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BLAME! #2

BLAME! MASTER EDITION 2

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The Administration contacts Kyrii and Cibo, encouraging them to keep searching for the Net Terminal Gene which will stop the City from its intractable, chaotic growth. The Admin also warns them of the autonomous Safeguards, vicious entities that attempt to kill off any humans who access the Netsphere without the required Net Terminal Gene. Kyrii is attacked, and a group of humans who have settled on the outskirts of Toha Heavy Industries comes to his aid. Kyrii awakens with a newfound ability to read his surroundings, which allows him mere seconds to fend off an attacker lurking among the humans settlement. In the ensuing battle, Cibo makes a heavy sacrifice, but not before learning a startling truth about her traveling companion...

382 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2015

313 people are currently reading
509 people want to read

About the author

Tsutomu Nihei

221 books725 followers
See also 弐瓶 勉.

Tsutomu Nihei (弐瓶 勉 Nihei Tsutomu, born 1971) is a Japanese manga artist. His cyberpunk-influenced artwork has gained a strong cult following. He has a relatively large community of fans in Germany where his manga Blame!, NOiSE and Biomega were published by Ehapa. Blame! was also published in France and Spain by Glénat, in the US by Tokyopop and in Italy by Panini Comics.

At first he studied architecture and later it is shown up in his manga works with drawing huge structures. This became one of his general theme that makes his manga unique. His works are usually in black and white. He is also an avid fan of the video game series Halo, as he mentions in his commentary section in the Halo Graphic Novel.

Taken from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsutomu_...

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5 stars
1,204 (51%)
4 stars
840 (35%)
3 stars
256 (10%)
2 stars
34 (1%)
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5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
Profile Image for Dennis.
663 reviews325 followers
July 13, 2020
This second volume is a huge step forward in terms of storytelling. The characters are actually having a couple of conversations now that enhance comprehension of the world, of the several factions in it, and of their respective motivations. The reader has to do a lot less (guess)work compared to the previous volume.

Some chapters, towards the end especially, are very good. Breathtaking even. With a better understanding of the worldbuilding I was finally able to fully immerse myself in the plot. Kyrii and Cibo, still in search of the Net Terminal Gene, first manage to get some answers, then get into trouble, make new friends, get into more trouble, fight hard to survive, ideally manage to do that, and then hopefully get some more answers. There’s a lot of fighting in this volume. And then there’s also the usual exploring, some interesting reveal towards the end, and also one moment that made my heart stop. Quite some exciting stuff.

As for the artwork, I still very much like the style of that manga. I think in my review of the first volume I said that it reminds me of Blade Runner and I, Robot and a couple of other things. I don’t think I mentioned Alien. So that seems to be a new influence. Actually a quite prominent one. Alien and Prometheus in fact. Both came to mind several times throughout this book.

Apart from those influences, what the art does really well, is to give the reader a good sense of scale. There’s the enormous city, of course. But also, people have developed very differently, in different parts of the world. When Kyrii and Cibo meet their new friends, they almost appear to be giants. But they themselves are dwarfed by some of the creatures they are fighting. It makes for some very interesting panels.

There are also still some panels that are a bit too hard to decipher. Nihei does light and movement very well. But especially in fight scenes some panels are not as clear as I would like them to be. It’s less of a problem as it was in the first volume. But still, it’s there. Also, I would like to see a couple more colored scenes. Those just add something extra. But if I remember correctly, there was only one in the whole book. I think at least a couple of pages at the beginning of each chapter, as many other manga do it, would be nice.

Anyhow, good stuff.

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Profile Image for Cathy .
1,913 reviews293 followers
January 9, 2020
Here is my chaotic step by step ramble...

::LOG.10:: THE NETSPHERE
Actual, traditional story telling! We meet Cibo again. Maybe in an earlier timeline? And after a little backstory we come full circle to the end of the previous chapter. A bit difficult to tell the characters apart, they all pretty much have the same face.

The Administration... The ruling level of the Netsphere.

::LOG.11:: SAFEGUARDS
I think I like the artwork better than in the first volume. It‘s probably the same and has just grown on me.

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The city grows... what is with all the phallic, turd-shaped and drippy, goey things? Yuk?

Other than that, pretty cool looking.

::LOG.12:: STORAGE KING
Very Matrix-like, I keep waiting for Mr. Smith to pop out of the woodworks.

And then there is this whole I, Robot-thing...

696-B70-A9-5-D22-4-C67-9-C4-B-8-EA2-B53-AAA98

... and a litte H. R. Giger...

Well, that was very, very good!

::LOG.13:: ELECTRO FISHERS
An in between chapter, going places...

