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

The Blade Runner franchise has truly found a new dimension through Titan Comics' expansion into various spinoffs and prequels, significantly enriching the cyberpunk universe. Currently, Titan is publishing *Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus*, a series that marks the first Blade Runner story set in Japan, offering fans a fresh perspective on this iconic world.

As part of IGN Fan Fest 2025, we had the privilege of interviewing the writers behind this new venture, Kianna Shore and Mellow Brown. They shared insights on how they adapted the Blade Runner aesthetic to Tokyo, a city already synonymous with seminal cyberpunk narratives like Akira and Ghost in the Shell. Dive into our exclusive slideshow gallery below to see the transformation of the series from script to stunning artwork, and then read on for more details:

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

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Tokyo, a city known for its futuristic backdrop in cyberpunk lore, takes on a new life in *Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus*. Set in an alternate universe version of 2015, the writers envisioned a Tokyo that stands apart from the familiar, rain-drenched, neon-lit Los Angeles of the original Blade Runner films.

“Brainstorming Tokyo in the Blade Runner universe was incredibly exciting!” Kianna Shore shared with IGN. “Having lived in Japan during 2015 and recently visiting exhibitions on envisioning the future, I aimed to craft a hopepunk Tokyo, distinct from Los Angeles due to their differing histories and socioeconomics.”

Mellow Brown added, “Los Angeles in *Blade Runner* is depicted as a decaying, barely holding together place, with neon lights masking its true state. Our Tokyo, in contrast, is a beautiful utopia, yet it's tightly controlled. Step out of line, and this 'paradise' can turn deadly. It's just as terrifying, but in a different way.”

Both writers consciously avoided direct homages to Akira and Ghost in the Shell, drawing inspiration from other sources and contemporary Japanese life. Shore mentioned, “I looked into how Japanese media portrayed the future post-3.11 Tohoku Disaster, exploring anime like *Your Name*, *Japan Sinks 2020*, and *Bubble*.”

Brown noted, “I wanted to steer clear of anime directly inspired by Blade Runner, like *Bubblegum Crisis* or *Psycho-Pass*. Instead, I reflected on today's Japanese society and its fears and hopes, pondering what might go wrong or right if dangerous elements took control.”

*Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus* is set a few years before the original film, in 2015, and while it's a standalone story, it's intricately woven into the larger Blade Runner timeline. Shore explained, “*Tokyo Nexus* is unique in setting and narrative, yet it retains the essence of Blade Runner with elements like the omnipresent Tyrell Corporation and a mystery at its core. There are easter eggs for fans, but it's accessible to newcomers as well.”

Mellow Brown elaborated, “We're expanding on the universe introduced in *Blade Runner: Origins* and set just before *Blade Runner: 2019*. We're exploring complex questions like ‘What was the Kalanthia War?’ and ‘Why is Tyrell the only company making Replicants?’ This all leads to a civil war among Blade Runner organizations, and *Tokyo Nexus* lays the groundwork for one organization's rise to power.”

Central to *Tokyo Nexus* is the dynamic between human Mead and Replicant Stix, portrayed as battle-hardened veterans dependent on each other in a harsh world. Shore described their relationship, “They are best friends and platonic life-partners, having endured extreme hardships together. Their bond is about survival and trust.”

Brown added, “Their partnership is intensely codependent, reflecting the franchise's theme of ‘More Human Than Human.’ Stix's thirst for life contrasts with Mead's mechanical, survival-driven mindset. They're each other's lifeline, yet this could also be their undoing.”

As the series progresses, Mead and Stix are drawn into a conflict involving Tyrell Corp, the Yakuza, and a Japanese group called Cheshire, which is vying to break Tyrell's monopoly on Replicant manufacturing. Shore teased, “Cheshire's newest Replicant is a military model, designed for war, built to surpass Tyrell's creations.”

Mellow Brown added, “Cheshire is not just another crime syndicate; they have grand ambitions. When they acquire refugee Tyrell scientists in Tokyo, their potential in this universe becomes limitless.”

*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.

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