Granted, the Pacific Rim movies may not be the biggest sci-fi action films to come out in the last decade but there are a lot of things that fans appreciate about them. For starters, the franchise’s jaegers are some of the most brutal fighting robots ever featured on the big screen. Throughout the two films, these jaegers delivered battle scenes that almost rival the Transformers franchise.
In Netflix’s Pacific Rim: The Black, the jaeger action is back. But this anime series also explores some new storylines in the Pacific Rim Universe while also managing to pay homage to the movies.
Align: The Story Centers Around Siblings
In the first movie, the focus had initially been brothers Yancy (Diego Klattenhoff) and Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam). When Yancy dies following a battle with a kaiju, Raleigh abandons the job but is later brought back to the program. Later on, in Pacfic Rim: Uprising, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) reunites with her step-brother Jake Pentecost (John Boyega).
On the other hand, the Netflix anime series sees siblings Hayley and Taylor Travis try to survive on their own after both of their parents mysteriously vanish without a trace.
Diverge: An Entire Continent Is Evacuated Then Abandoned
In both Pacific Rim movies, different kinds of kaiju were attempting to take over the world. They were attacking anywhere possible, overwhelming the jaeger pilots of the Pan Pacific Defense Corps. Despite the odds, jaeger pilots in the movies eventually managed to eliminate the kaiju threat.
In this Netflix series, however, the kaijus succeeded in taking over at least one part of the world. Here, the attack on Australia eventually overwhelms the force, forcing them to evacuate everyone and initiate a blackout over the entire area.
Align: Their Parents Are Also Jaeger Pilots
In the Pacific Rim movies, some of the pilots are a part of a jaeger fighting family legacy. For instance, Jake is the son of the legendary Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) who served as a marshal for the defense corps until his death. Meanwhile, in the first Pacific Rim movie, jaeger pilot Herc Hansen (Max Martini) worked alongside his own son, Chuck (Robert Kazinsky).
In the anime series, Hayler and Taylor’s parents are jaeger pilots Brina and Ford who have been assigned to rescue civilians. After they tried to look for help though, the couple disappeared. Their jaeger was found abandoned.
Diverge: Kaiju Monsters Come In Different Sizes
Arguably, the Pacific Rim kaiju monsters that were featured in the movies are way better than the portrayal of Godzilla on the big screen. In this series, the kaijus look as terrifying as ever. They have also become more powerful than ever before, explaining their ability to take over an entire continent.
Unlike in the movies, however, these monsters were presented in varying sizes in the series. In fact, Haley and Taylor encounter one that is smaller than usual while trying to look for power cells for their jaeger. They encounter canine-like kaiju creatures too.
Align: Some Jaegers From The Movies Made A Cameo
The Pacific Rim movies featured a lot of memorable jaegers, including the World War II-inspired Gipsy Danger, which was piloted by Raleigh and Yancy. Understandably, this famous jaeger couldn’t make an appearance in the Netflix series since it was destroyed in the first film.
On the other hand, other jaegers from the film, such as November Ajax, Valor Omega, and Titan Redeemer, seemed to have remained in the organization’s custody longer. Unfortunately, fans learn in the series that they were all abandoned in a graveyard despite their impressive kaiju kills in previous years.
Diverge: Training Jaegers Are Not Armed
In the series, Taylor and Hayley were relieved to find an abandoned jaeger who is still in good fighting condition. Not only that, the jaeger was pre-loaded with piloting lessons so that it’s possible for anyone to complete a course with minimal supervision (or none at all).
During their training simulation though, the siblings also realize that the jaeger has been disarmed. In contrast, the jaegers remained armed and ready for war in the Pacific Rim movies. It didn’t matter if it was only going to be used for training.
Align: It Acknowledges Jaeger Pilots From The Movies
These jaeger pilots are considered rock stars in the Pacific Rim universe. Take Herc, for example. When the situation was dire and Taylor was desperate, he attempts to do a ‘ghost drift’ with one of the most experienced jaeger pilots that he could think of.
Following the events of the first movie, Herc goes on to become the marshal of the Shatterdome. In the series, it was revealed that Herc went on to fight in Operation Blackout. He and his jaeger got pinned under a dead kaiju.
Diverge: There’s An Extensive Storyline Outside The Jaeger Versus Kaiju Plot Here
While the movies did share personal stories of some of the films' most popular characters, it mostly focused on the defense corps’ main goal: to kill as many kaiju creatures as possible using their terrifyingly powerful jaegers.
Since the Netflix series revolved around an area that had been blacked out, they had to go another route. Here, the focus is more on the siblings as they travel in search of their parents. Along the way, they also encounter some shady characters, including the warlord Shane who never thinks twice about killing people in his way.
Align: There Is Also A Rogue Jaeger In The Story
In Pacific Rim: Uprising, a rogue jaeger appears out of nowhere and wreaks havoc. It turned out to be connected to a bigger scheme that was orchestrated by Newton Geiszler (Charlie Day). In the series, Hayley and Taylor also discover a rogue jaeger themselves.
However, this one wasn’t controlled by Newton, although his work may have triggered its creation. In this case, a jaeger has somehow managed to merge itself with a kaiju. Despite this, the creature didn’t hesitate to defend the siblings from a kaiju threat. The creature also got them a new arm for their broken jaeger.
Diverge: It Revealed That A Human-Kaiju Hybrid Is Possible
While the films have alluded to the idea of a jaeger-kaiju hybrid, no one expected that the Netflix series would seriously take things one step further. In the series, the audience is eventually introduced to a mysterious child named Boy who they find in Meridian City.
At first, it just appeared that Boy is a kid who was as weird as he was charming, putting anything he finds in his mouth. But later on, fans discover that Boy is bullet-proof. And then finally, it was revealed that he is a kaiju hybrid himself.