Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
6.9
Quality Score
0.81 (Positive)
Audience Mood
5 / 10
Controversy
20,344
MAL Ratings
Synopsis — from MyAnimeList
In 2022, an EMP detonation causes a global blackout that has massive, destructive implications all over the world. Directed by Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo's Shinichiro Watanabe, Blade Runner: Black Out 2022 is an animated short which serves as a prologue for the feature film Blade Runner 2049.
Audience Consensus
Audiences widely praise Blade Runner: Black Out 2022 for its stunning animation, evocative atmosphere, and stellar soundtrack, which effectively capture the essence of the Blade Runner universe. However, there's a significant split regarding its narrative depth, with many finding the story and character development lacking due to its short runtime, while others appreciate its thematic alignment and world-building contributions.
Strengths
- Incredible animation quality and artistic direction, blending multiple styles effectively.
- Stellar direction of action sequences, fluid and mesmerizing.
- Soundtrack is noteworthy, complementing the atmosphere with a blend of Blade Runner's eerie melodies and jazz-inspired themes.
- Successfully captures the dark, brooding atmosphere and visual style of the original Blade Runner.
- Provides essential context and world-building for fans of the franchise.
Weaknesses
- Narratively underdeveloped with thin character motivations and limited context for events.
- Lacks substantial pre- or post-event context, leaving the scenario without strong structural support.
- Characters remain largely unexplored, with one character dying without meaningful understanding of the situation.
- The plot is serviceable but everything else (characters, action) is mediocre to terrible for some.
- The action sequences, while fluid, can feel unbelievable and lack coherence.