Citizendia
Your Ad Here

This article is about the 1988 animated film. For the 2009 live action film, see Akira (2009 film). is a black and white serial Manga or graphic novel by Katsuhiro Otomo.
Akira

Japanese promotional poster
Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo
Produced by Ryōhei Suzuki
Shunzō Katō
Written by Katsuhiro Otomo
Izō Hashimoto
Starring Mitsuo Iwata
Nozomu Sasaki
Mami Koyama
(Japan)
Cam Clarke
Jan Rabson
Lara Cody
(USA)
Johnny Yong Bosch
Joshua Seth
Wendee Lee
(DVD)
Music by Shoji Yamashiro
Cinematography Katsuji Misawa
Editing by Takeshi Seyama
Distributed by Toho (Japan)
Orion Pictures (USA)(lapsed)
Geneon (USA)(current)
Manga Entertainment (Australia, UK)
Release date(s) July 16, 1988 (Japan)
1989 - 1990 (US)
January 25, 1991 (UK)
May 8, 1991 (Australia)
May 8, 1991 (Theatrical Release) (France)
May 9, 1991 (Germany)
Running time 124 min. is a Japanese Manga artist and director He is perhaps best known for being the creator of the manga Akira and its anime adaptation, which are extremely is a Japanese Manga artist and director He is perhaps best known for being the creator of the manga Akira and its anime adaptation, which are extremely Mitsuo Iwata (岩田 光央 Iwata Mitsuo, born July 31, 1967) is a Seiyū who was born in Tokorozawa, Saitama. is a Seiyū who was born January 25, 1967 in Hiroshima. He is a client of the seiyū management firm 81 Produce. Mami Koyama (小山 茉美 Koyama Mami, born January 17, 1955) is a veteran Seiyū who was born in Nishio Aichi. Cameron A Clarke (born November 6, 1957 in Burbank, California) is an American Voice actor, made famous for his many Jan Rabson (born 1954 in East Meadow, New York) is an American Actor and Voice actor. Laura Ann Cody (born September 8, 1957 in Los Angeles California) better known as Lara Cody, is an American voice actress Johnny Yong Bosch (born January 6, 1976) is a American Actor, voice actor, martial artist, and Musician. Joshua Seth Freedman (born December 2, 1970) was born in Kent Ohio and attended NYU film school Wendee Lee (born April 29, 1955 in Los Angeles CA) is a prolific American voice actress. (born 1933) is a Japanese artist and scientist Born in Tochigi Prefecture, he attended Tohoku University and graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture is a large Japanese Independent film Studio. It is headquartered in Chiyoda Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group Orion Pictures Corporation was an American company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998 This article is about Manga Entertainment the anime distributor Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.
Language Japanese
Budget ¥1,100,000,000
US$10,000,000
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Akira (アキラ?) (pronounced [ɑkiɺɑ] a-ki-ra) is a 1988 Japanese animated film co-written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo based on his manga of the same name. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Events Michael Jackson 's first film was Moonwalker Top grossing films (U (anime in Japanese, is a Japanese Manga artist and director He is perhaps best known for being the creator of the manga Akira and its anime adaptation, which are extremely is a black and white serial Manga or graphic novel by Katsuhiro Otomo. The film is set in a neon-lit futuristic post-apocalyptic Tokyo in 2019. Neon (ˈniːɒn is the Chemical element that has the symbol Ne and Atomic number 10 officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. 2019 ( MMXIX) will be a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. While most of the character designs and basic settings were directly adapted from the original 2,182 page manga epic, the restructured plot of the movie differs considerably from the print version, pruning much of the last half of the book. Akira is regarded by critics as one of the greatest animated films ever made. While there is no agreement upon the greatest Film of all time many publications and organizations have tried to determine the films considered the greatest ever. [1]

The movie led the way for the growing popularity of anime in the West, with Akira considered a forerunner of the second wave of anime fandom that began in the early 1990s. (anime in Japanese, The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings Fandom (from the noun fan and the affix -dom, as in kingdom, dukedom, etc One of the reasons for the movie's success was the highly advanced quality of its animation. At the time, most anime was notorious for cutting production corners with limited motion, such as having only the characters' mouths move while their faces remained static. Akira broke from this trend with meticulously detailed scenes, exactingly lip-synched dialogue—a first for an anime production (voices were recorded before the animation was completed, rather than the opposite)—and super-fluid motion as realized in the film's more than 160,000 animation cels. Lip-sync or Lip-synch (short for lip Synchronization) is a technical term for matching lip movements with voice A cel, short for Celluloid, is a transparent sheet on which objects are drawn or painted for traditional hand-drawn animation. [2] Notable motifs in the film include youth culture, delinquency, psychic awareness, social unrest and future uncertainty weighed against the historical spectre of nuclear destruction and Japan's post-war economic revival. A delinquent is one who fails to do that which is required by Law or by Duty when such failure is minor in nature The word psychic (ˈsaɪkɨk from the Greek psychikos—"of the soul mental" refers to the claimed ability to perceive things hidden from the normal senses The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were nuclear attacks near the end of World War II against the Empire of Japan by the United States at The film also explores a number of psychological and philosophical themes, such as the nature of corruption, the will to power, and the growth from childhood to maturity both in individuals and the human race itself. The will to power ( German: " Der Wille zur Macht " is a prominent concept in the Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. Elements of Buddhist symbolism are also present in the film. Buddhist symbolism appeared from around the 3rd century BCE and started with aniconic symbolism avoiding direct representations of the Buddha

