What is FREQ?
FREQ is a futuristic seinen manga project that fuses electronic music subcultures with sci-fi storytelling. Set in a society completely based on sound frequencies—from energy extraction to warfare technology. The series follows Akai and the rebellious Electribe in their fight against an oppressive regime that monopolizes sound frequency-based power systems (FREQ) and controls every aspect of daily life.
Given FREQ's deep integration with electronic music, we also launched FREQ Records, which releases electronic music in both vinyl and digital formats. Our diverse release schedule includes works from one of the founders of techno, Eddie Flashin Fowkles, Japanese maestro Ken Ishii, and contemporary favorite Machine Girl.
Created by Nicola Kazimir and written by legendary Dai Sato, chief/script writer for Ergo Proxy, Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Ghost in the Shell:Stand Alone Complex among others, ensures this manga will be led by one of the very best and most inspirational storytellers. The visual arts are by Good News for Bad Guys, an illustrator equipped with unique artistic skills and in-depth knowledge in the manga/anime universe. Check the Team Page for bios and more team-members! FREQ is a seinen manga - which means the target audience are adults - as the manga features a deep story/lore feat. complex political issues, gore and nudity.
Where is the story set?
The manga "FREQ" spans 13 chapters in its first season, each chapter ranging from 30 to 40 pages. It centers around Akai, the main character who leaves the suburban areas of Djax due to a severe violation of the stringent regulations imposed by the government of Rephlex—a city where work, financial systems, and life itself are heavily regulated through control and rating systems, along with the corporate monopoly on the Frequency extraction process.
Akai finds refuge among the Electribe, a nomadic, rebellious faction that champions alternative societal values. As the story unfolds, the Electribe is progressively compelled to infiltrate the city and confront its rulers, who are intent on forcefully quashing any dissenting voices. This uprising is spearheaded by the Electribe's leader, Dr. Ray, with the support of the main character, Akai, and his friend, Octa.
Volume #0: A Successful Launch and Future Plans
The initial Kickstarter campaign to fund Volume #0 was a resounding success, raising 36,459 CHF! This overwhelming support was integral to the production and scaling of the manga.
The campaign centered around funding the labor and production costs of our Teaser #0 A4 booklet (available in EN/JP Versions). This 80-page teaser features a pivotal chapter from the midpoint of Season 1—the infamous club scene, which is packed with numerous references that reveal the essence of FREQ. It served as an ideal launchpad to explore distribution opportunities and spark interest for more content.
The Club Scene Teaser
In this chapter, our protagonist, Akai, enters the Rephlex Corporate City's district Apollo for the first time as a member of the rebellious Electribe. To evade the city's vigilant surveillance, he adopts a different appearance and employs frequency transplants to remain undetected. His mission is to locate and extract a specific frequency signal from a club console, which is believed to lead to the whereabouts of Dr. Hanon Kins, the illustrious founder of FREQ technology.
However, his focus wavers when he unexpectedly encounters his childhood friend, Aira, at the club. This emotional shift does not go unnoticed by the city's AI surveillance system, marking him as a potential threat. This suspicion triggers a confrontation with the authorities, led by Kith, a police officer who happens to be enjoying his time as a guest. As Akai manages to gain the upper hand in the skirmish against Kith, the situation takes another turn with the sudden arrival of an unforeseen individual.
Looking Ahead to Volume 1
Following the successful launch of Volume #0, our community has grown significantly, fostering a dedicated base of almost 15,000 followers across various platforms and over 600 active members on our Discord server.
We are now allocating significant efforts toward developing the initial 120-page manga booklet for Volume 1. We are planning a second Kickstarter campaign for Volume 1 towards the end of Q1 2026.
Community Participation
Community involvement is a core component of the FREQ universe! We believe in building the lore collaboratively with our dedicated fanbase.
Via our Discord server, the community can actively participate in the creation process by proposing ideas for chapters either through open calls for specific ideas—like for example law enforcement weaponry—or by submitting their own unique concepts.
Most of the ideas, if they fit the narrative, will be taken as a reference and further developed, and in some cases, directly integrated into the script. We encourage you to join our Discord, to participate in shaping the FREQ world!
What’s the Vision/Long Term Target/Aim/Goal?
Our primary Vision is to take this decentral manga universe to the mainstream!
The plot will firstly manifest in a physical manga series. Currently, we operate as a self-distributed manga project. Our immediate next step is to find publishers in various countries to partner with. This is crucial for building upon our successful independent launch, reaching a significantly wider audience, and firmly establishing the FREQ lore globally.
We know the trans-media potential of sound as the source of the lore:
The series itself is the ideal entry point and will expand to different mediums from there.
This concept allows us to manifest the franchise in the music world as well—curate music releases, collaborate with great artists, release records, give factions the soundtrack they deserve, and maintain a 24/7 radio-player on our page.
The ultimate long-term aspiration is a major expansion: the success of the series would enable us to engage further steps in creating a strategy to pitch FREQ to big broadcasting studios, bringing the manga to a broader audience as an anime series. This is a creative dream that we hope the success of the physical manga will make possible!