BLAME!

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Template:Infobox animanga/Header Template:Infobox animanga/Manga Template:Infobox animanga/Other Template:Infobox animanga/Footer BLAME! (ブラム！, buramu!) is a ten-volume manga by Tsutomu Nihei. It was also expanded into a small OVA, one DVD of seven different "episodes" of anime, which represent parts of what happened in the story, but overall doesn't maintain the originality of the original manga. Though there is some debate if it is a translation error or not.

The title may be a pun on the word "blam", the noise a gun makes. Seeing as Killy possesses an especially powerful one, it would make sense. The "e" might've been added to make it sound different, and give it a different, arty appeal due to the odd name.

The tagline for this manga is "Adventure-seeker Killy in the Cyber Dungeon quest!" or "Maybe on Earth maybe in the future".

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

1 Basic plot
2 The lure of the manga
3 Main characters
4 Publication
5 External links

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Basic plot

Someone known as Killy is looking for Net Terminal Genes, to connect to the Netsphere. The 'world' he is in is known as the Megastructure, a vast area where walls are everywhere, there is no sky, no sea, nothing except metallic walls, concrete, stone and like materials. There are mechanical beings known as Builders which go around reforming and creating new landscapes, and are probably responsible for the state of the Megastructure. It has been suggested by Tsutomu Nihei himself in his artbook Blame! And So On that the Megastructure is actually a growing dyson sphere of gargantuan proportions. Its spherical circumference is speculated to be roughly the size of Jupiter's planetary orbit(32.675 AU)[1]. Of course, the Megastructure isn't without danger, there are beings known as Silicon Creatures (also known as Silicon Life) out to kill all humans, and later, the Safeguard, who are linked to the Megastructure and the Netsphere. Killy occasionally gains allies through his journey: Cibo (sometimes translated as Shibo) comes to his aid at the right time, and they both try to find the genes together. Killy is also equipped with a very special and unique weapon known as the Gravitational Beam Emitter, which is unstoppable, and leaves unbelievably long holes in the Megastructure in its wake.

As the manga continues, Volume 2 is when the plot begins to grow deeper, with more need to find the NTG as a group known as the Authority. They are programmed by the humans from an older era to protect the Netsphere from illegal access by those who do not possess the Net Terminal Genes. In pursuit of this objective the Authority created the Safeguard to kill all those who attempt unauthorized access to the Netsphere (which was revealed to be a "newly devised social order" in Nihei's later work, NOiSE) but do not possess Net Terminal Genes. However, with no official access to the Netsphere for millennia, the Safeguard has rampaged through the Megastructure eliminating everyone they meet, and the Authority cannot change the instructions of the autonomous Safeguard without direct orders from humans. A Catch 22 if you will, as most humans in this current age don't have Net Terminal Genes, as they did in the past. This has led to the continuous and uncontrolled expansion of the city, which is seen as a danger by The Authority; so that they encourage Killy and Cibo to continue their search for the NTG; as it is hinted that the expansion of the city will eventually turn into an implosion leading to a complete collapse of the Megastructure. To stop this process, the Net Terminal Genes are necessary. The Authority can send agents to Base Reality (how they call the real world in the Megastructure) for communications. Spurred on by this, Killy and Cibo continue to search.

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The lure of the manga

Nihei is very detailed in his art, as is shown by his minute details into the construction of the Megastructure, the Silicon Creatures, Killy's outfit, and of course the huge explosions left by the GBE. Even these explosions are detailed. Scenes of huge destruction are followed by the quiet and relative calm of walking through the Megastructure.

The manga has one constant theme throughout, the search for the NTG and then the amount of time spent walking through the Megastructure passing by more dark and fantastic scenery, there are long periods where there is little talking involved. Fights often end in bloodshed, on both sides, and is quite gory as the Silicon Creatures and Safeguards are brutal in their methods of eliminating the humans.

The early plot may seem trivial, but it soon passes that to find the NTG is a very difficult task. You are soon drawn into Killy's quest, and are kept till the very end, though it might take two reads of the manga to understand many of the subtleties in the plot.

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Main characters

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

For more details with spoilers, click on the person's name.

The three main characters:

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Killy

The main character on a journey to find a human with the Net Terminal Gene within the Megastructure to access the Netsphere. He is equipped with the Gravitational Beam Emitter, a petite but awesomely powerful weapon capable of creating holes miles long in the Megastructure. He is soon joined by Cibo in his quest.

Looking to be in his early to mid 20s, Killy looks glum and emotionless most of the time. Deadset on his task, he rarely smiles and has a slight slouch in his normal standing position. When faced with various opponents, he rarely hesistates to fight. Many times he displays great strength and endurance despite his regular frame. However, his GBE usually dispatches any opposition before they have a chance to assault him. The GBE is so powerful that the recoil frequently sends Killy flying back into nearby walls. Even in its lowest power, his arm jerks up and back from its force. He heals rather quickly too. In the times when it's quiet, he injects drugs into his forehead, and when he's low on power, he may inject it straight into his hand.

He also has no memory of his past, or how he obtained the GBE. He mistrusts Silicon Creatures on sight, and disposes of them whenever he can.

Eventually it is revealed that Killy may be a high level Safeguard created long ago by The Authority. This explains the diagnostics and other formula that pervade his vision as well as his ability to talk to Builders. This is further verified by the fact that many other high level Safeguards are seen using Gravitational Beam Emitters.

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Cibo

Head scientist of the corporation in the Capitol. She tries to access the Net Sphere with an artificially created version of Net Terminal Genes, but the experiment fails with disastrous results and summons the Safeguard, leading to the destruction of the entire facility. As punishment, she was resurrected and left in an immobile, rotting body. Killy finds her in this state. She agrees to help Killy find the Net Terminal Genes. During their journey, she finds a new body in the process. Cibo cracks security systems and gathers information to help her and Killy's journey. She also does most of the talking which helps to understand the plot since Killy is rather taciturn.

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Sanakan

A high level agent of the Safeguard who first appears as a short, young girl with black hair and finds Killy and Cibo in a tunnel after they pierce the impenetrable Megastructure layer with the GBE.

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