If you’re looking for a great anime to watch, stay with me until the end because today we’re talking about one of the most underrated sci-fi cyberpunk anime ever made Akudama Drive.

Akudama Drive is a complete package. It offers excellent character development, engaging storytelling, stunning animation, memorable characters you’ll either love or hate, and some of the best suspense you’ll find in an anime.

But if it’s this good, why aren’t more anime fans talking about it? Let’s find out in this review.

Anime Information

Japanese Title: アクダマドライブ

English Title: Akudama Drive

Studio: Studio Pierrot

Episodes: 12

Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Cyberpunk, Suspense

Release Date: October 8, 2020 – December 24, 2020

Runtime: Approximately 24 minutes per episode

Streaming Platforms: Crunchyroll and Netflix (availability varies by region)

Akudama Drive Story Summary (Spoiler-Free)

akudama drive poster — **Image Credit:** **Promotional artwork from *Akudama Drive*. © Studio Pierrot, Too Kyo Games.**

The story takes place in a futuristic cyberpunk world where the title “Akudama” is given to the most dangerous criminals.

One mysterious black cat hires several legendary Akudama to complete an important mission. However, during the operation, an ordinary girl accidentally gets caught up with them and is mistakenly labeled as an Akudama herself. From that moment, her life changes forever.

Unlike most anime, every Akudama is an important character. Each one has a unique role and personality:

Courier can deliver anything to anyone, no matter how dangerous the mission.
Hacker is one of the world’s greatest computer experts.
Swindler is an innocent girl who unexpectedly becomes part of the group.
Cutthroat is a terrifying serial killer obsessed with violence.
Brawler possesses incredible physical strength.
Doctor is capable of performing almost any type of surgery.

The main conflict revolves around the Akudama completing their mission while the powerful Execution Division hunts them down with everything they have.

First Impression

From the very first episode, I was hooked.

What initially looked like a simple mission quickly turned into an all-out war against the Execution Division.

The animation quality immediately caught my attention, and the first episode did an excellent job of making me want to continue watching.

For some viewers, it may take two or three episodes before the story fully clicks. If that’s the case, don’t drop it too early because you’ll miss one of the hidden gems of cyberpunk anime.

Since Akudama Drive is an original anime with only one season, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But by the end, I was genuinely impressed.

Story & Pacing

The story is one of Akudama Drive’s strongest points.

Within the first few minutes, it almost feels like an ordinary slice-of-life anime. Then, in an instant, everything changes, and the action never slows down.

Personally, I felt the pacing was extremely fast.

In fact, I believe that if the creators had expanded the story into a 24-episode series, it could have become even more popular.

The fast pacing is probably one of the biggest reasons why some viewers don’t enjoy this anime. The story constantly moves forward, and major events happen very quickly.

There are also numerous plot twists throughout the series. Some completely surprised me, while others kept the suspense alive.

Despite the fast pacing, I found the ending very satisfying. It wrapped up the story well, even though it wasn’t the ending I expected.

Akudama Drive Characters

**Image Credit:** Screenshot from *Akudama Drive*. © Studio Pierrot, Too Kyo Games.

One thing I really liked about Akudama Drive is its cast.

Just like in any great anime, you’ll find characters you’ll love and others you’ll love to hate.

Every Akudama receives meaningful character development. Some characters grow for the better, while others become darker as the story progresses.

Each member of the Akudama team plays an important role, and removing any one of them would make the story feel incomplete.

Their different personalities and motivations make the anime much more enjoyable.

Animation & Visual Quality

When Studio Pierrot is involved in an anime project, I rarely worry about the animation quality, and Akudama Drive is another example of why.

The animation is smooth, vibrant, and visually impressive.

The fight scenes are clean, fast-paced, and beautifully choreographed.

The cyberpunk city is filled with bright neon colors, detailed backgrounds, and excellent use of CGI that enhances the experience rather than distracting from it.

Studio Pierrot did an outstanding job bringing this futuristic world to life.

Voice Acting & Music

I watched Akudama Drive with Japanese audio, and as always, the voice acting was excellent.

Every emotion, whether it was fear, excitement, sadness, or anger, felt genuine.

The voice actors perfectly captured their characters’ personalities.

The soundtrack also deserves praise.

I especially enjoyed the music during the final episode. It made the emotional moments much more impactful.

Both the opening and ending themes are fantastic and are among those anime songs that I never wanted to skip.

What I Liked

Animation

The animation quality is outstanding.

Studio Pierrot once again proved why they are one of the industry’s most respected animation studios. Every action sequence looks polished and exciting.

Story

I really enjoyed the overall story.

Although the pacing is fast, the plot remains engaging from beginning to end.

Plot Twists

Akudama Drive is filled with unexpected twists.

Many of them genuinely surprised me and helped keep the suspense alive throughout the series.

What I Didn’t Like

Fast Pacing

The biggest weakness of Akudama Drive is its pacing.

Everything happens so quickly that, at times, it feels like you’ve missed important details.

I believe the story would have benefited from a few more episodes.

Too Many Plot Twists

While I enjoyed most of the plot twists, I also felt there were simply too many.

Some twists were necessary for the story, while others felt slightly unnecessary and made the pacing even faster.

Who Should Watch Akudama Drive?

I honestly believe almost anyone can enjoy this anime.

However, I especially recommend it if you enjoy:

Cyberpunk worlds
Action anime
Sci-fi stories
Suspense and mystery
Fast-paced storytelling
Plot twists
Unique and memorable characters

In my opinion, Akudama Drive is one of the most underrated anime released in 2020.

Final Verdict

MyAnimeList Rating: 7.56/10

AniWorldTV Rating: 8/10

I highly recommend Akudama Drive to anime fans looking for a short but exciting series.

It may not be the greatest cyberpunk anime ever made, and its fast pacing won’t appeal to everyone, but it delivers an entertaining story, excellent animation, memorable characters, and plenty of suspense.

With only 12 episodes, it’s an easy anime to finish over a weekend, and I believe it’s absolutely worth your time.