Top 10 CyberPunk: Edgerunners Best Characters

Updated:

24 Oct 2022

It’s surprising to say that Netflix really outdid themselves when they planned the making of CyberPunk: Edgerunners. Super-fast action sequences, corporate cronies and their corruption for power, emotional baggage, all set in the futuristic neon-bathed Night City.

All of this could not have been possible if it weren't for the characters who were there at the right place at the right time. So, let’s get down to some of the best characters this series had to offer.

10. Adam Smasher

The most hated and feared villian in CyberPunk Edgerunners

David should have calculated his opponent but then again you either go big or you go home.

Dubbed as Edgerunners cruellest villain, Adam Smasher is not one to mess around. An Arasaka employee and personal bodyguard for Cyberpunk’s most notorious gangster.

Despite his enormous body size and indestructible powers, Adam Smasher holds the top position for also being the most hated character. This is the reason for his involvement in the deaths of many of the series' favourite characters.

What we love about Adam Smasher:

A complete cyborg who towers over the meat below him.
Emotionless man-of-war who follows orders religiously
Sarcasm that isn't very pleasing for the ears, especially if you are getting killed.

9. Gloria Martinez

We always take some people for granted, until it is too late.

An emotional Gloria telling David how much she wants to see him grow into the perfect man.

Gloria Martinez is the mother of David Martinez, who worked as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and barely scraped by to provide for her son.

Being behind on payments, over working but still managing to do anything for a smile on her son’s face shows us what a true mother is like. However, she dies in a car accident where a fight breaks out between street gangs. This completely breaks David and turns him into a different person.

What we Love about Gloria:

A fighter, who would showcase her determination to provide the best for her son.
Had big dreams to see her son reach the top and make her proud.
Used to work overtime at the EMT and earn enough to keep her son in the best school.

8. Kiwi

The brains and tech genius in Maine's group.

Even your loved and most trusted companion can come out as traitors. Sadly for Lucy, she learned it the hard way.

A member of Maine’s team of mercenaries. She is a sly, quiet, and very enigmatic netrunner who also played the part of a mentor for Lucy.

Living in the fast-paced Night City, Kiwi was always on high alert. She followed one rule, which she told Lucy about, and that was to trust no one. Lucy would look up to her in high regard and often take advice from her.

Things we love about Kiwi:

Her quiet and mysterious nature made it difficult for others to know what's on her mind.
Minutes before her death she helped Martinez’s group find Lucy.
Showed us by her own actions of double crossing, why she never trusted anyone.

7. Falco
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If one could ever ask for the best driver then Falco is your man. Not to mention his loyalty for Maine and David can never be questioned.

Give Falco a good car and watch him drive like a pro in it.

Falco was an excellent driver and one of Maine’s most trusted members. After Maine’s death, Falco joined hands with Martinez and assisted him in every way possible.

His unique and out of this world driving skills made him an irreplaceable asset for the group. His knowledge and quick to assess the situation allowed him to take his group out of many sticky situations. He was extremely protective over Rebecca.

Things we love about Falco:

The best driver the series ever made.
Couldnt stand Rebecca ever getting hurt.
A loyal partner for Maine and later for Martinez.

6. Pilar

Practically a cyborg, Pillar is the most non serious member that Maine could ever hire.

The relationship between Rebecca and Pilar is by far the perfect one of siblings.

How could we ever forget about Pilar. He was an edgerunner of Night City and one of the most jolly, inappropriate and fun character ever made. He and his sister Rebecca would team up in Maine’s group and wreak havoc everywhere they go.

Pilar always liked playing on the edge and getting on people’s nerves. This practically led him to get his head shot into millions of pieces by a cyberpsycho who was taking a piss.

Things we love about Pilar:

His carefree attitude, you could never be bored when he’s around
Always getting on people’s nerves, which led to his death of course
His love for big guns and shiny new equipment

5. Dorio

Every gang needs someone to control the situation, Doria is that key member.

Not even Maine could mess around with Dorio, if she's not in the mood.

Dorio is a veteran who was Maine’s right hand. She was completely jacked up and looked more like a huge woman with big guns who could crack your skull in seconds.

Despite her hard exterior, she had a soft side and would only show it to those she trusted. She was the first to notice Maine’s weird behaviour and slowly becoming a cyberpsycho. Her big body and strength allowed her to control Maine whenever he would zone out and lose his mind. She stood by Maine’s side till her last breath.