Contents

Plot summary

The story begins in 1988 in Tokyo, just as the city is destroyed by what seems to be a nuclear explosion. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. A nuclear explosion occurs as a result of the rapid release of energy from an intentionally high-speed Nuclear reaction. International confusion following the incident leads to the start of World War III 9 hours later. World War III (also WWIII, or Third World War) denotes a successor to World War II (1939&ndash1945 that would be on a global scale with

In the year 2019, Neo-Tokyo stands on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. 2019 ( MMXIX) will be a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was. A gang of teenage bikers, led by smug 16-year-old delinquent Shotaro Kaneda, engage the Clowns, a rival gang, in a fight. A motorcycle club (MC is an organized club of dedicated Motorcyclists who join together for Camaraderie, strength of numbers companionship education rider training Character description Known to other characters by his family name the 16-year-old Kaneda is the main protagonist of both the manga and its anime adaptation Tetsuo Shima, Kaneda's best friend, having chased two Clown members into the abandoned Tokyo, finds a child with wizened features blocking his path. Biography Status One of the youngest members of a motorcycle gang led by his best friend Shotaro Kaneda, he initially has problems with being seen The boy, Takashi, had been previously set free from a government facility by a member of the terrorist Resistance, but teleported to the highway after the rescuer was killed by soldiers during a riot. Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion As Tetsuo tries to avoid Takashi, his bike inexplicably explodes. When the gang reaches the scene, several military helicopters also arrive. Led by Colonel Shikishima, armed soldiers take Takashi and the injured Tetsuo away while Kaneda and his friends are arrested. Basic information Colonel Shikishima is the head of the government project previously responsible for unleashing Akira's power

The gang is brought in for questioning; the interrogators are soon convinced the boys are not members of the Resistance. Kaneda recognizes a female Resistance member named Kei from a picture in a book and, finding her attractive, gets the soldiers to release her. Basic information A young woman whom Kaneda meets on his quest to find Tetsuo Kei abruptly leaves the scene, leaving a spurned Kaneda behind. When the boys are returned to their vocational training school, they are harshly disciplined by the school administration.

Meanwhile, Colonel Shikishima, engaged in discussion of a Supreme Executive Council inquiry into Takashi's escape, is summoned by Doctor Onishi, who is monitoring Tetsuo at the government lab. Tetsuo is displaying strong mental frequencies that are reminiscent of something called "Akira," which is related to the explosion that destroyed Tokyo thirty-one years earlier. Doctor Onishi is presumably enhancing Tetsuo's powers with out the colonel's authorization. The Colonel tells him to kill Tetsuo without hesitation, should his power grow beyond control.

Tetsuo escapes and meets up with his girlfriend, Kaori. Role in the story Kaori is a shy caring young girl who is part of the gang's following and a girlfriend to Tetsuo Shima. Deciding to run away together, they steal Kaneda's bike, which stalls just as the two are leaving the city. They are immediately attacked by Clown members, who are about to destroy the bike when Kaneda and his gang show up and defeat them. Tetsuo and Kaneda then enter a confrontation during which Tetsuo declares his longstanding resentment for Kaneda. Tetsuo then has a painful headache accompanied by disturbing hallucinations. A hallucination, in the broadest sense is a Perception in the absence of a stimulus. Scientists and bodyguards, acting on orders of the Doctor, sweep in to recapture Tetsuo and take him away.

That night, as the gang hangs out in the city, they are interrupted by a terrorist attack. Kaneda glimpses Kei and Ryu, and follows as they flee the scene. Kei separates from Ryu and enters the sewers, but is spotted by soldiers; In the scuffle, Kei shoots and kills a soldier. Kei and Kaneda flee the scene.

Meanwhile, Tetsuo remains hospitalized(and is secretly experimented on), dreaming of his childhood and having violent hallucinations. He suddenly wakes, his headache causing a nearby light to shatter.

