BLAME! 5

Davine Lu is attempting to access the Netsphere within an unofficial stratum of the megastructure, where temporary access can be granted even without a Net Terminal Gene. After a fierce battle, Pcell steals Cibo’s precious capsule of human genetic information and forwards it to Davine Lu. After reuniting with Kyrii, Cibo and the provisional Safeguards try to retrieve the capsule before it’s too late. As Davine Lu attempts to connect to the Netsphere, the Administration slows down his connection speed to allow Cibo to give virtual chase and for Dhomochevsky to battle the Silicon Life in base reality. As a final act, Davine Lu steals high-level data and uses Cibo’s body to create an unstoppable Level 9 Safeguard…

“If Nihei’s Blame! is indeed transhumanist, then it’s a nightmarish counterpoint to such inspiring visions of the future. Blame! presents the dark side of transhumanism, where human beings unencumbered by humanity readily use technology to remake themselves into walking monstrosities, gaining incredible abilities even as they doom themselves to extinction. In Blame!’s world, the Singularity arrived a long time ago, but rather than usher in a new golden age, it’s left nothing but decimation in its wake.
But Blame!, to its credit, doesn’t get bogged down in manifestos or heady philosophizing. It is, first and foremost, an action/adventure story. And one told with skill, intensity, and an incredible eye for engrossing, intricate detail — albeit detail that leaves one unsettled and fascinated in equal measure.” — Opus Zine