Things we love about Dorio:

Very serious when it came to getting the job done.
Was Maine’s right hand and kept a close eye on the other members.
Was like a motherly figure for the whole group and often disposed off any fights if any occurred.
A great fighter who wouldn't back down.

4. Lucy

Everyone has only one thing to say about Lucy, "Thats one crazy girl".

Note to self, never get in an ambulance while on a stretcher with Lucy. You'll live to regret it.

Lucy was a mysterious netrunner who always stayed in the dark. Her traumatic past and hurtful present turned her into a very different person, who always stayed reserved.

Night City is a place filled with hate, lust and where dreams never come true. However, this wasnt the case for Lucy who had a huge dream and it was to visit the moon. She was the one who introduced David to Maine’s group and later even fell in love with him. She sees Night City as a prison and dreams of leaving it one day.

Things we love about Lucy:

Being the best Netrunner ever. Lucy could easily hack into any cyberware in minutes.
Her dreams that always kept her going despite being almost impossible.
Commitment issues. Due to her rough past, Lucy had high commitment issues and one of the reasons why she always stayed reserved.

3. David Martinez

Started from the bottom and now he's on the top. What an exciting journey it has been for David Martinez.

There should be a rule to never let David drive.

The main protagonist of the anime and one who like everyone else also had a very traumatic past that led him into joining Maine’s group of mercenaries.

Living with a single parent, David always felt like an outcast. Not easily fitting into his elite style school, getting into fights and finally visiting Doc for the latest gadgets that always landed him into trouble.

He joins Maine’s group and becomes a netrunner with Lucy as his mentor. He does later fall in love with Lucy but the two grow apart after the death of Maine. Martinez had sacrificed everything to make Lucy’s dreams come true.

Strong and confident netrunner who believed in his abilities; even willing to push to the limits to get there.
His attachment to the group became a big problem since it affected him mentally and emotionally.
David wanted to get big like Maine and that led to him taking on many new parts, which also in the end resulted in him turning into a cyberpsycho.

2. Maine

The man who fears nothing, not even the reaper.

The gorilla like body of Maine is immune to any type of physical damage but mind you, his mental abilities slowly started to detoriate as he sunk into cyberpsycho.

If there is one character that had a huge impact on each and every member of his group, it was Maine. Leader of the band of mercenaries who would take up different jobs in the nIght City.

Maine was a hunky character with Gorilla-like arms. He had a deep attachment with every member but had a soft spot for David. Often the one directing his group to missions and being the leader, he made it his job to play fair and pay everyone their right amount.

However, Maine slowly slipped into cyberpsycho and that was unbearable to see the people who loved him. His death was the biggest factor that led to everything falling apart later.

Things we love about Maine:

The main person who changed David from a young afraid boy into a man.
Took up most of the pressure of his group and allowed them some mental peace.
Very romantic with his girlfriend and hated being interrupted yet he always was by David.
Tried his very best to fight the urge of cyberpsycho but even the strongest warriors have to fall.

1. Rebecca

The Queen of Night City. Give her a gun and watch her go El Loco.

Rebecca's ability to act like a child is just scary.

It was imminent that Rebecca would be placed amongst the top characters. A fan favourite, Rebecca is a member of Maine’s group who isn't the type to keep quiet and loves to make noise.

The petite-looking little girl is often confused as being helpless, but boy, once you say that to her, you’ll have your mouth full with the biggest gun the series had to offer. She got caught in moments of mayhem before a team member would pull her away. She was a fiery character that was all over the place.

After her brother Pilar’s death, she slowly matured and became an understanding person. She understood David’s hurt and even developed feelings for him. She made it her business to make new recruits' lives a living hell, which is all part of her personality.

Despite all that, she remained a vigilant person who would often snap David out of a cyberpsychosis.

Things we love about Rebecca:

Her fiery characters and inner desire to always fight no matter the occasion.
Not easy to please or get close to, as she always had a gun close by if you did.
Very vigilant and attentive when it feels like things arent right.
Her sacrifice. She knew David loved Lucy and that's why sacrificed her own love for him.

Served as a cliche breaker, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners showcased that not every ending has to be a happy ending. The futuristic colourful dystopian setting, the tension, the realistic ideology all went hand in hand to create a masterpiece that is one of a kind. If you are looking for a multidimensional series, with lovable characters and an art style never seen before then Cyberpunk is the anime for you.