Akudama Drive (2020) User Reviews

A wild ride from the start, but falls a little by the end

[ceejay_bordas · 8/10 · 24 December 2020]

Akudama Drive is a dystopian, cyberpunk rollercoaster ride of hype, excitement, and edginess that raises its stakes every episode that either adds to the enjoyment or irritation while watching, depending on what kind of entertainment viewers enjoy the most.

Don't expect a drama story that sticks with you because of how it deeply impacted your emotions, because the story in this anime is fairly straight-forward. It's basically what a cyberpunk version of Suicide Squad is, except if Suicide Squad itself was actually a good movie in the first place. You get a bunch of criminals, make them a team whether they like it or not, and assign them a mission that can only be done as a team, forcing them to cooperate with each other through their unique special set of skills. Where this anime kind of diverts from Suicide Squad is with the main character, Swindler, an innocent bystander who is forced to join the team of criminals called the "Akudama." Along the way, we get to see twists and turns, crazy fights, and high-octane action that is surprisingly decently written for the most part but kind of falls a little when approaching the end, which could be expected from a series that already has a chaotic premise and of course, its crazy cast of characters.

It is near impossible to talk about this series without talking about its main "driving" point: its characters. If you're here to expect relatable characters that undergo dramatic character development that turns their lives around, then you, the viewer, might as well be the one to turn around and stay away as you're not going to find that much substance with the characters here in this anime, as most of the time, they are just characters that start off as one or two-dimensional shells that are unlikeable, which I find to be a double-edged sword in this case. On one hand, they do develop overtime, but not as deep as you might expect. On the other hand, their characters at times kind of feel lacking by the time they get the spotlight in specific episodes. Regarding the villains, they are also just doing "bad guys doing bad guy things" for the most part, except for some that do get some characterization to at least make them stand out. In short, the characters are exactly what you might expect from a series as chaotic as this, which can simultaneously be a good thing and a bad thing.

While the anime's characters certainly aren't all that amazing, I couldn't say the same for its art. Studio Pierrot, good job on you, as this anime really does capture the vibe of what a cyberpunk dystopia is. Its character design and animation is phenomenal and I feel that Studio Pierrot really outdone themselves with this anime, which makes me ask how do they pull this off while juggling two long-running series at the same time. Its music also does its job well as it helps set up the "aesthetically brutal" world that the characters are in. I'd say the production in this anime is pretty great and if the aim was to create this feeling of a dark, technology-driven world, they certainly pulled it off well.

In summary, Akudama Drive is surprisingly good for its premise that I would consider to be risky, but it certainly delivered on its strong points while still having flaws that don't really affect the overall enjoyment of the show. If you want a "turn off your brain while watching (for the most part)" kind of anime, this is definitely it. Otherwise, just skip it. (7.5/10)

Incredibly impressive

[masonfewel · 8/10 · 3 June 2021]

I don't know why I haven't heard more about this show. It's just so well done, there's very few things to nitpick about. That being said, there are still a few things. First of all, what was with some of the gore being censored with random stuff in front of the camera? The type of person that would be watching this show wouldn't care about that stuff. Maybe it's because of some rules they have regarding anime in Japan, I don't know. Second of all, there are very few people that you want to root for, and with the exception of the main character literally everyone in this show is a bad person. I guess that's why they call them akudama, huh. I like having some people in my anime that I can root for that are good people! That being said, some of the akudama are badass, like brawler. He was definitely the character I liked the most, even if my favorite character was the main one. The ending didn't really do it for me either, but I like a certain type of ending so I can see people going either way on whether they like it or not.

Now, the good stuff. The fighting and visuals. If this show had bad action and bad visuals, every single review would be like a 6 or lower. The story is interesting enough, but those are the two things that elevate it above any other anime. GODDAMN this show is gorgeous! It's more technically impressive than most anime, and the way it handles lighting is just fantastic! The cyberpunk nature of this show lends itself really well to everything else, too.

They would usually use this awesome lighting and visuals to make the already awesome action even more awesome. They'll have blue, or pink, or yellow, or some other color lighting things from a side or two, and for some reason that just makes the aesthetic so COOL! The action is really badass, too, with lots of fluid and well-choreographed fights. It's definitely more than a little unrealistic, though, with normal people surviving things that would normally turn you into a fine mist and brushing it off.

