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Akira [アキラ] #1-6 + Akira Club
Akira Box
Akira, el gran manga del maestro Katsuhiro Otomo, celebra sus 30 años. Y para celebrarlo como se merece, hemos creado este pack tan especial que incluye los 6 volúmenes de Akira, el magnífico artbook Akira Club y un set de postales exclusivas de esta edición.
Esta caja, de edición limitada y numerada, solo consta de 1.982 unidades.
DE REGALO BOLSA + 6 POSTALES
Esta caja, de edición limitada y numerada, solo consta de 1.982 unidades.
DE REGALO BOLSA + 6 POSTALES
2474 pages, Box Set
First published October 31, 2017
59 people are currently reading
692 people want to read
About the author
Katsuhiro Otomo
316 books876 followersKatsuhiro Otomo is a Japanese manga artist, film director, and screenwriter. For his works in Japanese see 大友克洋. He is perhaps best known for being the creator of the manga Akira and its anime adaptation, which are extremely famous and influential. Otomo has also directed several live-action films, such as the recent 2006 feature film adaptation of the Mushishi manga.
Katsuhiro Otomo was born in the former town of Hasama, in Miyagi Prefecture.
As a teenager growing up in the turbulent 1960s, he was surrounded by the demonstrations of both students and workers against the Japanese government. The riots, demonstrations, and overall chaotic conditions of this time would serve as the inspiration for his best known work, Akira. Some would argue that this seminal work is an allegory of 1960s Japan, and that one could easily substitute the year 2019 for 1969 and leave little difference in the basic story.
The animation from this period (especially the works coming out of Tokyo animation studios Mushi Production and Toei Doga, now known as TOEI Animation) were influencing young Otomo. Works like Tetsujin 28-go, Astro Boy, and Hols: Prince of the Sun would help push Otomo toward a career in animation. However, it was the films coming out of America that were driving his rebellious nature. Five Easy Pieces and Easy Rider would serve as inspiration for Shotaro Kaneda and his biker gang in Akira: rebellious youth who took too many drugs and didn't care about authority or the pressures put on them by their parents' generation.
Otomo has recently worked extensively with noted studio Sunrise with the studio animating and producing his most recent projects, the 2004 feature film Steamboy, 2006's Freedom Project and his latest project, SOS! Tokyo Metro Explorers: The Next, released in 2007.
Otomo grew up a fanatic of American blockbusters, which has influenced his cinematic style throughout his huge career. He grew fond of the work of artists like Moebius, and is often regarded as the person who brought a Westernized style into manga. From the late seventies onwards, Otomo created numerous volumes of anthologies and short stories, which usually ran at 23 pages each. Serialization for Fireball was cancelled, though the premise and themes were later to appear in the Sci-Fi Grand Prix award winning Domu and Akira. Otomo later moved onto directing and creating notable anime like the film adaption of Akira, Memories, and Steamboy. His most recent manga have been the scripting of Mother Sarah and the short story Park released in an issue of Pafu last year. He has also directed several live action films, such as World Apartment Horror, Give Us A Gun/Give Us Freedom, and the 2006 feature film adaptation of the Mushishi manga.
Katsuhiro Otomo was born in the former town of Hasama, in Miyagi Prefecture.
As a teenager growing up in the turbulent 1960s, he was surrounded by the demonstrations of both students and workers against the Japanese government. The riots, demonstrations, and overall chaotic conditions of this time would serve as the inspiration for his best known work, Akira. Some would argue that this seminal work is an allegory of 1960s Japan, and that one could easily substitute the year 2019 for 1969 and leave little difference in the basic story.
The animation from this period (especially the works coming out of Tokyo animation studios Mushi Production and Toei Doga, now known as TOEI Animation) were influencing young Otomo. Works like Tetsujin 28-go, Astro Boy, and Hols: Prince of the Sun would help push Otomo toward a career in animation. However, it was the films coming out of America that were driving his rebellious nature. Five Easy Pieces and Easy Rider would serve as inspiration for Shotaro Kaneda and his biker gang in Akira: rebellious youth who took too many drugs and didn't care about authority or the pressures put on them by their parents' generation.
Otomo has recently worked extensively with noted studio Sunrise with the studio animating and producing his most recent projects, the 2004 feature film Steamboy, 2006's Freedom Project and his latest project, SOS! Tokyo Metro Explorers: The Next, released in 2007.
Otomo grew up a fanatic of American blockbusters, which has influenced his cinematic style throughout his huge career. He grew fond of the work of artists like Moebius, and is often regarded as the person who brought a Westernized style into manga. From the late seventies onwards, Otomo created numerous volumes of anthologies and short stories, which usually ran at 23 pages each. Serialization for Fireball was cancelled, though the premise and themes were later to appear in the Sci-Fi Grand Prix award winning Domu and Akira. Otomo later moved onto directing and creating notable anime like the film adaption of Akira, Memories, and Steamboy. His most recent manga have been the scripting of Mother Sarah and the short story Park released in an issue of Pafu last year. He has also directed several live action films, such as World Apartment Horror, Give Us A Gun/Give Us Freedom, and the 2006 feature film adaptation of the Mushishi manga.
