List of biopunk works explained

This is a list of works classified as biopunk, a subgenre of science fiction and derivative of the cyberpunk movement. Some works may only be centered around biotechnologies and not fit a more constrained definition of biopunk which may include additional cyberpunk or postcyberpunk elements.

Print media

Novels

• The Butterfly Effect by Rajat Chaudhuri
• Blood Music (1985) by Greg Bear
• Change Agent (novel) (2017) by Daniel Suarez^[1] − described as doing for biopunk what William Gibson did for cyberpunk^[1]
• Clade (2003) and Crache (2004) by Mark Budz^[2]
• Darwin series (1999–2003) by Greg Bear
• Holy Fire (1996) by Bruce Sterling^{[3] [4]}
• Leviathan Trilogy (2009–11) by Scott Westerfeld^[5]
• The Xenogenesis trilogy (1987–89) by Octavia E. Butler^{[6] [7]}
• The Movement of Mountains (1987) by Michael Blumlein^[8]
• Ribofunk (1996) by Paul Di Filippo^{[9] [10]}
• Rifter series (1999–2004) by Peter Watts
• Schismatrix (1985) by Bruce Sterling
• Sleepless series (1991–99) by Nancy Kress
• The Sky Lords trilogy by John Brosnan.
• Unwind (2007) by Neal Shusterman
• Wetware (1988) by Rudy Rucker^[11]
• White Devils (2004) by Paul J. McAuley^{[6] [3] [12] [13]}
• The Windup Girl (2009) by Paolo Bacigalupi − on Time's list "The Top 10 Everything of 2009"^[14]
• Winterlong (1990) by Elizabeth Hand^[3]

Short stories

• "The Brains of Rats" (1988) by Michael Blumlein^[8]
• The People of Sand and Slag (2004) by Paolo Bacigalupi^[15]
• "Gene Wars" (1991) by Paul J. McAuley^{[16] [17]}

Graphic novels and comics

• Blame! (1998) by Tsutomu Nihei^[18]
• Doktor Sleepless (2007—present) by Warren Ellis^[19]
• Fluorescent Black (2008–2010) by M.F. Wilson and Nathan Fox^[20]

Film and television

Feature films

• Frankenstein (1931)^[21]
• Blade Runner (1982)^{[6] [22] [23]}
• Super Mario Bros. (1993)
• Gattaca (1997)^{[6] [24] [22]}
• eXistenZ (1999)^[22]
• Resident Evil series (2002–2016; 2021)^[6]
• Code 46 (2003)^{[25] [26]}
• Tokyo Gore Police (2008)^[27]
• Repo: The Genetic Opera (2008)
• Splice (2009)^{[6] [22]}
• Repo Men (2010)^{[22] [25]}
• Antiviral (2012)^{[28] [29]}
• Prometheus (2012)
• Vesper (2022)^[30]

Short films

• LOOM (2012) by Jake Scott^[31]

Television series

• Dark Angel (2000–2002)^{[22] [32]}
• ReGenesis (2004–2008)
• Orphan Black (2013–2017)^{[33] [34]}
  • Orphan Black – 7 Genes (2017–present)^{[35] [36]}
• Kamen Rider Amazons (2016–2017)

Video games

• The Ooze (1995) developed by Sega Technical Institute where a scientist gets turned into a blob-like creature by a chemicals corporation seeking to unleash on the world a bioweapon in the form of a virus that only them possesses the cure for.
• Terranigma (Tenchi Sōzō) (1995) and Final Fantasy VII (1997) are Japanese RPGs which feature some biopunk elements: the mad scientist Beruga in Terranigma and the Shinra Corporation in Final Fantasy VII are trying to control the world via biotechnology and genetic manipulations.
• Panzer Dragoon series (1995-2002) developed by Team Andromeda/Smilebit and published by Sega
• Resident Evil series (1996–present) developed and published by Capcom
• Parasite Eve (1998) developed by Square and published by Square Electronic Arts
  • Parasite Eve II (2000) developed by Square and published by Square Electronic Arts
• SiN series (1998–2006) developed by Ritual Entertainment (except for the expansion pack Wages of Sin that was developed by 2015, Inc.) and published by Activision, features cyberpunk and biopunk elements.
• Evolva (2000) developed by Computer Artworks Ltd. and published by Interplay Entertainment
• Dark Angel (2001) developed by Radical Entertainment for the TV series of the same name
• Quake 4 (2005) developed by Raven Software and published by Activision
• Rogue Trooper (2006) developed by Rebellion Developments and published by Eidos Interactive
• Prey (2006) developed by Human Head Studios and published by 2K Games
• BioShock series (2007–present) developed by Irrational Games and published by 2K Games
• Fracture (2008) developed by Day 1 Studios and published by LucasArts
• Prototype (2009) developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Activision
• Killing Floor series (2009–present) developed and published by Tripwire Interactive
• Crysis 2 (2011) developed by Crytek and published by Electronic Arts
  • The Deus Ex franchise (2000-2016), developed by Ion Storm and Eidos Montreal and published by Eidos Interactive and Square Enix Eu Cruelty Squad (2021), developed and published by Consumer Softproducts
• Scorn (2022), developed and published by Ebb Software

See also

• List of cyberpunk works
• Cyberpunk derivatives
• Genetic engineering in science fiction

