Recap: Blade Runner Blackout 2022

Hello everyone. This weekend, I did go see Blade Runner 2049; and I for one, loved it. I was wondering how they would follow up one of my favorite science fiction films ever; but the cast and creative team went above and beyond to honor the original and give the film its own spark.

I will also take this opportunity to address my favorite of the promotional short films tied into the film: an anime short by the acclaimed Shinichiro Watanabe! Let’s open up “Blade Runner Blackout 2022!”

Since this short helps bridge the gap between both films, I recommend you see them if you haven’t yet; because there will be spoilers. Also, they’re great movies; so let’s get started.

After a brief introduction from director Denis Villeneuve, we open on a mysterious figure in a trenchcoat in a field of flames. Much like the films it helps expand on, this simple; but effective visual sets the tone perfectly. 

The original film also influenced Watanabe’s work significantly (as shown in his work on Cowboy Bebop), so this was a natural move. It’s also why I never understood how people claimed that my fandom of anime made it so I immediately disliked other visual media. The reality is that I like certain works and genres no matter who produces them; and this recap is making a direct counterargument to that idea and an individual who was a sort of troll that I am only referring to here as “Mitch Connor,” as I have before.

As the title implies, this short will cover the “blackout” which led to the events of the new film. I am very satsified that they were able to get Edward James Olmos to reprise his role as Detective Gaff in this short, even with 35 years having passed since the first film. In that time, Olmos has been involved in many acting roles and has been a major force of political advocacy. 

I also like how even in a society where androids are so advanced they can pass for human, computers still display the information on the replicants in monochrome like an old Apple II or Commodore 64 (including a brief cameo from Dave Bautista’s character, who gave a very understated performance in the actual film).

Anyway, three replicants that are rogue include individuals known as Iggy Cygnus, voiced by Jovan Jackson, Ren (no relation to a psychotic chihuahua), voiced by Bryson Bauguss, and a female known as Trixie, (no relation to the Speed Racer character), voiced by longtime anime voice actress Luci Christian.

After some expositional slides, we cut to two weeks before the blackout; and I still have quite the admiration for how visually impressive and detailed the near-future version of Los Angeles is. Given recent events, depicting the city as a high-tech wonderland of neon, fiberglass and holographs the size of the Chrysler building to mask a dystopian world of steel and concrete is not really a stretch… anymore. 

As Ren and Trixie speak in the hotel, I am definitely pleased the dialogue is staying true to the spirit of the story as well. This story is an ideal entry in the “neo-noir” genre, combining elements of detective stories and cyberpunk fiction. I am not sure if Trixie is a “pleasure model” (it wasn’t totally clear, and I watched this short multiple times before I decided to write about it), but her design has a good case of symbolism for the plot. A beautiful face, an outfit resembling the proverbial “woman in red,” silky auburn hair, legs that make it look like she’s always wearing stockings; and a doll as an accessory: she reminds me a lot of Darryl Hannah’s character in the original film, Pris.

While Red opts to infiltrate Tyrell’s control room, we’re given a flashback to Jovan’s time in the war, where he and other replicants were used as “toy soldiers,” in his words; right before the raid on Tyrell’s power grid.

Even as security tries to keep the stolen truck from getting in, Jovan and Trixie use it as a battering ram to fight their way in anyway! Anyone else reminded of the attack on Shrina? 

I must say, the animation in this short is highly impressive. I know this is hard to illustrate in still screencaps, but as I’ve pointed out before, Watanabe has had a style and flair that I’ve admired for a long time. No matter what the genre or time period, he always makes something that I can enjoy in some way. Given how the film influenced his work immensely (especially with Cowboy Bebop), he was perfect to direct this.

Long story short, the attack results in the aforementioned blackout and a nuclear explosion, leading to the events of the new film as well as the blacklisting of replicants for years until Tyrell’s assets were bought out by the Wallace corporation. As I said before, not really a stretch in this day and age.

So, we close on the moment we started on, with the main in the trench coat revealed to be Jovan; who has been forced into hiding as a result of his actions. Much like the films this short spun off from (as well as Philip K. Dick’s original story, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), it is a dark, but thought-provoking take on the human condition through the eyes of machines. 

Of the three short films released to promote “Blade Runner 2049,” this is easily my favorite. I always find it intriguing whenever there are anime versions of western-made IPs such as The Animatrix or Batman Gotham Knight, and “Blade Runner Blackout 2022” is another great example of that. Filled with spectacular animation from a talented director and a story that greatly expands upon the mythos of both films; it’s something that I’m glad to have had the opportunity to talk with you all about. As for the new movie, my thoughts on its performance are as such: if you have seen it, great. If you haven’t,  please do so as soon as you can. 

I also have some stuff to do for class, but next up, I think I will do a recap of the first episode of YuYu Hakusho in honor of the series’ 25th anniversary: “Surprised to be Dead!” See you, space cowboy!