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February 19, 2019
Akira: And A Boy Shall Rule Them All... Badly. A Boy Whose Head Contains A Supernova
FORMAT PROLOGUE: So... for the 35th Anniversary of what is arguably the greatest Manga (& Anime) of all time, which might deserve a Top 10 spot on the list of International Sequential Art masterworks, but definitely belongs in the Top 15 (yes, this is arbitrarian aesthetics, and largely meaningless; no, 'arbitrarian aesthetics' is not an actual thing, it just sounded good, probably due to misfiring neurons & micro-strokes I suffered while attempting to activate mylatent non-existent telekinetic abilities... which brings me back to Akira); the original Japanese publisher - Kodansha - has blessed us English speakers with an Akira Boxed-Set. A very cool, very deluxe, boxed-set... at least for Manga*.
*[Dark Horse is answering the prayers of Berserk fan-boys with Deluxe HC 3-volumes-in-1 Omnibus editions, and the HC Junji Ito books & SC Omnibus editions by Viz & Dark Horse for Lone Wolf & Cub, Samurai Executioner, Blade of the Immortal, Vagabond & Blame! have been very welcome additions to presumably over-crowded shelves... but outside these few exceptions, I find the shitty production & shitty paper unworthy of spending money on. Even this HC Akira Box-set features pulpy, acidic paper. If Dark Horse gives us Berserk at a decent size on coated stock, I will pretend to weep for joy.]
If you've been waiting to jump on the Akira bandwagon, but you live your life according to signs and portents, and you couldn't quite tie Katsuhiro Otomo's pant-leg to the solar eclipse, just call the 35th Anniversary Box-set your sign from above. It's the first hardcover English edition, using a larger than usual format to appreciate, in all seriousness, some of the most epic & glorious artwork you'll ever see. It's also the first English version that uses the correct Japanese right-left orientation; if this is your first Manga - good choice - don't sweat the 'backwards' shit... it takes all of 5 minutes to acclimate, which is why publishers decided it wasn't worth 'mirror-imaging' the art, and creating the impression of Japan as a sinister, left-handed nation. On top of all THAT, it includes the fantastic 'Akira Club' art-book. And yet, I paid considerably less for this set than I did for the Dark Horse/Kodansha softcovers, when I was first buying them one by one as they were released back in 2001 or 2002. But the best reason to hear your crazy God's Word and finally 'pull the trigger' on something that doesn't bleed or die, is the story of Akira itself. If you watched the Anime, and you think there's no point reading the Manga... you're soooo wrong.
'Akira' and 'Lone Wolf and Cub' were among the first complete manga masterpieces to be published in English, and despite the mirror-imaging, were very similar to their original tankobon incarnations. Katsuhiro Otomo's SF-classic 'Akira' -- as well as it's equally brilliant predecessor, 'Domu' -- revolutionized Japanese comics. It introduced realistic, incredibly detailed artwork that merged a far more subtle manga stylization with European influences, incorporating aspects from the art of 'Metal Hurlant' regulars Moebius, Francois Schuiten, and Enki Bilal. The importance of 'Akira' is difficult to express, but it certainly rivals US contemporaries 'Watchmen' and 'The Dark Knight Returns', and it ran far longer than either title, giving it an epic scope and grandeur that exceeds both of those seminal works. If it was a decision between: Katsuhiro Otomo, 'Domu' and 'Akira'; Frank Miller, 'Batman: Year One' and 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns'; or Alan Moore, 'V for Vendetta' and 'Watchmen'; I'd say that Otomo created the best and most influential works of the 1980's. That ignores some huge titles, like 'Love and Rockets' and 'Maus' and 'Raw' and 'Weirdo' and 'Yummy Fur' and 'The Incal' and 'Les Cites Obscures', etc... but I'll stand by it, with all due respect.
All that hyperbole crosses without friction to the film adaptation... perhaps the best anime -- and animated -- film ever made. But Otomo wrote and directed his debut when he was only around half-way through the manga. The 6-volume, 2200+-page series is not just 'worth checking out' for fans of the anime, it's essential. The film contains less than 15% of the super-epic that inspired it, but the art, the characters, the basic plot, and the light-speed pacing will all be unmistakably familiar.
On a Technical Note: While I prefer the original right-to-left orientation of the 35th Anniversary box-set, Kodansha is still using the Dark Horse translation that appeared before Japanese formatting surprised the hell out of US publishers by catching on. It's only as big a deal as you make it, in my opinion; but if you can't stand the R-to-L format, and don't give a shit about 'preserving the artist's original vision', or whatever (does that sound right?), you can still find the Western oriented format in print, for a while, anyway.
