Hello everyone! In this post, I will discuss a list of 17 best cyberpunk manga for futurism enthusiasts.

Cyberpunk manga offers readers a captivating glimpse into a futuristic world where advanced technology and social decay collide, giving rise to a genre that blends high-tech innovation with gritty realism.

The protagonists of 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 deal with questions of identity, ethics, and the blurring of lines between human and machine. Let's get right to 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 ended. The story is centered in Moscow, where a character named Daniel Kuragin, known as the “Liquidator,” takes center stage.

Daniel is often seen navigating 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 this high-risk environment while confronting various obstacles and enemies.

16. Rayz of Light

In a futuristic world dominated by high-tech advertising and fashion, young people have found a way to make a lot of money: by becoming affiliate marketers. These affiliate marketers wear devices on their clothes that display advertisements for various products.

However, this advertising trend has also led to an increase in crimes. To combat these crimes, a persona program called 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 mix commercialism and murder.

15. Ai City

Ai City is a cyberpunk manga set in a troubled, futuristic 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 the 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 police unit made up of highly skilled officers.

Its main focus is to combat terrorist activities and crimes involving advanced robots known as Boomers. These Boomers can be a powerful tool and a significant threat.

AD Police officers are equipped with advanced technology and weaponry, including special armor such as the K-11 and K-12. Their mission is to maintain order and protect the city from the dangers posed by these criminals and high-tech machines.

However, their methods can sometimes be extreme, causing property damage and disruption to daily city life.

Despite their dedication to their duty, the AD Police face challenges in gaining the trust of 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, dystopian future. In this world, the Church of Transfiguration has emerged, advocating extreme cybernetic enhancements to human bodies.

Along with this, genetic manipulation has allowed the achievement of immortality. However, a catastrophic event known as the Great Ruin occurs, reshaping the world.

In response to the changes brought about by the Great Ruin, the Church forms an Inquisition tasked with hunting down individuals who have undergone genetic modification.

These modified beings are considered a threat. Amidst this turmoil, a fierce and dangerous mercenary called the Digimortal emerges as a formidable force against the Church's actions.

12. Bankara

Bankara is a cyberpunk manga that revolves around the concept of a cybernetic revolution being weaponized by school delinquents. The story takes place in a school where order is maintained by the president, Miyamoto Shizuka, who wields a certain amount of power.

However, a legendary figure named Gouda Takeru, also known as BANKARA, is accidentally released by Miyamoto. This leads to a series of events that could potentially upset the balance and order of the school.

As the story unfolds, the consequences of freeing 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 of American and Japanese descent 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 begins to undergo a bizarre transformation into metal. While investigating 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 transform humans into androids, and Anthony's own transformation seems to be tied to this. His search for answers and a way to reverse his condition takes him deeper into a world of cybernetic mysteries.

10. Hitogatana

Hitogatana is a cyberpunk manga where crimes are committed using combat androids called “Katana.” To combat this threat, the government created the AKCD, or “Anti-Crime Katana Division.” Togusa is a member of the AKCD’s 8th squad, and he is unique because he is a hybrid of a human and a Katana android.

However, he struggles with existential questions about his identity as he struggles 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 town's mayor, a cyborg with delusions of a UFO invasion, provides them shelter due to Briareos' combat skills.

However, New York City is designed primarily for cyborgs, and there are few creature comforts for humans. After Deunan and Briareos part ways, the mayor's paranoia worsens.

He considers enlisting the help of Deunan's outcast human group to bolster his defenses. But the question remains whether these two factions can put aside their differences in time to avert a global catastrophe.

8. Ningyou no Kuni

In the frozen and colossal artificial world called Aposimz, three residents of the White Diamond Beam region—Eo, Biko, and Etherow—are in the middle of their combat training when an unexpected event occurs. A girl suddenly appears, pursued by soldiers of the Rebedoan Empire.

She urgently requests their help in protecting a valuable “code” and seven enigmatic “bullets.” This unexpected encounter sets off a chain of events that will profoundly impact the fate 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 difficult. The planet has only half the oxygen of Earth and most of it is extremely cold.

