Japanese: バイオメガ
English: BioMega
Synonyms: Violent Infectious Disease Covers All the World... The Omega.
Type: Manga
Volumes: 6
Chapters: 43
Status: Completed
Published: Jun 14, 2004 to Jan 19, 2009
Genres: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Seinen
Mangaka: Nihei Tsutomu (Story & Art)
Serialization: Ultra Jump
Synopsis: Set in the future, the plot follows Zouichi Kanoe and his AI companion Fuyu Kanoe, whose luminous form is integrated into the system of his motorcycle. They are agents sent by Toha Heavy Industries to retrieve humans with the ability to resist and transmute the N5S infection, which is spreading across the world, turning humans into "Drones"; disfigured, zombie-like beings.
Biomega is the second prequel to BLAME! and is the story of how the world in BLAME! became shrouded by the Megastructure.(MAL)
Baka updates: The story set in the not-so-distant future (3005 A.D.). It follows a character by the name of Kanoe Zouichi and the mysterious Kanoe Fuyu whose luminous form is integrated into the system of his bike. They are agents sent by a powerful organization to retrieve the human with the ability to resist and transmute the NS5 infection that is spreading across the world, named Yion/Ion Green.
However, their mission is delayed by the reckless actions of the Public Health Department's task force and the kidnapping of Yion/Ion Green. Will they complete their mission? Where has Yion/Ion Green been taken?
Groups Scanlating
Evil Genius
Hox
Omanga
Red
Yokume
Licensed in English
Viz (6 Volumes - Complete)
Source: MAL Manga info, Baka updates
Side notes: For some reason I get the same feeling as reading Gunnm and Akira from this manga. It feels some kind of mixer of those two.^-^ Still if leaving those two aside the art on this manga is less refined than other Nihei Tsutomu mangas of today's list. To be frank it's really sketchy and dark. Also the charas and the "people" seem to have run off from a horror flick or some old alien movie. And the infected people are just like zombies. But that's only part of the story. Tsutomu has taken care of drawing Zouichi Kanoe's character usually refining it to the detail. I found the reason for the global catastrophe a bit lacking but that goes only for the part virus not being destroyed in the atmosphere (though viruses are really resistant and able to survive in harsh environment). But we're in luck 'cause there is a promising cure/ way to stop that virus destroying the world though the cost for it is something that is left to readers morals to decide.
Main characters
Zouichi Kanoe (庚 造一 Kanoe Zōichi)
Main character of the manga. He is a synthetic human created by the Toha Heavy Industries and is on a mission to find people that have adapted to the N5S virus. He meets Yion Green in the MSCF, Mass Security Containment Facility, in south district 17 of 9JO, where he has been dispatched. He fails to rescue Yion when she is taken by the Public Health Department. He then starts to track her down. His weapon is similar to the Gravitational Beam Emitter in Blame!. He rides a 4000XLA Toha Industries Motorcycle. It comes equipped with a large rifle, possibly a coilgun, and an axe for close combat. His A.I. is Fuyu Kanoe.
Kozlov L Grebnev
Is a bear that walks like a human and talks. He lived with Eon Green and tried to protect her when the patrol officer came to get her. He befriends both Zouichi and Nishu after a short unfriendly start with both. He saves the A.I. Taira Hinoto from falling into the hands of DRF. He teams up with Nishu Mizunoe in volume 2, but is not seen in volume 3 and onward. He loses parts of his body through the manga, as of chapter 23 he have lost one hand (which was later replaced with a hook) and an ear.
Kozlov Leifnovich Grebnev is originally a scientist who transferred himself into the body of a bear to avoid the N5S virus. As a bear he can walk upright, talk and even wield weapons like a human would. He lived with Eon Green and tried to protect her when a patrol officer from the Public Health Department came to get her. He befriends both Zoichi and Nishu after an unfriendly start with both. He saves the AI, Tyra Hinoto, from falling into the hands of the DRF.
Nishu Mizunoe (壬 二銖 Mizunoe Nishu)
A female synthetic human that makes contact with Kozlov Loewic Grebnev in former Izhits Co. and is on a mission to find Loew Grigorievic Grebnev, one of original founders of the DRF, Data Recovery Foundation. She has similar weapons and vehicle to Zouichi. Her A.I. is Shin Mizunoe.
Eon/ Ion Green
She is an immortal and her age 17 years old. She has adapted herself to the N5S virus. She is parentless and lives with Kozlov Grebnev in her grandfather's house in the MSCF in south district 17 of J9O. She has a super-regenerative healing factor. She is taken into custody of the Public Health Department by a patrol officer, after which she rarely appears in the manga. She carries some sort of spore in her that can turn all drones back to normal humans. At the capture she was wearing a bear costume 'cause she had been living with Kozlov L Grebnev.
Supporting
TOA Heavy Industries
TOA Heavy Industries (東亜重工 Tō-A Jūkō, "East-Asia Industries") is the main rival to the DRF. They are the creators of synthetic humans and have made it their priority to collect those who have adapted to the N5S virus before the DRF does. On February 26, 3006 A.D. TOA Heavy Industries' headquarters self-destructs, leaving the synthetic humans on their own.
- Fuyu Kanoe (カノエ·フユ Kanoe Fuyu) is the holographic AI personality of the large black motorcycle ridden by Zoichi. She assists Zoichi with situational analysis as well as advising him on strategies. Like other artificial intelligence systems in the manga, she is pre-programmed with emotions.
