In the desolate, wintery city of New Borealis, the Angel of Death surfaces in a brand-new cyberpunk noir manga.
Published Aug 5, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT
An experienced Editor representing Canada via ScreenRant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com.
His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023.
Summer 2026 has been laying out some truly exciting releases from acclaimed creators in the world of comics. Fans can enjoy the latest thrilling Star Trek comic starring Seven of Nine courtesy of IDW Publishing, with the franchise having an unusually multifaceted comics release schedule with its first official webtoons launching this year as well. But in the world of graphic novels, an exciting collaboration between Samuel Sattin (Unico: Awakening) and manga artist tokitokoro (Jeff the Land Shark) another pulse-pounding gem inspired by Blade Runner is set to debut on August 11, 2026.
Lynx volume 1 introduces readers to Lynx Takuma, a bio-enhanced detective in New Borealis alongside her similarly-empowered feline companion, Skua, and partner Task. Lynx has a trail of career accomplishments and a heroic streak among those she's saved from the worst fates imaginable, doing her best to push on after personal loss while working in one of the last cities standing in the face of the merciless cold. But one gnarly crime scene puts her onto the trail of what could be an angel. Kicking off an enticing mystery ahead, VIZ Media has courteously provided ScreenRant with an advanced copy, as well as an exclusive glimpse at the trailer ahead of Lynx's debut, shown below.
VIZ Originals' New Cyberpunk Noir Series Drops Brand-New Look Before Debut
With the release of Lynx volume 1 less than a week away, this latest trailer gives a glimpse at its titular hero, her partners in crime fighting, and the horrific crime scene that kicks off a surreal investigation. Throughout volume 1, there's a combination of mystified awe at the notion of wildlife like the arctic hare somehow appearing throughout the vast, grim metropolis following a mysterious climate disaster, and the unfortunate cynicism that even miracles like angels among humans are obsolete in the face of advanced biotech. Lynx stands among the last of her kind, endowed with dangerous old Qual technology so potent it causes most of her old order to crumble.
What remains after the end of the world...when the Angel of Death has come?
The trailer hints at Lynx's first major case of the series, and the driving force that initiates a greater mystery going forward. Inside the mangled corpse of a murder victim lies a bloody feather, with a sudden paranoia washing over the cast as its genetic makeup doesn't resemble any known birds in the database, quickly showing traces of Qual technology, the same dangerous tech capable of mass destruction even in the right hands. As Lynx goes onto a collision course with what is suspected to be an angel, though, one may find their foreboding presence doesn't closely resemble biblical or classical imagery, much like another classic property from Japan.
Lynx Is A Thrilling Read For Blade Runner & Evangelion Fans
With tokitokoro's art style working well both to convey vast city skylines and thrilling action, there's plenty of visceral thrill to be found in Lynx. Its titular character and fellow detectives embody classic cyberpunk noir aesthetics previously donned by Rick Deckard or Officer K, alongside fedora-wearing sidekicks for Gaff fans, is an easy draw for those who appreciate the dystopian visuals most famously pioneered in film by Blade Runner. But other motifs, like the arctic hare and notions of angels in a society seemingly capable of making their own biblical biotech miracles at the right price, and the angel feather imagery in dream sequences, certainly line up well with Blade Runner's recurring unicorn element.
But that's not all, with various popular Japanese anime aesthetics and themes running throughout. The physical reality of the angels, in what appears to be twisted Qual tech driven to violent extremes and resulting in at least one hulking winged behemoth, make them a central, mysterious terror by the end of Lynx volume 1, certainly a more subdued size compared to the gargantuan angels in Neon Genesis Evangelion. But it makes for an interesting hook for curious readers looking to experience another wounded protagonist, while also peppering on plenty of other manga, anime, and tokusatsu elements.
Quals are truly compelling in Lynx, creating transformations akin to Kamen Rider or Super Sentai, or for modern day otaku, Kaiju No. 8 or any number of action alternatives. While Blade Runner is one specific series to which Samuel Sattin points as a central influence on Lynx, truthfully, one can find plenty of enjoyable elements of Japanese pop culture properties, especially by the end of the first volume. This, as well as tokitokoro's work in Western comics for DC and Marvel, combines to create an impressive, unique, and surprisingly compelling story that really picks up past the halfway mark for Lynx volume 1, set for release on August 11, 2026.
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Neon Genesis Evangelion
Release Date 1995 - 1996
Network TV Tokyo
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Megumi Ogata
Shinji Ikari (voice)
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Kotono Mitsuishi
Misato Katsuragi (voice)
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English (US) ·