Domu: Otomo's Pre-Akira Masterpiece
If I had my way, the Box-set would include a HC version of 'Domu', instead of 'Akira Club'. No one thought to ask me, though. Very hurtful.
Otomo's first masterpiece is overshadowed by the grandeur of Akira, but both the art and the story display the full-range of his creative powers. In an apartment mega-complex with thousands of residents, the suicide rate has risen dramatically. An old man with terrifying psychic abilities has become senile, and is now indulging his deadly and selfish whims, manipulating the residents like puppets and sending some to their deaths.
The families of the victims are baffled. The police investigating the deaths don't know what to make of it all, but as they follow the bizarre trail of clues, they get closer to a killer they're incapable of stopping. But when a little girl moves in with her family, the old man is suddenly confronted by someone determined to stop his malevolent games, a child with powers that might exceed his own. The town-sized apartment complex becomes a battlefield between two psychic juggernauts, and the old man's malicious games unleash a storm of telekinetic fury that threatens to kill hundreds of innocent people.
Otomo was far ahead of his time, and his genius for graphic storytelling inspired an entire generation of young mangaka. Domu holds up remarkably well, and deserves to have a much wider audience; unbelievably, this is somehow out of print in North America. I don't know what the fuck Kodansha is thinking, but they need to publish a new edition and promote it. If you haven't read Domu, stop whatever you're doing and run blindly around the countryside screaming the title until someone finally tries to pacify you with a copy. If some asshole shows up with 'Appleseed', add projectile vomit and urine to the routine. Accept no substitutes.
An Excellent Review of 'Domu: A Child's Dream' That Should Convince You Of Its Brilliance
More Art-book Reviews
More Comic-book Reviews
More Novel Reviews
FORMAT PROLOGUE: So... for the 35th Anniversary of what is arguably the greatest Manga (& Anime) of all time, which might deserve a Top 10 spot on the list of International Sequential Art masterworks, but definitely belongs in the Top 15 (yes, this is arbitrarian aesthetics, and largely meaningless; no, 'arbitrarian aesthetics' is not an actual thing, it just sounded good, probably due to misfiring neurons & micro-strokes I suffered while attempting to activate my
*[Dark Horse is answering the prayers of Berserk fan-boys with Deluxe HC 3-volumes-in-1 Omnibus editions, and the HC Junji Ito books & SC Omnibus editions by Viz & Dark Horse for Lone Wolf & Cub, Samurai Executioner, Blade of the Immortal, Vagabond & Blame! have been very welcome additions to presumably over-crowded shelves... but outside these few exceptions, I find the shitty production & shitty paper unworthy of spending money on. Even this HC Akira Box-set features pulpy, acidic paper. If Dark Horse gives us Berserk at a decent size on coated stock, I will pretend to weep for joy.]
If you've been waiting to jump on the Akira bandwagon, but you live your life according to signs and portents, and you couldn't quite tie Katsuhiro Otomo's pant-leg to the solar eclipse, just call the 35th Anniversary Box-set your sign from above. It's the first hardcover English edition, using a larger than usual format to appreciate, in all seriousness, some of the most epic & glorious artwork you'll ever see. It's also the first English version that uses the correct Japanese right-left orientation; if this is your first Manga - good choice - don't sweat the 'backwards' shit... it takes all of 5 minutes to acclimate, which is why publishers decided it wasn't worth 'mirror-imaging' the art, and creating the impression of Japan as a sinister, left-handed nation. On top of all THAT, it includes the fantastic 'Akira Club' art-book. And yet, I paid considerably less for this set than I did for the Dark Horse/Kodansha softcovers, when I was first buying them one by one as they were released back in 2001 or 2002. But the best reason to hear your crazy God's Word and finally 'pull the trigger' on something that doesn't bleed or die, is the story of Akira itself. If you watched the Anime, and you think there's no point reading the Manga... you're soooo wrong.
'Akira' and 'Lone Wolf and Cub' were among the first complete manga masterpieces to be published in English, and despite the mirror-imaging, were very similar to their original tankobon incarnations. Katsuhiro Otomo's SF-classic 'Akira' -- as well as it's equally brilliant predecessor, 'Domu' -- revolutionized Japanese comics. It introduced realistic, incredibly detailed artwork that merged a far more subtle manga stylization with European influences, incorporating aspects from the art of 'Metal Hurlant' regulars Moebius, Francois Schuiten, and Enki Bilal. The importance of 'Akira' is difficult to express, but it certainly rivals US contemporaries 'Watchmen' and 'The Dark Knight Returns', and it ran far longer than either title, giving it an epic scope and grandeur that exceeds both of those seminal works. If it was a decision between: Katsuhiro Otomo, 'Domu' and 'Akira'; Frank Miller, 'Batman: Year One' and 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns'; or Alan Moore, 'V for Vendetta' and 'Watchmen'; I'd say that Otomo created the best and most influential works of the 1980's. That ignores some huge titles, like 'Love and Rockets' and 'Maus' and 'Raw' and 'Weirdo' and 'Yummy Fur' and 'The Incal' and 'Les Cites Obscures', etc... but I'll stand by it, with all due respect.
