In 1988, Akira was released as a dark vision of a metropolis consumed by crime and nihilism where the population might not be wise to place their faith in a powerful and mysterious figure that isn't the savior they need. As shown by the success of The Batman earlier this year, this kind of story never stopped being resonant with contemporary audiences.
Not only is it still relevant to modern movie fans but Akira also remains one of the most vivid and fascinating cyberpunk movies ever created as well as a visual masterpiece. This is no coincidence, as the story of how Akira was created and its legacy are just as interesting. These are some of the details worth knowing for fans of the movie.
Akira Is One Man's Vision
Originally a manga, Akira was created and drawn by Katsuhiro Otomo beginning in 1982, whose story of biker gangs, revolutionary elements, and the bumbling Neo-Tokyo leadership amidst the rise of an unstable and terrifyingly powerful Tetsuo Shima immediately captured the audiences' imaginations. One of the first manga to be fully translated to English, it was obvious Otomo was onto something special.
When the idea of a movie was suggested later in the decade, Otomo was interested and wanted to retain a high degree of control over the characters and setting he had created. Co-written by screenwriter Izo Hashimoto, production went ahead with Otomo as director, though he'd never directed a feature-length movie before.
Akira Is Inspired By 1970s Japan
In the 1970s, a young Otomo found himself fascinated by the bustling world of Tokyo during that era. As reported in Empire, Otomo drew inspiration from the best and worst of Tokyo at the time from the gangs and homelessness to the thriving political movements that made the city lively.
Another inspiration was the 1964 Olympics held in Japan, which features most obviously in Akira as the ill-fated 2020 Olympics, both designed to symbolize the nation's reconstruction and reinvigoration though with a very different outcome in the fictional version. These rich inspirations led to one of the most well-realized fictional settings in movies.
The Movie's Creation Began With The Ending
Although the movie was released in 1988, Otomo's Akira manga was still ongoing and wouldn't receive its conclusion for another 2 years after that. As a result, it was necessary to think of an ending just for the movie so that they would know which parts of the much more expansive manga could be covered.
As a result, the ending of the movie differs massively from the manga ending and although they aren't worlds apart, it's arguable that the enigmatic ending of the movie gives a very different effect and overall message. It's not the first screen adaptation with an ending that differs massively in tone from the original, however.
People Said Making The Akira Movie Would Be Impossible
Otomo's vision for the movie included a Neo-Tokyo even more richly realized than the one that had made the manga so distinctive. Otomo explained his vision to the art director and even drew an example of an animated setting filled with the kind of detail usually only seen in live-action movie sets.
As told in Empire, his ambition was dismissed as being impossible and he was told that this kind of detail was simply unrealistic. As the setting was a huge part of what made the movie so successful, Otomo's ambition paid off. This wasn't the only time the movie was written off with NME reporting that both Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas turned down the rights to the movie as unmarketable in the west.
Akira Had A Huge Budget
Although Otomo's vision for Akira may have seemed enviable to many, the movie's almost unprecedented budget, which stretched to ¥700 million, made it possible. For a long time, the scale of its production led to a misnomer that the budget had gone well over 1 billion yen, or about $9m at the time, which would have made it the most expensive anime movie made at that point.
However, as Crunchyroll has reported, this figure has been disputed by industry insiders. What is known for sure is that the movie had a huge staff dedicated to bringing the movie to life and that they were able to make use of full 12-24FPS animation and CGI which were both huge bonuses in that era that only made the movie even more timeless.
Akira's Soundtrack Took Inspiration From Traditional Indonesian Music
It's impossible not to notice that the soundtrack for Akira is incredibly unique. A huge part of this is the influence of traditional Gamelan music from Indonesia, which has a rich history and is connected with Javanese mythology. It is largely percussive, which explains why the Akira soundtrack makes it feel like such a uniquely atmospheric anime movie.
Performed by the Geinoh Yamashirogumi, a music collective made up of hundreds of people from all professions and famous for recreating folk music of the world, the soundtrack also draws inspiration from traditional Japanese Noh music. The Akira soundtrack is the only time the collective has contributed to a movie soundtrack, which only makes it more unique.
Akira Has More Than One Official English Dub
Although the original dubbing of Akira into English was hugely important in allowing the movie to reach a new worldwide audience, a lot of which was still unfamiliar even with the concept of anime or animated movies aimed at an adult audience, it did leave some things to be desired in terms of accuracy.
A decade after its original release, the visuals and soundtrack also felt outdated. This led to Pioneer entertainment issuing a new version for DVD and VHS with an entirely new, more accuracy-focused dub and a new cast, which is why two different versions sometimes get confused even to this day. A great English dub for an anime can make a huge difference so it's one element they were smart to update.
There Are Some High Profile Akira Fans
Many are aware that Kanye West is a fan of the iconic cyberpunk movie and it heavily inspired the music video for "Stronger" but there are plenty of other famous Akira fans and nods to the anime in pop culture. Many western directors have acknowledged the influence of Akira on their work with Josh Trank telling Gizmodo that it was a major influence on the movie Chronicle.
South Park and Rick and Morty have also both paid tribute to the legendary movie, with the latter featuring an episode, “Edge of Tomorty: Rick Die Rickpeat”, where Morty has a similar arc to Tetsuo in the movie. Additionally, the famous "Akira slide", in which Kaneda performs a smooth drift to bring his bike to a halt ahead of the camera, has been featured in a variety of media, not least the X-Men franchise.
Akira May Still Be Adapted For Live-Action
As reported by IGN at the time, Warner Bros. has held the rights to a live-action Akira movie since the 2000s so it's surprising that one still hasn't arisen yet. Though there have been attempts to get such a project off the ground, most recently with director Taika Waititi expressing his determination to bring one to fruition, such an ambitious project doesn't get made easily.
Since the desire is still there and the draw of the movie hasn't faded much, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see one made in the future. With Thor: Love and Thunder, the project that Waititi had to prioritize over Akira, soon to be released, it could happen relatively soon if his Star Wars commitments don't get in the way.
Akira Can Now Be Enjoyed In 4K
Over the years, Akira has continued to be updated and re-released with higher quality visuals and audio to the delight of fans of the beloved movie. Most recently, in 2020 a 4K remaster was produced that received theatrical runs in the UK and North America, including IMAX theaters, allowing audiences to see the movie in a higher quality than ever before.
For fans of the movie who sadly missed out on that run, Akira can be purchased in 4K UHD, meaning that anyone can enjoy Otomo's masterpiece in the quality it deserves.