SC 2.0 Cyberpunk?

[Krensky]

Yep.

It's not science fiction or techy or anything.

It is a strong story about corporatism, media, greed, amorality and power.

It is also a bit talky, with lots of rants and monologues.

Like I said, just change all the sets to stuff from Bladerunner in your head and it'll work.

In a slightly more post-cyberpunk vein, there's the GiTS movies and the SAC compilations. Plus Shirow's other post cyberpunk works Appleseed (both the original and the two cell shaded ones from a few years back) and Dominion Tank Police (several different OVAs).

The AD Police Files (the files bit is important) is a prequel series to Bubblegum Crisis and is very dark cyberpunk. AD Police is something different and is semi related to the Bubblegum Crisis 2040 remake.

Psycho Diver: Soul Siren is a dark anime about a therapist/mechanical telepath.

Babylon AD got panned, but it actually does cover a lot of the thematic elements of the genre, although it strays a little too much into the magical and supernatural for true cyberpunk.

I'll add more stuff as I think of it.

[MikeS]

Strange Days. Awesome, awesome flick. No chrome, but it's got a solo, some rockers, a fixer, a cop or three. Corruption, distopia, disruptive tech, and hope. Can't recommend it enough.

Robocop. Ignore the sequels. Well, except for the TV show. Full conversion cyborg? Check. Amoral, power hungry corporation using mercenaries? Check. Hope? Check.

I have to agree that Strange Days is probably one of the best cyberpunk-themed movies out there. There are  no body modifications, but the SQUIDS are archetypal cyberpunk devices, and the very-near future not-so-high tech works amazingly well.

I thought about the Robocop series just yesterday. I should watch it again to see if I missed any episodes when it was running on TV. Robocop was a little cheesy in some ways, but it is a great cyberpunk TV show, and I enjoyed it a lot.

[glimmerrat]

Babylon AD got panned because about an hour of plot was cut from the final release. As to whether we'll ever see it, who knows?

Strange Days always made me think of BTLs from Shadowrun. And i'm pretty sure that Shadowrun had BTLs before SD came out.

Cyber City Oedo 808 is pretty cyberpunk, but it's hard to get a hold of, unfortunately. The English dub was notorious for its foul language, and I do mean *foul*.

[Mister Andersen]

I and a number of others have a habit of referring to Strange Days as the alternate 8th Doctor telemovie

[Catodon]

Babylon AD got panned because about an hour of plot was cut from the final release. As to whether we'll ever see it, who knows?

Strange Days always made me think of BTLs from Shadowrun. And i'm pretty sure that Shadowrun had BTLs before SD came out.

Cyber City Oedo 808 is pretty cyberpunk, but it's hard to get a hold of, unfortunately. The English dub was notorious for its foul language, and I do mean *foul*.

Maybe they are supposed to be Australian's there is nothing in there athat would raise an eyebrow in town in Rural WA.

[Sletchman]

Maybe they are supposed to be Australian's there is nothing in there athat would raise an eyebrow in town in Rural WA.

I have some relatives in central northern QLD (mining towns) - that sort of language is just another day at the office far as they are concerned.  Rural Australia - where massive quantites of swearing replaces "Um" or "Like" (depending on if you're teenage girl or not).

[Catodon]

Just had an idea. So why cybernetics and not the more likely biotech replacement bodyparts?
How about a backstory of a flesh eating bacteria pandemic and its effect on societal norms.

[Desertpuma]

If you are looking for some awesome Cyberpunk music, check out the Australian band InSurge and their songs: Political Prisoners ... Speculator (which seems to make more and more sense now)

[Krensky]

Just had an idea. So why cybernetics and not the more likely biotech replacement bodyparts?
How about a backstory of a flesh eating bacteria pandemic and its effect on societal norms.

Or the fact that if you want to control a computer or car with your brain, at some point you need a jack.

Plus the fact that from what I've seen were closer to training people to operate a robot prostetic then reconnect trunk nerves.

Also, biotech is post-cyberpunk. Sletch said he want mirror shades, chrome, and heavy metal.

[Krensky]

Eh, Strange Days makes a case against BTL, sorta. They're really just sensies though.

Videodrome. That gives you BTL nightmares. Same with it's spiritual sequel Existenz.

Also, for a vision of hacking in the real world (ie with the console cowboy dealing with the hack in real time and not in cyberspace with the ice trying to kill everyone) hunt down a crappy little film called For the Cause or The Final Encounter.

Similarly, for a more classic cyberpunk treatment the old Tekwar tv series has a lot going visually, although it's more trappings of cyberpunk the actual punk.

[Sletchman]

Just had an idea. So why cybernetics and not the more likely biotech replacement bodyparts?
How about a backstory of a flesh eating bacteria pandemic and its effect on societal norms.

Certainly an interesting idea for an instory explanation (especially if it's a runaway bioweapon / terror attack).  Mine is mostly this, at least at the current stage of worldbuilding.

Also, biotech is post-cyberpunk. Sletch said he want mirror shades, chrome, and heavy metal.

Maybe not so much the mirror shades...

[MikeS]

Just had an idea. So why cybernetics and not the more likely biotech replacement bodyparts?

What makes you think the biotech parts are more likely?

There are several groups around the world working quite successfully on artificial retinas (check out, eg, https://www-eng.llnl.gov/mic_nano/mic_nano_retina.html), and some efforts on cochlear implants, bladder control (doesn't sound sexy, but will be incredibly useful to quite a few people) and arm/leg prosthetics interfaces have been made.

If I had to bet which you'll see first, a cyberarm or a bio-graft arm, my money is on the chrome.

[MilitiaJim]

If I had to bet which you'll see first, a cyberarm or a bio-graft arm, my money is on the chrome.

Chrome is going to come first, and will never fully disappear.  But if someone loses their arm in a car wreck they are better off having a new arm grown than bolting on some chrome, even more so for intestines and livers.

Biogear will mostly supplant chrome, but chrome will still be around.

[Krensky]

That depends a lot on whether you can regrow the arm in situ and if not, by itself or you have to grow a whole human just for the arm.

[MikeS]

That depends a lot on whether you can regrow the arm in situ and if not, by itself or you have to grow a whole human just for the arm.

See the movie "The Island" for an entertaining treatise on the latter...