All that hyperbole crosses without friction to the film adaptation... perhaps the best anime -- and animated -- film ever made. But Otomo wrote and directed his debut when he was only around half-way through the manga. The 6-volume, 2200+-page series is not just 'worth checking out' for fans of the anime, it's essential. The film contains less than 15% of the super-epic that inspired it, but the art, the characters, the basic plot, and the light-speed pacing will all be unmistakably familiar.
On a Technical Note: While I prefer the original right-to-left orientation of the 35th Anniversary box-set, Kodansha is still using the Dark Horse translation that appeared before Japanese formatting surprised the hell out of US publishers by catching on. It's only as big a deal as you make it, in my opinion; but if you can't stand the R-to-L format, and don't give a shit about 'preserving the artist's original vision', or whatever (does that sound right?), you can still find the Western oriented format in print, for a while, anyway.
Domu: Otomo's Pre-Akira Masterpiece
If I had my way, the Box-set would include a HC version of 'Domu', instead of 'Akira Club'. No one thought to ask me, though. Very hurtful.
Otomo's first masterpiece is overshadowed by the grandeur of Akira, but both the art and the story display the full-range of his creative powers. In an apartment mega-complex with thousands of residents, the suicide rate has risen dramatically. An old man with terrifying psychic abilities has become senile, and is now indulging his deadly and selfish whims, manipulating the residents like puppets and sending some to their deaths.
The families of the victims are baffled. The police investigating the deaths don't know what to make of it all, but as they follow the bizarre trail of clues, they get closer to a killer they're incapable of stopping. But when a little girl moves in with her family, the old man is suddenly confronted by someone determined to stop his malevolent games, a child with powers that might exceed his own. The town-sized apartment complex becomes a battlefield between two psychic juggernauts, and the old man's malicious games unleash a storm of telekinetic fury that threatens to kill hundreds of innocent people.
Otomo was far ahead of his time, and his genius for graphic storytelling inspired an entire generation of young mangaka. Domu holds up remarkably well, and deserves to have a much wider audience; unbelievably, this is somehow out of print in North America. I don't know what the fuck Kodansha is thinking, but they need to publish a new edition and promote it. If you haven't read Domu, stop whatever you're doing and run blindly around the countryside screaming the title until someone finally tries to pacify you with a copy. If some asshole shows up with 'Appleseed', add projectile vomit and urine to the routine. Accept no substitutes.
An Excellent Review of 'Domu: A Child's Dream' That Should Convince You Of Its Brilliance
More Art-book Reviews
More Comic-book Reviews
More Novel Reviews
December 14, 2018
Akira, Volume 1
--Akira, Part 1: Tetsuo
Akira Sound Effects
Preview of Akira, Part 2
Akira, Volume 2
The Story of Akira, Part 1: Tetsuo
--Akira, Part 2: Akira
Akira Sound Effects
Akira, Volume 3
The Story of Akira, Part 1 > Part 2
--Akira, Part 3: Akira II
Akira Sound Effects
Newspaper Articles
Akira, Volume 4
The Story of Akira, Part 1 > Part 3
--Akira, Part 4: Kei
Akira Sound Effects
Preview of Akira, Part 5
Akira, Volume 5
The Story of Akira, Part 1 > Part 4
--Akira, Part 5: Kei II
Akira Sound Effects
Akira, Volume 6
The Story of Akira, Part 1 > Part 5
--Akira, Part 6: Kaneda
Akira Sound Effects
Akira Club
--Akira Illustrations
--Title-Page Collection
--Memorial Gallery
--Unpublished Works
--Dates of Publication
--Questionnaire to Otomo Katsuhiro 1982-1990
--Akira, Part 1: Tetsuo
Akira Sound Effects
Preview of Akira, Part 2
Akira, Volume 2
The Story of Akira, Part 1: Tetsuo
--Akira, Part 2: Akira
Akira Sound Effects
Akira, Volume 3
The Story of Akira, Part 1 > Part 2
--Akira, Part 3: Akira II
Akira Sound Effects
Newspaper Articles
Akira, Volume 4
The Story of Akira, Part 1 > Part 3
--Akira, Part 4: Kei
Akira Sound Effects
Preview of Akira, Part 5
Akira, Volume 5
The Story of Akira, Part 1 > Part 4
--Akira, Part 5: Kei II
Akira Sound Effects
Akira, Volume 6
The Story of Akira, Part 1 > Part 5
--Akira, Part 6: Kaneda
Akira Sound Effects
Akira Club
--Akira Illustrations
--Title-Page Collection
--Memorial Gallery
--Unpublished Works
--Dates of Publication
--Questionnaire to Otomo Katsuhiro 1982-1990
September 9, 2019
A 1980s Japanese sci-fi classic.