::LOG.14:: PLANTERS
Meeting new people, finding mysterious passages... eep...

Some great spreads in these last two chapters!

::LOG.15:: AWAKENING
Oh, shoot! Well, that was not good... on the other hand, what is going on with Kyrii?

I like this story! This is a lot more interesting and suspenseful than the first collected edition!

::LOG.16:: THE ATTACK
::LOG.17:: LANGUAGE MATRIX
::LOG.18:: ANNIHILATION
Great action, I like the plot. Exciting! Great panels...

01415-E2-A-FD65-4-AE8-A6-C9-A02-EBDD19128

68593-B01-BAC9-4791-8-AE2-99-BA300-AC8-BE

::LOG.19:: THE BACKUP WORLD
Think of the last part of The Matrix! And Tron. And a reveal that I had half expected already anyway. Still, good stuff. Oh, and colour!

67-BCF8-B0-9-F80-49-FA-A054-5-DCF559-A7-C82

Wow, what an ending.

::LOG.20:: RESTRICTION LIFTED

Wow, what an ending. Wait, I wrote that already...

Ok, sorry for this weird non-review. I decided to consider the first master edition as set-up. A confusing, mostly plotless set-up. This made totally up for it. Loved it.
Profile Image for Daniel Vlasaty.
Author 16 books42 followers
May 17, 2023
Fucking hell

BLAME! is the closet thing I’ve ever read to an actual nightmare. Confusing as hell, almost nonsensical, but terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time. Drenched in dread and all kinds of fucked up.
Profile Image for Mangrii.
1,128 reviews471 followers
January 29, 2020
4,25 / 5

Ha llegado la hora de las respuestas.

El segundo tomo de Blame! cierra ese tono episódico de historias cortas en solitario de Killy por los entresijos de la megaestructura para darnos un hilo conductor de la historia y algunas respuestas que se suponían necesarias para mantener la trama.

Killy deja de estar solo para viajar en compañía de la Científica Jefa Cibo en busca de un humano con genes de conexión a la red. Para ello se abrirán paso a través de la placa superior, encontrándose con un grupo de humanos que viven cerca de una estructura cilíndrica que funciona independiente del nivel en que se encuentran.

Claro que no todo será tan fácil. La Salvaguardia -criaturas robotizadas que matan implacablemente a cualquier humano sin genes de conexión que intente acceder a la red- aparecerá una vez detrás de otra para coartar su avance en el camino. Un segundo tomo repleto de respuestas, pero tampoco exento de nuevos interrogantes. La estructura narrativa es más clara y los personajes comienzan a definir su papel en la historia.

Lo que sigue igual -o incluso a un nivel superior- son los diseños espectaculares y los momentos épicos de batalla. De verdad, disfrutar en este formato King Size de Blame! es lo mejor. Cada detalle está ahí, bien claro. Así como las referencias a Clive Barker o H. P. Lovecraft. Si ya me había asombrado con los diseños de Knights of Sidonia 1, aquí es otro nivel…

Pd: Como nota curiosa, este tomo es básicamente el arco que Netflix y Polygon Pictures adapto en 2017. Hable de ella en El peso del aire: http://www.elpesodelaire.com/2017/05/...
Profile Image for CS.
1,210 reviews
June 13, 2018
Bullet Review:

Like with Volume 1, confusing at times, but there is such an ambiance as you look at the endless landscape filled with half-decayed buildings and cables and stairs. You are filled with this feeling of insignificance and unimportance, of being lost and almost in despair.

Kyrii and Cibo go through some interesting adventures - and I'm eager to know what happens in volume 3.
Profile Image for Tar Buendía.
1,283 reviews78 followers
July 5, 2019
La mayor parte del tiempo no tengo nada claro qué estoy leyendo pero es espectacular.
Profile Image for Christian.
166 reviews15 followers
June 7, 2021
So far this doesn't completely have its teeth in me, but that isn't to say I'm not enjoying myself. I appreciate that it's trying to build the story and expose the lore slowly, but something in the way everything is being delivered just doesn't have me quite salivating for the next volume.

The character of Cibo was as bland as it gets. I just finished this volume and I had to look up her name. You don't get the time or inclination to attach yourself to any of the characters, and the protagonist is really little more than a blank slate for the reader to latch onto.

The action scenes were sometimes confusing and the art really only blew me away in the overwhelmingly gorgeous environmental designs and, to a lesser extent, the designs of the safeguards.

Pretty good overall. I like that there was more dialogue and exposition, and I'm readying myself for a satisfying payoff at the end of volume 5.
Profile Image for Connie.
1,593 reviews23 followers
January 30, 2022
I read this book via Kindle Unlimited.

