In an indeterminate future, an uncontrolled "Infrastructure" of construction robots has expanded the City (the megastructure) to the point where it encompasses the remains of the solar system. Humanity has been reduced to scattered, mutated pockets, hunted by the Safeguard—a once-protective security system that now labels unmodified humans as illegal intruders.
Fans of Dune ’s ecological scale, 2001: A Space Odyssey ’s cold awe, the artwork of Zdzisław Beksiński, and games like Dark Souls (for its environmental storytelling and opaque lore).
Nihei’s style is not "pretty." It is jagged, messy, and raw. In later volumes, the art becomes even more abstract, sacrificing anatomical precision for kinetic energy and mood. For some, this is a barrier; for fans, it is the very soul of the series.
(or 6 Master Editions), the series follows Killy, a silent protagonist navigating a planet-sized city that grows uncontrollably, searching for the "Net Terminal Gene" to restore human control over a rogue AI. I. Architectural Narrative and the "Show, Don't Tell" Ethos The most defining characteristic of is its extreme reliance on visual storytelling
In this infinite labyrinth, humanity is an endangered species, scattered and hunted by the Safeguard—a biomechanical security system gone haywire. The Safeguard views all humans without a specific genetic marker as intruders to be exterminated.