It holds up very well. Sometimes when we look back on ideas about the future and what it might look like from several decades ago, the ideas haven't aged well. I didn't get the impression this was dated or outmoded either from an art style or the content of the ideas represented in the subtext of the story.
Very glad to have been able to read this in larger size hardcover format for the first time rather than in the small paperbacks manga is often limited to in the US. While the art is sometimes simple, it is often much better represented on the larger pages. At about $20 a book for the box set I think the value was there for the series.
If you are into manga or getting into it, this is one of the classic titles you should think about checking out. As of the time I am writing this (Sep 2019) the box set is headed out of print with the last copies recently shipped out by the publisher. Hopefully we will see more hardcover printings like this one.
It holds up very well. Sometimes when we look back on ideas about the future and what it might look like from several decades ago, the ideas haven't aged well. I didn't get the impression this was dated or outmoded either from an art style or the content of the ideas represented in the subtext of the story.
Very glad to have been able to read this in larger size hardcover format for the first time rather than in the small paperbacks manga is often limited to in the US. While the art is sometimes simple, it is often much better represented on the larger pages. At about $20 a book for the box set I think the value was there for the series.
If you are into manga or getting into it, this is one of the classic titles you should think about checking out. As of the time I am writing this (Sep 2019) the box set is headed out of print with the last copies recently shipped out by the publisher. Hopefully we will see more hardcover printings like this one.
Want to read
June 7, 2013Si no me equivoco, llevo leídos cuatro tomos. Me faltarían los dos últimos y el Akira Club. Algo me dice que fue una buena inversión.
November 29, 2022
I have reviewed and commented on the individual books from this saga before but this is the time I get to read them again in hardback and with much higher quality paper. It is strange how reading the same books again but with a different attention to quality can make the whole experience feel new and fresh (or is that just me).
I have to say that it has taken me some time to achieve this with the added delay of travelling with work but I managed it in the end and I have to say that I enjoyed this this time as much if not more so than before.
The books contain so much more material and extended story than the equally famous film. I know there is constant talk of bringing the story back to the screen the question for me is will it be more of the same or will we get to finally see the expanded storyline I guess only time will tell.
I have to say that it has taken me some time to achieve this with the added delay of travelling with work but I managed it in the end and I have to say that I enjoyed this this time as much if not more so than before.
The books contain so much more material and extended story than the equally famous film. I know there is constant talk of bringing the story back to the screen the question for me is will it be more of the same or will we get to finally see the expanded storyline I guess only time will tell.
June 29, 2021
Immediately after finishing the film adaptation of Akira I knew I wanted to dive into the source material and glean what I could glean to learn more about such an incredible film.
What I found out, ironically enough, is that the film adaptation and the source books are vastly different stories. The manga series is rather large, so one would obviously think that many subplots and miniature story arcs would need to be condensed or altogether scrapped, like many films need to do. But no, this is an entirely different story. Same beginning, similar climax, but virtually every plot beat that happens in the book is completely different than the film. Where the film "ends" is approximately 40% of the way through the story, but it uses the same climax that the series has. Odd.
All in all it was a very fun ride, and is understandably the Godfather of all modern Japanese storytelling. My personal predilections lead me to preferring the film for its tighter storytelling and ambiguity (one could say the series overplays its hands, revealing how undercooked some of the philosophy is.) But I had a fantastic ride getting to the end of the series, I definitely ate it up very quickly.
What I found out, ironically enough, is that the film adaptation and the source books are vastly different stories. The manga series is rather large, so one would obviously think that many subplots and miniature story arcs would need to be condensed or altogether scrapped, like many films need to do. But no, this is an entirely different story. Same beginning, similar climax, but virtually every plot beat that happens in the book is completely different than the film. Where the film "ends" is approximately 40% of the way through the story, but it uses the same climax that the series has. Odd.
All in all it was a very fun ride, and is understandably the Godfather of all modern Japanese storytelling. My personal predilections lead me to preferring the film for its tighter storytelling and ambiguity (one could say the series overplays its hands, revealing how undercooked some of the philosophy is.) But I had a fantastic ride getting to the end of the series, I definitely ate it up very quickly.
January 10, 2023
Mindblowingly beautiful.
This manga is just a feast for the eyes. It's so easy to read even though it's so highly detailed. You have to stop yourself from flowing through these books at too quick a pace in order to not forget to examine the intricately created masterpieces every few pages.
Volume 3 has one of my favourite moments of any book I've ever read. After a mega explosion that wipes out a big chunk of tokyo we get to marvel at the destruction in awe, and after 15 pages of pure silence, destruction and decay, a cold terror only remains. Masterful stuff.
The story decides to focus a bit too much on too many characters, making the important moments for the ones who really matter hit way less. The positive and weirdly nationalist ending is also very hard to believe and take serious.
I also like how the movie feels so different, less personal and way more nuanced and political, it really makes both these works unique and worth consuming, over and over.
A true work of Art.
This manga is just a feast for the eyes. It's so easy to read even though it's so highly detailed. You have to stop yourself from flowing through these books at too quick a pace in order to not forget to examine the intricately created masterpieces every few pages.
