View source for Akira (franchise)

{{short description|Japanese media franchise created by Katsuhiro Otomo}}
{{Infobox media franchise
| color = <!--Background color for headers; the text color is automatically computed.-->
| title = Akira
| image = File:Akira_logo.svg
| image_upright = 
| caption = 
| creator = [[Katsuhiro Otomo]]
| owner = MASH-ROOM
| origin = [[Akira (manga)|''Akira'']] (1982-1990)
| books = 
| novels = 
| short_stories = 
| comics = [[Akira (manga)|''Akira'']]
| graphic_novels = 
| strips = 
| webcomics = 
| magazines = 
| films = {{ubl|[[Akira (1988 film)|''Akira'']] (1988)|[[Akira (planned film)|''Akira'']] (TBA)}}
| shorts = 
| tv_series = 
| web_series = 
| animated_series = [[Akira (anime)|''Akira'']] (TBA)
| tv_specials = 
| tv_shorts = 
| tv_films = 
| direct-to-video = 
| plays = 
| musicals = 
| games = 
| rpgs = 
| video_games = {{ubl|''[[Akira (video game)|Akira]]'' (1988)|''[[Akira Psycho Ball]]'' (2001)}}
| radio = 
| audio_plays = 
| podcasts = 
| soundtracks = 
| music = 
| toys = 
}}
'''''Akira''''' is a [[Japanese cyberpunk]] [[media franchise]] based on [[Katsuhiro Otomo]]'s seminal [[manga]], ''[[Akira (manga)|Akira]]'', published from 1982 to 1990. It was adapted into a [[Akira (1988 film)|1988 anime film]] and three video games. A [[Akira (planned film)|live-action feature film]] has also been in development since 2000, and a new anime television series by Otomo was also announced in 2019.

==Premise==
[[File:FIBD2016Otomo01.jpg|thumb|right|''Akira'' creator Otomo posing on a replica of the futuristic motorcycle driven by Kaneda in ''Akira'']]
''Akira'' takes place in futurist, [[cyberpunk]] "Neo-Tokyo", some decades following the destruction of [[Tokyo]] years prior by a massive explosion. A city struggling to prevent crime amid political corruption, the story focuses on Kaneda, the leader of a motorcycle gang, and his friend and fellow member Tetsuo, who is mentally unstable. After a near collision with a childlike Esper, the product of government research to imbue humans with powerful psychokinetic energies, Tetsuo becomes similarly afflicted. As Tetsuo struggles with controlling his new abilities, Kaneda, desperate to learn more, joins forces with a resistance group, including Kei, a woman he takes interest in. As Tetsuo's abilities start to go out of control, the military, led by Colonel Shikishima, take ultimate actions to try to contain him, wanting to prevent the same destruction to Neo-Tokyo as happened before with the test subject Akira in Tokyo years earlier.  Kaneda, Kei, Shikishima, and the other Espers work together to try to help Tetsuo come to find peace and end his destructive rampage.

==Works==
===Manga ===
{{main|Akira (manga)}}
''Akira'' was originally serialized in Japan from 1982 to 1990 in [[Kodansha]]'s ''[[Young Magazine]]'', ending with over 2000 pages of Otomo's art.<ref name="EGWC">{{cite book |last=Brooks |first=Brad |author2=Tim Pilcher |title=The Essential Guide to World Comics |publisher=Collins & Brown |location=London |year=2005 |page=[https://archive.org/details/essentialguideto0000pilc/page/103 103] |isbn=1-84340-300-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/essentialguideto0000pilc/page/103 }}</ref> It was published serially in the United States [[Epic Comics]], an [[imprint (trade name)|imprint]] of [[Marvel Comics]], colorizing the black and white manga. The choice to colorize the work helped to popularize ''Akira'' in the Western world.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Kôsei|first=Ono|date=Winter 1996|title=Manga Publishing: Trends in the United States|journal=Japanese Book News|publisher=The Japan Foundation|volume=1|issue=16|pages=6–7|issn=0918-9580}}</ref> Six volumes of collected works were published from 2000 to 2002 by [[Dark Horse Comics]], and in the UK by [[Titan Books]], with the license later transferring to [[Kodansha Comics]].