At the government nursery, Kiyoko, a psionically gifted yet wizened child (an Esper), tells the Colonel that she dreamt of Akira and Neo-Tokyo's destruction. Past The original four The four children were the test subjects of a secret government project (most likely used for military-related purposes which sought to unlock The Colonel and the Doctor agree that it might be Kiyoko's precognition at work, and the Doctor notes that the Supreme Executive Council will want to hear about it. Precognition (from the Latin præ- “prior to” + cognitio “a getting to know” denotes a form of Extrasensory perception where in a person is said to perceive The Colonel travels to Akira's underground cryonic storage chamber, finding all of its systems to be operating normally. Cryonics is the low-temperature Preservation of Humans and other Animals that can no longer be sustained by contemporary Medicine until

Kaneda and Kei make their way to the hideout of the Resistance. The group privately reviews their next assignment: to gain access to a government facility to rescue a new test subject named Tetsuo Shima. After being discovered eavesdropping, Kaneda explains to the suspicious group that he and Tetsuo are friends, and that he can help. After Ryu meets with the Resistance leader Nezu, and they both agree to use Kaneda as a decoy should there be any trouble, the group later decides to bring him along. Basic information A mole in the government who is responsible for Takashi's kidnapping

Appearing before the Supreme Executive Council, the Colonel is angered when the Council members scoff at his requests for further funding for the project, and question his sense of duty as a soldier. The Resistance leader Nezu is revealed to be a Council member and a government mole mentioned earlier in the story. Frustrated by the Council's arguing on better ways to spend the project's budget, the Colonel abruptly leaves the meeting.

In his hospital room at the government facility that night, Tetsuo is attacked by the Espers -- Takashi, Kiyoko, and a third child, Masaru -- who pose as gigantic toys and destroy the room, leaking milk the whole time. Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the Mammary glands of female Mammals (including Monotremes. Tetsuo steps on a glass and cuts his foot which scares away the Espers, who are apparently frightened at the sight of blood. Tetsuo then discovers the location of their nursery nearby. After breaking out of his room, Tetsuo begins traveling to the nursery, killing soldiers and wreaking destruction with his newly discovered psycho kinetic abilities supposedly triggered by the tests performed on him.

Meanwhile, the Resistance group, having made it into the facility disguised as cable workers, is spotted sneaking in the sewers and a chase ensues. During the violent shootout, Kaneda manages to hijack a "flying platform" -- a small aerial vehicle flown by soldiers -- and takes Kei as they flee the scene. Kiyoko possesses Kei and leads Kaneda to the government nursery, where Tetsuo has already arrived. Tetsuo has begun using his mind to attack both the Colonel's army and the Espers. He has learned about Akira and is eager to find out what it is, hoping to make his headaches stop. Using his new powers, Tetsuo escapes and heads for Akira's location beneath the city's Olympic Stadium, currently under construction. Note: Olympic Stadium is in the old Tokyo.

Kei and Kaneda are locked in a holding cell. Kiyoko speaks through Kei once again, warning of Tetsuo's immense and growing power. She also explains that Akira once tried to manipulate all the energy in the universe, but destroyed Tokyo in the process. The cell door becomes unlocked and the two escape.

The Colonel, tired of the Supreme Executive Council trying to arrest him, shoots the messenger and tells all soldiers in Tokyo that they are puppets of corrupt politicians and capitalists. He initiates a coup d'etat, mobilizing his men to the stadium, and also has the members of the Council arrested. Knowing that they're coming for him, the mole Nezu murders his staff and prepares to leave by himself. When Ryu arrives to inform him of the mission's failure, Nezu shoots him believing him to be a traitor and leaves with a briefcase full of money and stock papers. In an alley, Nezu later dies of a heart attack. Ryu, having followed Nezu, also dies from his wounds.

Tetsuo is now wreaking havoc across Neo-Tokyo on his way to the Olympic Stadium, destroying tanks and helicopters. He is followed by a number of people who believe he is Akira. Nearly all the residents of Neo-Tokyo are evacuating the city. Kei, again possessed by Kiyoko, attempts to fight him but is soon thrown aside. When Tetsuo tears Akira's entire cryonic chamber from underground and opens it, he finds nothing left of except dissected organs housed in canisters. The Colonel, speaking through a microphone, tells Tetsuo that scientists froze Akira's remains to study in the future, even though no one understands his powers fully. The Colonel prepares to use their super weapon on Tetsuo.

Making his way though wreckage of the scene, Kaneda, now armed with a laser rifle, confronts Tetsuo, and they begin to fight. Despite the odds appearing in Tetsuo's favor, Kaneda's beam weapon gives him an edge and he manages to hit Tetsuo in the arm. In the middle of the fight, the Colonel activates an orbital weapon called SOL, and its laser beam "removes" Tetsuo's right arm ( where Kaneda hit him)in the process. Space weapons are Weapons used in Space warfare. They include weapons that can attack space systems in orbit (i The Satellite Orbital Laser or SOL, is a fictional Orbital weapon depicted in the Anime film A laser is a device that emits Light ( Electromagnetic radiation) through a process called Stimulated emission. An enraged Tetsuo flies into space and pulls SOL out of orbit, causing it to disintegrate in the atmosphere.

