the style I needed to deal with and Falco misplaced in opposition to Becca and Pilar due to their reputation, but in addition as a result of the concepts for Becca’s and Pilar’s storyline had been simply coming to my head in hordes.
io9: Ought to the prequel manga yield success, will different plans exist to discover the Edgerunners universe additional with totally different characters from the anime?
Sztybor: Actually, the success or lack of it gained’t change something. If there’s a good story to inform about somebody from that universe, we’ll do every thing to inform it.
io9: Is there an anticipated date for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Insanity to be out there in English for readers?
Sztybor: The primary e-book, which collects the primary six chapters, can be out this summer season by means of Darkish Horse Comics. So, a pleasant deal with a number of weeks earlier than the third anniversary of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
Till then, you possibly can rewatch all 10 episodes of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners on Netflix and stay up for copping its Blu-ray when it arrives later this yr.
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