FallenKingdomReads’ list of The 5 Most Iconic Cyberpunk Characters of All Time.
The cyberpunk genre has given us some of the most memorable and iconic characters in pop culture history. From street-smart hackers to grizzled detectives, these characters embody the gritty, neon-lit world of a dystopian future where technology has both empowered and enslaved humanity.
Deckard (Blade Runner)
Deckard is the protagonist of the 1982 classic Blade Runner, a film set in a dystopian Los Angeles in 2019. As a retired Blade Runner, Deckard is tasked with hunting down and “retiring” rogue replicants – genetically engineered beings that are virtually indistinguishable from humans. Deckard is a complex character who struggles with the morality of his job and his growing feelings for a replicant named Rachael.
Neo (The Matrix)
In The Matrix, Keanu Reeves plays Neo, a computer programmer who discovers that the world he knows is an elaborate simulation created by machines that have enslaved humanity. With the help of Morpheus and Trinity, Neo learns to harness his latent abilities and becomes the chosen one who can take down the Matrix and free humanity from its digital prison.
Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)
Motoko Kusanagi is the protagonist of the manga and anime series Ghost in the Shell. She is a cyborg who works as a Section 9 agent, a specialized police force that deals with cybercrime and terrorism. Kusanagi is a strong and independent character who struggles with her identity as a cyborg and her place in a society where humans and machines are becoming increasingly intertwined.
Johnny Mnemonic (Johnny Mnemonic)
In the 1995 film Johnny Mnemonic, Keanu Reeves plays the eponymous character – a “data courier” who has a computer chip implanted in his brain that allows him to transport sensitive information across international borders. Johnny is pursued by various parties who want the information he is carrying, and he must use his hacking skills and combat abilities to survive.
Molly Millions (Neuromancer)
Molly Millions is a character from William Gibson’s seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer. She is a street samurai – a freelance mercenary who uses cybernetic enhancements to become a deadly fighter. Molly is a strong and capable character who helps the novel’s protagonist, Case, hack into a powerful AI that controls the world’s information networks.