- Shin Mizunoe (ミズノエ·シン Mizunoe Shin) is the male AI belonging to Nishu.
- Go Hinoto (丁 五宇 Hinoto Gō) was killed before the beginning of the story by Higuide, as depicted in the "Interlink" chapter. He discovered the new, less virulent pseudo-N5S virus and sent his AI, Tyra Hinoto, into orbit with this information just before his death.
- Tyra Hinoto (ヒノト·タイラ Hinoto Taira) is the female AI that belonged to the now-deceased TOA Heavy Industries' synthetic human Go Hinoto. She was sent into orbit by Go, and later fell down to Earth and was saved from DRF forces by Kozlov Leifnovic Grebnev.
Data Recovery Foundation
The Data Recovery Foundation (技術文化遺産復興財団 Gijutsu-Bunka-Isan-Fukkō-Zaidan, "Technology, Culture, and Heritage Restoration Foundation"), also known as the "DRF". Founded in 2272 under the name "Microvolt Corporation" and houses the main antagonists of the manga. They are trying to find all existing humans who have adapted to the N5S virus to use them to create their own immortals. They believe that all humans should be infected with the N5S virus, believing that it will remake some of them into the "new human race" and kill off the rest. They call this process "the baptism". After the destruction of TOA Heavy Industry's headquarters, they proclaim themselves the new world government.
- Niardi (ニアルディ Niarudi) is the overlord (or, "Matriarch") of the DRF and also the second oldest person in the world. She is an esper who possesses an advanced form of psychometry which not only allows her to read the "thoughts" of any organic material, whether living or long-since fossilized within inorganic materials, but to "download" such knowledge into herself as well as "hack" and manipulate the source of it (this ability manifesting in white luminescent "worms" that extend from her body and enter the target). As a child working for Microvolt, she used this to subdue Narain when the manifestation of his psychic abilities drove him insane; while her powers did help him regain control of his mind and powers, he has been terrified of her ever since, especially when her control over her own power (ironically) drove her mad. Because her powers work best upon organic material she is reflexively antagonized by anything non-organic, which develops into outright misanthropic technophobia.
- The Guardian of the Left (左断吏官 Sa-Danrikan) and the Guardian of the Right (右断吏官 U-Danrikan) are two superhuman swordsmen who serve Niardi exclusively. They are cyborgs encased in jet-black armor reminiscent of samurai, and carry no weapons other than high-tech katana slung over their shoulders (similar to the "Safeguard Swords" seen in Blame!). The Guardian of the Left is sent to kill Eon Green (but is killed by Zoichi) while the Guardian of the Right protects Niardi during her attack upon the PHS, where he kills Dr. Wildenstein and is later killed by Higuide.
Public Health Department
The Public Health Service (公衆衛生局 Kōshū-Eisei-Kyoku, "Public Sanitation Bureau"), also known as the "PHS", is a subsidiary of the DRF. Their headquarters is a monadnock. The PHS later turns against the DRF due to Niardi's outrageous intentions, but is quickly overrun by DRF forces.
- Narain Meghnad (ナレイン・メグナード Narein Megunādo) is the General (将軍 Shōgun?) of the PHS, originally recruited by Niardi. Fearing Niardi and her powers as well as his own mortality, he changed himself repeatedly, hoping to immunize himself against her mind-reading; his current form is a huge, possibly mutated creature with several tentacles. He was the one who ordered the destruction of TOA Heavy Industry.
- Kahdal Spindal (カーダル・スピンダル Kādaru Supindaru) is a young woman that works for the PHS. She can cover herself in a semi-organic body suit that can be used for both offense and defense, and also possesses some form of psychokinesis. She is first seen taking Eon Green with her from the MSCF of 9JO. Zoichi later meets her in her human form and spends some time with her without knowing who she is. She appears to have some moral qualms regarding orders given her, but never questions her superiors.
- Higuide (ヒグイデ Higuide) is an extremely powerful Patrol Inspector working under Narain. He is highly proficient in the use of bladed weapons and combat techniques, as demonstrated when he is chosen by Narain to execute a fellow Patrol Inspector in a "duel" who was spying for Niardi, and has even succeeded in killing TOA Heavy Industry's agent Go Hinoto. He has also shown impressive agility, dodging a fully charged Gravitational Round Emission, and destroying multiple "War-Engines" (large battle mecha with enormous destructive capability) in a single battle.
- Dr. Wildenstein (ウィルデンシュタイン博士 Wirudenshutain-Hakase) is a brilliant scientist working for the PHS who serves under General Narein. Although he steals the Gravitation Emission Weapon Data from Dr. Mamura Kurokawa of TOA Heavy Industry, he is proficient in other fields, as he manages to modify the N5S virus for the PHS's use. He also learns how to create synthetic humans, and when combining the data, he learns how to use the N5S virus for battle purposes among skilled soldiers or even how to reverse its effects.
Immortals
The immortals are humans who have adapted to the N5S virus on a genetic level (has 24 pairs of chromosomes after infection), integrating it into their cell structure and giving them inhuman abilities; advanced regeneration and longevity. Called accommodators in US version.
- Eon Green (イオン·グリーン Ion Gurīn)
- Reload (リルオード Riruōdo) is another female immortal. She was found on earth about 700 years before the beginning of the story, then being already 300 years old. It was discovered that she had a 24th chromosome, and from time to time her body would secrete small amounts of an unknown substance, similar to plastic. She is the woman found on Mars in the beginning of the story, and afterwards she is never seen aside from flash-backs.
Source: MAL, Wikipedia
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