After working as an assistant to veteran comic artist Tsutomu Takahashi, Nihei went on to launch his debut series Blame!

Japanese comics that strongly influenced him include Akira, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Ghost in the Shell.

[5] He was also enormously inspired by Swiss artist H. R. Giger, best known for his airbrush images of humans and machines connected in cold biomechanical relationships.

[6] Other sources of inspirations include Hard science fiction novels, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, French artist Jean "Mœbius" Giraud[7] and Clive Barker of Hellraiser fame.

[6] Nihei designed the logo for the record label Lingua Sounda, formed in 2011 by the rock band Buck-Tick.