Blame!

Blame! is a Japanese science fiction manga series written and illustrated by Tsutomu Nihei. It was serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine from January 1997 to July 2003, with its chapters collected into ten tankōbon volumes. The story is set in a distant future within "The City," an infinitely expanding megastructure that has consumed the Earth and possibly the solar system. The protagonist, Killy, is a silent wanderer armed with a Gravitational Beam Emitter. He searches for humans carrying the Net Terminal Gene, a genetic marker that would allow access to the Netsphere, the City's corrupted control network. The City is populated by hostile AI constructs called Safeguards, silicon-based lifeforms, and scattered remnants of humanity. Killy's journey spans incomprehensible distances and timeframes as he descends through endless layers of architecture, engaging in relentless combat.

Nihei's architectural background heavily influences the series' visual style, characterized by vast, decaying megastructures and minimalist storytelling. Blame! has been praised for its unique aesthetic and ambitious worldbuilding, though its sparse dialogue and non-linear narrative can be challenging. The series has achieved cult status and influenced subsequent cyberpunk works. Adaptations include a six-episode original net animation by Group TAC in 2003 and a full-length CGI film by Polygon Pictures released as a Netflix original in May 2017.[edit]