2. Jake Corona: Storyline, Major Themes
Thuy Ly: Overview, Technical Aspect, Cultural Aspects
Evan Punongbayan: PowerPoint, Introductions to film and Text, Characters, Movie Clip

3. Manga Series
The movie, Akira, is based on a Japanese manga
series created by Katsuhiro Otomo. Manga are
simply comic books that correspond to a
Japanese style, which originated in the mid-
1900s. Part of manga's popularity is the
diversity to attract any kind of audience. The
Akira series ran from 1982-1990, and totaled
more than 2000 pages. Like most popular
manga, an animated version was created. While
working on the manga, Katsuhiro Otomo agreed
to an anime adaption which was created in
1988. Otomo was the director, writer, designer,
and illustrator for the anime movie. With his
creative control, he focused primarily on the
first half of the comic book series.

4. Inspiration
Otomo absorbed many influences in his
life,which inspired the making of Akira. Otomo
held a fanatical love for movies since he was a
child, where he would often travel over three
hours on a train to a bigger city in Japan to
watch films. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Five
Easy Pieces (1970) were two big inspirations in
making Akira. He was also deeply impressed
with the cityscape of New York, where he and
his wife went on their honeymoon. His
impression on New York was easily translated
with his imagination of Neo-Tokyo. Katsuhiro
Otomo is a big fan of the animated robot show
Tetsujin 28-go. His love for the show resulted in
naming his Akira characters similarly to the
Tetsujin 28-go characters.

5. Technical Aspects
Akira was created with
approximately 160,000
animation cels. Everything
was completely hand-drawn
and hand-painted. It was also
the first anime to incorporate
lip-synched dialogue along
with different facial
expression for the characters.
Akira is one of the most fluid
and detail animation of all
time.

6. Storyline: Beginning
The film begins with a nuclear blast that destroys the city of Tokyo in 1988. The
story takes place 31 years later, 2019, after World War III in the city of Neo-Tokyo.
It's a city of neon lights, technology and science inhabited by corrupt politicians,
street gangs, and revolutionist groups. Kaneda is a leader of a biker gang called the
Capsules made up of misfits including his best friend Tetsuo. While wreaking
havoc throughout the city, the Capsules run into a rival biker gang that causes
more havoc. During this chase between both biker gangs, Tetsuo collides with an
odd looking boy. Unfortunately for Tetsuo, he becomes a secret experimental
project known as Akira and is taken away with the kid by the government.
Opening Scene- Click to Play
Bike Scene – Click to Play

7. Storyline: Middle
Tetsuo is not feeling well. Along with the blaring headaches echoing the name
"Akira", he has some gruesome hallucinations of the earth crumbling and his guts
spilling out. Kaneda, on his way to save Tetsuo, runs into a group of anti-
government activists who are looking to disrupt the AKIRA project and see what
dark secrets the government are hiding. Kaneda and the activists agree to work
together. The odd looking boy in the accident turns out to be an Esper, a child with
psychic powers. In fear of Tetsuo's growing abilities, the Esper children
unsuccessfully attempt to kill him. Realizing the powers he holds, Tetsuo prepares
to create chaos on the world that has oppressed him. Tetsuo eventually discovers
the location of Akira and is eager to find out what he is and hoping it can make his
headaches go away.

8. Tetsuo
Tetsuo is meek, anxious, and is often quick to
anger. His unstable personality is a result of
the pain he suffered as a child: abandoned by
his parents and resented bysociety. When
Tetsuo discovers his telekinetic abilities, he
displays more of his stubbornness and
naivety. The more he discovers his newfound
abilities, the more he ignores the warnings of
his strange, uncontrollablepowers. Tetsuo
uses his powers by causing massive damage
throughout Neo-Tokyo. Tetsuo's feelings
towards the mistreatment he felt throughout
his life was his overwhelming purpose to
seek destruction.

9. Kaneda
Kaneda is the leader of the gang of bikers
known as the Capsules. He is arrogant,
confident, carefree, and defiant. He shows no
respect for people outside of his gang,
especially authorities. Hisfriends would
describe him hot-headed, but loyal. Kaneda
is willing to defend and fight for all of his
friends. His main objective in the movie was
to help Tetsuo, but upon hearing the news of
Tetsuo's malicious crime of killing a mutual
friend, Kaneda intends to kill Tetsuo.

10. The Espers and Akira
The Espers are a trio of close psychic
childrenwho have been been part of a
secretgovernment project designed to acquire
their psychic powers. Although the Espers are
children, their bodies take on a wizened
appearance due to the special drugs designed to
inhibit their psychic growth. They are all selfless
and caring, and they often look out for each
other.
Akira is also a young child recruited by the government for his psychic
powers. He befriended the other Espers, but his powers were so much
greater. His great powers destroyed the original Tokyo. As a result, Akira
was taken by the scientists and was dissected to discover the cause of his
sudden psychic growth. Akira is described as "the ultimate form of
human evolution, and the consequences of humans trying to evolve too
early by taking biological shortcuts.” Throughout the film, Tetsuo's quest
is to find Akira.

