AKUDAMA DRIVE
Genre: Action, adventure, sci-fi
Studio: Pierrot, Too Kyo Games
My book – Journeys of Sea, Heart and Land, is out now, it is having positive reviews and those who have read it are loving it. Order your copy now, I know you will love it as well.
Hello my friends.
Welcome to another entry of my blog.
You know? There are a lot of things that I love a lot in this world, but now I will just mention two. 1. The anime. 2. Cyberpunk. And yes, I know what most of you are thinking. That means that you also enjoyed Cyberpunk Edgerunners. And the answer is yes. After all, I made a review of that wonderful series here in my blog, which I will leave a link here.
Nonetheless, there is one series that I am watching right now, one released in 2020, and I have to say that I have loved it so much. To be honest I first heard of this anime a couple of months ago, but I did not pay too much attention because I was diligent watching other things. But now, I can go and let my thoughts go.
Having said that, let me ask you a question:
Do you guys love Danganronpa?
Then you will love…
AKUDAMA DRIVE.
Just like I did. But before I continue, let me ask you a question:
Are you guys ok? Feeling happy?
If the answer is yes, then I am happy.
Now… Time for a super-crazy ride with Akudama Drive. I just hope my words in this entry are worth of this fantastic anime.
PREMISE
Akudama Drive was heavily inspired in Danganronpa, and directed by Tomohisa Taguchi, who was impressed by the results and positive reception of Danganronpa, so they work together with Studio Pierrot (Bleach, Black Clover), in order to create something new and equally mermerizing.
Akudama Dtive takes place in a dystopian Japan, devastated by a war; as a result, Kansai becomes a puppet stated of Kanto. Inside, there is a group of infamous, death-sentenced criminals that operate in Kanto and usually work as mercenaries, called the Akudama. Many of these Akudama are paid to infiltrate into the Kansai Police Station and free a prisoner who is about to be executed, called Cutthroat. Meanwhile, a young Ordinary Person gets arrested and dragged into the job of liberating Cutthroat when she meets Courier, an Akudama who delivers the package to its destination regardless the distance. In order to survive, the Ordinary Person takes the identity of Swindler after she rescues a black cat, and just when Cutthroat is rescued by Courier and other four Akudama, Brawler, Doctor, Hacker and Hoodlum. Nonetheless, shortly after, the black cat reveals that the job of rescuing Cutthroat is only a front in order to do a bigger job – to infiltrate a Shinkansen and rescue its very valuable cargo inside.
In order to convince Swindler and the other Akudama to finish the job, the cat puts the Akudama an explosive collar. Now, they must work together to reach the Shinkansen and release the cargo, while escaping the relentless, ruthless goverment-led Executioners.
I know that Akudama Drive has a very complex plot, but, among other things, that is one of the elements that makes it so engaging. And as I mentioned before, Tomohisa Taguchi worked shoulder by shoulder by Kazutaka Kodata, the creator of Danganronpa, to produce 12 action-packed, well-written, beautifully animated episodes released from October to December, 2020. One fun fact is that every episode of Akudama Drive is named after classics of Western cinema, including Reservoir Dogs, Mission: Impossible, Dead Man Walking, and…
Se7en
You have no idea how much this last movie impacted me.
Additionally, there is a manga of Akudama Drive written by Rokuro Ogari, and published by Papyless, from July 7, 2020, to April 25, 2023.
The opening song is called STEAL, performed by SPARK!!SOUND!!SHOW!!, and the ending song is called “Ready” by Urashimasakatasen.
Another fun fact is that Akudama Drive has supposed to be released in July, 2020, but it was postponed to October due to COVID-19.
STORY
Now… Where to start?
I must admit that I only watched one episode of Akudama Drove a couple of months ago, and that I never thought I would ever watch it again. That is until my friends at the Deakin Anime Club decided to screen it. And… Oh boy! This has been an experience. Let the fact that Danganronpa inspired Akudama Drive be a start. As soon as you started watching episode 1, you really feel hooked up by everything, the animation, the characters, the plot, and the dystopian setting.
Regarding this last part, I never thought that something could be as good as Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, but even though Akudama Drive focuses more in the backstory of Kanto rather than its actual society itself, you feel genuinely invested, that is because, after watching the first episodes, you feel you are inside of everything that is taking place in the plot, because the music, the animation, and the characters combined together in such a fast-paced, action packed story. It’s like the Akudama does not have time to catch a breath, and neither you do, the anime just drags you inside itself.