Kyrii and Cibo have started to make their way through the system in order to find a human with the Net Terminal Gene, and they are contacted by The Administration who support their quest. It's the only way to stop the uncontrollable growth of the city but warns them that the Safeguards will attack them if they try to access the Net Sphere without the gene. When they're attacked, they come across a group of helpful humans who want to save Kyrii and get their help in return, but then they are attacked and Kyrii wakes up with a new skill similar to that of the Safeguards. This volume was jam-packed. The art was outstanding. Really graphic and gritty, again, the parts with no dialogue really adds to the atmosphere of this book. Overall, really enjoyed this volume.
Profile Image for Ivan Ruiz.
365 reviews49 followers
August 19, 2022
Encara millor que el primer. L'arc de la "Salvaguardia", que ocupa tot el volum, és trepidant, amb escenes dignes de ser emmarcades i penjades a la paret. Continuem!
Profile Image for Pavlo.
161 reviews24 followers
April 5, 2024
Другий том БЛАМ! порівняно з першим — це наче завітав до ресторану, з’ їв гарнір, салат і нарешті принесли стейк. Читач зрештою отримує те за чим прийшов. Світ розширюється, обростає лором, з’являється інформація про істот які його населяють, з’являються сякі-такі сюжетні взаємодії між дійовими особами. І саме в цей, сповненому емоційної напруги, момент читач починає розуміти, що таке БЛАМ!

Починаєш зважати на деталі малюнку, з подивом відмічаєш, що на відміну від традиційної манґи в БЛАМ! відсутні сторінки з порожнім чи білим фоном, кожен міліметр паперу задіяно. Читача поглинає гнітюча атмосфера безвиході і мовчазна, темна постать, що невпинно кро��ує футуристичним містом майбутнього, чи то минулого. Містом, що постійно змінюється.

Неначе безумний архітектор Ніхей постійно комбінує ракурси, грається експозицією і відстанями. Читачу залишається лише спостерігати в безмовному захваті, як цей геніяльний безумець просуває наратив, нашпиговуючи сюжет глибинними, філософськими сенсами та сюреалістичними ідеями кіберпанку.

Приходить розуміння, що авторський стиль Ніхея Цутому не потребує слів, сюжет рухається завдяки атмосфері та візуальним образам. Всі ці сплетення труб та багаторівневих лабіринтів, сходи, що ведуть з нізвідки в нікуди, понівечений метал та дроти, що звисають звідусіль. Індустріальні пейзажі доповнюються образами з віртуальної реальності та поєднуються з нею, перетворюючись на гротескні, екзотичні форми.

БЛАМ! — це ширше та глибше поняття, а ніж просто сюжет чи малюнок. Це торжество футуристичної архітектури та промислового дизайну — унікальна подорож нутрощами машинного бога, в якій ви спілкуватиметеся не з мовчазним Кіллі або його супутниками, а з нескінченною структурою Міста — страшним і привабливим сном про творіння, що переросло і вбило своїх творців.
Profile Image for Chihoe Ho.
391 reviews95 followers
December 13, 2016
A big twist is revealed here but it only adds to the "I want to know what the hell is going on here?!" sentiment, in the best kind of way. I did find myself losing track of the fighting sequences because they flash by so quickly and you don't get the same visual cues that colour can provide in "Blame!"'s black and white presentation. The series has been dope so far but I'd appreciate more answers, kthxbai.
Profile Image for ダンカン.
299 reviews
April 16, 2017

The second volume finally gets interesting. Where there are more action scenes and the main plot is reveal, there is a twist involve as well. Where the artwork gets a little more interesting, I believe I will move forward with this cyberpunk sci-fi manga.

Profile Image for Nathan.
168 reviews4 followers
January 2, 2017
Continues to be dark, confusing, and utterly awesome.
Profile Image for Urbon Adamsson.
1,798 reviews83 followers
March 31, 2024
This is the craziest sci-fi adventure I ever read.

We began to realize that this is a story of humans trying to survive in a world of machines.

The main protagonist seems to be somewhere between those 2 worlds.

The art is absolutely fantastic. Some of the best I ever saw. It's pretty hard to get better than this.

Same for the narrative sequence. It's pretty flawless. It's a cinematic experience in a book.

I mean... if you're into manga and you never read this, you need to put in your priority list.

Absolute masterpiece.
Profile Image for Tarot.
592 reviews65 followers
November 27, 2018
4.5/5 stars ~

1/1 for plot
0.5/1 for characters and character development
1/1 for art
1/1 for pace
1/1 for world-building

In Master Edition volume 2 (original volumes 3-4?), we get a short origin story for chief scientist Cibo, make contact with the Administration, and discover Kyrii's true nature!

