Akudama Drive (2020) | How Woke Is It?

Our VerdictNot Woke

15%

Akudama Drive2020

In a free society the right to critique art is essential and protected speech. These reviews reflect personal opinions and not statements of fact.

What We Think

Akudama Drive mostly dodges the modern “woke” pitfalls, delivering high-octane anime fun without shoehorning in identity politics. Its cyberpunk setting allows for diversity without lecturing, and it retains a focus on entertainment over ideology.

Score Breakdown

Compromised:Narrative Integrity

Not Woke

What is this?

Akudama Drive is more concerned with dazzling visuals and frenetic cyberpunk action than pushing any overt ideology. Characters are archetypal but not selected or celebrated purely for their demographics, and personal skills, not identity, drive the narrative. Forced representation and Mary Sue issues are refreshingly absent.

Compromised:Cultural Foundations

Not Woke

What is this?

While Akudama Drive exists in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian Japan, it doesn't take much aim at religion, family, or masculinity in the way Western media often does. Instead, these concepts are largely backgrounded, with little in the way of revisionism or gender subversion beyond typical genre tropes.

Compromised:Ideological Monoculture

Mildly Woke

What is this?

The show avoids ham-fisted ideological messaging. While authority figures are portrayed as corrupt, that’s a cyberpunk staple. There’s no real villainization of tradition or alternate views; most characters act out of pragmatic or personal motives, rather than symbolism or dogma.

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Disclaimer: In a free society the right to critique art is essential and protected as a form of free speech and freedom of expression. The reviews and commentary on this site represent personal opinions and interpretations. They are not statements of fact and should not be taken as factual claims about any individual, company, or creative work.