Netflix Sci-Fi Anime Series Is The Best Entry In Blockbuster Franchise
The popular Japanese-American anime series Pacific Rim: The Black is streaming on Netflix. The show, consisting of two seasons of seven episodes each, continues the story of the Pacific Rim films. The series serves as the third installment in the franchise and is developed and co-written by Greg Johnson and Craig Kyle.
Pacific Rim: The Black Heads To Australia
Set in the same fictional world as the original movie, Pacific Rim: The Black begins when a species of monstrous beings called Kaiju emerge from the Pacific Rim and take control of the Australian continent. In response, humanity constructs colossal combat robots called Jaegers to resist the invasion. Despite their efforts, the humans fail, leading the continent to be largely abandoned.
Amid the destruction are teenage siblings Taylor and Hayley Travis. The pair were left behind by their parents, who went to confront the Kaiju but never returned. Half a decade later, Hayley discovers a long-forgotten training Jaeger named Atlas Destroyer. Together with Taylor, they activate the robot and search for their missing parents.
Unlikely Heroes
Their quest in Pacific Rim: The Black is hindered by the constant threat of Kaiju attacks and other survivors who want to seize control of the powerful Atlas Destroyer for themselves. But activating the robot unwittingly attracts a colossal red-veined Kaiju called Copperhead, destroying a settlement.
Barely escaping, Hayley and Taylor travel to Sydney using the reactivated Jaeger. Along the way, they master piloting skills with the help of onboard AI Loa. As Pacific Rim: The Black unfolds, the teens battle smaller Kaiju, cross paths with other survivors, form alliances, and face threats from different factions. Revelations about the origins of the Kaiju and the Uprising War also surface.
Pacific Rim: The Black takes unexpected turns as the Travis siblings grapple with personal dilemmas, family reunions, and confrontations with the Sisters of the Kaiju. Over two seasons, the series explores themes of survival, sacrifice, and the blurred boundaries between humanity and the monstrous forces threatening their existence.
The Black Concludes With Season 2
Netflix announced the development of an anime series based on the Pacific Rim films in November 2018. Pacific Rim: The Black was revealed during Netflix’s Anime Festival livestream event in October 2020. The show received a two-season order, with the first installment set to debut in 2021. The show is produced by Legendary Television and animated by Polygon Pictures.
The series is directed by Jae-hong Kim and Hiroyuki Hayashi, along with Takeshi Iwata, Susumu Sugai, and Masayuki Uemoto. Pacific Rim: The Black features a talented voice cast that includes Ideon Adlon (English) and Yui Shimodaya (Japanese) as Hayley Travis. Calum Worthy (English) and Yusuke Kobayashi (Japanese) lend their talents to Taylor Travis.
The Franchise Launched In 2013
The story seen in Pacific Rim: The Black began with the 2013 film Pacific Rim from director Guillermo del Toro. Set in a future Earth where colossal monsters, known as Kaiju, emerge from an interdimensional portal in the Pacific Ocean, humanity responds by building massive humanoid robots called Jaegers. Piloted by skilled individuals, Jaegers engage in epic battles to protect humanity.
Pacific Rim: Uprising
Following its success, a sequel, Pacific Rim: Uprising, was released in 2018 from director Steven S. DeKnight. Set a decade after the events of the first film, the world faces a new Kaiju threat. The story follows Jake Pentecost (John Boyega), the son of the original film’s hero, as he reluctantly joins the Jaeger program. Pacific Rim: The Black continues the adventure down under.
