Of all the sci-fi franchises that cinema has introduced us to, few are as memorable as Blade Runner. The 1982 film was one of those responsible for popularizing the cyberpunk aesthetic and presented a dystopian future such as we had not seen before, with a very complex and deep world — and perfect to be explored on different fronts. And that’s exactly where Blade Runner: Black Lotus it fits.
By taking advantage of this very private universe and featuring new characters, the series produced by Crunchyroll in partnership with Adult Swim expands everything we know about this decadent future with cities filled with flying cars, neon signs and replicants that believe to be human. A mixture that allows the story to advance along very daring and interesting paths.
Furthermore, Black Lotus draws attention right away also for the look. Although it was made by a platform specializing in anime, it doesn’t look anything like this type of animation. The line is even reminiscent of Japanese drawings, but the 3D effects and all the dynamics are quite different and make the series something much more sober — and that fits perfectly into what we know of Blade Runner.
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So if you’re wondering whether to embark on this journey, we’ve come up with five good reasons for you to give the mysteries of Black Lotus.
5. Expanding the Blade Runner Universe
Without a doubt, the great attraction of Blade Runner: Black Lotus is precisely the possibility of expanding the universe of the series Blade Runner, taking all the concepts we already know and going far beyond Deckard, Rachel, K and all the other names that cinema has already introduced us to. It’s another corner of this world, which makes it all the more interesting.
The animation takes place in Los Angeles in the year 2032, which makes it a midfielder between The Android Hunter and Blade Runner 2049. So far, the story hasn’t come up with anything to bridge the gap between the two films, but the production has said we should see some familiar characters that can create that connection between the stories we know.
Still, the simple possibility of revisiting this world already makes Black Lotus worth it. The series explores very well the role of replicants in society and further deepens the issue of inequalities and corruption that exist in this dystopian future of the series. So, for those who have always been interested in the decadence that technology has in store for us, Black Lotus it’s a great choice to see it all from a new perspective.
To do this, he focuses the plot on the figure of Elle, a replicant who wakes up one day with no memory of her past. The only thing she has is a strange device and the feeling that the answers she’s looking for are inside it. So, we follow your journey in search of answers at the same time that large corporations and criminal organizations start hunting you — and all of this is a great invitation to learn more about this world.
4. Participation by Shinichiro Watanabe
As said, the way Blade Runner: Black Lotus presents this world is the main attraction of the series. And there’s a good reason why it’s presented so interestingly: Shinichiro Watanabe, the creator of the critically acclaimed anime Cowboy Bebop. Around here, he acts as a creative producer, which means that much of what we see on screen has a finger on him.
And its influence on the production is clear in the first episodes. As with most of his creations, Watanabe makes Black Lotus use the world around the protagonist very well to help tell the story. That way, the animation doesn’t need to waste time with trite explanations about the divide between rich and poor in 2032, as this is presented in a visual and very organic way with an influential politician traveling in his flying car while the rest of the population suffers in gigantic traffic jams. .
This is just one example of the subtleties that Watanabe always brought into his work and that is present in Blade Runner. In addition, we have a gallery of very varied characters that promise to be interesting.
3. Beautiful cyberpunk ambiance
Blade Runner it may not have created the cyberpunk look, but it certainly helped to popularize it and defined some elements that became classics thereafter. AND Black Lotus knows how to enjoy it very well.
Although animation is not all that, the artistic style is very well used to make the anime visually impactful. Revisiting this decadent futuristic world is amazing, especially when everything on the scene is rich and full of information. Elle’s simple walk through the streets of Los Angeles reveals a lot about the technology of the time, the mores of society and the dangers that each alleys hide — and it’s all breathtaking. The features themselves might not be the prettiest you’ve ever seen, but everything looks better with that neon here and that low light there.
Furthermore, Blade Runner: Black Lotus makes good use of the freedom that animation offers to bring out details that weren’t worth exploring in cinema. These are small details in the composition of the world that only help to enrich the universe of the series, whether in the wide variety of vehicles or in the complexity of the scenarios.
Another point is that, although it is classified as an anime, the series does not fall into the style aesthetic. That means we don’t have those overreactions and overuse of bodily expressions. Everything is very contained and sober, which fits well with the story being told. And when it comes to the fight, it’s even more apparent, as there aren’t those pyrotechnic moves, which makes Elle’s skill even more evident.
2. Debate about humanity
The discussion about the humanity of replicants is something that accompanies Blade Runner since the 1982 movie, but Black Lotus it expands on this debate by placing the protagonist as the victim of a system that literally hunts these androids for the sadistic pleasure of killing human-looking beings.
It’s the same debate that Westworld brought it a short time ago: although they are synthetic beings, doesn’t the simple fact that they think and feel make them human anymore? And killing and torturing them isn’t something that takes away our own humanity? It is from this question that the plot of the series begins.
1. A memory puzzle
To make this debate work, Blade Runner: Black Lotus creates a mystery that catches the viewer right from the start. As said, the protagonist wakes up without having any memory of her past and what little she remembers doesn’t fit in with the reality around her.
It’s a not very original premise, it’s true, but it takes on more interesting contours as it is integrated into the world of Blade Runner. When she is surrounded by a gang of criminals, for example, the young woman discovers that she has an incredible fighting skill that makes her able to defeat them all with extreme ease.
And that’s just the beginning of the mysteries that surround it. As she gets closer to the answer, more and more mysteries come to light and even people she believed to be allies reveal themselves as a threat — prompting you to skip to the next episode and find out what’s going on.
Blade Runner: Black Lotus can be watched in the Crunchyroll catalogue.
