Top 17 Best Cyberpunk Manga For Futuristic Enthusiasts – Hey guys!. In this post, I’ll be discussing a list of Top 17 Best Cyberpunk Manga For Futuristic Enthusiasts. Cyberpunk manga offers readers a captivating glimpse into a futuristic world where advanced technology and societal decay collide, giving rise to a genre that blends high-tech innovation with gritty realism.
Protagonists in cyberpunk manga are often outsiders, rebels, hackers, or mercenaries who challenge the status quo and confront powerful entities that seek to control or exploit technology for their gain. These characters grapple with questions of identity, ethics, and the blurred lines between human and machine. Let us jump right into it.
17. Moscow 2160
Moscow 2160 is a cyberpunk manga that envisions a future where the Cold War between the United States and Russia never came to an end. The story is centered in Moscow, where a character named Daniel Kuragin, known as “Liquidator,” takes the spotlight.
Daniel is often seen navigating through the city’s alleyways while wielding a submachine gun. As the manga unfolds, readers can expect to follow Daniel’s adrenaline-fueled adventures and witness how he navigates through this high-stakes environment while confronting various obstacles and enemies.
16. Rayz of Light
In a futuristic world dominated by advertisements and high-tech fashion, young people have found a way to make big money: by becoming affiliates. These affiliates wear devices on their clothing that display advertisements for various products.
However, this advertising trend has also given rise to a surge in crimes. To combat these crimes, a persona program named Law teams up with Reisen, a former employee of an advertising agency. Despite their differences, this unlikely duo embarks on a mission to investigate these high-tech crimes that blend commercialism and murder.
15. Ai City
Ai City is a cyberpunk manga set in a futuristic and troubled Tokyo. The story takes place in a world where human genetics have gone awry, resulting in special individuals with powerful psychic abilities. The main characters are Kei and Ai, both of whom have escaped from an organization known as Fraud that conducts experiments on people with these psychic powers.
Kei and Ai are on the run, seeking to protect Ai from the clutches of Mr. Lee, a sinister figure who wants to harness her immense psychic abilities. Along the way, they encounter various challenges and enemies, including Lai Lo Ching, who has his own sinister plans.
As the story unfolds, Kei and Ai are joined by K2, an amnesiac with psychic powers, and together they work to keep Ai safe from those who seek to exploit her abilities. The manga explores themes of power, ethics, and the consequences of scientific experimentation, all set against a backdrop of a dystopian future Tokyo.
14. AD Police
AD Police is a cyberpunk manga set in the city of Megatokyo. In this futuristic world, the AD Police is a specialized law enforcement unit consisting of highly skilled officers. Their main focus is to combat terrorist activities and crimes involving advanced robots known as Boomers. These Boomers can be both a powerful tool and a significant threat.
The AD Police officers are equipped with advanced technology and weaponry, including special armors like the K-11 and K-12. Their mission is to maintain order and protect the city from the dangers posed by these high-tech criminals and machines. However, their methods can sometimes be extreme, causing property damage and disruptions to the city’s daily life.
Despite their dedication to their duty, the AD Police face challenges in gaining the trust of the citizens. Many people view them as corrupt or ineffective due to their sometimes aggressive and disruptive actions. This creates a complex dynamic between the officers and the city’s inhabitants, as they navigate a world where technology, crime, and distrust intersect.
13. Digimortal
Digimortal is a cyberpunk manga set in a dark and dystopian future. In this world, the Church of Transfiguration has emerged, advocating for extreme cybernetic enhancements to human bodies. Alongside this, genetic manipulation has allowed for the achievement of immortality. However, a catastrophic event known as the great ruin occurs, reshaping the world.
In response to the changes brought by the great ruin, the Church forms an Inquisition tasked with hunting down individuals who have undergone genetic modifications. These modified beings are considered a threat. Amidst this turmoil, a fierce and dangerous mercenary named Digimortal rises as a formidable force against the Church’s actions.
12. Bankara
Bankara is a cyberpunk manga that revolves around the concept of a cyber revolution being used as a weapon by school delinquents. The story is set in a school where order is maintained by the chairwoman, Miyamoto Shizuka, who possesses a certain power.
However, a legendary figure named Gouda Takeru, also known as BANKARA, is accidentally set free by Miyamoto. This leads to a series of events that could potentially disrupt the school’s balance and order. As the story unfolds, the consequences of releasing BANKARA become apparent, and the fate of the school hangs in the balance.