That night, Tetsuo hides out at the Olympic Stadium, where Kaori finds him screaming in pain. He has fashioned a new, apparently mechanical arm, which seems to throb with a life of its own. The Colonel soon appears without any bodyguards, asking Tetsuo to come back to the lab so he can get more medicine, but Tetsuo attacks him. When the Colonel shoots back, Tetsuo's arm transforms into a horrific blob-like mixture of flesh and metal that attempts to swallow and kill the Colonel. Kaneda arrives on his bike and shoots the monstrous appendage, causing it to recede. Meanwhile, the Espers have arrived at the stadium and seem to be communicating with the canisters that Tetsuo took from the cryonic chamber.

Tetsuo and Kaneda fight again. This time Tetsuo is faster,stronger, more deadly and forces Kaneda onto the defensive, only by executing a series of full throttle manoeuvers that keeps Kaneda safe. Kaneda shoots Tetsuo's mechanical arm, but this time, Tetsuo's body swells into a techno-organic like creature composed of his expanding flesh and parts of machinery. Tetsuo's gruesome form engulfs, crushes, and kills Kaori. Kaneda is catapulted and swallowed up inside the form. On the verge of being killed, Kaneda unleashes several bursts of laser fire, allowing him an escape route clear of Tetsuo's body.

Akira's canisters shatter and he suddenly appears, revealed to be a young boy. His arrival triggers another explosion. Kiyoko teleports the Colonel to safety. The explosive energy sphere starts to absorb Tetsuo, who pleads for Kaneda's help. Kaneda, desperate to save his "redeemed" friend, follows Tetsuo into the energy sphere. In an effort to save Kaneda, the Espers decide to enter as well, intending to use their combined powers to free him. Inside Akira's sphere, Kaneda enters expanding and receding waves of the Espers' and Tetsuo's dreams and memories. We get a view of how the Espers got their powers and early Kaneda and Tetsuo lives and how they met. The Espers tell Kaneda that Akira will be sending Tetsuo "away".

Kaneda then seems to be ejected from the inside of Akira's onslaught, awakening outside the explosion upon hearing Kei's voice calling his name, perhaps telepathically communicated by the Espers. The sphere suddenly vanishes and the city is being destroyed when it leaves. Kaneda seems to be telported back to Olympic Stadium where Kei finds him. He catches the light that remains from the Akira's explosion and thanks Kei for "helping" him escape Akira's onslaught.

Neo-Tokyo is destroyed by the violently expanding sphere; buildings are either slanted or destroyed by the event. Streets are gutted and flooded also by the event. Doctor Onishi sees through a measuring device that a universe is being "created" , just as his laboratory collapses, killing him. Kaneda, Kei, Kaisuke (one of Kaneda's friends), and the Colonel survive. The former three meet up at the ruins of the Olympic Stadium, wondering if Tetsuo is truly dead. They ride their damaged bikes across a bridge into the ruined city to start over.

Somewhere, a stylized "big bang" breaches the cosmic darkness and Tetsuo's voice echoes, "I am Tetsuo. "