===Anime feature film===
{{main|Akira (1988 film)}}
Otomo did not plan on having an animated adaption of ''Akira'', but when the idea was presented to him, he became intrigued, and agreed to allow it as long as he remained in creative control of the film.<ref name="CBM">{{cite book |last=Hughes |first=David |title=Comic Book Movies |publisher=Virgin Books |isbn=0-7535-0767-6 |date=2003 |page=27}}</ref> The film was produced by [[TMS Entertainment]] and distributed by [[Toho]] across Japan on 16 July 1988; it had limited released in Western countries. When ''Akira'' hit home media around 1992, the film got a new resurgence, and since has been recognized as one of the best animated and science fiction films of all time, and is considered a landmark anime.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/akira/ |title=Akira – Movie Reviews, Trailers, Pictures – Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Uk.rottentomatoes.com |access-date=13 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307121115/http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/akira/ |archive-date=7 March 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Video games===
{{main|Akira (video game)|Akira Psycho Ball}}
A companion video game to the film was developed by [[Tose (company)|TOSE]] and distributed by [[Taito]] for personal computers, and released in Japan on 24 December 1988. Titled simply ''[[Akira (video game)|Akira]]'', the game was a text-based adventure game with the text presented over images from the film, with the player decided what action protagonist Kaneda would take. It received average ratings from Japanese reviewers.<ref>{{cite magazine | magazine=[[Famitsu|Famicom Tsūshin]] | publisher=[[Enterbrain]], [[Tokuma]] | date=6 January 1989 | title=Cross Review | issue=65 | page=19 | language=ja}}</ref>

Black Pearl Studios, a subsidiary of [[THQ]], obtained permission from Kodansha to develop a game based on the ''Akira'' manga in 1993. Preview footage was shown at the 1994 [[Consumer Electronics Show]]. Intended for a 1995 release on the [[Super NES]], [[Game Boy]], [[Game Gear]], [[Sega Genesis]], and [[Sega CD]] platforms, the game was never completed due to financial issues at THQ.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Akira's long-lost SEGA prototype has been found|url=https://aiptcomics.com/2019/12/27/akira-long-lost-sega-genesis-prototype-has-been-found-video-game/|work=AIPT Comics|date=27 December 2019 |access-date=2021-10-16|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Unreleased Akira game for SEGA Genesis rediscovered|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/canceled-akira-genesis-game|work=[[Syfy]]|date=29 December 2019 |access-date=2021-10-16|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1994, a British-made action game, simply titled ''Akira'', was released for the [[Amiga CD32]] and is considered one of the console's worst games.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Akira (Amiga) – Hardcore Gaming 101|url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/akira-amiga/|access-date=2020-06-24|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Akira - Amiga Game / Games - Download ADF, Music, Cheat - Lemon Amiga|url=http://www.lemonamiga.com/games/details.php?id=52|access-date=2020-06-24|website=www.lemonamiga.com}}</ref>

''[[Akira Psycho Ball]]'' is a simulated [[pinball]] machine video game, featuring elements from the manga and anime, for the [[PlayStation 2]]. It was developed by [[KAZe]] and released by [[Bandai]] on 21 February 2001, with limited release in Europe the following year. The game had generally positive reviews from Japanese reviewers.<ref>''プレイステーション2 - AKIRA PSYCHO BALL''. Weekly Famitsu. No.915 Pt.2. Pg.91. 30 June 2006.</ref>