11. Storyline: End
Using his powers Tetsuo kills anyone who tries to stop him from finding Akira,
who is located in Neo-Tokyo's Olympic Stadium. When Tetsuo finally discovers
Akira, he could only find his dissected body parts housed in individual canisters. A
disappointed Tetsuo is confronted by Kaneda who is angered by the news of his
friend's death caused by Tetsuo. Kaneda unsuccessfully attempts to defeat Tetsuo.
However, Tetsuo is in great pain due to his intense powers. Unable to control his
powers any longer, Tetsuo's body begins to morph into a giant mutation. The
three Espers arrive at the stadium to awaken Akira which triggers a giant
explosion. Kaneda wakes up after experiencing the childhood memories of Akira
and Tetsuo. In the darkness, a big bang is initiated with a voice speaking out, "I am
Tetsuo."
Kaneda vs. Tetsuo – Click to Play

12. Cultural Aspects: Cyberculture
In the 1980s,Japanese society begin to revolutionize information by using
technology to speed up data exchange. This Lead to Cultural Anxieties. Japanese
citizens were concerned that this new society would turn into a controlled
society. Writers begin to predict the impact by creating cyberpunk genre such as
Akira. Japan expansion into an information society transformed its economic &
social structures. In 1998 Japan’s Internet market was the second largest in the
world.

13. Cultural Aspects: Post-War
After WWII, Japan was faced with economic tragedy dealing with inflation and
unemployment rate. The future of Japan was unclear and citizens were worried about
the problem with nuclear weapons. Japan was struggling to control and maintain its
own nation. Eventually, Japan financially recovered due to the significant impact of
the Japanese government.

14. Theme: Corruption of Power
There is corruption within Tetsuo is also an example of the
thegovernment of Neo-tokyo and corruption of power. He was a weak
Nezu is the ringleader. Nezu is a character who often relied on Kaneda
parliament member who is also the and his friends to protect him from
leader of the terrorist resistance harm. Tetsuo admired Kaneda, but his
movement against the government, aspiration is also a bit of jealously.
but he has allegiance with neither. He When Tetsuo realizes his newfound
does this so he can have all the power powers, he denies any help for he
if the rebellion is successful. When could protect himself now. His hunger
things start falling apart, his avarice for more power caused him to lose his
kicks in and tries to leave the city control over his powers, which
with a briefcase full of money. resulted in his destruction.

15. Theme: Rebellion
A key theme is rebellion against society. Rebellion
runs rampant in the streets of Neo-tokyo,
resulting in an intense amount of violence at all
levels of human interaction. Throughout the
movie, rebellion is seen from criminal acts of
juvenile delinquency to gunfights and to military
and paranormal confrontation. The Capsules, led
by Kaneda, generally don’t care about anyone and
they wreak havoc on innocent bystanders. In
numerous occasions, they are disrespectful to
authorities and adults in general. Then, there are
the members of the Resistance movement. They
are a group of people who believe the government
is up to no good, so they stage numerous terrorist
attacks to disrupt the government’s plans.

16. Theme: Technology
Technology is the source of all the
catastrophe happening in Neo-Tokyo. The
original Tokyo was first destroyed because of
Akira’s extraordinary powers. His powers
were a government project conducted by
scientists. Tetsuo’s powers were also a result
of a secret project. The government wanted
control over Tetsuo’s powers, so he could be
used as a human weapon. As a result, the
combination of Tetsuo’s abuse of his powers
and the government’s insistence to control it
destroys Neo-Tokyo. Akira and Tetsuo
embodies the fear of technological weaponry
and the inability to control what we create.

17. Akira Parallel to Japan
Akira is a film that tries to present
the postwar society of Japan. It uses
current experiences in Japan to
predict the future that contains
advance technology. Akira portrays
a tale about government corruption
and power that leads to civilian
rebelling. It also showed Japan’s
cultural concern and economic
growth. The film outcome about
Japan demolishing due to
technology is fictional instead, it
strengthen Japan’s society.

18. Works Cited
"Adolescence and Evolution in Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira (1988)." Culturbia. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
"Akira, Anime, World War II, & Apocalypse." N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
"Akira: The Story Behind The Film." (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
Aoun, Steven. "Akira: Special Edition." Metro Magazine135 (2003): 266+. Fine Arts and Music Collection.
Web. 24 Feb. 2013.
Babcock, Joseph. "Ready to Explode: Exploring the Cyber-Culture and Cyber-Fear of Japan in Anime." Duke
University. Thompson Writing Program, 2004. Web. 3 Feb. 2013.
Brouillette, Sydney. "AKIRA: The Corruption of Power." Sydney Brouillette- The Anime Blog. N.p., 8 Sept.
2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.
"Comics, Cartoons, and Animation." Communication Booknotes Quarterly. 30.3 (1999). Print.
Douglas, Miguel. "Akira-Review." ISugoi. N.p. 08 Mar. 2012. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
Hilty, Greg, and AlonaPardo. "Biographies." Watch Me Move: The Animation Show. London: Merrell, 2011.
209. Print.
Napier, Susan J. "Panic sites: The Japanese imagination of disaster from Godzilla to Akira." Journal of
Japanese Studies 19.2 (1993): 327-351.
Sabin, Roger. "International Influences." Comics, Comix& Graphic Novels. London: Phaidon, 1996. 230-31.
Print.
Todd. "Akira€“ 1988 / Director: Katsuhiro Otomo." N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.