Titan Comics has breathed new life into the *Blade Runner* universe, expanding its cyberpunk world through compelling spin-offs and prequels. Their latest series, *Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus*, marks a significant milestone—the first *Blade Runner* story set in Japan.
IGN Fan Fest 2025 provided a unique opportunity to delve into the series with writers Kianna Shore and Mellow Brown. The slideshow below showcases exclusive artwork, tracing the series' journey from script to stunning visuals.
Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus Behind-the-Scenes Art Gallery
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The choice of Tokyo as a setting is intriguing, considering the city's prominent role in seminal cyberpunk works like *Akira* and *Ghost in the Shell*. We were eager to learn how the writers envisioned this alternate-universe 2015 Tokyo, and how it differs from the rain-slicked, neon-drenched Los Angeles familiar to *Blade Runner* fans.
"Brainstorming Tokyo within the *Blade Runner* universe was incredibly fun!" Shore shared with IGN. "Having lived in Japan (coincidentally in 2015), and recently visiting relevant exhibitions in Tokyo focusing on 'envisioning the future,' I aimed to create a Tokyo distinct from Los Angeles, reflecting its unique history, experiences, and socioeconomics. My goal was to craft a 'hopepunk' Tokyo."
"I've always appreciated how Los Angeles in *Blade Runner* is broken, decrepit, and fracturing—a city on its last legs, with neon masking its decay. Turn off the lights, and the hellscape is revealed," Brown explained. "Our Tokyo operates in parallel. It's a beautiful utopia, but its inhabitants feel constrained. Disobey, and this 'paradise' will consume you. It's just as terrifying, but in a different way."
Intriguingly, both writers consciously avoided direct homage to *Akira* and *Ghost in the Shell*, drawing inspiration instead from other media and contemporary Japanese life.
Shore noted, "While I drew inspiration from classic works, it was crucial to understand how Japanese media depicts the future post-3.11 Tohoku Disaster. I watched anime like *Your Name*, *Japan Sinks 2020*, and *Bubble*."
"I personally aimed to avoid iterating on anime already inspired by *Blade Runner*, such as *Bubblegum Crisis* or *Psycho-Pass*," Brown added. "Cyberpunk often reflects one's vision of the future. The original series' depiction of Los Angeles, with its '80s aesthetic and fear of Japan's rise, reflects this. I wanted to reflect the hopes and fears of contemporary Japanese society, and explore the potential consequences of dangerous elements gaining power."
The *Blade Runner* timeline spans the 21st century, but *Tokyo Nexus* is set in 2015, years before the original film. We explored the series' connection to the broader franchise. Would fans find familiar elements, or is this a completely new experience?
"*Tokyo Nexus* is a standalone in terms of setting, time, and story," Shore clarified. "However, it wouldn't be *Blade Runner* without the pervasive influence of Tyrell Corporation and a compelling mystery. There are fun nods and easter eggs referencing the films, but the comic is also enjoyable for those unfamiliar with the *Blade Runner* universe."
Brown added, "We're building upon the story established since *Blade Runner: Origins* and shortly before *Blade Runner: 2019*. We're excited to address complex questions, such as the Kalanthia War and Tyrell Corporation's replicant monopoly. This all builds towards a massive, secret civil war, with Blade Runners from different organizations vying for dominance. *Tokyo Nexus* reveals the origins of one of these organizations, which will become a global superpower in that war."
*Tokyo Nexus* centers on the partnership between Mead, a human, and Stix, a replicant. Their close bond is central to the series, portraying them as battle-hardened veterans relying solely on each other in a harsh landscape.
"Mead and Stix are best friends and platonic life partners," Shore explained. "They've been through the wringer, shared pain and tears. They only want to protect each other, sometimes from themselves. Their goal is survival, but to achieve it, they must learn to trust again."
"It's beautiful in its dysfunction," Brown laughed. "We wanted to explore the franchise's 'more human than human' theme. Stix, a replicant, has an intense thirst for life, while Mead, a human, is hardened and pragmatic. They need each other to survive, creating a codependency that could shatter them both."
The series sees Stix and Mead entangled in a conflict involving Tyrell Corp, the Yakuza, and Cheshire, a Japanese organization. The writers hinted at Cheshire's significance within the *Blade Runner* universe—a company challenging Tyrell's replicant market dominance.
"Cheshire is vying for a piece of the replicant manufacturing pie," Shore teased. "Their latest model is a military-grade replicant, supposedly stronger and faster, built upon Tyrell's designs."
Brown added, "Cheshire is a crime organization with ambitions beyond petty extortion. Acquiring refugee Tyrell scientists who escaped to Tokyo unlocks unprecedented potential within this universe…"
*Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus Vol. 1 - Die in Peace* is available now in comic shops and bookstores. You can also order the book on Amazon.
IGN Fan Fest 2025 also offered early looks at IDW's new Godzilla shared universe and a sneak peek of an upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog storyline.