And by the time the action stops, and the anime tries to develop its characters, you feel the humanity of all of them, even the evilest ones, because you discover their motivations are compatible of how they truly are. Of course, you end up hating some of the Akudama, but most of them are so well developed that either love them or love to hate them. And for me, if you love to hate a character, not just villains, that means they are mostly masterfully executed.
Furthermore, most of the story is about some of the characters trying to fight one of the most visceral elements of cyberpunk genre – Inhumanity, and by that, I mean this inhumanity provoked by technology so advanced and people to attached to them that it becomes less empathetic and solidary. I know it is hard to explain, but is basically most of our characters, and some of the antagonists, trying to keep their sanity and compassion intact after digging deeper and deeper in the ruthlessness of the dystopic Kanto.
It happened in Cyberpunk Edgerunners, it happened in Blade Runner, and it happens in Akudama Drive. In my opinion with Swindler, who starts as an Ordinary Citizen and ends up being the most resilient and bravest of the Akudama, along with Courier.
Another amazing element is the action scenes, there are full of everything – Swords, high-speed chases, blood, hand-to-hand combat, disembowelment, but not as graphic as Cyberpunk Edgerunners, and it is so creative and original that you never get bore. And still, I find hard to put it in words. For the most part, the action of Akudama Drive is something you must experience by yourself rather than me explain it to you.
Also, this is a personal opinion, but I believe that, unlike Cyberpunk Edgerunners, Akudama Drive starts in a very light-hearted way, and then, the story becomes darker and cooler, to a point in which you wonder how it got there.
The animation is also insane, there is so much colour in the scenarios, so much style in the action and in the violence, and so much detail in day and night, everything, especially in the character design is so carefully crafted. It makes the experience more immersive. Again, better to see it than to describe it.
I almost… almost… say that Akudama Drive is superior to Danganronpa. But hey! Let’s not go there.
Finally, the writing is one of the best I have ever seen. Nonetheless, I don’t think that script is as good as the one from Cyberpunk Edgerunners, because the latter takes more time to develop the characters in an organic matter, especially in their conversations. Akudama Drive does the same, but not with the same depth, at least in my opinion. Still, good story
Anyway. I consider the story of Akudama Drive as one of its best elements…
CHARACTERS
…along with its own characters.
For starters, Akudama Drive does the same thing as Goblin Slayer, in which instead of giving the characters a name and a last name, they simply receive a position – Courier, Doctor, Hoodlum, Swindler, Brawler, Cutthroat, Brother, Sister and Executioner. However, here it works better, because the concept is very simple, as well as the characters, so you don’t need too much background to know all of them.
And yes… I know that I said that is also a weakness in comparison of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, but on that regard, I meant during the story, but before the events of episode one. Like I said, most of the Akudama are trying to keep their humanity intact, such as Swindler, and along with the writing, her story arc becomes very solid.
Anyway, the design of the characters is beautiful, especially in the eyes; again… far superior than in Danganronpa. Everything has a very unique design, which makes them more relatable. Also, their personalities are well-defined too. Swindler is a naïve girl with a heart of gold, Courier is a stoic motorist that is relentless regarding finishing the job, Doctor is a skilful, resourceful woman who looks after her own interest, Cutthroat an insane serial, spree killer with an obsession with colour red.
But among my favourites are Brother and Sister. They love and look after each other, they have a pretty cool design, and their backgrounds are some of the best, heartbreaking of Akudama Drive.
Again, better for you to watch than we to describe, because it has spoilers, and it is better to feel the experience.
By the way… Am I the only one who immediately confuses Brother with Hanako-Kun?
If the animation itself was good, along with the characters, get better.
CONCLUSION
Without any doubt, Akudama Drive is one of the best cyberpunk anime I have ever seen, along with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. While Cyberpunk has better characters and better story, Akudama Drive offers a more immersive and psychedelic experience, at least in my opinion. No wonder why it’s considered one of the best anime of 2020. You might think that is a generic action anime, but you must take the proper time to watch and to experience it, and definitely you will love it.
I admit that this entry took me longer than I thought. And not just because Akudama Drive is just so good, but also because I was busy doing many things these days. But I am working hard to bring more entries on my blog and make up to the time lost.
But… just to let you… I am seen things you would believe. Salt Cathedral in my hometown, nice houses with history of mythology, and… plaza full of mythological beasts near Tolima, the Pacific Ocean in the beach.
All those moments, that will be lost… in time… like tears in rain.
Oh!! Who am I kidding? Those memories will live as long as I do… Right?
See you next time.
Jainituos Presents 