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Created by the author of Goblin Slayer, Kumo Kagyu, Moscow 2160 is a manga series with illustrations by Kotaro Sekine. It is set in a distant future where the Cold War between the United States and Russia never ended. The story further centers on the exploits of Daniel Kuragin, a liquidator who carries a submachine gun and runs through the streets of Moscow. The manga was launched in Square Enix's Big Gangan magazine in August 2022.
On the other hand, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a web anime series based on the video game Cyberpunk 2077 by CD Projekt Red. The series was animated by Studio Trigger and released by Netflix in September 2022.
Moscow 2160 and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners have similarities only in their settings
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners serves as a prequel to the game and takes place about a year before the events of Cyberpunk 2077. In the futuristic metropolis of Night City, the story follows David Martinez, a street youngster who grows up to be an edgerunner, a mercenary criminal also known as a cyberpunk.
Mike Pondsmith, the founder of R. Talsorian Games and the creator of the Cyberpunk tabletop role-playing game, established the same setting for both Moscow 2160 and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. The Cyberpunk universe is a grim and gloomy depiction of a dystopian future in which mega corporations rule society, crime is rampant, and technology has evolved to the point that people may augment themselves with cybernetics.
However, there is no clear storyline or character connection between Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Moscow 2160. Both series are independent tales that look at various aspects of the cyberpunk universe and its ideas.
While Cyberpunk: Edgerunners illustrates the life of an edgerunner in Night City, Moscow 2160 concentrates on the geopolitical conflicts between the USA and Russia. Additionally, they differ in terms of tone and aesthetic, with Cyberpunk: Edgerunners being more stylized and colorful and Moscow 2160 having a more realistic touch to the setting and harsh tone.
Therefore, Moscow 2160 and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners are canon to each other only because they share the same setting and lore but are not part of the same storyline or continuity. As such, fans of the cyberpunk genre can enjoy them separately or collectively since they are distinct works.
The difference in synopsis of Moscow 2160 and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
With the setting of the cold war, the narrative of Kumo Kagyu's Moscow 2160 centres on Daniel Kuragin, a ‘liquidator’ who dashes around Moscow's streets brandishing a submachine gun. He is a real-life ‘Cleaner’ who is not a member of any group and faces the near future armed only with an old gun.
Here, Daniel resides in a dystopian metropolis where cyborg thugs prowl the streets and freedom, truth, wealth, and the future are rapidly disappearing. He also has a romantic interest in a mysterious woman named Anna.
Moscow 2160 is a web serial that first appeared in the August 2022 issue of Square Enix's Big Gangan magazine. As of May 2023, there are four chapters. It is a thriller with elements of mecha, tragedy, crime, and action.
On the other hand, the futuristic world of Cyberpunk 2077 becomes the setting for the CD Projekt Red anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. The novel's action is set in Night City, a dystopian metropolis that combines contemporary technology, cybernetic enhancements, social unrest, and corporate power.
The edgerunners battle their own inner demons as the narrative progresses to survive in the dangerous environment they live in. As it depicts a society where injustice and corruption are pervasive, the anime delves into the dark and ominous side of cyberpunk.
The manga, which made its debut in Square Enix's Big Gangan magazine in September 20222, has gained popularity for its grimy and accurate portrayal of a war-torn city and its residents. Ktar Sekine, who has previously contributed to projects like The Heroic Legend of Arslan and Napping Princess, is the illustrator of the manga.
