Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus Reveals a New Vision of Cyberpunk Japan - IGN Fan Fest 2025

The Blade Runner universe expands its reach with Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus, the franchise's first foray into Japan. Titan Comics' new series, set in an alternate 2015, offers a unique take on the cyberpunk aesthetic, diverging from the familiar rain-soaked streets of Los Angeles. We spoke with writers Kianna Shore and Mellow Brown at IGN Fan Fest 2025 to delve into their creative process.

Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus - Exclusive Artwork

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Shore, drawing on personal experience living in Japan in 2015, aimed for a "hopepunk" Tokyo, distinct from Los Angeles's decaying cityscape. Brown describes Tokyo as a seemingly utopian facade concealing a brutal underbelly, mirroring the original Blade Runner's dystopian Los Angeles but with a different flavor of menace.

Instead of directly referencing Akira or Ghost in the Shell, the writers drew inspiration from post-3.11 Tohoku Disaster Japanese media (Shore cites Your Name, Japan Sinks 2020, and Bubble) and contemporary Japanese society (Brown focused on current societal anxieties and aspirations).

Tokyo Nexus stands alone within the Blade Runner timeline, set in 2015, before the original film. While containing subtle nods to the films, it's accessible to newcomers. The story builds upon previous entries like Blade Runner: Origins and Blade Runner: 2019, exploring the Kalanthia War and Tyrell Corporation's replicant monopoly, hinting at a larger inter-organizational conflict.

The series centers on Mead, a human, and Stix, a replicant, a battle-hardened duo bound by a complex, codependent relationship. Their survival hinges on their mutual trust in this harsh environment. Their bond explores the "more human than human" theme, contrasting Mead's pragmatic nature with Stix's vibrant life force.

Their journey intertwines them with Tyrell Corp, the Yakuza, and Cheshire, a rising competitor aiming to challenge Tyrell's dominance in the replicant market, utilizing potentially superior military models and employing escaped Tyrell scientists.

Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus Vol. 1 - Die in Peace is available now. You can also purchase it on Amazon. IGN Fan Fest 2025 also featured previews of IDW's Godzilla shared universe and a new Sonic the Hedgehog storyline.