Characters

Principal cast

Character Japanese English [Streamline] (1989) English [Pioneer] (2001)
Shotaro Kaneda Mitsuo Iwata Cam Clarke (Jimmy Flinders) Johnny Yong Bosch
Tetsuo Shima Nozomu Sasaki Jan Rabson (Stanley Gurd Jr. Character description Known to other characters by his family name the 16-year-old Kaneda is the main protagonist of both the manga and its anime adaptation Mitsuo Iwata (岩田 光央 Iwata Mitsuo, born July 31, 1967) is a Seiyū who was born in Tokorozawa, Saitama. Cameron A Clarke (born November 6, 1957 in Burbank, California) is an American Voice actor, made famous for his many Johnny Yong Bosch (born January 6, 1976) is a American Actor, voice actor, martial artist, and Musician. Biography Status One of the youngest members of a motorcycle gang led by his best friend Shotaro Kaneda, he initially has problems with being seen is a Seiyū who was born January 25, 1967 in Hiroshima. He is a client of the seiyū management firm 81 Produce. Jan Rabson (born 1954 in East Meadow, New York) is an American Actor and Voice actor. ) Joshua Seth
Kei Mami Koyama Lara Cody (Deanna Morris) Wendee Lee
Ryusaku (Roy) Tesshō Genda Steve Kramer (Drew Thomas) Robert Buchholz (Robert Wicks)
Colonel Shikishima Tarō Ishida Tony Pope (Tony Mozdy) Jamieson K. Price (James Lyon)
Doctor Ōnishi Mizuho Suzuki Watney Held Simon Prescott (Simon Isaacson)
Kaori Yuriko Fuchizaki Barbara Goodson (Barbara Larsen) Michelle Ruff (Georgette Rose)
Yamagata Masaaki Ōkura Tony Pope (Tony Mozdy) Michael Lindsay (Dylan Tully)
Kaisuke Takeshi Kusao Bob Bergen Matthew Mercer (Matt 'Masamune' Miller)
Masaru Kazuhiro Kamifuji Bob Bergen Cody MacKenzie
Takashi Tatsuhiko Nakamura Barbara Goodson (Barbara Larsen) Mona Marshall
Kiyoko Fukue Ito Melora Harte (Marilyn Lane) Sandy Fox
Miyako Kōichi Kitamura Steve Kramer (Drew Thomas) unknown
Nezu Hiroshi Ōtake Tony Pope (Tony Mozdy) Mike Reynolds (Ray Michaels)
Inspector Michihiro Ikemizu Bob Bergen unknown
Mitsuru Kuwata Yukimasa Kishino Bob Bergen unknown
Eiichi Watanabe Tarō Arakawa Jan Rabson (Stanley Gurd Jr. Joshua Seth Freedman (born December 2, 1970) was born in Kent Ohio and attended NYU film school Basic information A young woman whom Kaneda meets on his quest to find Tetsuo Mami Koyama (小山 茉美 Koyama Mami, born January 17, 1955) is a veteran Seiyū who was born in Nishio Aichi. Laura Ann Cody (born September 8, 1957 in Los Angeles California) better known as Lara Cody, is an American voice actress Wendee Lee (born April 29, 1955 in Los Angeles CA) is a prolific American voice actress. Character Description Generally seen with Kei, Ryu is a key member of a resistance group against the government is a Seiyū, or Voice actor who was born in Okayama Prefecture, Japan on May 20, 1948. Steven M Kramer (born December 24, 1950 in San Juan Capistrano CA) is an American voice actor for many Anime titles Bob Buchholz is a voice actor writer story editor and voice director Basic information Colonel Shikishima is the head of the government project previously responsible for unleashing Akira's power Taro Ishida (石田 太郎 Ishida Tarō, born March 16, 1944) is a Japanese Seiyū and Actor who was born in Kyoto Anthony Pope (March 22 1947 - February 11, 2004) was a voice actor Jamieson Kent Price (Born April 28, 1961 in West Palm Beach Florida) is an American voice actor he is most well known for his deep and booming Simon Prescott is an American Actor, known primarily for Voice acting work in Anime and Video games. Role in the story Kaori is a shy caring young girl who is part of the gang's following and a girlfriend to Tetsuo Shima. is a veteran Seiyū from Tokyo who is a member of Re-max Notable voice roles Anthy Himemiya in Revolutionary Girl Utena Barbara D Goodson Gustafson (born August 16, 1949 in Brooklyn, New York) is an experienced American voice actress known for Michelle Suzanne Ruff (Born September 27, 1967 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American voice actress known for her work in Basic information Yamagata often criticizes Tetsuo and this leads to some hard feelings which eventually determine his fate Anthony Pope (March 22 1947 - February 11, 2004) was a voice actor Michael Lindsay is the name of a voice actor who also goes by the name of Dylan Tully Character Description Kai is a short-statured teenager who is a member of the motorcycle gang The Capsules. is a Seiyū who was born on November 20, 1965 in Saitama. He works for Aoni Production. Bob Bergen (born March 8, 1964 in St Louis Missouri) is an American Voice actor. Past The original four The four children were the test subjects of a secret government project (most likely used for military-related purposes which sought to unlock Bob Bergen (born March 8, 1964 in St Louis Missouri) is an American Voice actor. Past The original four The four children were the test subjects of a secret government project (most likely used for military-related purposes which sought to unlock Barbara D Goodson Gustafson (born August 16, 1949 in Brooklyn, New York) is an experienced American voice actress known for Mona Marshall (born Mona M Ianotti on August 31, 1947) is an American Voice actress. Past The original four The four children were the test subjects of a secret government project (most likely used for military-related purposes which sought to unlock Melora I Harte (born October 29, 1943 in Los Angeles CA) is an American Voice actress. Sandy Fox is an American Voice actress who has had numerous roles in various Animated cartoon and Japanese Anime series and Video games Past The original four The four children were the test subjects of a secret government project (most likely used for military-related purposes which sought to unlock real name ( December 18, 1931 - October 2, 2007) was a japanese Seiyū. Steven M Kramer (born December 24, 1950 in San Juan Capistrano CA) is an American voice actor for many Anime titles Basic information A mole in the government who is responsible for Takashi's kidnapping is a veteran Seiyuu born in Tokyo. He is currently represented by Gin Production. Anthony Pope (March 22 1947 - February 11, 2004) was a voice actor Michael Lee Reynolds (1930- is a voice actor who is also known as Mike L This is about the police rank/position For the use in graphical user interfaces see Inspector window. is a veteran Seiyū from Kanagawa Prefecture and a graduate of Waseda University who works for Aoni Production. Bob Bergen (born March 8, 1964 in St Louis Missouri) is an American Voice actor. is a Seiyū who was born on October 21, 1955 in Tokyo. Notable voice roles Brad Wong in Dead or Alive 3/Dead or Bob Bergen (born March 8, 1964 in St Louis Missouri) is an American Voice actor. Jan Rabson (born 1954 in East Meadow, New York) is an American Actor and Voice actor. ) unknown
Yūji Takeyama Masato Hirano Eddie Frierson (Christopher Mathewson) unknown
Army Kazumi Tanaka Steve Kramer (Drew Thomas) Kurt P. Edward Davies Frierson (born November 22, 1959 in Sherman Oaks, California) is an American voice actor and stage actor who is also An army (from Latin Armata "act of arming" via Old French armée) in the broadest sense is the land-based Armed forces ( August 11, 1951 &ndash December 20, 2007) was a male Seiyū (voice actor from Suginami Tokyo, Japan Steven M Kramer (born December 24, 1950 in San Juan Capistrano CA) is an American voice actor for many Anime titles Wimberger
Harukiya bartender Yōsuke Akimoto Bob Bergen John Snyder (Ivan Buckley)

