Entertainment
Netflix’s Most Addictive 2-Part Sci-Fi Series Got an Incredible Cyberpunk Anime Prequel
Netflix has plenty of science fiction shows that will grab your attention, but Altered Carbon is definitely at the top of the list. Based on the nove by Richard K. Morgan, Altered Carbon paints the picture of a future where humanity can transfer its consciousness into other bodies thanks to disk-shaped devices called “stacks”; mercenary Takeshi Kovacs is given a new synthetic body, or “sleeve”, to help solve the murder of a wealthy man. While it only lasted two seasons, Altered Carbon featured top-tier talent, including Joel Kinnaman and
Taking place over 250 years before the events of Altered Carbon Season 1, Resleeved follows Kovacs (voiced by Ray Chase) as he’s given a new sleeve and a new mission to protect tattoo artist Holly (Brittney Cox) from being killed, while also investigating the death of a high-ranking Yakuza member. Reception was mixed, as Altered Carbon: Resleeved currently sits at 60% on Rotten Tomatoes. Some critics enjoyed its standalone nature, while most weren’t fans of the animation style used in the movie. Regardless, Altered Carbon: Resleeved would pave the way for Netflix to expand upon some of its original projects.
‘Altered Carbon: Resleeved’ Is Light on Philosophy, Heavy on Action
Altered Carbon: Resleeved doesn’t waste any time, as it immediately opens with Holly seemingly being chased by members of the Yakuza. Those men turn out to be her bodyguards…and then they’re utterly slaughtered by ninjas, paving the way for Kovacs to step in and rescue Holly. This opening sets the stage for Resleeved, which is more action-based than the Altered Carbon series. Part of that’s due to the movie format, which has far less time to explore the philosophical elements that were a major part of the television series, but director Takeru Nakajima makes up for it by delivering some blood-soaked, action-packed sequences that make great use of the cyberpunk setting.
Surprisingly, Altered Carbon: Resleeved does offfer a deeper dive into one character. During his mission, Kovacs is joined by Gena (Elizabeth Maxwell), an agent for the Colonial Tactical Assault Corps, who is also tasked with protecting Holly. Gena is actually Reileen Kawahara, Kovacs’ sister, who extends her life by constantly inserting her consciousness into different sleeves. While Reileen eventually grows mad with power in Altered Carbon, Altered Carbon: Resleeved shows that she had glimmers of humanity where she provides Holly with an escape despite being tasked to kill her. For fans of the series, this is a new look at a villain they’d grown to hate, while newcomers will be left with a relatively happy ending.
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Netflix Continues To Craft Animated Spinoffs for its Originals
Following Altered Carbon: Resleeved, Netflix has used animation as a way to build on its original films and television shows. Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 will feature a new story set in between Seasons 2 and 3 of the hit supernatural series, and is set to debut later this month. The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf not only feels like the epic dark fantasy that The Witcher should have been, but also boasts some seriously stunning animation courtesy of Studio Mir. Even Bright got its own spin off with Bright: Samurai Soul, which reinterprets David Ayer‘s gritty fantasy procedural as taking place in feudal-era Japan. Netflix’s Director of Content in Japan, John Deideran, talked about how Netflix was using these projects as a springboard to delve more into anime:
“Netflix aims to be the most compelling and attractive home for anime fans, creators and production studios. We are creating an environment where production houses can do their best work, and deliver their shows on a service where we connect anime fans from over 190 countries to content they love.”
The gamble worked, as Netflix is now considered one of the biggest hubs for anime. While it might remain as little known as the series that inspired it, Altered Carbon: Resleeved is worth a watch if you’re a fan of anime, the cyberpunk genre, or searching for a show to fill the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners-shaped hole in your heart. It’s a story that offers a glimpse into the world of Altered Carbon, yet manages to stand on its own two feet.
- Release Date
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March 19, 2020
- Runtime
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75 minutes
- Director
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Takeru Nakajima, Yoshiyuki Okada
- Writers
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Laeta Kalogridis, Richard K. Morgan, Tsukasa Kondo, Dai Sato
Cast
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Tatsuhisa Suzuki
Ken (Takeshi Kovacs) (voice)
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Rina Sato
Gina (Leilin Kawahara) (voice)
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Ayaka Asai
Holly Togram (voice)
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Kenji Yamauchi
Hideki Tanaseda (voice)
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