What kids movies would you consider to be cyberpunk? That is, not cyberpunk movies that happen to lack adult themes (like maybe Tron) but movies that are intentionally marketed towards kids and happen to be cyberpunk?

The best I can think of would be Astro Boy, Next Gen, or maybe Ron’s Gone Wrong. Obviously I’m using a broad definition of “cyberpunk” here considering these are kids movies. The hero really has to “win” in a kids movie so you can’t have some nihilistic world where the evil corporations can’t be stopped.

Astro Boy spends a lot of time in the floating city above the clouds, but he also spends some time in the wasteland on the ground. The setting seems pretty cyberpunk, but the plot involves the military trying to capture Astro Boy, which isn’t as cyberpunk in my opinion.

Next Gen is probably the most cyberpunk of these three. The main character even has an origami unicorn keychain on her backpack. I don’t think it’s crazy to see that as a Blade Runner reference. Plus, this movie has an evil corporation as the villain, rather than the military.

Ron’s Gone Wrong might be a bit of a stretch here. Like Next Gen, it involves an evil corporation that needs to be stopped, but the rest of the world isn’t nearly as futuristic/scifi.

What other kids movies do you think might be considered cyberpunk? Big Hero 6 takes place in San Fransokyo which is… kinda cyberpunk. And Ralph Breaks The Internat goes to cyberspace which is… kinda cyberpunk. Any others?

  • Hammerjack@lemmy.zipOPMEnglish
    2·
    9 months ago

    That’s why I thought this would be an interesting question to discuss. Cyberpunk is typically a pretty nihilistic genre so it’s hard to make a true cyberpunk movie that’s accessible to children, but there are other aspects of the genre that I think could still fit in a children’s movie.

    • Omnifarious@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      9 months ago

      Oh I agree. I just wouldn’t know any other examples that would fall into it. I’d have to do some thinking and some digging personally.