Production

Akira Committee was the name given to a partnership of several major Japanese entertainment companies brought together to realize production of Akira. Daniel E Woren (Born January 8, 1952 in San Diego, California) is an American Voice actor who is also known as Jackson Edward Davies Frierson (born November 22, 1959 in Sherman Oaks, California) is an American voice actor and stage actor who is also Anthony Pope (March 22 1947 - February 11, 2004) was a voice actor The group's assembly was necessitated by the unconventionally high budget and ambitious scale of the cinematic project, in order to achieve the desired epic standard equal to Otomo's manga tale.

Akira Committee consisted of:[2]

The film was completed and released in 1988, two years before the manga storyline officially ended in 1990. Otomo had immense difficulty completing the manga; he has stated that the inspiration for its conclusion arose from a conversation that he had with Alejandro Jodorowsky in 1990, but Jodorowsky cannot recall what he said to Otomo. Alejandro Jodorowsky (ɑːlɛˈxɑːndrɒ jɒdɒˈrɒvskiː (born February 7 1929 in Tocopilla, Chile, of a Jewish Russian (Ukranian immigrant family

Katsuhiro Otomo is a big fan of the classic 1950s manga Tetsujin-28 (Ironman-28, known as Gigantor in the US). Gigantor is the American adaptation of the Anime version of Tetsujin 28-go, a Manga by Mitsuteru Yokoyama released in 1956. As a result, his naming conventions match the characters featured in Tetsujin-28: Kaneda shares his name with the protagonist of Tetsujin-28; Colonel Shikishima shares his name with Professor Shikishima of Tetsujin-28. , while Tetsuo is named after Shikishima's son Tetsuo Shikishima; Akira's Ryūsaku is named after Tetsujin's Ryūsaku Murasame. In addition, Takashi has a "26" tattooed on his hand which closely resembles the font used in Tetsujin-28. A tattoo is a permanent marking made by inserting ink into the layers of Skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons The namesake of the anime, Akira, is the 28th in a line of psychics that the government has developed, the same number as Tetsujin-28.

The sound of Kaneda's bike engine was produced by compositing the engine sound of a 1929 Harley-Davidson motorcycle with a jet engine. Harley-Davidson Motor Company ( formerly HDI is an American manufacturer of Motorcycles based in Milwaukee Wisconsin.

In the early 1990s, Kodansha Ltd. was in negotiation with Sony Pictures to produce a live-action remake of the film. Talk circulated again a decade later,[3] but the project has yet to materialize. Rumors circulated that the project was cancelled in both instances when the projected budget for the film was upwards of $300 million. Recent talks have begun again as Warner Brothers has signed on to produce the movie with Stephen Norrington (writer) and Jon Peters (producer). Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and Stephen Norrington (born 1964 London) is a Film director whose credits include Death Machine and the Comic book adaptations For other uses see John Peters. Jon Pagano Peters (born on 2 June 1945 in Van Nuys California to Jack Peters [1]

Film

Main article: Akira (2009 film)

Akira will be developed into two live action films with the first scheduled for a summer 2009 release. is a black and white serial Manga or graphic novel by Katsuhiro Otomo. [4] Warner Brothers and Apian Way will adapt the two movies from the manga, with each one covering three volumes. Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (or Warner Bros, Warner Bros Pictures) is one of the world's largest producers of Film and Akira will be Ruairi Robinson's directorial debut for a feature film. Ruairi Robinson is an Academy Award -nominated Irish film director and writer He was nominated for an short film Oscar in 2002 for Fifty Percent Grey. Gary Whitta is writing the script. Andrew Lazar, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jennifer Davisson will produce the film. Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (born November 11 1974 is a three-time Academy Award -nominated and Golden Globe -winning American film actor. No announcement has been made regarding the cast.