That's not to say that people don't die, though, they die A LOT. There is a ton of death and gore in this show, so if you're not into that I wouldn't watch this. Personally, I think if that was more my thing I probably would have given this a 10, but it's more of something that I don't care one way or another for.

There isn't really any character development in anyone but the main character, a an original side character, and two side characters you meet later on. One of the side characters we meet later on doesn't really go through much development, but the other one goes through a lot in what seems like a very short time. The one person they did really well was the main character. She develops believably and her entire character feels fleshed out. The other characters, while not that deep, make fun additions to the cast that improve the show.

Oh, and the transitions and character introductions are cool too! They only really keep it up for the first few episodes, but early on there are some really cool introductions and transitions between scenes that give it a kind of comic feel.

The story is fairly interesting, staring out with a heist and turning into a sort of revolution and survival type of thing. It's not the best story in the world, but with everything else this anime did right it didn't really need to be.

Overall, this is a badass, cyberpunk, heist, survival, action, martial arts, revolution, anti-hero, just plain cool anime that should get a lot more recognition.

Could be better

[wwwarmanmajidi · 7/10 · 27 December 2021]

Akudama drive is a good show with a perfect art and fights, although its ending was not as good as the entire anime. It has a fast process; I didn't even understand about that city or what is Kanto, how does it work and... Overally, from my point of view, It's a good anime with great fights, meanwhile it's a decend show.

Hope you understand what i'm saying xD.

Suicide Squad the anime

[its-me6611 · 9/10 · 24 December 2020]

Watch only if you like Anime in general. Though it has great visuals and interesting story Akudama drive is filled with regular anime tropes.

9/10

The story starts simply with the recruitment of criminals (known as Akudama) for a mission. The mission involves rescuing a killer and attacking the police station. As the Akudamas attack the police station, a normal girl gets involved with the fight between the police and the Akudamas.

We see the story unfold through the eyes of the swindler, a normal girl who accidently got involved with the Akudamas. The journey of the swindler and her development as a character is one core part of the story. All seven Akudamas are wildly entertaining, each has such a unique character design and a distinctive persona. I liked some more than the others.

The animation is gorgeous and a feast for the eyes. The fight scenes are so well made. I loved the action scenes and there are a lot of it. The story becomes compelling as the episode progresses and there are one or two twist that one might not see coming. Akudama drive do not shy away from violence. There are lot of bloods and bodies. And few characters do die in the fight. On the negative side one of the protagonists has thick plot armor and after the first 7 episodes the story do drag a bit but the finale is worth going through those episodes.

This is one of the best anime of 2020. Akudama drive is entertaining from the first episode. The first 6 episodes are a blast. The artwork is absolutely pristine, the action scenes are gorgeous. Mind-blowing action, cool artwork and bright color is a feast for the eyes. What truly sets Akudama drive apart is its entertainment value. Recommended for action anime fans.

A series the has much more to it than what meets the eye

[BakedpotatoChips · 9/10 · 21 December 2020]

First off: that ending shook me. (Okay onto the review)

At first glance this show looks somewhat generic, I had my doubts in the beginning. It starts off with not a very clear story line with much mystery as to where it is going, but you soon see it is something else. The characters are each unique in there own way, all of them mostly follow a basic anime character trope (but without spoiling anything) they all change as the show changes. At the end of each episode I find myself on the edge of my seat wondering what will happen next and how everything will be resolved. The character development is outstanding on a select few of the cast. It's gripping story line leaves me wanting the next episode every single time.

In addition the art is beautiful (I myself love art and seeing this series makes my happy so I may be biased) the animation is wonderful and includes well choreographed and animated fight scenes.

In conclusion, akudama drive has much more to it than what you think (around episode 5-6 is when the plot twists start coming). Some episodes leave me absolutely speechless (I'm talking about you episodes 9 and 10). The ending concludes the series in a shocking way that leave you wondering, what happens now? I definitely recommend giving this one a try, it will not disappoint.

It is available on Funimation and Hulu as of 2020

It's made by kodaka writer of the Danganronpa games

[mohammedsuliman-42985 · 20 October 2020]

It's pretty promising and it's going to get better

This drive felt short to achieve the high road

[pranayjalvi · 6/10 · 25 July 2021]

Akudama Drive caught my attention due to it's vivid animation and the cyberpunk setting with some great music. An original anime with 12 episodes seemed interesting.

