Pacific Rim: The Black is a dark, sprawling anime series about teenagers piloting a broken robot across a ruined Australian wasteland. It is not a cartoon for kids, and it knows it. Netflix’s adult animated entry into the Pacific Rim franchise follows Taylor and Hayley Travis, two siblings forced to activate an abandoned Jaeger named Atlas Destroyer after their parents vanish into the Kaiju war. The result is a grim, sometimes brilliant, often uneven adventure that earns its 7.1 out of 10 score.
Trailer, via Netflix.
The Travis Siblings
Taylor is voiced by Calum Worthy, and Hayley is voiced by Gideon Adlon. Their chemistry is the engine of the show. Taylor is a teenager with a sense of responsibility far beyond his years, while Hayley remains naive and desperate to believe their parents are still alive. The series tracks their journey across a devastated continent filled with Kaiju, hostile human survivors, and the wreckage of a civilization that fell apart overnight.
The Setting
Australia is not a backdrop here. It is a character. The series shows the continent being overrun by Kaiju, forcing humanity to abandon cities and scatter into isolated pockets of survivors. The Travis siblings navigate this chaos, constantly running from marauding monsters and rival groups who want to seize Atlas Destroyer for themselves.
Atlas Destroyer
The Jaeger itself is a central figure. Built for training, it is a half-finished, jury-rigged machine that the siblings learn to control together. Its design is detailed and imposing, a giant robot with a personality of its own. The show spends significant time on how Taylor and Hayley bond with the machine, treating the Jaeger as a living partner rather than a tool.
The Cast
Victoria Grace voices Mei, a survivor who joins the Travis siblings on their journey. Andy McPhee voices Shane, a survivor they encounter along the way. These characters add texture to the world, showing the different ways people cope with the collapse of society.
The Verdict
The series is at its best when it focuses on the relationship between Taylor and Hayley, and the emotional weight of their search for their parents. The action sequences are competent, but the show leans heavily on dialogue and character interaction to carry its narrative. Some episodes feel padded, with filler scenes that slow down the momentum. The pacing is uneven, and the second season rushes toward its conclusion without fully resolving the threads it had established.
The show is visually striking, with a distinctive anime aesthetic that sets it apart from the live-action Pacific Rim films. Its tone is darker, its stakes more personal. It is a show about loss, family, and the cost of survival.
Release Dates
| Season | Episodes | First Aired | Last Aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | March 4, 2021 | — |
| 2 | 7 | — | April 19, 2022 |
What Works
- The sibling dynamic between Taylor and Hayley
- The design and personality of Atlas Destroyer
- The world-building of a fallen Australia
- The voice acting, particularly Worthy and Adlon
What Doesn’t Work
- A few episodes feel like filler
- The pacing drags in the middle
- Some character arcs feel rushed in the finale
Pacific Rim: The Black is a bold, ambitious show that occasionally loses focus. Its strengths — the Travis siblings, the Jaeger, the world of a fallen Australia — are substantial. Its weaknesses — pacing issues and unresolved threads — keep it from greatness. It is a worthy addition to the Pacific Rim canon, but not a flawless one.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.