Releases

The original July 16, 1988 release by Toho in Japan set attendance records for an animated film. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) Fledgling North American distribution company Streamline Pictures soon acquired an existing English-language rendition (originally dubbed for the Hong Kong market)[5] which saw limited release in North American theatres from late 1989 throughout 1990. Streamline Pictures was an American distribution company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Streamline is reported to have become the film's distributor when both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg labelled it unmarketable in the U. George Walton Lucas Jr (born May 14, 1944) is an Academy Award -winning American Film director, producer, Screenwriter Steven Allan Spielberg, KBE (Hon (born December 18 1946 is an American Film director, Screenwriter and producer. S. [6] VHS releases included the initial Streamline Video offering (May 1991), later wider distribution by MGM/UA Home Video, and a subtitled edition from Orion Home Video (September 1993). MGM Home Entertainment is the Home video and DVD distribution arm of MGM. Orion Pictures Corporation was an American company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998 The Criterion Collection released a laserdisc edition in 1993, and Pioneer Entertainment issued a DVD and a VHS with a new English dub in 2001. The Criterion Collection is a Privately held company that distributes "authoritative" consumer versions of "important classic and contemporary films"

In the UK, Akira was theatrically released by ICA Projects on 25th January 1991, and then on video by Island World Communications later that year. The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA is a Modern art centre on The Mall in London, England. The success of this release lead to the creation of Manga Entertainment, who later took over the release. This article is about Manga Entertainment the anime distributor In 2002, Manga released a two-disc DVD featuring the new Pioneer English dub followed in 2004 by another two-disc set containing the original Japanese as well as both the Streamline and Pioneer dubs. This version did not contain standard English subtitles, only closed captioning subtitles. Closed captioning is a term describing several systems developed to display text on a Television or Video screen to provide additional or interpretive In 2005 Manga Entertainment and Boulevard UMD released Akira on UMD for the Sony PSP (Playstation Portable) using the original Streamline English dub. The Universal Media Disc ( UMD) is an Optical disc medium developed by Sony for use on the PlayStation Portable. The PlayStation Portable (officially abbreviated PSP) is a Handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment.

In 1988 Taito released an Akira adventure game for the Famicom. The is a Japanese developer of Video game software and arcade hardware wholly-owned by RPG publisher Square Enix. is a graphic adventure game based on the 1988 animated movie adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo 's epic manga. The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by [7] An Akira game for the Super Famicom was cancelled and never released. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) is a 16-bit Video game console that was International Computer Entertainment produced a video game based on Akira for the Amiga and Amiga CD32 in the 1994. The Amiga is a family of Personal computers originally developed by Amiga Corporation. The Amiga CD32 was the first 32-bit CD-ROM based Video game console released in western Europe and Canada [8] To coincide with the DVD release in 2002, Bandai released Akira Psycho Ball, a pinball simulator for the PlayStation 2. is a Japanese Toy making company as well as the producer of a large number of Plastic model kits Akira Psycho Ball (アキラ・サイコ・ボール is a 2002 digital pinball game based on the popular 1989 Akira Anime film directed by Pinball is a type of coin-operated Arcade game where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more Metal balls on a playfield inside a Glass [9]

DVDs

DVD features

The available DVD releases of the movie each have their own particular features, including a 'making of'.

Special Edition

For the 2-disc Region 1 Special Edition DVD:

Disc 1

  • Akira Remastered version
  • Scene Selection
  • English 5. DVD video discs may be encoded with a region code restricting the area of the world in which they can be played 1 Surround
  • Original Japanese 2. 0 Surround
  • Subtitles: English
  • Capsule Option - English translation of graffiti and signs

Disc 2

  • Production Report (The Making of Akira)
  • Sound Clip (a documentary on the creation of the soundtrack)
  • Director's Interview (conducted in 1988)
  • Production Materials
  • Restoring Akira, a Documentary
  • Akira Glossary A-Z

UK Collectors Edition

UK Ultimate Edition

Disc 1

  • Remastered (Streamline Pictures Edition) 16:9 version
  • English (Pioneer Entertainment dub) 5. Streamline Pictures was an American distribution company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation The aspect ratio of an Image is its width divided by its height 1
  • Japanese 2. 0
  • English Hard-of-hearing subtitles

Disc 2

Blu-ray Edition

A Blu-ray edition of the movie was expected to be released in summer of 2007[10]. The aspect ratio of an Image is its width divided by its height Streamline Pictures was an American distribution company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. It has now been delayed towards late 2008. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

Soundtrack

Akira: Original Soundtrack
Akira: Original Soundtrack cover
Soundtrack by Geinō Yamashirogumi (芸能山城組)
Released 1990
Recorded 1988
Length 69:31
Label Demon Records
Producer Shoji Yamashiro

