Lighted street
One of the most important images is the way the main street in the metaverse is described by the narrator. The street is described as being extremely bright, with many advertising panels all over the street. Hiro highlights the idea that only the rich could afford to advertise in the metaverse and live there and thus the description of the metaverse has the purpose of contrasting with the way the normal world is described and wants to suggest the idea that the two were completely different.
Beautiful house
Hiro talks briefly about his small house in the metaverse and he compares it with other opulent houses in the metaverse. What Hiro wants to highlight through the comparison is the idea that when compared to the others, he chose to remain humble. This quality did not meant that he was less valuable than the other people, it simply meant that he did not liked to showcase what he owned and the wealth he had. In a way, the house Hiro had in the metaverse is a visual representation of himself in the real world.
Black leather kimono
In the metaverse, everyone needs to choose an avatar for themselves. The majority of people try to enhance their appearance as much as they can but some, who do not have the financial means, chose to use pre-made avatars that are generic and almost all the same. Hiro however, has a different avatar from the rest of the world since he is a hacker and had the ability to design his own avatar. The avatar he had was a simple one, a man resembling Hiro in the real world but wearing a black leather kimono. This image is important because it shows that in a world where everyone wanted to impress everyone, Hiro decided to remain true to himself and to maintain his true identity.
The black sun
The Black Sun is the name given to the building where illegal information transactions take place. After crashing the mafia’s car, Hiro goes to the Black Sun to sell some information he had. The image of the building is important because it contrasts with the other highly lit and colorful buildings. Through this image, the narrator wants to suggest that the illegal activities taking place there were no secret to the other people in the metaverse and that the way the building looked was a warning for those who may get too close to it.
