The world of Blade Runner has always favored Japanese aesthetics. This is not uncommon in the cyberpunk fiction of the 1980s, which 
was born of a belief that Japan would come to dominate the world of technology. The irony is that, for all that influence, Blade Runner is intensely focused on American interests. The original movie was set entirely in Los Angeles and the spinoffs which followed remained largely set in southern California. This makes Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus notable as the first work in the franchise to be set outside of the United States or deep space.
Our story is set in 2015, four years before the events of the first Blade Runner movie. The action centers around former soldiers, Mead and Stix. After leaving the service, they came to Tokyo and established a detective agency. However, there’s a lot in their past they don’t want uncovered. For one thing, Stix is a Replicant; one of the class of artificially created human that are technically illegal on Earth. However, they both went AWOL after deciding they didn’t want to die on a suicide mission and stole some classified information as they made their escape.
The sins of their past catch up with the duo, as their latest case forces them to butt heads with the Yakuza. There is also the complication of an American Blade Runner arriving in Tokyo, hunting a rogue Replicant that has started killing to cover their tracks. The Blade Runner is convinced Stix is her man, but even that hunt may be covering up something bigger. Something tied into the Tyrell Corporation and a group of rogue scientists seeking to create their own Replicants outside of the Tyrell machine.
Writer Kianna Shore does a fantastic job of capturing the aura of the Blade Runner setting while presenting this world’s take on Tokyo. There are plots within plots and multiple intrigues, as Mead tries to investigate a murder while throwing the Blade Runner off the scent of the one friend she has. At the same time, it becomes apparent that Stix has his own secrets, even if he isn’t the killer in question. All the characters are engaging, and the secret heavy story is sure to keep readers guessing until the end.
The artwork of Mariano Taibo is equally engaging. Despite the Noir aesthetic of the story, the artwork is unusually bright and airy. This creates an immediate visual contrast with the dark alleys and neon glow that dominated the Los Angeles of the Blade Runner film. What is more, we see the sun. This might not seem like a huge point, but it’s a rather amazing revelation given the original movie depicted a city shrouded in perpetual rain and gloom even in the light of day. And yet, despite this disparate distinction, this is still undoubtedly a Blade Runner story, with high octane action and intense combat sequences.
Titan Comics rates this first volume as appropriate for readers 15 and up. I believe that to be an appropriate rating. There is considerable violence and bloodshed. There is even a scene showing a dead Replicant being dissected. However, there is nothing here that would be considered excessive for an audience of older teenagers. There is no suggestion of sex and one nude Replicant with undistinguished anatomy in a body bag.
Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus Die In Peace
By Kianna Shore
Art by Mariano Taibo
Titan, 2025
ISBN: 9781787738492
Company Age Rating: 15+
Related media: Movie to Comic
NFNT Age Recommendation: Adult (18+), Older Teen (16-18)
Creator Representation: Korean-American,
Character Representation: Black, Japanese,
