Common Name: Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
Score: 10/10, 5/5
Length: 15 Minute OVA
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-fi, Short-form
Summary: Following the events of the original Blade Runner movie (which takes place in 2019), all production of the Nexus 6 series of Replicants, known best for their 4-year lifespan, has been functionally retired. In their place, the Tyrell Corporation created the Nexus 8 series, individually built to serve a specific purpose this series was given a standard human lifespan, likely in an attempt to curb the chances of another disastrous rebellion. In reaction to this development, however, human supremacy movements began to crop up. Using the Replicant Registration database to identify their targets, these anti-Replicant movements hunted down and killed any "skin jobs" they could find. Determined to be free of this hatred once and for all, a small cell of Replicants and Replicant-sympathizers put together a plan to simultaneous destroy the facilities that stored the Replicant Registration databases and set off an EMP that would wipe out any and all backup copies of the registry. By 2049, this attempt at Replicant freedom is simply referred to as "The Black Out," the event that immediately led to the prohibition of all Replicant production.
Review: Created as the crown jewel to a trio of shorts that lead up to the events of Blade Runner 2049, Shinichiro Watanabe's Black Out 2022 offers a fantastic return to Blade Runners sci-fi world that is full to bursting with transhumanist commentary. Though it is a functional sequel and prequel of sorts to the original movie and the newest iteration of the franchise, this short does enough on its own to be worthy of consideration as a single entity. Over the course of this 15-minute movie, we get a fairly solid idea of who its main characters are, their motivations, and the history that led up to that point.
And boy does this movie look good while doing all those things.
While the vast majority of that history might be told explicitly through telling, rather than showing, I don't see that tactic as much of a negative given this highly limited format. It doesn't waste time or budget with information that is important to these characters. Rather, through just outright stating what has happened since the first Blade Runner, it feels like the movie is expressing what might as well be common knowledge in this world. It establishes as much of the scenario that is necessary for it to be understood, but leaves the actual investment and drama of the story to its two main leads--Iggy and Trixie--two Replicants who are pursuing freedom for their own reasons.
Whether or not that pursuit of freedom is entirely their choice, though,
seems to be a question the strength of design over personal desire.
In Trixie's case, it can be inferred that she is working with this particular terrorist cell so that she can be truly united with her human lover. Since she is registered as a Replicant, it would be impossible for the two of them to marry or be seen as an actual couple given the likelihood that she was designed specifically to pleasure/fulfill the desires of men. It is unclear whether or not that was entirely her choice, though, since said unnamed lover is working with the terrorist group as a Replicant-sympathizer. Even more so when he claims to love her because she is "more human than humans" in that she is obligated to follow commands without complaint.
As for Iggy, though, the rationale behind his actions seems far more cut and dry. Created as a soldier, his motivation is simply a matter of disillusionment and his higher mental functionalities, since a good soldier needs to be able to act and react in ways that'll lead to victory on the chaotic battlefield. During one of his battles on Kalanthia, Iggy discovered that his enemies were just other Replicants. This discovery could point to the possibility that some the new Replicants are being created to serve in proxy wars that'd result in no loss of human life. Alternatively, Iggy himself seems to be of the opinion that he, his comrades, and his enemies were created to be little more than training dummies--tools that could be used to aid in the development of better weapons, tactics, or even better Replicant soldiers. No matter how you read his story, though, the absolute truth of the matter is that this world-shattering revelation led him to abandon his military service in favor of becoming a soldier for Replicant freedom. An interesting point to consider though, is whether or not that decision to switch side was his deliberate choice or just his programming. It's entirely possible that his high-class mental abilities would reason that another Replicant could not truly be his enemy given its lack of free will--turning his categorization of "the enemy" to those who commanded those enemy Replicants.
Either way, the general point of his rebellion still stands: Fuck Tyrell Corp.!
Now, I'd normally claim that the ambiguity of these characters' backstories is a detriment to the movie's minimalist storytelling, I'm inclined to believe that ambiguity was a conscious decision. The goal of that decision being the statement that these characters are not meant to be the heroes of this story, but merely a glimpse into the efforts of those who conducted The Black Out. Their story isn't meant to be unique or characteristic of them, as people. Rather, it is representative of every Replicant and sympathizer that rose up against the inhumane treatment of the, now more human than ever before, Replicants. In a single, throw-away line, Iggy states that he and Trixie are just one of the cells of this larger organization bent on Replicant freedom by any means necessary. While their part is the plan is necessary, it is only meant to be a part of the larger story. For every variation that can exist in Trixie and Iggy's backstory, there is probably at least member of that larger organization who suffered from those same injustices. This, I think, lends much more power and gravity to the events of this already ambiguous story, one that is only briefly mentioned in the annals of this world's history--an event that was world-shaking, but is only mentioned with brief disdain in the other two shorts that build up to Blade Runner 2049. So, I suppose some glimpse into one of the most formative moments in this world's history is better than none--particularly when this world would rather forget this event entirely. Granted, that might be why this story was turned into an anime, rather than being live action like the other two shorts.
Good thing it was too, or else I likely wouldn't have gotten the chance to see such high-quality animation.
While I'll admit there isn't all that much to this movie's story, what with it being a single event and the things that led up to it being summarized into a film that's a little over 15 minutes long, I can't complain since it clearly has a lot to offer within that quarter-hour. Ambiguously complex characters. A solid sense of this world and its current sociopolitical climate. Fantastic action sequences that are, while brief, quite memorable. And the presence of some deeper analytical material regarding the amount of freedom these artificial beings truly have without needlessly hammering the usual transhuman rhetoric. All these things make up what I would ultimately claim is a fantastic simple and well-contained story. To be fair though, it's pretty hard to expect anything less from Shinichiro Watanabe, the man who gave us everything from Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo to Death Parade and Zankyou no Terror. Even so, within 15 short minutes, we're given everything that I expect of a great anime without any of the bullshit padding typical of anime these days. If I had to level one complaint against this movie, I'd say the transitions between the backstories can be a bit jarring at times and I'd have personally liked the narrative text better if they'd gotten Iggy's character to narrate it, rather than letting it sit like a simple statement. These are just nits for me to pick though. Though I can't really measure how well this short actually functioned as promotional material for the new movie, which was clearly the purpose behind its creation, I don't think there's much else this show could have done to make it any more compelling and engaging. It's just a fantastic short story told/presented in a masterful way. If that isn't enough of a reason to check it out, I don't know what is.