Akira

- Akira-

Akira offers up a stong warning to mankind, in that it strives to illustrate that we will always be victim to the Karmic consequences of our own actions (this was also a favourite theme of William Shakespeare).

-Akira-

Katsuhiro Otomo postulates within Akira that man has the power to use and harness the Universe as an infinite source of power and enlightenment or alternatively as catalyist for total destruction.

Takashi

Katsuhiro Otomo also shows us that the forces of nature are immense, inspiring and mysterious.

Two of the recent Australian DVD covers which illustrate the potential for disaster in our world.

Tetsuo struggles with his power

In essence, the possibility of mans manipulation and harnessing of the cosmic forces within the Universe is infact the act of actually tapping into the very energy of God itself.

Covers of the Akira Manga released in the U.S.A by "Epic Comics".

Akira is set in Neo-Tokyo in the year 2019.

The huge metropolis has been constructed after the devestation of Japan in the Third World War.

The setting of Neo-Tokyo is a symbol for the possibility of Japans horrific war time bombings once again being repeated.

Three of the Australian video releases.

*The video on the far right is the original version, with the first English dialogue (which was highly criticised).

*The video on the far left was the expensive double video release. One tape is in English and the other is in subtitled Japanese. The original price of this video set was $74.95 (Australian).

*Both the original and the twin pack set are now "hot" collectors items.

The original English "dub" (1991) was criticised for its watering down of the "gritty" dialogue as well as its miscasting of key voice actors. The later 2001 version won universal praise as a masterpiece.

A model sheet showing details of Kaneda's fabulous motorbike.


Drawing of the "Doctor" and the"Colonel"

*One of the criticisms of the original English sound track, was that the Colonel's voice lacked the sympathetic tones he was given in the original Japanese version. This change of tone made him much more of a cliched "bad guy", which had the effect of changing the feel of the story.

The narrative of Akira features a "bunch" of school aged motorcycle riding gangsters and their sparring partners the "Clowns".

They are caught up in an experiment that has the potential of funnelling down from the Universe a totally catastrophic annihilation.

**I rate Akira as being one of the top three Anime masterpieces**.

-All images are from the collection of Geoffrey Clifton-

ANIMATION UTOPIA