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 first installment set in Japan. This IGN Fan Fest 2025 interview delves into the creation of this new series, exploring its unique aesthetic and connection to the broader franchise.

Writers Kianna Shore and Mellow Brown discuss their vision for a 2015 Tokyo distinct from the familiar Los Angeles of previous Blade Runner iterations. Shore, drawing on personal experience and research into post-3.11 Tohoku Disaster media, aimed for a "hopepunk" Tokyo. Brown contrasts this with the decaying Los Angeles, suggesting Tokyo presents a seemingly utopian facade masking a brutal undercurrent. Consciously avoiding direct homage to Akira and Ghost in the Shell, they instead drew inspiration from contemporary Japanese life and anime like Your Name, Japan Sinks 2020, and Bubble.

Tokyo Nexus, while standalone in setting and narrative, subtly connects to the larger franchise through the influence of the Tyrell Corporation and familiar thematic elements. The series builds upon previous entries like Blade Runner: Origins and Blade Runner: 2019, hinting at a larger inter-organizational conflict and exploring unanswered questions about the Kalanthia War and Tyrell Corporation's replicant monopoly.

The core of the story centers on Mead, a human, and Stix, a replicant, a battle-scarred duo whose codependent relationship forms the emotional heart of the narrative. Their survival hinges on their mutual trust in a harsh environment, exploring the "more human than human" theme in a unique way.

The series introduces Cheshire, a rival company challenging Tyrell Corporation's replicant market dominance, adding another layer of complexity to the conflict involving the Yakuza. Cheshire's military-grade replicants and acquisition of escaped Tyrell scientists promise significant future implications.

Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus Vol. 1 - Die in Peace is available now. Order on Amazon. This interview also featured previews of IDW's Godzilla shared universe and an upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog storyline.