The early 1930s of the 21st century. The world is effectively divided between two powerful forces—the Caliphate, which has swallowed up Europe, and Japan, which has recreated the East Asian sphere of mutual prosperity. The countries that have managed to keep some semblance of independence barely survive, maneuvering between these two giants. Among these countries is the United States, which surrendered its allies in the Old World to the Arabs, ceded the south-west territories to Mexico, and is de facto governed by Japanese federal advisers. However, almost everyone in the country doesn’t care about this, because most people already live in dreams induced by the drug “flashback.”