The plot was decent, and was executed properly in the first 7-8 episodes. However, around 10th episode, the momentum shifted gears out of nowhere and the story was super rushed. The 2 characters, Swindler and Doctor were the most annoying ones with no development whatsoever.

Although the animation was superb by Studio Peirrot, the story felt short towards the latter episodes and clocking the climax within 12 episodes resulted in a bit of disappointment. I would give high marks for the animation and the funky music throughout the anime, however the story was decent with unsatisfactory execution.

Pros : Amazing animation by Studio Peirrot Cyberpunk setting and the music used was good

Cons : The climax felt short of maintaining the momentum, which was built in first 8 episodes Rushed ending with no strong development of couple of lead characters There was too much chaos in the last 2 episodes which didn't felt connecting with the main storyline.

My Rating : 6/10.

Gorgeous art and direction

[garriguscaitlin · 10/10 · 13 November 2020]

I love this show. The characters are unique and the story draws you in. It is full of action and the plot is really good too. I can't wait to see how it ends.

One of the best sci-fi anime ever!

[Oneirosophos · 10/10 · 28 February 2021]

Akudama Drive takes place at a dystopian society in Far East, after a nuclear war destroyed everything. Akudama are the cons and villains of this city, while there is a special police force called the executioners.

A mysterious cat hires some akudamas, in order to rob a holy train, which goes to another city, where all the rich and privilege people live.

It's a rollercoaster with violence, drama, suspence and amazing action, that never, never stops. A true "child" of Blade Runner, Elysium, 1984 and Tron, which succeeds where Cyberpunk fails.

By far one of the best series of this decade and I would definitely nominate it for one of the best sci-fi anime ever made! A delightful surprise, God bless you Gigguk!

One of the best series in 2020

[Zana22019 · 9/10 · 30 December 2020]

To keep it short this one is absolutely worth watching.Give it a try you won't regret it.

It definitely doesn't deserve all the hype.

[123Bob987 · 5/10 · 13 June 2021]

I binge watched it.

Like the first Suicide Squad It ended up being just an average 1 viewing show. It started off really good but then turned into a netflixer.

What kind of ending was that? "That's your clue".

A 5 just an average 5.

Great Art

[banjoes-otieno · 10/10 · 10 December 2020]

Dynamic cast of characters and great storyline that will leave you wanting episode after episode

Amazing And underrated anime...

[rag-41827 · 10/10 · 10 January 2021]

It should be 10/10 but here it is very underrated anime...it is high end anime..I highly recommend it... I don't know how to write a review of show performance and all of things bcoz I never did to all animations shows, but I did for some great shows, mean to say I not a expert, but I have great authentic taste of Animes, after watching Akudama drive You all will agree with me.. I m writing because makers did very good job to impress me. This Amazing Show, Action, Emotions, Story, drama, and etc..This show have all of them. And I highly recommend it, if someone reading my review you will never disappointwatching Akudama drive, I bet on it.

This for those who crave high-octane Action and breathtaking animation.

[saifnadeem-37431 · 9/10 · 26 April 2021]

Main points to note if you are going to watch it are: 1. Story 8/10 2. Action 9/10 3. Dialogue 7/10 4. Plot 7.5/10 5. But still highly recommended.

Just watch it!

[HarleyRose1 · 9/10 · 24 April 2021]

Yes, you should watch it! It's silly and over the top, and amazing and soo creative! Brilliant!

Great messages

[snowlope · 8/10 · 14 February 2021]

Everything about this was good but most of all was the underlying messages.

this is an exemplary anime

[aryanvarmani · 9/10 · 25 April 2021]

This anime is one of the best anime i have ever watched . This is one of the anime that show some reality like attack on titan and how the world works . In conclusion its one of the anime which is in sync with our heart . It does not show superficial things like how power of friendship is important etc.

Insane

[jonathanpeaden · 10/10 · 31 May 2021]

This is not what I expected. This is one of my favorite all times Anime's.

Surpassed my expectations!!!