11. Tetsuo: The Bullet Man
Tetsuo: The Bullet Man is a cyberpunk manga that follows the story of Anthony, a man with both American and Japanese heritage, living in Tokyo. His life takes a tragic turn when his son is killed in a hit-and-run accident by a man known as “The Metal Fetishist” named Yatsu.
After this incident, Anthony starts to undergo a bizarre transformation into metal. As he investigates his condition, Anthony learns about his scientist father’s research, which may hold the key to his transformation. Inside his father’s house, he discovers a hidden room filled with files and documents related to the Tetsuo Project.
This project is designed to turn humans into androids, and Anthony’s own transformation seems to be linked to it. His quest for answers and a way to reverse his condition leads him deeper into a world of cybernetic mysteries.
10. Hitogatana
Hitogatana is a cyberpunk manga where crimes are being committed using combat-androids called “Katana.” To combat this threat, the government has created the AKCD, or the “Anti Katana Crime Division.” Togusa is a member of the 8th squad of the AKCD, and he’s unique because he’s a hybrid of both a human and a Katana android.
However, he struggles with existential questions about his identity while fighting to maintain order and confront these criminal androids. Despite his doubts, Togusa is determined to keep fighting and bring justice to the chaotic world.
9. Appleseed Alpha
Appleseed Alpha is set before the events of the main “Appleseed” series. It follows Deunan, a human woman and former SWAT officer, and her combat-cyborg lover, Briareos, as they arrive in the war-torn city of New York. The city’s mayor, a cyborg with delusions of a UFO invasion, provides them with shelter due to Briareos’s combat abilities.
However, New York City is primarily designed for cyborgs, and there are few comforts for humans. After Deunan and Briareos separate, the mayor’s paranoia worsens. He considers enlisting the help of Deunan’s group of outcast humans to bolster his defenses. But the question remains whether these two factions can put aside their differences in time to prevent a global catastrophe.
8. Ningyou no Kuni
On the frozen and colossal artificial world called Aposimz, three residents from the White Diamond Beam region—Eo, Biko, and Etherow—are in the midst of their combat training when an unexpected event occurs. A girl suddenly appears, chased by soldiers from the Rebedoan Empire.
She urgently requests their assistance in protecting a valuable “code” and seven enigmatic “bullets.” This unexpected encounter sets in motion a series of events that will profoundly impact the destiny of the entire planet of Aposimz.
7. Cyber Blue
In the year 2035 on the planet Tinos, colonized by Earthlings 300 years earlier, life is tough. The planet has only half the oxygen of Earth and most of it is bitterly cold. To survive, people must wear special life support devices that provide them with the necessary oxygen. However, there’s a thriving black market for these devices in the criminal underworld of Junk City.
Our main character, Blue, finds himself in a desperate situation after being mugged. He’s cheated by criminals who take his money and give him an outdated life support device with an old AI. To make matters worse, he’s manipulated by Weiser, the head of the police, into committing murder, and he ends up getting killed himself. But here’s where things take a twist.
The AI in Blue’s life support system, known as Fatso, decides to save him. It gives him a new artificial body that’s not only incredibly strong but also packed with the combined knowledge of their 317 years of existence. With his newfound abilities, the resurrected Blue sets out on a mission for revenge against Weiser and to protect those suffering under his tyrannical rule.
6. Biomega
In a future plagued by a dangerous infection called N5S, which turns people into zombie-like creatures called “Drones,” Zouichi Kanoe and his intelligent motorcycle partner, Fuyu Kanoe, are on a mission. They work for Toha Heavy Industries and are tasked with finding people who are resistant to the infection in order to save humanity. However, they’re not alone in their mission.
There are other powerful individuals with enhanced abilities from the Data Recovery Foundation who also have their own agendas. As they all compete to navigate this post-apocalyptic world, their motivations become clear: some are driven by profit and personal gain, while Zouichi and Fuyu are focused on the greater goal of preserving humanity.
5. Psycho-Pass
In a futuristic society governed by a powerful system called Sibyl, everything is meticulously controlled, from career assignments based on aptitude tests to the monitoring of people’s mental states. This system even predicts who might become criminals in the future.