Notes and References

1. News: Shippey. Tom. The Price of Playing God. Wall Street Journal. 23 April 2017. 14 April 2017.
2. Web site: Science Fiction Book Reviews . Scifi.com . 2008-11-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20070703091028/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue399/books.html. 2007-07-03.
3. Web site: Filippo. Paul Di. Gregor Mendel died for your sins! Biopunk and Ribofunk. paul-di-filippo.com. 20 June 2015. 23 April 2009. 12 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160912193259/http://paul-di-filippo.com/gregor-mendel-died-for-your-sins-biopunk-and-ribofunk/. dead.
4. Book: Casti. J. L.. Karlqvist. Anders. Mission to Abisko: Stories and Myths in the Creation of Scientific "truth". 1999. 978-0756751234. 147.
5. Web site: Leviathan Series Scott Westerfeld. scottwesterfeld.com. 2016-09-18.
6. Schmeink . Lars . 2014 . Biopunk 101 . Science Fiction Research Association Review . 1068-395X. 31–36 . 10 May 2015.
7. Newitz, Annalee. Biopunk. 2001 . 2007-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20021220190353/http://www.sfbg.com/SFLife/tech/71.html . 2002-12-20. Annalee Newitz.
8. Web site: Locus Online: Review by Claude Lalumière . Locusmag.com . 2008-11-28.
9. Quinion, Michael. World Wide Words: Biopunk. 1997 . 2007-01-26.
10. Web site: This Just In...News from The Agony Column . Trashotron.com . 2008-11-28.
11. Book: McHale, Brian . 1992 . Constructing Postmodernism . 257 . 9780415060141 . 28 May 2015 .
12. http://www.locusmag.com/2005/Features/01 Lalumiere BestOf2004.html
13. Web site: White Devils by Paul McAuley - an infinity plus review . Infinity Plus. 2008-11-28.
14. Grossman . Lev . 8 December 2009 . The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi . dead . Time . https://web.archive.org/web/20091213004854/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1943868_1943887,00.html . December 13, 2009 . 29 October 2010.
15. Web site: Liptak. Andrew. Paolo Bacigalupi's "Ship Breaker" imagines the polluted future of the Gulf Coast. 20 June 2015. 2010.
16. http://genspace.org/event/20120904/1930/GM%20Storytelling:%20Science%20Fiction%20and%20Our%20Biotech%20Future GM Storytelling: Science Fiction and Our Biotech Future
17. http://www.slideshare.net/nanobioart/huang-s-117final Shiwei Huang, Biochemistry Major's Slide
18. Web site: BLAME ! DE NIHEI TSUTOMU. cinemasie.com. 20 June 2015.
19. Web site: Warren Ellis: Modify Your Body But Also Worry About the Planet . Io9.com . 2008-11-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120229201754/http://io9.com/341903/modify-your-body-but-also-worry-about-the-planet . 2012-02-29 . dead .
20. Web site: Genome Alberta Interview . Genome Alberta . 2008-08-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120723224914/http://genomealberta.ca/blogs/main_08180801.aspx . 2012-07-23 .
21. https://www.tasteofcinema.com/2020/the-15-best-biopunk-movies-of-all-time/
22. Web site: Evans. Josh. What Is Biopunk?. 20 June 2015. 18 September 2011. ScienceFiction.com.
23. Book: Wohlsen, Marcus. Biopunk: Solving Biotech's Biggest Problems in Kitchens and Garages. Current Hardcover. 2011. 978-1617230028.
24. Web site: NEUROETHICS | The Narrative Perspectives . Neuroethics.upenn.edu . 2008-11-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080531123956/http://neuroethics.upenn.edu/narrative_perspec.html . 2008-05-31.
25. Web site: Moore. Daniel. Review: Automata. NeonDystopia. 20 June 2015. 29 January 2015. 17 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190717144955/https://www.neondystopia.com/cyberpunk-movies-anime/review-automata/. dead.
26. Web site: Akça. Kerem. Duyusal, bedensel ve romantik. Haber Turk. 20 June 2015. 2013.
27. https://www.allmovie.com/movie/tokyo-gore-police-vm2352256
28. Web site: Styx. Acherontia. Antiviral 2012. Mean Goblin Magazine. 8 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20140701042231/http://www.meangoblin.com/antiviral-2012/. 1 July 2014. dead.
29. Web site: Biopunk Dystopias Genetic Engineering, Society and Science Fiction. 8 June 2015. 2014. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063244/https://fakultaeten.hu-berlin.de/de/philfak2/lehre/Promotion_Habil/EinladungDisputationSchmeink.pdf. dead.
30. Web site: 2022-10-25 . Review of Vesper: A Biopunk Sci-Fi Fairytale . 2023-07-27 . Solarpunk Magazine . en-US.
31. Web site: Bladerunneresque biopunk short: Loom [4K, red] ].
32. Web site: Science Fiction News of the Week . Scifi.com . 2008-11-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20080306122148/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue222/news.html. 2008-03-06.
33. Web site: Sharon Lynn Fisher dishes on the Sci-Fi Fantasy of BioPunk. 20 June 2015. 30 April 2014.
34. Web site: Moore. Daniel. Review: Orphan Black – Season 1. NeonDystopia. 20 June 2015. 9 February 2015.
35. Web site: Frater. Patrick. ATF: BBC America's 'Orphan Black' Remade for Japan. Variety. November 29, 2017. November 29, 2017.
36. Web site: BBC - Original award-winning Orphan Black to be made for Japanese audience - Media Centre. www.bbc.co.uk. en-GB. 2017-12-25.