Akira - A Retrospective (Part Two)

*NOTE: If you haven't read part one, please do so before reading this one. Thanks.

As we left our protagonists at the end of volume one, we were left with a feeling that nothing seemed to be going right for them. The military, led by the seemingly obsessed Colonel, had entered the scene and seized Kaneda and the female resistance member working with him named Kei. The Colonel had also taken Tetsuo as well, who at the end of volume one had exhibited a growing array of telepathic/telekinetic powers. When we begin volume two, we are immersed into the depth and scope of the military's role.

Volume two is essentially told in two settings: 1) The military headquarters, and 2) the Olympic Site, where Akira is held in cryogenic sleep underground. We begin at the headquarters where the children who appeared in volume one reside. These are the children who look like small children and yet have the appearance of senior citizens. These children are known as the Espers. The three of these children have been assigned numbers, branded on the hands and each has a different power and level of power. The Espers are aware of Tetsuo's presence and one of them issues a dire warning that Testuo is dangerous and needed to be stopped if possible. From here the story moves VERY rapidly, like a solid action movie. Kei, being guided by the Espers, is seeking a weapon in the headquarters that can deal with Tetsuo. Kaneda escapes his cell to go with Kei, and the two of them spend much of the first half of the volume searching for first the weapon and then Tetsuo. Tetsuo, in the meantime, becomes quickly bored with the constant testing he is forced to undergo and demands to see the Espers.

When Tetsuo and the Espers meet, the tensions are already high, and the Colonel along with the chief doctor on site are worried about potential conflict. As we see in the story, there is a good cause for concern as Tetsuo and the Espers engage in a battle of mental powers very quickly as Tetsuo learns of Akira and demands to see him. As the Colonel attempts to stop him, he soon learns that Tetsuo is beyond his control. The scenes of Tetsuo effectively crushing the Espers and the Colonel are brilliant and as they are broken up by the scenes of Kei and Kaneda working their way ever closer to Tetsuo. When the sides finally converge, the battle is quick and devastating. Tetsuo escapes by teleporting out of the building while Kei and Kaneda battle their way out against soldiers.

We then shift to the second half of the volume, the battle at the Olympic Site. Tetsuo gains entry by murdering the guards stationed there and begins descending to the underground level where Akira is held. Kei and Kaneda make their way through the sewers to try and intercept; at the same time the Colonel and hordes of soldiers come in through the main entrance to try and stop Tetsuo from descending. What ensues is a massive battle as the lift descends, with Tetsuo making easy work of the soldiers on their hoverbikes. Through the battle it is revealed that Tetsuo and Akira share some link as each time Tetsuo is stressed or in combat, the temperature in the Akira holding chamber increases. When the Colonel realizes this orders his men to stop attacking, which only serves to make Tetsuo's opening of the Akira chamber much easier. as the chamber opens, a massive blast of coolant is released killing many soldiers and the chief doctor almost instantly, and yet Tetsuo is unfazed and continues into the chamber. Inside we see that Akira is also a very small child and he goes with Tetsuo without saying a word, leaving the underground chamber through an opening nearby. The Colonel becomes enraged that Akira has been taken and orders the military super-satellite "Sol" orbiting above, to fire its superlaser on Tetsuo, with the intent to kill. As Akira and Tetsuo exit the underground facility they are soon followed out by Kei and Kaneda. At that moment Sol fires at Tetsuo and the area is obliterated. Tetsuo is enraged but still alive and is fired on again and again, as Akira is knocked away from him. Kei and Kaneda come across the unconscious Akira and Kei notices that Akira's hand also has a number, 28, on it. The volume closes with Tetsuo screaming in pain as he realizes the laser from Sol has taken his left arm.

Again, this volume reads like a great action movie and reveals a great deal about the military's role in the story as well as laying a good foundation for the Espers and Akira. The development of the relationship between Kei and Kaneda is solid and allows readers to truly cheer for someone. While the lines are still not clear, it does become obvious that we are supposed to root for Kaneda and Kei and their mission, even as unclear as it appears to be. The revelation early on of the leader of the resistance movement, Lady Miyako, being a former member of the Espers is ominous and interesting, and Otomo does a good job of only hinting at this, allowing the story to evolve naturally where it needs to. Paced well, and having exciting action scenes, volume two is an excellent follow-up to the first volume. Onward to volume three. See you next week. Mata ne!