Akira

November 3rd, 2006

Author: Katsuhiro Otomo
Publisher: Kodansha Ltd. Tokyo

First published in Japan in the 80’s, the 6 volumes of Akira are a masterpiece of the manga culture and have influence many popular manga authors. The animated film version encountered a huge worldwide success. Akira is often compared to the Blade Runner of Ridley Scott, notably because of his futuristic vision of the city.

The story takes place in 2030, 30 years after the complete destruction of Tokyo by an unidentified explosion and after the World War III. In this future, the situation is far to be under control and we wonder if things can get any better.
With Akira, Katsuhiro Otomo built an original cyber-punk post apocalypse world, made by an oppressive military government managing a very futuristic Neo Tokyo and conducting strange experiments, violent teenage gangs driving high-speed new generation motorbikes, new drugs, anarchist terrorist groups, warlords that reign of ruined sections of Tokyo and kids with strange powers.

Entry Filed under: Critics