After a lot of hype and little performance, the failure of the Cyberpunk 2077 game may be the first thing someone associates with the word cyberpunk. However, the history of the movement goes far beyond a game that didn't work out. And manga and anime are part of this story. Therefore, in this article we will talk a little about what cyberpunk is and which anime best represent the subgenre .
What is cyberpunk?
Firstly, it is necessary to say what cyberpunk actually is. Although some claim that Frankenstein is the first cyberpunk work, the term was only used for the first time in 1983, in a short story by writer Bruce Bethke. The word is a combination of 'cyber', which alludes to technology, and 'punk', which refers to the rebelliousness and aggressiveness of the punk movement.
There are those who consider cyberpunk a subgenre of science fiction, but its strength indicates that perhaps it is more than that. In general, cyberpunk works speak of a technological future, in which humans and machines practically merge . Furthermore, the stories generally take place in metropolises run by large companies. Meanwhile, many live in poverty and marginality. In this way, social issues are discussed in a high tech , which tries to predict the possible consequences of technological development for humanity .
Cyberpunk can be seen in cinema, television, music, games , fashion and, of course, anime and manga. Although it has already reached its peak, the movement still serves as an inspiration today. But the greatest works are still the oldest.
The best cyberpunk anime
Japanese pop culture has big names that represent the movement. In one way or another, they all bring cyberpunk characteristics. In this context, several of these works inspired – and still inspire – many artists, directors and screenwriters. But perhaps we can say that, among cyberpunk animes, the most acclaimed and influential is Akira . So this is the first name on our list:
1. Akira
Despite the film being more popular, Akira began as a manga by Katsuhiro Otomo . The seinen magazine Young Magazine published the title between 1982 and 1990. Even though it is relatively old, the work is so relevant that the manga is still sold in Brazil today. In 2017, publisher JBC began publishing Akira, complete in 6 volumes.
In 1988, Akira received a feature-length anime, also directed by Katsuhiro Otomo . boom of anime in the West to Akira's success The film follows a motorcycle gang, including Kaneda and Tetsuo , almost 40 years after the Third World War. One day, Tetsuo ends up running over a mysterious child. After this event, the boy gains strange powers. Thus, Government agents capture Tetsuo and take him to a secret location, where they conduct experiments with supernatural children.
The plot about Government experiments with children with telekinetic powers reminds us of Stranger Things. The character Eleven resembles, in many ways, Tetsuo, and the team responsible for the series was certainly based on Akira. Even rapper Kanye West has declared himself a fan of the anime. The music video for Stronger is heavily inspired by the film and features several visual references. As an example we have the motorcycles used by Kaneda and Tetsuo's gang, which are also in the clip.
The technology that cyberpunk talks about is present in Akira, as is the representation of marginality . But, visually, it is also possible to identify characteristics of the movement. Large metropolises, with bustling nightlife and full of neon signs, are common to almost all cyberpunk works, and it is no different with Akira. However, this background serves to address even deeper issues , present throughout the entire film.
The anime is on Netflix .
2. Ghost in The Shell
Another name always present in discussions about cyberpunk anime is Ghost in The Shell. Just like Akira, Ghost in The Shell also started as a Young Magazine manga. Masamune Shirow 's work between 1989 and 1991. However, unlike Akira, Ghost in The Shell gained two other manga series. Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface serves as a continuation of the original series, while Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor brings stories that were not included in the previous manga. Masamune Shirow also wrote and illustrated both works.
The anime came out in 1995, in the form of a film. The direction was handled by Mamoru Oshii , one of the great names in animated cinema. The film was a success and is, for many, one of the greatest anime in pop culture. Therefore, he could not be left out of this list.
The anime tells the story of Major Motoko Kusanagi. Motoko is an extremely skilled cyborg , tasked with solving the Puppet Master's crimes. The villain is a hacker responsible for several cyber crimes. In addition to a lot of action, philosophical and existentialist questions are also raised throughout the film. After all, how human can a robot be? And how robotic can a human be?
The limits – or lack thereof – between men and machines are, in fact, one of the main points of cyberpunk, and the anime works well with this. It's no surprise that the work inspired many other works , such as Matrix. Furthermore, this success led to the production of several other anime films and series. The latest release was Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 , whose second season will debut on Netflix next Monday (23).
The 1995 film is also available on Netflix , while the manga are published, in Brazil, by JBC .
3. Serial Experiments Lay
The only serial anime on the list, Serial Experiments Lain is – pardon the pun – the most experimental work of those mentioned here. This is because the narrative does not follow a very clear order of cause and effect, in addition to using many unusual resources. In this sense, the story is told as a kind of puzzle to be put together by the audience. However, those who like complex and experimental narratives will not be disappointed.
Overall, the anime tells the story of Lain. After the death of one of her classmates, Lain receives an email from that same girl. She says that, in fact, she didn't die, but she is on Wired, a virtual network very similar to the internet . As she learns more about this network, Lain begins to uncover the secrets of Tachibana Labs, a large technology corporation. Lain does all this while still dealing with hackers and the mysteries of Wired.
Like Ghost in the Shell, Serial Experiments Lain also works with philosophical and existential questions . Lain becomes so involved in Wired that it becomes impossible to distinguish what is real and what is virtual . And this not only happens with the character, but also with the narrative, which does not separate reality and virtuality. Furthermore, Lain goes through an identity conflict , since her Wired persona
Despite being an anime from 1998, Serial Experiments Lain's discussions remain very current . With technology present in practically everything around us, it is also difficult to distinguish where the real world ends and the virtual world begins. And we can still reflect: do our profiles, photos and comments on the internet really represent who we are in reality?
The anime can be seen on Funimation .