Volume 3 has one of my favourite moments of any book I've ever read. After a mega explosion that wipes out a big chunk of tokyo we get to marvel at the destruction in awe, and after 15 pages of pure silence, destruction and decay, a cold terror only remains. Masterful stuff.
The story decides to focus a bit too much on too many characters, making the important moments for the ones who really matter hit way less. The positive and weirdly nationalist ending is also very hard to believe and take serious.
I also like how the movie feels so different, less personal and way more nuanced and political, it really makes both these works unique and worth consuming, over and over.
A true work of Art.
August 17, 2024
Instead of logging this as six separate volumes and an art book, I'm logging it as one giant box set. I love Akira, and I can't believe it took me this long to fully read the manga. I had started it in the left to the right paperback collections, but getting to experience it in the proper orientation with the Japanese sound effects was much more rewarding. This is a gorgeous looking series, which is hardly surprising, considering how beautiful the anime is. I'm not going to scrutinize things here. I really enjoyed it and my nostalgia for the property will always win over everything else. It made me cry a couple times, and seeing this world fleshed out and expanded was very cool. Akira is cool as hell.
July 25, 2021
I've seen the film a number of times, and I was legitimately shocked at how much bigger and deeper the Manga is.
There's an entire world of character and story development that takes place in the comic which got truncated, or more often, simply removed from the movie altogether. Otomo's art on the page is as gorgeous as his production companies is on the big screen, whether it's depicting moments of fragility and intimacy, or apocalyptic scenes of mass destruction.
It's Akira, you don't need me to recommend it to you.
There's an entire world of character and story development that takes place in the comic which got truncated, or more often, simply removed from the movie altogether. Otomo's art on the page is as gorgeous as his production companies is on the big screen, whether it's depicting moments of fragility and intimacy, or apocalyptic scenes of mass destruction.
It's Akira, you don't need me to recommend it to you.
December 24, 2024
le pongo 3 estrellas en parte xq eso de civilizaciones post apocalípticas no es lo mío y el hilo de la historia no me ha matado pero tengo q decir q en general está muy bien. los personajes son bastante variados y originales y el dibujo acojonante. a tetsuo se le coge cariño me encanta iba a decir que se echa d menos que cuenten un poco más de su vida pero creo q t dicen lo justo y necesario y bueno que decir me encantan los personajes condenados desde el minuto uno
March 5, 2025
Faz juz ao impacto cultural que causou na época
December 23, 2025
Me leí todos los volúmenes en 2 días y me tomó alrededor de 10 horas. Sus paneles y diálogos son bien fluidos que se sintió como una película de 10 horas.
December 28, 2017
Absolutely incredible! An astounding collection of one of the most important works in comics ever. This anniversary box set is nothing short of beautiful. Every volume in a hardcover edition - I've never seen a set this well done before. The publisher has outdone itself with this set.
As for the story, well, it's Akira. If you like comics and you have not read it and seen the film, do it now. It is a masterpiece and a seminal work of art.
As for the story, well, it's Akira. If you like comics and you have not read it and seen the film, do it now. It is a masterpiece and a seminal work of art.
November 27, 2023
The story how I decided to read this manga is quite interesting. First of all, I am not an expert or an avid manga's reader and anime's watcher. I've only seen the classical one's made by studio Ghibli.
And so it happened that after I watched the Oppenheimer movie about the father of the atomic bomb, I was interested in having a glimpse at what would the other side have to say about this disaster. Since the movie is retelling a story of how the bomb was created, and what torments does the creator endures in the aftermath of its usage. But the real damage in the movie was not depicted. And so I've stumbled upon the anime movie "Akira", which starts with a big explosion in the very beginning and is also considered to be a cult classic of it's genre.
The viewing of the "Akira" was a refreshing experience, after all of those movies where superheroes save the world from total destruction or go back in time and fix their mistake like nothing happened - a Hollywood-like endings. In the anime the heroes tried and the destruction still happened. That was a new perspective (even though the movie is made ~35 years ago).
Yet, even though I enjoyed the watch, something was missing. I didn't get the answers to my questions: How does one live with the consequences, with the trauma, how does one find the strength to persevere after such tragic, obliterating events? So I decided to read the manga. And here I have to give huge kudos to Vilniaus apskrities A. Mickevičiaus viešąjai bibliotekai for having bought the full Akira 35th Anniversary Box Set. I had a chance to immerse myself completely into the wonderful cyberpunk, sci-fi epic by Katsuhiro Otomo.
The story starts 30 years later, after the explosion in the center of Tokyo. A group of delinquent motorcycle-gang members are riding through the streets of newly founded city, already back on its feet after the terrible outcomes of WW3, when suddenly an accident happens and one of the gang members nearly runs over a strange child that awakens in him telekinetic powers, and then the whole mess begins.