Akira: Original Soundtrack was recorded by Geinō Yamashirogumi (芸能山城組). Geinoh Yamashirogumi ( Japanese: 芸能山城組 Geinō Yamashirogumi) is a Japanese musical collective founded on January 19 1974 by Shoji Yamashiro In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music After Jake Rivera previously started Stiff Records, Radar Records and F-Beat Records, he founded Demon Records with Andrew Lauder In the Music industry, a record producer or music producer has many roles among them controlling the recording sessions coaching and guiding the musicians organizing (born 1933) is a Japanese artist and scientist Born in Tochigi Prefecture, he attended Tohoku University and graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture Geinoh Yamashirogumi ( Japanese: 芸能山城組 Geinō Yamashirogumi) is a Japanese musical collective founded on January 19 1974 by Shoji Yamashiro The music was composed and conducted by musical director Shoji Yamashiro. (born 1933) is a Japanese artist and scientist Born in Tochigi Prefecture, he attended Tohoku University and graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture It features music which was additionally rerecorded for release. "Kaneda", "Battle Against Clown" and "Exodus From the Underground Fortress" are really part of the same song cycle – elements of "Battle" can be heard during the opening bike sequence, for example. The score is generally sequenced in the same order that the music occurs in the film.

A second soundtrack was released featuring the original music without rerecording, but also including sound effects and dialogue from the film; the recording was probably a direct transfer from the film.

Track listing

  1. "Kaneda" – 3:10
  2. "Battle Against Clown" – 3:36
  3. "Winds Over Neo-Tokyo" – 2:48
  4. "Tetsuo" – 10:18
  5. "Doll's Polyphony" – 2:55
  6. "Shohmyoh" – 10:10
  7. "Mutation" – 4:50
  8. "Exodus From the Underground Fortress" – 3:18
  9. "Illusion" – 13:56
  10. "Requiem" – 14:25

Second Soundtrack Track listing

  1. "Kaneda" – 9:56
  2. "Tetsuo 1" – 12:36
  3. "Tetsuo 2" – 12:33
  4. "Akira" – 7:56

Differences between the anime and manga

Although they feature the same characters, premise and themes, the anime and manga versions of the story are quite different. Apart from numerous details of plot, very few scenes or lines play out the same way in both versions.

Katsuhiro Otomo decried his fame and said that his conclusion of Akira was false in both the Japanese and American editions, and that he could never truly finish his epic. Nevertheless, Akira is widely considered a masterpiece of graphic storytelling.

Critical reception

Roger Ebert selected Akira as his "Video Pick of the Week" in 1989 on Siskel & Ebert and the Movies. Roger Joseph Ebert (iːbɝt born June 18, 1942) is an American film critic and Screenwriter. For its wider 2001 release, he gave the film "Thumbs Up".

Source Reviewer Grade / Score Notes
Anime News Network Bamboo Dong Overall (dub): A
Overall (sub): A-		 DVD/Movie Review of Limited Edition Metal DVD Case
AnimeOnDVD Chris Beveridge Content: A
Audio: A+
Video: N/A
Packaging: A+
Menus: A+
Extras: A+		 DVD/Movie Review of Special Edition
THEM Anime Reviews Raphael See 4 out of 5 Movie Review (1 of 2 reviews)

References in other media

Main article: Akira in popular culture

See also

References

  1. ^ Akira - Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes
  2. ^ a b Production insights, Akira #3 (Epic Comics, 1988). is a graphic adventure game based on the 1988 animated movie adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo 's epic manga. Freedom Project is a Japanese promotional project by Nissin Cup Noodles for their 35th anniversary in 2006 Epic Comics was a creator-owned Imprint of Marvel Comics started in 1982 lasting through the mid-1990s and being briefly revived on a small scale in the mid-2000s
  3. ^ Linder, Brian et al. "Akira (Live Action)", IGN, April 12, 2002, retrieved October 24, 2006
  4. ^ [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-02-20/warner-leonardo-dicaprio-to-produce-akira-live-action Warner, Leonardo DiCaprio to Produce Live-Action Akira
  5. ^ Interviews with Streamline Pictures' co-founders Carl Macek and Jerry Beck in Protoculture Addicts #9 (November 1990), and company spotlight in Protoculture Addicts #18 (July 1992). Carl Macek (born 1951 in Pittsburgh) is an American writer and controversial Anime pioneer and producer of the 1980s and 1990s Jerry Beck (born February 9, 1955) is a well known animation historian with ten books and numerous articles to his Protoculture Addicts is a North American Anime and Manga magazine
  6. ^ "Otomo Takes Manhattan", MARVEL AGE #100 (Marvel Comics, May 1991). Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc
  7. ^ Review of the NES/Famicom game by Mobygames.com
  8. ^ Review of the AmigaCD game by Mobygames.com
  9. ^ Review of the Akira pinball simulator by Tothegame.com
  10. ^ http://www.i4u.com/article8301.html

External links

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic