The popularity of Netflix’s Cyberpunk: Edgerunners owes plenty to its brutal action and tragic characters, but Rebecca almost never got the chance to become one of its biggest fan favorites. The edgerunner, known for her foul mouth, oversized weapons, and fearless attitude, was reportedly close to being cut during pre-production because some members of CD Projekt Red felt her design didn’t fit the world of Cyberpunk 2077. Studio Trigger stood by the character, and that choice preserved one of the anime’s most memorable personalities.
According to Behind The Voice Actors, Alex Cazares voices Rebecca in the English dub, while Tomoyo Kurosawa plays her in Japanese. Both performances bring out the character’s mix of chaotic humor, loyalty, and surprising emotional depth. The story behind her inclusion is just as interesting as her role on screen, since reports reveal that the creative teams disagreed over her appearance before the series reached Netflix. Their decision ultimately paid off, even though Rebecca’s fate in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners left fans with one of the show’s most painful moments. Below, we break down more details about the character from the series.
How Studio Trigger saved Rebecca from being cut from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Alex Cazares, Rebecca’s English voice actor, is known for delivering the character’s sharp dialogue and high-energy personality, while Tomoyo Kurosawa voices her in the original Japanese version. Rebecca is a small but formidable member of David Martinez’s crew, and she often charges into danger with a machine gun and an attitude that’s hard to ignore. Her loyalty to her friends gives the character more weight than her wild behavior might first suggest.
According to GamesRadar+, Rebecca’s place in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners wasn’t guaranteed during development. Some members of CD Projekt Red reportedly objected to her design, which they called childlike, and argued that it clashed with the visual identity of Night City. Studio Trigger, the animation studio behind the show, pushed back against the idea of removing her.
During a livestream watch party, a CD Projekt Red developer described the disagreement and admitted voting against keeping Rebecca in the original cast. As GamesRadar+ reported, the developer said:
“She’s best girl. But I feel a little bit guilty to say it because I was one of the people on the creative team to actually vote Rebecca out of the original cast during pre-production.”
The developer then explained the reasoning behind the initial objection:
“CD Projekt Red first got the character design for Rebecca and they were like ‘She’s a loli. Lolis don’t exist in Night City. It doesn’t fit the Cyberpunk 2077 aesthetic’. But Trigger was like ‘No, the loli must stay.’”
The term “loli” carries sensitive associations in anime culture, where people use it to describe characters who look young and may sometimes be sexualized. The reported conversation doesn’t settle every question about how to classify Rebecca, and it doesn’t establish that every member of CD Projekt Red shared the same view. It does show, however, that her design sparked debate before the series was finished.
The decision also highlights a difference between the two studios’ approaches. CD Projekt Red created the world and characters of Cyberpunk 2077, while Studio Trigger brought that setting to life through its own animation style. Trigger evidently believed Rebecca belonged in the story despite concerns about her appearance. The finished series gave her a distinct personality and let her stand out through her confidence, combat skills, and devotion to David’s crew. Still, Rebecca dies during the final confrontation when Adam Smasher attacks the crew. Her death is sudden and violent, and it reinforces the series’ refusal to give its characters easy escapes from Night City’s brutality.
In a report on the franchise’s future, ComicBook.com covered writer Bartosz Sztybor’s comments on the emotional impact of the first series and the decision to make its deaths permanent. During a panel at Anime Expo 2025, Sztybor reflected on the response to David’s death before making a particularly blunt remark about Rebecca. He said:
“I’m really sorry that you were crying after David died. I wanted to say it was a pleasure writing that, but it was not. It was a really sad moment. But it was a pleasure killing Rebecca, so I’m sorry for that.”
According to Hypebeast, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 will return to Night City with a standalone, 10-episode story centered on 4 new characters. Kai Ikarashi directs the sequel, which reunites CD Projekt Red and Studio Trigger for a different take on the franchise’s dystopian world. Bartosz Sztybor returns as a key creative force, Masahiko Otsuka handles the screenplay adaptation, and Ichigo Kanno leads character design. The new story premieres on October 20 on Netflix.
Rebecca’s story may be over, but the debate over her near-removal shows how one creative disagreement can shape a show’s most beloved characters. Her survival through pre-production gave Cyberpunk: Edgerunners a memorable personality whose impact reaches well beyond her limited screen time.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 will be released on October 20, 2026, on Netflix
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