==Future works==
===Live-action film===
{{main|Akira (planned film)}}
Warner Bros. acquired the rights to a live-action ''Akira'' film in 2002, but since then has had difficulty in getting a project started, with it remaining in [[development hell]].<ref name="ign2002">Linder, Brian et al. (12 April 2002).  [http://movies.ign.com/articles/357/357213p1.html "Akira Hollywood Remake!?"] ''IGN.com''. Retrieved 24 October 2006. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100313174510/http://movies.ign.com/articles/357/357213p1.html |date=13 March 2010 }}</ref><ref name="deadline waititi">{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2017/09/akira-taika-waititi-director-thor-ragnarok-1202173164/ |title='Akira' Back? 'Thor: Ragnarok' Helmer Taika Waititi In Talks |first1=Anita |last1=Busch |first2=Mike Jr. |last2=Fleming |date=19 September 2017 |access-date=25 September 2017 |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925181309/https://deadline.com/2017/09/akira-taika-waititi-director-thor-ragnarok-1202173164/ |archive-date=25 September 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> At least five different directors and ten different writers have been attached at various times.<ref name="ign la 2017">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/04/06/akira-the-tortured-history-of-the-unmade-live-action-adaptation |title=Akira: The Tortured History of the Unmade Live-Action Adaptation |first=Christopher |last=Marc |date=6 April 2017 |access-date=31 August 2017 |work=[[IGN]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901073049/http://www.ign.com/articles/2017/04/06/akira-the-tortured-history-of-the-unmade-live-action-adaptation |archive-date=1 September 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/akira-production-shut-down-budget-warner-bros-278729 |title='Akira' Production Offices Shut Down As Warner Bros. Scrutinizes Budget (Exclusive) |date=5 January 2012 |first=Borys |last=Kit |work=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140316095559/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/akira-production-shut-down-budget-warner-bros-278729 |archive-date=16 March 2014}}</ref> While Otomo had given scriptwriters the freedom to modify the plot of ''Akira'' as necessary to fit a live-action film,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nerdist.com/akira-creator-katsuhiro-otomo-live-action/ |title=Akira creator says he must approve any live-action film |first=Kyle |last=Anderson |date=1 June 2017 |access-date=30 January 2018 |work=[[The Nerdist]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180131024103/https://nerdist.com/akira-creator-katsuhiro-otomo-live-action/ |archive-date=31 January 2018 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> fears remain over [[whitewashing in film|whitewashing]] or [[racebending]] in the film's casting as well as trying to relocate the film outside of Japan due to story's ties with Japan's history.<ref name="ign la 2017" />

Most recently, director [[Taika Waititi]] had been set to lead the film; initially slated for a 2021 release,<ref name="thr releasedate">{{cite web | url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/akira-movie-release-date-set-sets-may-2021-1213499 | title = Taika Waititi's 'Akira' Sets 2021 Release Date | first = Aaron | last=  Couch  |date = 24 May 2019 | access-date = 24 May 2019 | work = [[The Hollywood Reporter]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/akira-taika-waititi-film-release-date-1202622013/|title=Taika Waititi's 'Akira' Will Take Off In Summer 2021|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|date=24 May 2019|website=Deadline Hollywood|language=en|access-date=24 May 2019}}</ref> following the 2019 announcement that Waititi would direct ''[[Thor: Love and Thunder]]'' first,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |title=Taika Waititi to Direct ‘Thor 4’ (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/taika-waititi-direct-thor-4-1224464/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=16 July 2019}}</ref> Warner Bros removed ''Akira'' from its release schedule.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hipes |first1=Patrick |title=Warner Bros Sets Release Dates For ‘The Matrix’ Sequel, ‘The Flash’ & More; ‘Akira’ Off Schedule |url=https://deadline.com/2019/12/matrix-sequel-release-date-the-flash-akira-off-slate-fred-hampton-movies-warner-bros-1202806896/ |website=Deadline |date=11 December 2019}}</ref> Waititi acknowledged in a 2023 interview that ''Akira'' was among his "backlog" of projects, with the film still in the writing stage.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bui |first1=Hoai-Tran |title=Taika Waititi Confirms He's Not Directing 'Thor 5' — But Chris Hemsworth is in Talks for Return |url=https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/taika-waititi-taking-a-break-from-thor |website=Inverse |access-date=30 July 2024 |language=en |date=14 November 2023}}</ref>

===Anime television series===
As early as January 2016, a potential television series had been in the planning stages with Otomo's involvement.<ref>{{cite web |title=Akira TV series in development, hints creator |work=[[Fact (UK magazine)|FACT Magazine]] |date=27 January 2016 |url=http://www.factmag.com/2016/01/27/akira-tv-series-in-development-hints-creator/ |access-date=29 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421035443/http://www.factmag.com/2016/01/27/akira-tv-series-in-development-hints-creator/ |archive-date=21 April 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>
At the 2019 [[Anime Expo]], Otomo announced that he was working with [[Sunrise (company)|Sunrise]] to create a new anime television series based on the manga.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.polygon.com/2019/7/5/20682998/new-akira-sunrise-anime-orbital-era-tv | title = A new Akira anime is coming to TV | first = Matt | last = Patches | date = 5 July 2019 | access-date = 22 July 2019 | work = [[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Kade |first=Leigh |title="Akira" Manga Creator Announces New Projects |url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/07/05/akira-manga-creator-announces-new-projects/ |website=Bleeding Cool News And Rumors |access-date=19 August 2019 |date=5 July 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Akira (manga)}}
*{{anime News Network|manga|11|Akira}}

{{Akira manga|state=expand}}
{{Katsuhiro Otomo}}

[[Category:Akira (franchise)| ]]