To survive, people must wear special life-support devices that provide them with the necessary oxygen. However, there is a thriving black market for these devices in Junk City's criminal underworld.

Our main character, Blue, finds himself in a desperate situation after being mugged. He is tricked by criminals who take his money and give him an outdated life support device with an old AI.

To make matters worse, he is manipulated by Weiser, the police chief, into committing murder, and he ends up getting killed. But this is where things take a turn for the worse.

The AI in Blue's life support system, known as Fatso, decides to save him. It gives him a new artificial body that is not only incredibly strong, but also filled with the combined knowledge of its 317 years of existence.

With his new abilities, the resurrected Blue sets out on a mission of revenge against Weiser and to protect those suffering under his tyrannical rule.

6. Biomega

In a future plagued by a dangerous infection called N5S that turns people into zombie-like creatures called “Drones,” Zouichi Kanoe and his intelligent motorcycle-riding partner, Fuyu Kanoe, are on a mission.

They work for Toha Heavy Industries and are tasked with finding people resistant to the infection to save humanity. However, they are 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 ruled by a powerful system called Sibyl, everything is meticulously controlled, from career assignments based on aptitude tests to monitoring people's mental states. This system even predicts who might become criminals in the future.

Akane Tsunemori begins her work 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 equally.

Some are recruited to join the police force as Enforcers, individuals with criminal tendencies who assist in the capture of 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 fellow Enforcers to maintain peace in her city and protect its residents.

She questions the judgments made by the Sibyl system and seeks to discover 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 scenario, an 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 Puppet Master's intentions and identity.

As they delve deeper into their investigation, they confront questions about the nature of consciousness, the boundaries between humans and technology, and the potential consequences of the fusion of the two.

The Puppet Master's actions have sparked debate over 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 cyber world.

3. BLAME!

BLAME! is set in a vast and desolate world called Megastructure, a vast technological wasteland. The main character, Killy, is a lone traveler on a mission to find a human who possesses terminal network genes.

This is crucial to preventing the collapse of the Netsphere, a virtual realm controlled by a powerful entity known as the Authority. Throughout his journey, Killy encounters several threats.

These include silicon creatures bent on wiping out humanity, cyborgs attempting to infiltrate the Netsphere, and massive construction machines known as Constructors, which mindlessly add to the chaos of the Megastructure.

To defend himself, Killy wields a highly powerful weapon called a Gravity Beam Emitter, which he uses without hesitation against his opponents.

His quest takes him searching among scattered human tribes to find the elusive terminal net genes, as the fate of the Netsphere hangs in the balance.

2. Battle Angel Alita

Battle Angel Alita is set in a world that has undergone an apocalypse. Humans, robots, and cyborgs coexist in a chaotic place called the Scrapyard. This area is a jumble of discarded trash and debris sent 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 problem is that 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 harsh life of the Scrapyard, she grows and learns, piecing together her lost memories and rediscovering the basic truths of existence.

Throughout her journey, she is determined to discover 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 was rebuilt into Neo-Tokyo. Almost four decades have passed since then, and the city has become huge and bustling.

But beneath the surface, trouble is brewing. As memories of war fade, corruption, crime, and unrest threaten to tear Neo-Tokyo apart.

To deal with these problems, the military has a secret plan. They are experimenting on humans who have psychic abilities, hoping that these powers will help bring stability to the city.

However, things change when one of these psychic test subjects manages to escape. This fugitive finds refuge with one of the biker gangs that are causing chaos in the city.

The military is determined to track down this fugitive and hide the existence of his psychic experiments from the public. As they go to great lengths to rescue their test subject, they risk revealing the hidden truth behind their research program.

The story unfolds as the lines between power and control blur, 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 offers a thought-provoking and visually stunning exploration of a future that is both exciting and cautionary, reminding us to consider the ethical and social implications of the choices we make today.

That’s it for today’s post on Top 17 Best Cyberpunk Manga for Futuristic Enthusiasts. If you disagree with the points in the post and have some of your own opinions, share them with us in the comments section below. Keep visiting Animangeek for more information about Anime and Manga.