From what I can gather so far, the Builders have been building the City long enough that people are separated by Strata (dense, chaotic levels of the City taller than skyscrapers with impenetrable walls sealing them from each other) and have evolved differently based on the Strata they live in (there are at least 3000 and growing). For example, the humans working for Toha in Master Edition volume 1 thought Kyrii was a child because they were much taller than him. All humans seem to have lost their history, the ability to read, and -- Kyrii fears -- the net terminal gene.

Presumably, thousands of years have passed in mutual isolation between humans and the Administration for an unknown reason. But now, Kyrii and the Administration seek to find at least one human with the net terminal gene so they can access the Netsphere and save themselves from an infection that's wiping out humanity. But the Safeguards of the Netsphere kill anyone who attempts to connect to it, even Administration lifeforms. In order for the Administration to regain power and obtain information from the City, a human with the net terminal gene must connect to the Netsphere and grant them access to it.

I'm still not sure if the Builders are from the Administration or from the Safeguards, but I'm leaning towards the former. It's also still unknown what exactly the infection is and where it came from.
Profile Image for CountZeroOr.
299 reviews22 followers
July 9, 2017
Some interesting developments this volume. Additionally, I really want to adapt the setting to the rules for Numenera - not just the Cypher system, but Numenera itself. The two worlds, thematically, have a lot in common,
Profile Image for mali tazzio.
32 reviews1 follower
December 17, 2021
I think I liked this volume more because I didn't get lost as much and the story started to be more interesting. Killy is still amazing and Shibo is really cool; I love them.
Profile Image for Lu tazzio.
44 reviews
December 21, 2021
I don't even know how to describe how this manga makes me feel. I have this feeling of sheer dread just imagining myself living in the world of BLAME! What a great volume!
Profile Image for marko.
650 reviews
November 13, 2021
Građenje sveta u ovoj mangi je neverovatno. Grandioznost okruženja u kome se nalaze Killy i Cibo je prevelika da mi je na neki način drago što imam ceo monitor i mogućnost zumiranja te mogu da uživam u svakom detalju. Odličan nastavak priče, koja je sada postala konciznija, jasnija i lakša za praćenje. Dopadaju mi se nova stvorenja i likovi (pogotovo AI bića pred sam kraj ovog toma), a naročito njihov jedinstven dizajn.
Profile Image for anna.
71 reviews3 followers
Read
March 1, 2025
absolument dingue j'ai jamais vu des dessins pareils. l'absence quasi totale d'explications et de dialogues entraînent un sentiment d'impuissance et de vertige absolument incroyable. c'est une expérience de lecture fascinante doublée d'une histoire trop intéressante et de dessins inconcevables je suis bouche bée. beaucoup de passages qui me rappellent d'autres oeuvres (Neon Genesis Evangelion surtout), c'est intéressant. merci au T d'avoir traversé le pays avec ce chef d'oeuvre dans sa valise quand il et venu emménager, ça devait peser lourd sa mère.
Profile Image for Paco Correa.
33 reviews2 followers
July 1, 2019
Blame sigue teniendo un nivel muy alto que se mantiene en este segundo número , la historia es vasta , bien cimentada y con un hilo conductor muy bueno , adecuada dosis de acción e introspección , la complejidad de sus personajes sin necesidad de mucho diálogo es alucinante , sus paisajes enormes y Bien detallados es también otro punto fuerte de la serie ! El siguiente tomo nos llevará apenas a la mitad de esta fascinante historia ! Grandes cosas se vienen !
Profile Image for Joseph.
533 reviews11 followers
January 7, 2023
I don't know what's going on but I am in constant awe of Nihei's commitment to his incredibly singular vision.

There's a lovely battle between two giant monstrosities toward the end of this volume. It made me very thankful that these particular editions are so large. It really allows you to better take in all the meticulous detail he crams into his art.
Profile Image for Will.
177 reviews
September 8, 2023
You have to be very patient with this manga. Once it gets going and things began to take shape, it gets a lot better.

The first volume had very little dialogue but the world itself is captivating. I did get bored at times as our MC reached settlements with more answers.

It’s a huge step up from the previous volume. Some good feels, some bad feels. It’s really an adventure than can honestly go anywhere.
Profile Image for Ben Inzero.
19 reviews
May 20, 2024
This one actually picks up the storytelling just a little, but it’s astonishing how much you can piece together from the pictures alone. Not a single frame did I ever feel hope for any of these characters, the atmosphere that he establishes is incredible.
Profile Image for Jacob.
711 reviews28 followers
March 23, 2021
Probably more confused now than before but loving this series anyways!
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