So I heard about this manga in a video essay… funny thing is, the video wasn’t related to mangas in any way, the person just brought up this manga to describe what they mean. The panels I saw from the video really interested me. And as I expected, the setting and the art became the main attraction of Blame! for me. I went through every chapter in thirst of seeing more of the crazy world this manga is set in.
Welcome back to another edition of our manga recommendation series! Today we are talking about Blame! Yes, the name comes with the exclamation mark. And this manga is quite mind-blowing. It may not appeal to everyone but if you want something that will put you in a state of awe, you’ve come to the right place.
Introduction
Blame! is written and illustrated by Nihei Tsutomu. It originally ran from 25th January 1997 to 25th July 2003. It is 10 volumes or 66 chapters long. This manga is a sci-fi “adventure” for the most part with elements of psychological horror. The horror part is not outright scary, it doesn’t have jumpscares or stuff like that… It is more environmental. The horror in this manga is the unsettling feeling you get while reading it.
Oh and Blame! does have an ONA but it is pretty awful so please for the love of god, don’t watch that. Read the manga instead, it is not that long. Only 66 chapters.
Plot
Blame! is set in this ever-expanding labyrinth of a city full of “monsters”. The only humans left live in small colonies around the city and almost no one dares to venture out. Our MC, Killy is on a journey across the city to find the “Net Terminal Gene”, something that may save the remaining human population.
The plot itself is not the main selling point of Blame! It is a simple plot about a journey. But the world this manga creates, both through the art and the world building is a spectacle to behold. An insanely big, ever-expanding city built by a rogue AI just sounds so awesome. There are so many details throughout the plot that contribute to the world-building and sense of scale in this manga, it is a joy to read.
I mean look at this! This looks amazing!
Characters
Now, this is a part where Blame! falls a bit short. It’s mostly because of the fact that the city is almost completely barren and Killy meeting other humans is a rare occurrence. The only other person to join Killy on his quest is Cibo. And honestly, their interactions are a breath of fresh air. Now Killy… is quite the enigma. It is clear that he is no normal human, he often displays superhuman strength and endurance. He has also been on his quest for literally years now and he still doesn’t age. This mystery adds to his character and I really like the dude.
Art
This is where Blame! truly shines. This is the manga’s main attraction, this is what makes this manga unique. The is just phenomenal. The sense of scale in the megastructure is just amazing. So many panels are dedicated to Killy walking around in huge empty corridors or bridges with no railings miles above the surface. Just amazing. The art is truly awe-inspiring.
Check out the manga on Amazon!
Why should you read Blame!?
Quick pointers on why you should check out this manga:
- Simple plot
- Great world-building
- Good characters
- Amazing art
- Just 66 chapters
Conclusion
That is all for now. Blame! is an amazing manga and you should try it once. As I said, it may not appeal to everyone but I am sure everyone can at least appreciate the world the author built for us. The megastructure is truly amazing. With that said though, I will take my leave here. I have to work on the next article. See ya!!
