White blood (2024)

White blood is an artificial blood initiallydeveloped for military use.

Hemoglobin, which is found in red blood cells and absorbs and releases oxygen, is normally red. However, the artificial red blood cells developed through nanotechnology, and perform the same function as hemoglobin are instead white in color. This gives the blood a pale color (and therefore its user a pale complexion), hence the substance's name.

Usage[]

Guns of the Patriots Incident[]

See also: Liquid Sun, Solid Sun, Third Sun, Twin Suns, Old Sun, and Naked Sin/Naked Son

Raiden, having received cybernetic implants by the Patriots, used this kind of blood. After he was badly injured from battling Gekko and Vamp during the Guns of the Patriots Incident, he would have died if Naomi Hunter and Sunny had been unable to find an infusion of white blood and begin dialysis in time.

World Marshal Incident[]

See also: Raid at World Marshal, Ambush in Africa, Abkhazian Coup, Investigation in Guadalajara, Raid in Denver, and Operation Tec*mseh

Warning: The following information is from outside Hideo Kojima's core "Metal Gear Saga." Its canonicity within the continuity is disputed, therefore reader discretion is advised.^[?]

Although white blood was outdated by 2018 for use of military cyborgs, white blood in itself was easily accessible for pedestrian cyborgs.^[1]

Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here.

Behind the scenes[]

Artificial white blood, nicknamed "milk blood," was also featured in Hideo Kojima's Policenauts, in which it was used by members of the military and the BCP's AP Unit. As in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, it suffers from the same drawbacks, requiring regular hemodialysis treatments.

A type of blood developed to improve the oxygen and nutrient transportation efficiency of blood, as well as to provide a solution to the lack of blood available for transfusions. Based mainly on substances such as perfluorocarbons and fluorescein diacetate, which were used in the latter half of the 20th century for storing organs, it is also called "milk blood", because its red blood cells are white in color. It does indeed possess superior oxygen transportation efficiency and regenerative abilities, but the heavy burden it places on the kidneys makes it necessary for them to be genetically modified and for the user to undergo regular hemodialysis before it can be used for extended periods of time. For these reasons, it is not permitted for medical use among the general public; it is presently only authorized for use within the military and in members of BCP's AP Unit. In addition to milk blood, there is a second-generation powder type made with genetically modified hemoglobin, and a third-generation type containing 100% artificial blood cells, but both of these types are still undergoing clinical trials.

A person using artificial blood has their original blood placed in cryogenic storage and can switch back to it at any time.

— Policenauts Glossary^[2]

Oxycyte, a perfluorocarbon (PFC) therapeutic oxygen carrier, is a real life "white blood" that boasts an oxygen transfer rate fifty times that of organic blood.^[3]

In the trailers and promotional materials for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, there were blood stains that were red in color, implying that Raiden was utilizing a more natural-looking substitute. This was confirmed in an optional Codec conversation with Doktor in File R-03. However, the Japanese version features white blood, due to censorship regarding cutting enemies up. In large part because of this, the latter version emphasized Samuel Rodrigues's status of having extremely little cybernetics by his drawing out red blood instead of white blood when Raiden lands the final blow on him.

A similar substance to white blood is also seen with the Body-Snatchers in the Jamais Vu Extra Op for Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes when they are wounded.

Sources[]

• Metal Gear Solid 4 Database ("White Blood")

Notes and references[]