Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus Unveils Cyberpunk Japan's Future at IGN Fan Fest 2025

The Blade Runner franchise has truly found a second life on the printed page, with Titan Comics significantly expanding its cyberpunk universe through various spinoffs and prequels. Currently, Titan is in the process of publishing Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus, a groundbreaking series that marks the first Blade Runner story set in Japan.

As part of IGN Fan Fest 2025, we had the privilege of conversing with the writers, Kianna Shore and Mellow Brown, to delve deeper into this new series and uncover how they adapted the iconic Blade Runner aesthetic to a new corner of the globe. Below is an exclusive slideshow gallery that showcases the journey from script to stunning artwork, followed by more insights from the creators:

Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus Behind-the-Scenes Art Gallery

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Tokyo serves as the backdrop for this alternate universe version of 2015, distinct from the well-known, rain-drenched, neon-lit Los Angeles of the original Blade Runner. We were eager to learn how Shore and Brown envisioned this new setting and how it contrasts with the familiar dystopian landscape of Los Angeles.

“Brainstorming Tokyo in the Blade Runner universe was an incredibly engaging process!” Shore shares with IGN. “Having lived in Japan during 2015 and recently visiting exhibits on envisioning the future in Tokyo, I wanted to craft a Tokyo that feels different from Los Angeles, reflecting their unique histories and socioeconomics. My aim was to create a 'hopepunk' Tokyo.”

“Los Angeles in Blade Runner is depicted as a decaying, fractured city on the brink, with neon lights masking its true state,” Brown explains. “If you turn off the neon, the hellscape becomes apparent. Our Tokyo, on the other hand, presents a beautiful utopia where people feel constantly monitored. Step out of line, and this 'paradise' can turn deadly. It's just as menacing, but in a different way.”

Both writers consciously avoided drawing direct inspiration from seminal cyberpunk works like Akira and Ghost in the Shell, instead turning to other media and contemporary Japanese life for their creative vision.

“While I drew inspiration from classics, understanding how Japanese media depicted the future post-3.11 Tohoku Disaster was crucial,” Shore explains. “Anime such as Your Name, Japan Sinks 2020, and Bubble provided valuable insights.”

“My goal was to steer clear of anime directly influenced by Blade Runner, such as Bubblegum Crisis or Psycho-Pass,” Brown adds. “Writing cyberpunk often reflects concerns about our own future. In the original series, LA's '80s theme reflects fears of Japan's rise as a superpower. I wanted to explore current Japanese societal hopes and fears, and what could go awry if dangerous elements had their way.”

Set in 2015, a few years before the events of the original film, Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus provides a standalone narrative within the franchise. We were curious about how the series connects to the broader Blade Runner universe and whether it includes familiar elements for fans.

“Tokyo Nexus is standalone in its setting, timeline, and story,” Shore confirms. “However, it wouldn't be Blade Runner without the influence of the Tyrell Corporation and a compelling mystery. There are nods and Easter eggs to the films, but the series is enjoyable even without prior Blade Runner knowledge.”

“We're expanding the universe established since Blade Runner: Origins and just before Blade Runner: 2019,” Mellow elaborates. “We're tackling complex questions like the Kalanthia War and Tyrell's monopoly on Replicant production, building toward a secret civil war among various Blade Runner organizations. Tokyo Nexus lays the groundwork for one of those organizations to rise as a global superpower in that conflict.”

Tokyo Nexus revolves around the partnership between a human, Mead, and a Replicant, Stix. Their dynamic is central to the series, portraying them as battle-scarred veterans relying solely on each other in a harsh world.

“Mead and Stix are best friends and platonic life-partners,” Shore says. “They've endured unimaginable hardships together, and their primary goal is survival, which requires them to trust each other once again.”

“Their relationship is beautifully unhealthy,” Brown laughs. “We're exploring the 'More Human Than Human' theme. Stix, the Replicant, yearns for life, while Mead, the human, has been worn down by systems, becoming mechanical in her approach. They need each other to survive, and their codependency could either save or destroy them.”

As the series progresses, Stix and Mead find themselves entangled in a conflict involving the Tyrell Corporation, the Yakuza, and a Japanese group named Cheshire. The writers hint that Cheshire plays a significant role in the Blade Runner universe, challenging Tyrell's dominance in the Replicant market.

“Cheshire aims to break into the Replicant manufacturing business,” Shore teases. “Their latest model is a military-grade Replicant, supposedly superior to Tyrell's designs.”

“Cheshire is more than just a crime organization; they have grand ambitions,” Mellow adds. “When they acquire refugee Tyrell scientists who have fled to Tokyo, their potential in the universe expands dramatically.”

Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus Vol. 1 - Die in Peace is now available in comic shops and bookstores. You can also order the book on Amazon.

Also, as part of IGN Fan Fest 2025, we've provided an early glimpse at IDW's new Godzilla shared universe and a sneak peek of an upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog storyline.