Takeshi Kovacs is a former member of the Envoy Corps, an elite military unit. After being killed on his home planet of Harlan's World, his consciousness is stored and eventually downloaded into a new body on Earth. He brings his military training and suppressed emotions to his new role as a private investigator. Hired by a wealthy magnate, he explores the unfamiliar and technologically saturated environment of Bay City.

Kristin Ortega is a police lieutenant in Bay City's Organic Damage Division. She officially ruled Laurens Bancroft's death a suicide and is highly suspicious of the wealthy elite. Her dedication to justice puts her at odds with Kovacs's private investigation. She also faces the psychological difficulty of seeing Kovacs inhabit the body of her former partner.

Laurens Bancroft is a Meth, an individual of immense wealth and practical immortality who has lived for centuries. He recruits Kovacs to investigate his own death, refusing to accept the police ruling of suicide. He views himself as above the law and maintains numerous clone bodies to ensure his continued survival.

Reileen Kawahara is a powerful Meth and former Envoy commander who shares a history with Kovacs. She uses her unlimited resources and long life to maintain control over various criminal and corporate enterprises. She views ordinary humans as disposable commodities and relies on extreme methods to achieve her goals.

Miriam Bancroft is Laurens's wife, a woman who appears young but has lived for over three centuries. She collects ancient artifacts and star maps, maintaining a deep obsession with the past. Her relationship with her husband is strained by centuries of extended life and mutual indiscretions.

Dimitri Kadmin is a high-profile mercenary and assassin who operates in Bay City. He frequently utilizes the black market to duplicate his consciousness across multiple synthetic bodies simultaneously. This illegal practice fractures his identity but gives him a strategic advantage in combat.

Elias Ryker is a Bay City police officer currently serving time in virtual storage. He previously worked alongside Ortega in the Organic Damage Division and gained a reputation for exposing corporate corruption. His physical body is leased to Kovacs, creating tension for those who knew him.

Trepp is a professional mercenary operating in Bay City's criminal underworld. She works for powerful clients and frequently changes bodies to avoid detection or recover from violent encounters. She is pragmatic about her work and rarely holds grudges against those she fights.

Victor Elliott is a data linkage broker living in the impoverished area of Amber. He harbors deep resentment toward the wealthy elite following the destruction of his family. He lacks the financial resources to protect his loved ones from the exploitation common in Bay City.

Irene Elliott is a highly skilled "dipper," someone who illegally intercepts data transmissions between Earth and its satellites. Her criminal activities led to her consciousness being stored while her original body was rented out to wealthy clients. Her technical skills make her valuable to various factions in Bay City.

Elizabeth Elliott is a young woman who turned to sex work in Bay City to earn enough money to reclaim her mother's rented body. Her work brought her into contact with wealthy and dangerous clients, eventually leading to her death.

Oumou Prescott is Laurens Bancroft's highly paid lawyer and representative. She manages his affairs, coordinates his clone storage, and shields him from police interference. She is dismissive of law enforcement officials who question her client's motives.

Sarah is a mercenary and Takeshi Kovacs's partner on his home planet of Harlan's World. She fights alongside him during the military raid that results in both of their deaths and subsequent storage.

Jimmy de Soto is a former Envoy comrade of Kovacs who fought in the disastrous battle of Innenin. He fell victim to a digital virus that caused him to self-mutilate and destroy his own stack. His memory haunts Kovacs throughout his investigation on Earth.

Rodrigo Bautista is a Bay City police officer and occasional partner to Kristin Ortega. He supports Ortega in her efforts to clear Ryker's name and is willing to bend police protocols to assist in high-stakes situations.

Leila Begin is a former sex worker who had a brief relationship with Laurens Bancroft fifty years prior. She suffered a brutal attack by Miriam Bancroft that resulted in the loss of her pregnancy, an event that demonstrated the untouchable status of the Meth class.

Curtis is Laurens Bancroft's personal driver. He operates the flying vehicles that transport the Bancroft family above the grime of Bay City. He harbors intense resentment toward Kovacs and relies on illegal hormone enhancers.

Emcee Carnage is the proprietor of the Panama Rose, a recommissioned tanker moored in the bay that hosts illegal, high-stakes fights. He operates within a synthetic, misshapen sleeve and profits from the public's desire for violent retribution.

Jerry operates a high-end brothel in Licktown, a seedy area of Bay City. He manages several sex workers and prioritizes his business reputation over the safety of his employees.