Many American anime fans will recall the movie Akira, released in 1988, as a classic, being among the first to usher in the new era of anime fandom in this country. However, the film was drawn from the manga source material and highly condensed in order to fit six lengthy volumes into a two hour animated film. This means that much of the deeper story was lost in the transition, and while fans clamor over the film, the manga actually has a much more complete and detailed story worth reading. When considering what may have been lost, remember that the film was two hours long (125 minutes) and the manga was a six volume set, with each volume at more than 380 pages (and the final two volumes clocking in at more than 450); obviously something was lost. So for the next six weeks or so, I will be reviewing and discussing the Akira manga series, now twenty years past since the manga was completed. Katsuhiro Otomo's work was a major influence on science fiction, anime, manga, and other forms of entertainment and his masterpiece deserves a thorough reading.
Volume one picks up at a rapid pace, establishing the futuristic Neo-Tokyo setting following a devastating bombing. Very little is said initially and we see a motorcycle gang plowing past warning signs and gates that say keep out. When the gang reaches the bomb site, with the lights and skyscrapers of Neo-Tokyo behind them, we are introduced to our main pair of characters: Kaneda and Tetsuo. Kaneda appears to be the leader of the gang and Tetsuo seems shy and not very confident in how he approaches life in the gang, although he comes across as a confident rider. When the gang is returning to Neo-Tokyo, a ghostly figure in the form of a young boy (though with an old man's appearance) appears and causes Tetsuo to crash. As his friends come to his aid, a group of soldiers comes and they take Tetsuo away, raising Kaneda's suspicions. And thus, our story truly begins.
Volume one focuses on introducing us to the world, the busy streets and neighborhoods of Neo-Tokyo, which seem to co-exist with the downtrodden alleys and slums. Otomo is very conscious of this and takes time to highlight some of these bizarre dualities of technology and poverty. We also see that the military is a powerful and dangerous entity in the story, infused with power, funding, and a shadowy form of control. While we see the military appear as antagonists at times, they never seem to exist outside of that role and in fact, they never seem to be around unless they are attacking Kaneda; and yet, they also seem to have a ever-present existence within society...sort of an everywhere and nowhere presence. We see glimpses of things to come as the various groups and players in the story refer to Akira and yet, the audience gets a single ominous panel of a large domed machine with the name Akira written across it, which lies deep underground and kept in deep-freeze; we also see a group of extremely powerful children who look like old men and women and yet have extremely destructive powers of the mind; we see an obsessed Colonel who seemingly wants to form an army of those with powers; and we see the resistance group and their efforts to free the children from the army's grasp. These seem like grand concepts and feel as such in the story. The reader feels a bit like Kaneda as the story moves forward, trying to grasp onto what exactly is going on and not knowing the full story yet. And amidst these larger concepts exists the gang world inhabited by Kaneda, Tetsuo, and others.
Multiple gangs populate Neo-Tokyo, and all on bikes, which seems like an homage to the gangs that roamed the world of the film Mad Max. They wear particular clothing, and all pursue drugs, violence, and other crimes in the pursuit of a good time. Kaneda's group is no better, and Otomo makes it clear that Kaneda is not a perfect angel by any means. He is the hero, but almost by default. He is more akin to someone like Han Solo than Luke Skywalker. He's likeable but also a jerk that the reader will want to punch at the same time. His friends are similar, and in the early portion of volume one we feel as if he's not very heroic at all. It is isn't until he gets caught up with the resistance group that he begins to exhibit some heroic characteristics. And these become more pronounced when Tetsuo emerges from the military hands as a changed person. Tetsuo is darker and more violent. A more confident and controlled individual, he and Kaneda immediately clash in disagreement. Tetsuo undergoes more testing by the military as he begins to exhibit powers similar to those children seen previously. When Tetsuo escapes by murdering his guards and doctors, he joins a rival biker gang and they begin seizing power within the city from the other gangs. This prompts Kaneda and the other gangs to unite to face Tetsuo and his gang and the first volume closes following a major battle between Kaneda and Tetsuo.
While there are times the first volume moves slowly, it is forgivable as Otomo is simply establishing the story. The characters are interesting and as much criticism as I lay on Kaneda, he does stand out as the hero. Tetsuo is an excellent villain, who can be interpreted as tragic on some levels and then again, not by everyone. The dual nature of the gang world and the grand conflict between the resistance and the military; between Kaneda and Tetsuo; between the riches and splendor of Neo-Tokyo and the reality of the downtrodden; and between the powerful children and the youth who live in the criminal world.....these are elements that work well. They create a rich story and an intricate science fiction world that demands further exploration.
Next week I will tackle volume two. Until then, mata ne!
