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

The Blade Runner franchise has truly flourished in the realm of comics, with Titan Comics expanding its cyberpunk universe through various spinoffs and prequels. Their latest venture, Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus, marks the franchise's inaugural foray into Japan, a setting synonymous with iconic cyberpunk narratives like Akira and Ghost in the Shell. As part of IGN Fan Fest 2025, we had the privilege of discussing this new series with its writers, Kianna Shore and Mellow Brown, to uncover how they adapted the Blade Runner aesthetic to the vibrant backdrop of Tokyo. Dive into the exclusive behind-the-scenes art gallery below to witness the transformation of the series from script to stunning visuals, and continue reading to delve deeper into the creative process.

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

6 Images

Tokyo Nexus is the first Blade Runner story to be set in Japan, a city known for its role in other seminal cyberpunk works. We were eager to learn how the writers envisioned this alternate universe version of Tokyo in 2015 and how it contrasts with the familiar, neon-drenched Los Angeles of the original Blade Runner.

“Brainstorming Tokyo in the Blade Runner universe was such an exhilarating experience!” Shore enthuses. “Having lived in Japan in 2015 and recently visited exhibits on envisioning the future, I wanted Tokyo to feel distinct from Los Angeles, reflecting their unique histories and socioeconomics. My vision was to craft a hopepunk Tokyo.”

“Los Angeles in Blade Runner is depicted as a decaying, fractured city, where the neon lights mask its true nature,” Brown explains. “In contrast, our Tokyo is a beautiful utopia, but one that keeps its inhabitants on a tight leash. Disobey its laws, and this 'paradise' can turn lethal. It's just as terrifying, albeit in a different way.”

Intriguingly, both writers chose not to directly homage Akira and Ghost in the Shell, instead drawing inspiration from other media and contemporary Japanese life to craft their version of Tokyo.

“While I drew inspiration from the classics, I delved into how Japanese media portrays the future post the 3.11 Tohoku Disaster, watching anime like Your Name, Japan Sinks 2020, and Bubble,” says Shore.

“I aimed to avoid rehashing anime already inspired by Blade Runner, like Bubblegum Crisis or Psycho-Pass,” Brown notes. “Writing cyberpunk often reflects our vision of the future, which is why the original series had an '80s theme and fear of Japan as a superpower. I wanted to capture Japan's current societal fears and hopes, and what could go awry or right if dangerous elements were in control.”

Set in 2015, a few years before the events of the original film, Tokyo Nexus stands within the expansive Blade Runner timeline. We were curious about how much this series connects to the larger franchise and whether fans would find familiar elements or experience a completely new narrative due to the Japanese setting.

“Tokyo Nexus is a standalone in terms of setting, time, and story,” Shore states. “Yet, it wouldn't be Blade Runner without the Tyrell Corporation's influence and a mystery to unravel. There are nods and easter eggs to the films, but newcomers to Blade Runner can still enjoy the comic.”

“We're building on the narrative from Blade Runner: Origins and leading up to Blade Runner: 2019,” Mellow adds. “We're answering complex questions like 'What was the Kalanthia War?' and 'Why is Tyrell the only Replicant manufacturer?' This is all leading to a massive, secret civil war among different Blade Runner organizations, and Tokyo Nexus lays the groundwork for one of these emerging global powers.”

Tokyo Nexus uniquely focuses on the partnership between a human, Mead, and a Replicant, Stix. Their dynamic forms the heart of the series, portraying them as battle-scarred veterans who rely solely on each other amidst a harsh environment.

“Mead and Stix are best friends and platonic life-partners,” Shore explains. “They've endured immense trials together, and their primary goal is survival, which requires them to trust again.”

“Their relationship is beautifully unhealthy,” Brown laughs. “We explored the 'More Human Than Human' theme. Stix, the Replicant, craves life, while Mead, the human, has been worn down by systems, thinking mechanically. They need each other to navigate life, and their shared traumatic experiences have forged a codependent bond that could break them.”

As the narrative unfolds, Stix and Mead find themselves entangled in a conflict involving the Tyrell Corporation, the Yakuza, and a Japanese group called Cheshire. The writers hint at Cheshire's significant role in the Blade Runner universe, aiming to challenge Tyrell's dominance in the Replicant market.

“Cheshire is vying for a piece of the Replicant manufacturing pie,” Shore teases. “Their latest model is a military-grade Replicant, supposedly superior in strength and speed, built on Tyrell's foundation.”

“Cheshire is a criminal organization with grander ambitions,” Mellow adds. “When they capture refugee Tyrell scientists who've fled to Tokyo, their potential expands dramatically in this universe.”

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 got an early glimpse at IDW's new Godzilla shared universe and a sneak peek of an upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog storyline.