“AKIRA” is like the epitome of cyberpunk that became super famous in 1980s Japan.

It’s based on a manga drawn by Katsuhiro Otomo, but when it was made into a movie in 1988, that also became a huge hit.

For anime fans, it’s already a legendary work and it’s one of the reasons Japanese anime became known worldwide.

1. Story Overview and Setting

“AKIRA” is set in a future place called “Neo Tokyo”.

The Third World War has ended and reconstruction is happening, but the city is still in chaos with lots of crime and poor public safety.

It’s set in “2019”, but this was drawn in the 1980s, so it’s like the future Tokyo of that time.

Main Characters and Story Outline

The protagonist is a biker delinquent named Shotaro Kaneda.

He’s the leader of a biker gang, but somehow he’s a really charismatic figure.

His childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, is also an important character in the story.

One day, after encountering a boy with psychic powers, Tetsuo starts acting strange.

Because of this encounter, Tetsuo also gains psychic powers, but he gets too caught up in this power, loses control of himself, and starts going berserk.

And this name “Akira” is actually the name of a super powerful psychic who was born as a result of secret government experiments on psychic power development.

Akira once destroyed Tokyo and is like a god to everyone.

2. Characters

• Shotaro Kaneda: He’s reckless and mischievous, but he’s a passionate guy who struggles to stop Tetsuo. The scenes where he rides his bike are really cool.

• Tetsuo Shima: He’s Kaneda’s best friend, but after awakening to his psychic powers, he becomes increasingly violent and eventually turns into a super powerful destroyer.

• Akira: The title character, a psychic who once destroyed Tokyo. His existence affects the fate of Kaneda and Tetsuo.

3. Themes

One of the big themes in “AKIRA” is the “runaway of power”.

Tetsuo awakens to the powerful force sleeping within him, but he becomes unable to control this power well, and eventually destroys himself and causes trouble for those around him.

This can be seen as symbolizing what happens when nuclear energy or technology goes out of control.

It also depicts how government conspiracies and secret experiments affect society as a whole.

How beings with psychic powers move people’s fates, and how much state power restricts individual freedom are important themes in this work.

4. Innovation of the Anime Version

The anime version of “AKIRA” released in 1988 had surprisingly beautiful visuals.

Especially considering the technology of the time, the quality of hand-drawn animation was incredibly high.

The futuristic landscape of Neo Tokyo, the bike chase scenes, and Tetsuo’s rampaging form are just overwhelming.

Moreover, it was rare for that time, but a lot of budget was spent on production.

The detail in the backgrounds and the smoothness of character movements are still amazing even now.

To be able to do that much by hand in an era when CG technology wasn’t very developed is really incredible.

5. Music

The music of “AKIRA” is also very unique, composed by a group called Geinoh Yamashirogumi.

It uses Japanese instruments and choruses, creating a mysterious sound that mixes futuristic and traditional Japanese elements.

This fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the work, and it’s especially effective in scenes where Tetsuo’s power goes out of control.

6. Cultural Impact

“AKIRA” had a huge influence, especially overseas.

At that time, anime was thought to be entertainment just for Japan, but after “AKIRA” appeared, anime started to be internationally appreciated.

Especially in the West, it became so notable that the term “AKIRA phenomenon” was coined.

For example, its influence can be seen in Hollywood’s “The Matrix” and Western sci-fi works.

There are quite a few creators who were inspired to make anime after seeing “AKIRA”.

7. Modern Evaluation

Even now, “AKIRA” continues to be loved by many people.

Its visual impact and deep themes resonate across time, still attracting new fans.

It’s an absolute must-see for people who like cyberpunk or dystopian stories.

In summary, “AKIRA” is a work that depicts the social anxiety and fears about technological progress in 1980s Japan, with a really thought-provoking content where individual power clashes with social order.

(Note.)

This text was something I asked an AI, but the AI’s answers aren’t always necessarily correct, so please make sure to verify important information!

AKIRA probably has nothing to do with Wakayama. Since the character in the previous article was a girl who spoke in Wakayama dialect, we set up the same way for this article.

The same reason for setting up the image.

Thank you!