The manga series are so full of action sequences, so intense that you cannot put it down. The story is so much richer then what is depicted in the anime, I got more then I asked for. So many intertwined themes one, better then the other: corrupt government officials, religious zealots, lust for power & control, friends turn rivals, love, sacrifice, emergence of heroism, creation and destruction and they all come back together in a stunning ending.
There are six volumes in total, but you can read it in a day. All the characters are so compelling and thought out, you can understand their reasons and motives. I was really satisfied that as a main protagonist Otomo decided to make a teenager punk who is some-what cocky, clueless and reckless. When all is happening so fast, I liked that the viewpoint was of a person who likewise doesn't understand what the hell is going on, but yet persistently and courageously gets involved.
The usage of panels in this manga are Masterful! Such detail, such scrutiny to all the buildings and constructions and vehicles, all characters are recognizable in each panel. Only three people drew that! And its 35 years old, it look like it was published yesterday! This is a visually striking story and it cannot be told differently. This manga teleported me to my teenage years when I was so captivated by the comic-art form, I even wanted to become a comic creator. If you're from LT make sure to read it, its in library!
And so it happened that after I watched the Oppenheimer movie about the father of the atomic bomb, I was interested in having a glimpse at what would the other side have to say about this disaster. Since the movie is retelling a story of how the bomb was created, and what torments does the creator endures in the aftermath of its usage. But the real damage in the movie was not depicted. And so I've stumbled upon the anime movie "Akira", which starts with a big explosion in the very beginning and is also considered to be a cult classic of it's genre.
The viewing of the "Akira" was a refreshing experience, after all of those movies where superheroes save the world from total destruction or go back in time and fix their mistake like nothing happened - a Hollywood-like endings. In the anime the heroes tried and the destruction still happened. That was a new perspective (even though the movie is made ~35 years ago).
Yet, even though I enjoyed the watch, something was missing. I didn't get the answers to my questions: How does one live with the consequences, with the trauma, how does one find the strength to persevere after such tragic, obliterating events? So I decided to read the manga. And here I have to give huge kudos to Vilniaus apskrities A. Mickevičiaus viešąjai bibliotekai for having bought the full Akira 35th Anniversary Box Set. I had a chance to immerse myself completely into the wonderful cyberpunk, sci-fi epic by Katsuhiro Otomo.
The story starts 30 years later, after the explosion in the center of Tokyo. A group of delinquent motorcycle-gang members are riding through the streets of newly founded city, already back on its feet after the terrible outcomes of WW3, when suddenly an accident happens and one of the gang members nearly runs over a strange child that awakens in him telekinetic powers, and then the whole mess begins.
The manga series are so full of action sequences, so intense that you cannot put it down. The story is so much richer then what is depicted in the anime, I got more then I asked for. So many intertwined themes one, better then the other: corrupt government officials, religious zealots, lust for power & control, friends turn rivals, love, sacrifice, emergence of heroism, creation and destruction and they all come back together in a stunning ending.
There are six volumes in total, but you can read it in a day. All the characters are so compelling and thought out, you can understand their reasons and motives. I was really satisfied that as a main protagonist Otomo decided to make a teenager punk who is some-what cocky, clueless and reckless. When all is happening so fast, I liked that the viewpoint was of a person who likewise doesn't understand what the hell is going on, but yet persistently and courageously gets involved.
The usage of panels in this manga are Masterful! Such detail, such scrutiny to all the buildings and constructions and vehicles, all characters are recognizable in each panel. Only three people drew that! And its 35 years old, it look like it was published yesterday! This is a visually striking story and it cannot be told differently. This manga teleported me to my teenage years when I was so captivated by the comic-art form, I even wanted to become a comic creator. If you're from LT make sure to read it, its in library!
September 26, 2022
Marvel at the beauty that is Akira. There’s really not much I can say about the series that hasn’t already been said before, but what I will add is that, if you’re a fan of the movie and want to dive deeper into this world, then the manga is a must. Notice I didn’t say that the manga will help you understand what’s going on in this story, because it’s still pretty confusing, but there’s something to be said about a story that barely explains itself, but still manages to engage the reader to such a degree.
There are plenty of elements in the manga that stand out to me, and it has to do with how much we get to know the characters from the movie on a whole new level. Of course, I wouldn’t have minded if the movie had an extra half hour of material, but I also wouldn’t have minded an extra 2 hours. I’m actually glad we get cut off at 2 hours. What I will argue is that the manga and the movie are the same stories taking place in different universes. They intersect in some areas but are wildly different in others. I love the movie with every fiber of my being, but the manga makes us care about these characters even more and we understand their drive in this story much better. Kei and Lady Miyako are central characters here (maybe more than Kaneda) and only serve to add richness to the conflict with Tetsuo. And that’s just scratching the surface. The stakes are just as high here, but there’s more humanity to the story. The character of Akira itself is much more tragic, even though, again, its not quite clear what Akira is, what the capsules are or what they’re supposed to be doing, how Tetsuo fits into all this, or what even happens when these raptures occur. But that doesn’t matter because the rest of the story is pretty grounded in the sense that everyone is frustrated that they don’t understand what’s going on but that there’s one thing that needs to be done. We’re on board for this madness.
