Guide Note

Akira is a 1988 Japanese Anime movie based on the manga comic book of the same name.

Fast Facts

1. Written: Katsuhiro Otomo and Izō Hashimoto
2. Directed: Katsuhiro Otomo
3. Run Time: 124 min.
4. Manga created, written and drawn by Katsuhiro Otomo
5. Rated R for realistically animated violence and nudity
6. The film's 2001 DVD restoration and re-release reportedly cost $1 million

The film begins in 2019 Tokyo, Japan. Two long time friends Kaneda and Tetsuo are in a motorcycle gang. Kaneda is the leader of the gang and always brags about how nice his bike is. He teases Tetsuo but is also protective of him. Tetsuo feels inferior to his friend and envies him his power.

During a gang fight Tetsuo collides with a young boy who looks like an old man on his motorcycle explodes. The gang is arrested and questioned by the government for fear that they may be associated with a revolution groups. They are released soon after.

Strange things start happening to Tetsuo, he has headaches, experiences strange hallucinations and things began to explode around him. His envy for Kaneda causes them to fight. Tetsuo gets stronger but starts to lose control of himself.