Akane Tsunemori starts her job as an Inspector, a special police officer who tracks down these potential criminals and prevents crimes before they occur. But not all these potential criminals are treated the same way. Some are recruited to join the police force as Enforcers, individuals with criminal tendencies who assist in capturing others like them.
Akane is warned not to get too close to these Enforcers, as they are seen as little more than tools. Despite the warnings, Akane is determined to work with her Enforcer colleagues to maintain peace in her city and protect its residents. She questions the judgments made by the Sibyl system and seeks to uncover the truth behind its decisions.
4. Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell revolves around a futuristic world where humans have merged with machines, becoming cyborgs. In this setting, a enigmatic hacker called the Puppet Master emerges. This mysterious figure has the ability to manipulate and alter the memories of those who have become cyborgs, blurring the line between human and machine.
The story unfolds as a group of investigators, led by Major Motoko Kusanagi, are tasked with unraveling the intentions and identity of the Puppet Master. As they delve deeper into the investigation, they confront questions about the nature of consciousness, the boundaries between humans and technology, and the potential consequences of merging the two.
The Puppet Master’s actions spark debates about whether this hacker is a malicious criminal or a harbinger of a new era where the connection between humans and machines takes on a whole new meaning. The manga delves into complex themes related to identity, technology, and the future of humanity in a cybernetic world.
3. BLAME!
BLAME! is set in a vast, desolate world called the Megastructure, a sprawling technological wasteland. The main character, Killy, is a lone traveler on a mission to find a human possessing net terminal genes. This is crucial to prevent the collapse of the Netsphere, a virtual realm controlled by a powerful entity known as the Authority. Throughout his journey, Killy encounters various threats.
These include silicon creatures determined to wipe out humanity, cyborgs trying to infiltrate the Netsphere, and massive construction machines known as the builders, which mindlessly add to the chaos of the Megastructure. To defend himself, Killy wields a highly potent weapon called a gravitational beam emitter, which he uses without hesitation against his adversaries.
His quest leads him to search among scattered human tribes to find the elusive net terminal genes, as the fate of the Netsphere hangs in the balance.
2. Battle Angel Alita
Battle Angel Alita takes place in a world that’s been through an apocalypse. Humans, robots, and cyborgs coexist in a chaotic place called the Scrapyard. This area is a mix of discarded junk and debris sent down from the city of Zalem above.
In this desolate place, a skilled inventor named Ido discovers a damaged cyborg among the wreckage. He decides to give her a new body and names her Gally. The catch is, Gally has no memories of her past life. Despite this, she possesses a natural talent for a powerful martial art called Panzer Kunst.
As Gally navigates her way through the tough life of the Scrapyard, she grows and learns, piecing together her lost memories and rediscovering the basic truths of existence. Throughout her journey, she’s determined to uncover her true identity and origins while unraveling the secrets that lie within the enigmatic city of Zalem.
1. Akira
In the world of Akira, after a devastating world war, Tokyo has been rebuilt into Neo-Tokyo. It’s been almost four decades since then, and the city has become huge and bustling. But beneath the surface, there’s trouble brewing. Despite the war’s memories fading away, corruption, crime, and unrest threaten to tear Neo-Tokyo apart.
To tackle these problems, the military has a secret plan. They’re experimenting with humans who possess psychic abilities, hoping these powers will help bring stability to the city. However, things take a turn when one of these psychic test subjects manages to escape. This runaway finds refuge with one of the biker gangs that are causing chaos in the city.
The military is determined to track down this escapee and hide the existence of their psychic experiments from the public. As they go to great lengths to retrieve their test subject, they risk revealing the hidden truth behind their research program. The story unfolds as the line between power and control blurs, and the fate of Neo-Tokyo hangs in the balance.
Conclusion
Cyberpunk manga challenges us to reflect on the impact of technology on our lives, our societies, and our very sense of self. It encourages us to question the balance between progress and control, the role of power and authority, and the potential consequences of sacrificing privacy for convenience.
As a genre, cyberpunk manga provides a thought-provoking and visually stunning exploration of a future that is both exciting and cautionary, reminding us to consider the ethical and societal implications of the choices we make today.
That is it from today’s post on Top 17 Best Cyberpunk Manga For Futuristic Enthusiasts. If you do not agree with the points in the post and have some of your own opinions, share them with us in the comments section down below. Keep visiting Animesoulking for more information about Anime and Manga.
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