[Lukasmj · 8/10 · 2 January 2024]

At first glance, "Akudama Drive" reminded me a little of "Suicide Squad" - a motley bunch of hardened criminals are given an job and have to fulfill it. I didn't expect anything more than a typical heist story from this anime, but it turned out to be so much more than that. As the anime progresses, you can expect a really exciting and unexpected story.

In addition, the animations and the drawing style of this work are also impressive, even if the characters are very stereotypical - there is the typical muscle man, the typical guy who is too cool for everything, of course a super hacker, as well as the innocent lamb of the group. But in my opinion that's completely fine, since the anime only has 12 episodes and characters that were too deep would probably have made the whole thing extremely complicated.

A love letter to every Sci-fi classic of the 20th century

[RebelPanda · 8/10 · 2 August 2022]

Akudama Drive is pure madness. It has all the action-packed mayhem of a 1980s B-movie, taken to ludicrous extremes with orgasmic animation and insane characters. It uses the classic cyberpunk aesthetic to tell a story saturated with razor-sharp social criticism and vibrant neon lights.

This anime is a combination of Blade Runner and Psycho-Pass, lovingly brought to life by Kodaka, the creator of Danganronpa. It shouldn't work, but it does.

And it's amazing.

The story follows an ordinary person, a girl mistakenly labeled as an Akudama; One of the most dangerous and highly skilled criminals in the city of Kansai. She becomes known as "Swindler" for being falsely accused of a petty thief. Along with six other Akudama, she must evade the militarized police pursuing them. If they manage to escape alive and retrieve a package for a mysterious bidder, they'll each earn 10 million dollars.

All seven Akudama are wildly entertaining; each has such a unique character design and a distinctive persona, they could lead their own shows. It might seem strange at first, but we only know them by their criminal labels: Swindler, Cutthroat, Courier, Hacker, Brawler, Hoodlum, and Doctor. Their faces are plastered on billboards with these names. They only matter because there's a bounty on their heads. Real names are irrelevant in this world. In Kansai, a person's life is worth less than a candy bar; human life is a commodity, just like in real life. People fight, buy, and sell human beings. One of this anime's clear messages is, human dignity is gone, alluding to a very plausible future.

Watching these unstoppable badasses fend off executioners and deliver surprisingly hilarious one-liners is always exhilarating. Wisely, the anime ups the stakes by pairing its merciless and seemingly impenetrable Akudama with Swindler, an empathetic and innocent bystander. The action is easy to follow, with a violent neon visual spectacle overflowing with sakuga and impressive visual effects unseen in modern anime.

Once you become an Akudama, you no longer have human rights. The police will mercilessly execute you without trial. Kansai's government isn't a democracy; it is a world owned by the top 1%. Anyone, even innocent people, can be declared a criminal; It's eerily similar to how the police abuse their power every day. That's how Swindler gets wrapped up in everything. She's our window into this crazy world-like the audience's avatar. Rarely are blank slate characters done right, but Swindler's is one of the lucky few. Her hollow personality is like a sponge; she absorbs all of the messed up things happening around her and develops into an entirely new person. A lot of people have criticized her for lacking characterization, but they're missing the point. She is you, and she's everyone. She's relatable in the sense that she also has no idea what is happening. As she learns about the world, so do we. Often, she comments aloud on what's happening, like a narrator. Her commentary is helpful when the action gets intense. Then there are times when it feels like the show is holding our hand, which is fine. The pacing is so fast that it helps to have someone fill in the blanks. We're smart enough to figure things out.

Misguided critics have said that this anime is unrealistic, too stupid, and comical. Great observation. From the beginning, it's clear the only logic it adheres to is the rule of cool. Courier rides his motorcycle on the sides of buildings, equipped with a massive railgun and grappling hook. Brawler can catch bullets with his teeth and shoot them like a gun. The logical consistency of Akudama Drive is in its themes: Capitalism, policing, colonialism, the death penalty, and fascism. I can't overstate how bloody this anime is. It is cartoonish, and the color palette is straight out of a comic book. I can't say it's realistic, but it's impactful-blood sprays everywhere like fountains, guts, and gore spill out in plain sight. It might be humorous at times, but this is intentional. Death is meaningless to the police in this world-not even the main characters are safe. Every death is impactful and serves a purpose in the story.

