Interrogator

I'm watching the Interrogator animated series on Warhammer+, and this is my review of it. There may be very minor spoilers, but ideally no more than you'd get from the episode description.

This show is 2D animatation, done only in black and white. It's a lot of computer 2D animation but even without the manual inking, you get the feel it's going for. The whole thing is an obvious reference to film noir, with a protagonist who's down on his luck and prone to narration. There's a lot of film noir influence in cyberpunk anyway, and Warhammer 40K definitely qualifies as cyberpunk. There's a little Bladerunner and Shadowrun in this episode, or just a lot of Rogue Trader and hive city life, and it's a side of Warhammer I love.

Always more blood

The initial episode introduces Jurgen, the titular character. The interrogator. Why he's called the interrogator is unclear, because right now he's living in a cheap apartment in Gheisthaven, a drunk on neuro-suppressants to forget the death of a woman named Bellona.

When he awakens from his stupor, there's a woman at his door. She's stern, severe, and has a few thugs to back her up. She's here to offer him a job apprehending a rogue trader who's slighted her.

It's a story thread that doesn't last long, although I'm not positive it won't come back up later. A fight breaks out, and Jurgen ends up getting rescued by a brute named Baldur.

Baldur's got a lead who might have a lead about Bellona's killer. Enough said. The plot's afoot.

Good scifi

This episode is good scifi. It's pure cyberpunk, dripping in atmosphere and attitude. The tech is older than it ought to be, but futuristic all the same.

The only reason I don't say it's great scifi is because this episode's plot is simple. Things pick up next episode, but this one just introduces the main character, his trauma, and his sidekick. Nothing wrong with that, and it sets the tone nicely.

One of the major strengths of this show is Jonathan Hartman's score. Hartman's synthesis work is exactly what I want from Warhammer music and from music in general. It's textured, deep, and ponderous. It's perfect music, and I listen to the soundtrack regularly. In the context of the actual episode, though, the music takes on new meaning, and it adds new meaning to the story. Beautifully done, all around.

Good Warhammer

This episode is great Warhammer 40K. Warhammer can have practically anything you want it to have. After all, there are millions of worlds in the setting. There's at least one planet for something, and this story is set in noir world. Down and out people doing down and out things. Rogue traders and hab dwellers living on the fringe of the Imperium. They utter praises and curses in the Emperor's name, the city is decorated with Imperial heraldry, the people have augmetics. It's the 40K universe, but maybe an aspect you're not used to seeing. I love that about Warhammer, and these animated series are demonstrating how versatile the universe is.

I know the Warhammer universe is a horrible place that nobody wants to visit. Most cyberpunk settings are. But the 40K and noir cyberpunk combination definitely tempts me.

Oh and there's also a story brewing here. And it's a good one. A little bit of detective work, a little bit of revenge. This fits the genre, and they've hooked me. I'm ready to find out more.