Environmental Storytelling in Blame!, and Why You Should Care



I’m a huge fan of Tsutomu Nihei’s work, mainly because of his ability to pull you into an established world of mystery. The lack of prior knowledge going into one of his manga is key to enjoying his signature technique, environmental storytelling. So what does this mean? Nihei is able to construct worlds that dwarf their characters in a maze of sci-fi structures. Huge landscapes draw the reader out along winding paths, scraggly electronic pires, or even the dark stretches of deep space. In this post I want to discuss how Nihei does this in Blame!, a work that explores a procedurally generated superstructure of scrap metal and fine steel. Blame! is mostly void of verbal interaction and narration, leaving the surroundings up to the task of worldbuilding and plot direction. I’m going to explain the nuance without spoiling too much, if you are planning to check this out afterward. Let’s take a look.

Cred. Barnes & Noble and Tustomu Nihei

       This panel depicts Killy and Cibo, the two central characters of the plot. They are looking out into the distance, scouting out their next move in a somber quest for the Net Terminal Gene. There are a variety of panels like this, inserted to interject a close encounter or light conversation with a moment of quiet and awe. Nihei directs your focus from Killy’s gaze into the depths of the superstructure in these shots, emphasizing the sheer distance he must trek (or make you wonder how long he’s already walked). You are dropped in the story unaware of how long he’s already been searching, alone. Allowing the reader to wander without exposition grants them a mutual sense of exploration with Killy, determined and curious.


Credit to AVnode.net

This panel pulls the reader away from the set path, defining a width to the superstructure. Nihei often alludes to areas that will not be explored, but could. This opens up the characters to interacting with the world in unpredictable and fun ways, all at the whim of the illustrator. Will they go down that tunnel? Could they fall down that shaft? Are those clouds turbulent in the distance? These varied landscapes breathe life into Blame!, yet invoke a beautiful aimlessness. The inhabitants of the world reflect the desperation of a vast, ever expanding structure. Their culture, clothes, weapons, and settlements convey generations of hardship and fear. These things are so tangible they can be felt before they are explained, if they ever are. And they really don’t need to be.

Credit to Pinterest

I find Blame! Interesting because, with few words, it’s early chapters present the conflict of man vs. machine so well. The superstructure and the safeguard greatly outnumber Killy; it’s visually clear that Killy has obstacles in his desire to find the Net Terminal Genes. I like to compare Killy’s conflict to Shulk’s in Xenoblade Chronicles, where Shulk and the player are guided on a journey to defeat the mechon in a sprawling, similarly puzzling setting. Speaking of puzzles, Blame!’s worldbuilding has two specific components that achieve an intriguing narrative. Imagery and masterful architecture are the coffee table to lay the pieces, and intermittent communication with Killy are the reader’s pieces. Nihei is then able to satisfy your curiosity with exposition conveyed through Killy’s interrogation of other characters, never too frequently to disturb the ambience of the environment. If it weren’t for Nihei’s gritty art style, Blame!’s visual tone would not be able to convince the reader of tangible human struggle. Backed up by specifics, and you get a sci-fi experience akin to Bladerunner in style and storytelling. This is with pen and paper! Manga never ceases to amaze. 

If you would like to read Blame!, you can head over to this link and get the eBook on Amazon or B&N:

There is a paperback of the master edition of this manga if you are a collector.
Paperback:



On B&N:

Thanks for reading my first article! Let me know what you think in the comments below!

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