Every criminal and citizen is disposable; if they disobey the executioners, then they are labeled a criminal and killed on sight. The reason why criminals exist in this world is to justify execution-not to protect people. This anime makes a great point at saying none of the Akudama deserve to die: Brawler simply likes fighting with other super-strong people, Swindler saves cats and would never hurt a fly, Hoodlum is an average joe with great hair, Courier just does his job, and Hacker never hurt an innocent person. They're all fine people: except for Doctor and Cutthroat, who are abusers, manipulators, and traitors to the real Akudama. The writers make a point to give the abusers exactly what they deserve. Throughout the show Swindler and Hoodlum especially endure abuse, however, they are the focus. We enter their headspace and they get a chance to seek revenge. It's magnificent how they handle abuse 100 times better than your average anime.

Purely as a sci-fi action show, it's brilliant; Incredible tension, animation, and visuals. Akudama Drive achieves its visual excellence through the marriage of 2D art and CGI. Not the overreliance on one or the other. The kinetic action sequences are dazzlingly realized with digital compositing by Kazuhiro Yamada. He was responsible for Attack on Titan's excellent action sequences blending 3D background art with 2D action animation. He also worked with the animators to render all the holographic neon effects, beautifully enhancing the background art and every action sequence. Similar to Danganronpa, the background art transitions piece by piece as if a stage is gets rearranged. All of its visual idiosyncrasies culminate in one unique aesthetic.

Like all great sci-fi thrillers, Akudama Drive uses over-the-top action to tell a story about social inequities in modern society. Cyberpunk settings are hard to make unique. Yet Akudama Drive provides a brilliant new interpretation of the genre-this is a show that pokes fun of our modern-day police system and the corrupt government. Kansai is quite literally a militarized police state. It's a frighteningly believable totalitarian state controlled by a politically motivated police force that watches the citizens' every move. In this world, resistance equals death. If you protest the government, you won't just be pepper-sprayed and arrested-the police will mercilessly slaughter you. The Executioners live in a tower right beside upscale hotels. The wealthy and privileged overlook the smog-filled city. Citizens live in slums below, a neon-lit wasteland covered in advertisements, garbage, and populated by the middle-class and homeless people. Kansai's version of a sporting event is public executions where the worst criminals get beheaded. Hundreds of bloodthirsty citizens fill a stadium to watch.

The two executioners who pursue the Akudama squad are multilayered villains-consumed by nationalism, all they have is a desire to serve their fascist state. In this world, police officers craft their plans to kill criminals. Their only purpose is to punish rather than rehabilitate. Their duty is to "Remove the dregs of society," which means anyone who opposes their fascist control. They destroyed their political opposition in a war and then rebuilt their land as a paradise for the ultra-wealthy. These two characters are the personification of a failed justice system. A system that focuses on crime after it happens. Instead, they should focus on preventing crime by creating a better quality of life so people wouldn't need to turn to theft and murder in the first place. The anime uses its corrupt justice system to tell a potent message: If we treat people like animals, they'll act like animals.

People have plenty of minor critiques of this show, some deserved, but most are nitpicks. It has its fair share of contrived situations and plot conveniences. You could wonder, "Why didn't the woman at the food stand ask for Swindler to give the food back? If she was so serious about being paid, why wouldn't she ask for payment before giving her the food?" But at the end of the day, all of those critiques would be nitpicks. The sheer bombast and messages it tells alone are enough for me to forgive these flaws. If fast pacing will put you off, this isn't going to be for you. It purposefully moves quickly, but I was always able to follow it. The plot itself is procedural. Though it is sometimes cliche, you can never guess where it'll go. The twists feel earned rather than shoehorned. There are clues throughout the show to build up the mystery. This attention to fine details gives the show so much heart. You can rewatch the show and pick up on new things you didn't realize the first time. Minor lines of dialogue and subtle details in the background art contribute significantly to the rewatch value.

Akudama Drive is a love letter to every Sci-fi classic of the 20th century. It waves its inspiration like a flag while providing a fresh and culturally relevant critique: It released at the best time in history. It's not without its flaws, but I love everything about it. Although the premise is simple, it has more thought-provoking story beats than you'd expect. With only a 12 episode show, it managed to tell a fantastic complete story, with one of the best endings in recent memory. You owe it to yourself to watch this underrated gem; this is one I'll be returning to in the future.