Early Development

1. What inspired you to create Animus Proxy in the first place?

One of the biggest inspirations behind Animus Proxy is obviously my love for the cyberpunk genre, but also for video games, anime, and manga. I’m a huge fan of Japanese culture, and cyberpunk has continued to be an enduring element there, whereas it’s faded in and out here in the United States. In Japan, cyberpunk has always been a kind of constant.

For me, I was really inspired to do something like Blade Runner, but more in the spirit, aesthetic, and style of Japanese video games from the 1980s through the early 2000s.
Hideo Kojima comes to mind — his work on Metal Gear Solid is inspiring, but even more so his earlier game Snatcher for the MSX and Sega CD (and I believe it was also released on the Saturn in Japan). Snatcher really encapsulated a pop culture moment when I realized I preferred Japanese storytelling and design to a lot of what was happening in the West.

Everything about that style — the aesthetic, the vibe — really spoke to me. In many ways, Snatcher is the starting point for Animus Proxy.

I also can’t forget to mention Resident Evil — those games have an energy and a kind of erratic, whimsical approach to science fiction that keeps you on your toes. They’re not afraid to try weird, unexpected things, and they never forget the most important rule: have fun.

One of the biggest pitfalls of science fiction (and any writing, really) is taking yourself too seriously. That can lead to something technically impressive, but not endearing.
Resident Evil always feels alive — even when it’s chaotic — and that’s something I deeply admire and wanted to channel into Animus Proxy.

2. How did you come up with the title Animus Proxy?

The title really comes from the core concept introduced in the book itself.

The “Proxy” is the physical presence — the vessel — while the “Animus” refers to the downloadable spiritual register (for lack of a better term).
You could liken it to a soul — or to a wireless download of consciousness. Whatever metaphor resonates with you.
It’s deeply tied to the core technology and existential questions inside the story.

3. What was the first scene or image that sparked the story?

One of the first things that inspired Animus Proxy was imagining the world several hundred years from now, grappling with major challenges like climate change, population collapse, and societal instability.

I tried to imagine what a world would look like where humanity is struggling to hold on, but is still trying desperately to dominate nature through engineering and technological advancement.
That collision of survival and arrogance — that’s where it started.

4. How much of the worldbuilding was planned before you started writing?

Honestly, not much — on purpose.

I deliberately avoided heavy worldbuilding before writing Animus Proxy because I didn’t want to overwhelm the story with exposition.
I wanted the experience to hint at a broader world through small details — a stray comment, a door number, a flash of numerology — rather than full info-dumps.

I never wanted readers to feel like they were sitting through a history lecture.
Heavy pre-planning can also lock you into details that don’t serve the story, just because you’re emotionally attached to them.

For the first book, speed, momentum, and atmosphere were the priorities.
Later entries will dive deeper into worldbuilding, but for Animus Proxy, I kept it as tight and fast as possible.

5. Did the original plot differ greatly from what it became?

Yes, definitely.

Initially, the first book was going to primarily follow Yse, the female protagonist, and show what she was up to.
But I realized that approach would reveal too much about the broader world and mechanics too soon.

Instead, I shifted to a “marionette” style structure, where readers watch multiple elements being puppeteered toward a final conclusion — without fully understanding everything until the end.
It kept the mystery alive.

📚 Ready to step into the world of Animus Proxy?
The full novel is available now on Amazon — dive into a cyberpunk future of shattered identities, hidden powers, and survival at any cost.
⚡ Grab your copy today and experience the beginning of the story for yourself: [Insert Amazon Link Here]

6. Which character came to you first, and how did they evolve?

Yse was the first character I thought of.

Elian came almost immediately after.
Of course, those two are the main characters of the story, so it makes sense they arrived first.
Their dynamic was the foundation around which the entire narrative was built.

7. Were there any scrapped ideas you wish could have made it in?

Oh yeah, definitely.

There were tons of scrapped ideas — especially little things focused on day-to-day life inside this world: minor characters, casual observations, small cultural details.

Nothing major got cut that would have drastically changed the story, but I did originally plan for a much longer first book.
Ultimately, I restructured it to better accommodate the possibility of sequels rather than dragging readers through a Part One/Part Two marathon.

8. How did you choose the technological themes for the story?

For the technological themes, I tried to stay as close as possible to traditional 1980s cyberpunk — the gritty, analog future — while layering in modern concerns like climate change, population decline, and corporate AI dominance.

I thought a lot about what governments would look like if innovation and information were no longer truly under their control.
What happens when private companies wield more real power than national governments?
I also wanted to play around with classic conspiracy tropes — but maybe flip them:
What if the shadowy cabals actually are trying to save humanity… in their own messed-up way?
The story constantly plays with genre expectations while keeping the tone grounded.

9. What real-world events or technologies influenced the early drafts?

Several real-world developments influenced the early drafts:

• Cloning and genetic engineering research
  
• Studies on consciousness and life extension
  
• Theoretical ideas about digital consciousness upload
  

Basically, any modern technology aimed at prolonging life or transmitting life into another format provided fuel for the world of Animus Proxy.

10. What were some of the hardest world-building challenges at the beginning?

Early on, the biggest challenge was resisting the urge to show everything.

When you build a world, you want to share every tiny detail because you’re excited about it. You’ve lived in it mentally, so you naturally want others to experience it fully, too.

But in a novel, you can’t show everything.
You have to cut ruthlessly — and sometimes great ideas get left behind because they slow down the story.

One important thing I kept in mind was this:
In real life, people don’t fixate on mundane things.
You don’t walk down the street analyzing every cigarette brand or every car model you pass. It’s all background noise — unless something unusual stands out.

If you overdescribe every detail in fiction, it can make readers lose focus or wonder what the point was.
As much as I love deep realism, I realized that for Animus Proxy, I needed to think about behavioral realism, not photographic realism — and keep the story moving.

💬 I’d love to hear from you —
What inspires you when you build worlds, chase goals, or create something new? Drop a comment and let’s talk!

🚀 If you’re enjoying these behind-the-scenes looks at Animus Proxy — the story, the world, and the journey — make sure to follow @KehlBayern across social media for more updates, insights, and new projects on the way.

👉 Stay tuned — more Animus Proxy development stories coming soon!