Akira (franchise)

Akira is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on Katsuhiro Otomo's seminal manga, Akira, published from 1982 to 1990. It was adapted into a 1988 anime film and two video games. A live-action feature film has also been in development since 2000, and a new anime television series by Otomo that will adapt the original manga more faithfully has also been announced.

Akira
Created byKatsuhiro Otomo
Original workAkira (1982-1990)
Films and television
Film(s)
Games
Video game(s)

Premise
Akira creator Otomo posing on a replica of the futuristic motorcycle driven by Kaneda in Akira (2016)

Akira takes place in futurist, cyberpunk "Neo-Tokyo", some decades following the destruction of Tokyo years prior by a massive explosion. A city struggling to prevent crime amid political corruption, the story focuses on Kaneda, the leader of a motorcycle gang, and his friend and fellow member Tetsuo, who is mentally unstable. After a near collision with a childlike Esper, the product of government research to imbue humans with powerful psychokinetic energies, Tetsuo becomes similarly afflicted. As Tetsuo struggles with controlling his new abilities, Kaneda, desperate to learn more, joins forces with a resistance group, including Kei, a woman he takes interest in. As Tetsuo's abilities start to go out of control, the military, led by Colonel Shikishima, take ultimate actions to try to contain him, wanting to prevent the same destruction to Neo-Tokyo as happened before with the test subject Akira on Tokyo years earlier. Kaneda, Kei, Shikishima, and the other Espers work together to try to help Tetsuo come to find peace and end his destructive rampage.

Works

Manga
Main article: Akira (manga)

Akira was originally published from 1982 to 1990 in Japan's Young Magazine, ending with over 2000 pages of Otomo's art.[1] It was published serially in the United States Epic Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics, colorizing the black and white manga. The choice to colorize the work helped to popularize Akira in the Western world.[2] Six volumes of collected works were published from 2000 to 2002 by Dark Horse Comics, and in the UK by Titan Books, with the license later transferring to Kodansha Comics.

Anime feature film
Main article: Akira (1988 film)

Otomo did not plan on having an animated adaption of Akira, but when the idea was presented to him, he became intrigued, and agreed to allow it as long as he remained in creative control of the film.[3] The film was produced by TMS Entertainment and distributed by Toho across Japan on 16 July 1988; it had limited released in Western countries. When Akira hit home media around 1992, the film got a new resurgence, and since has been recognized as one of the best animated and science fiction films of all time, and is considered a landmark anime.[4]

Video games
Main article: Akira (video game)

A companion video game to the film was developed by TOSE and distributed by Taito Corporation for personal computers, and released in Japan on 24 December 1988. The game was a text-based adventure game with the text presented over images from the film, with the player decided what action protagonist Kaneda would take. The game received average ratings from Japanese reviewers.[5]

Main article: Akira Psycho Ball

Akira Psycho Ball is a simulated pinball machine video game, featuring elements from the manga and anime, for the PlayStation 2. It was developed by KAZe and released by Bandai on 21 February 2001, with limited release in Europe the following year. The game had generally positive reviews from Japanese reviewers.[6]

Future works

Live-action film

Warner Bros. acquired the rights to a live-action Akira film in 2002, but since then has had difficulty in getting a project started, remaining in development hell.[7][8] At least five different directors and ten different writers have been attached at various times.[9][10] While Otomo had given scriptwriters the freedom to modify the plot of Akira as necessary to fit a live-action film,[11] fears remains over whitewashing or racebending in the film's casting as well as trying to relocate the film outside of Japan due to story's ties with Japan's history.[9]

Most recently, director Taika Waititi had been set to lead the film for a 2021 release,[12][13] but that has been put on hold indefinitely as Waititi opted to work on Thor: Love and Thunder first, and it is unclear if the film would still go forward with Waititi's direction due to the delay.[14]

Anime television series

As early as January 2016, a potential television series had been in the planning stages with Otomo's involvement.[15] At the 2019 Anime Expo, Otomo announced that he was working with Sunrise to create a new anime television series that will adapt the manga's story more completely.[16][17]

References
  1. Brooks, Brad; Tim Pilcher (2005). The Essential Guide to World Comics. London: Collins & Brown. p. 103. ISBN 1-84340-300-5.
  2. Kôsei, Ono (Winter 1996). "Manga Publishing: Trends in the United States". Japanese Book News. The Japan Foundation. 1 (16): 6–7. ISSN 0918-9580.
  3. Hughes, David (2003). Comic Book Movies. Virgin Books. p. 27. ISBN 0-7535-0767-6.
  4. "Akira – Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures – Rotten Tomatoes". Uk.rottentomatoes.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2009.
  5. "Cross Review". Famicom Tsūshin (in Japanese). Enterbrain, Tokuma (65): 19. 6 January 1989.
  6. プレイステーション2 - AKIRA PSYCHO BALL. Weekly Famitsu. No.915 Pt.2. Pg.91. 30 June 2006.
  7. Linder, Brian et al. (12 April 2002). "Akira Hollywood Remake!?" IGN.com. Retrieved 24 October 2006. Archived 13 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Busch, Anita; Flemming, Mike (19 September 2017). "'Akira' Back? 'Thor: Ragnarok' Helmer Taika Waititi In Talks". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  9. Marc, Christopher (6 April 2017). "Akira: The Tortured History of the Unmade Live-Action Adaptation". IGN. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  10. Kit, Borys (5 January 2012). "'Akira' Production Offices Shut Down As Warner Bros. Scrutinizes Budget (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014.
  11. Anderson, Kyle (1 June 2017). "Akira creator says he must approve any live-action film". The Nerdist. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  12. Couch, Aaron (24 May 2019). "Taika Waititi's 'Akira' Sets 2021 Release Date". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  13. D'Alessandro, Anthony (24 May 2019). "Taika Waititi's 'Akira' Will Take Off In Summer 2021". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  14. Authur, Kate (February 12, 2020). "Taika Waititi on Oscars, His 'Jojo Rabbit' Journey and Those 'Star Wars' Rumors". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  15. "Akira TV series in development, hints creator". FACT Magazine. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  16. Patches, Matt (5 July 2019). "A new Akira anime is coming to TV". Polygon. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  17. Kade, Leigh (5 July 2019). ""Akira" Manga Creator Announces New Projects". Bleeding Cool News And Rumors. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
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