Read this manga and really think about what it means that that the only name associated with it is Katsuhiro Otomo. This means one person wrote, designed, drew, and inked this 3000 page behemoth. Such talent and execution is almost unheard of in modern American comics. It's incredible. I am simply in awe of the man.
I often wonder what differentiates books I really like from books I love, and I found that in Akira. It’s not just that the story excels in so many ways, but that it does that while still containing flaws. Every time I sat down with it, I felt enriched and moved. I loved seeing these characters develop, and the underlying message of friendship and human connection being the only thing we truly have left when the chips are down. It’s a story that contains multitudes upon multitudes and yet the message is simple and familiar in many ways. I found myself thinking about the story in between breaks and feeling both sentimental and inspired. How many stories do we know that move us so much? Akira is glorious.
There are plenty of elements in the manga that stand out to me, and it has to do with how much we get to know the characters from the movie on a whole new level. Of course, I wouldn’t have minded if the movie had an extra half hour of material, but I also wouldn’t have minded an extra 2 hours. I’m actually glad we get cut off at 2 hours. What I will argue is that the manga and the movie are the same stories taking place in different universes. They intersect in some areas but are wildly different in others. I love the movie with every fiber of my being, but the manga makes us care about these characters even more and we understand their drive in this story much better. Kei and Lady Miyako are central characters here (maybe more than Kaneda) and only serve to add richness to the conflict with Tetsuo. And that’s just scratching the surface. The stakes are just as high here, but there’s more humanity to the story. The character of Akira itself is much more tragic, even though, again, its not quite clear what Akira is, what the capsules are or what they’re supposed to be doing, how Tetsuo fits into all this, or what even happens when these raptures occur. But that doesn’t matter because the rest of the story is pretty grounded in the sense that everyone is frustrated that they don’t understand what’s going on but that there’s one thing that needs to be done. We’re on board for this madness.
Read this manga and really think about what it means that that the only name associated with it is Katsuhiro Otomo. This means one person wrote, designed, drew, and inked this 3000 page behemoth. Such talent and execution is almost unheard of in modern American comics. It's incredible. I am simply in awe of the man.
I often wonder what differentiates books I really like from books I love, and I found that in Akira. It’s not just that the story excels in so many ways, but that it does that while still containing flaws. Every time I sat down with it, I felt enriched and moved. I loved seeing these characters develop, and the underlying message of friendship and human connection being the only thing we truly have left when the chips are down. It’s a story that contains multitudes upon multitudes and yet the message is simple and familiar in many ways. I found myself thinking about the story in between breaks and feeling both sentimental and inspired. How many stories do we know that move us so much? Akira is glorious.
June 6, 2024
At 2:17 PM on December 06 1982, a mysterious black-domed explosion destroys Tokyo and sets off World War III. Thirty-eight years later, the rebuilt city, now known as "Neo-Tokyo", has fallen into decay, corruption and crime. During a night of civil unrest, as people take to the streets to protest the government, a turf war between two biker gangs rages, only to be halted when a hideously aged escapee from the government is nearly run over by one of the gangsters, using mysterious powers to defend himself and severely injuring the gangster — a young, nervous kid named Tetsuo from the Capsule gang. Moments later, the army takes the escapee back into custody; however, they also decide to take Tetsuo with them.
He then becomes the newest test subject for the "Akira Project", an initiative to imbue capable subjects with telekinetic powers. But when Tetsuo's powers awaken, the combination of an inferiority complex harboured since childhood and power beyond his wildest dreams wastes no time in driving him insane. He escapes the lab and goes on a super-powered rampage through Neo-Tokyo, and it falls to a handful of people, including Capsule leader and Tetsuo's friend Kaneda, to stop the destruction.
While the anime is pretty famous for its nightmare fuel, the original manga which the anime was adapted from was pretty nightmarish, too. For one, the characters live in a crappy world where there are lots of people dying left and right in brutal ways, unruly and savage teenagers who run vicious bōsōzoku gangs, brutal police officers, a shady and corrupt government whose members engage in all sorts of clandestine activities, powerful psychics, and of course, the titular child whose psychic awakening was responsible for the destruction of not one city, but two! Their world is still reeling from World War III and is thrust to the brink of another World War by the events in the manga.
While the movie had its rough edges due to being set in a post-apocalyptic world where violence and corruption are rampant and with a few scenes of nasty imagery thrown in for good measure, the manga makes it look tame in comparison due to how far more nihilistic it is! Case in point, Kaneda and Tetsuo are far more mean-spirited and cruel than they are in the movie. Despite being a badass in his own right, Kaneda is otherwise just your standard biker. His outfit is more iconic than his personality. Meanwhile, he's surrounded by godlike psychics, a rebel group, and a military colonel who gets his own character arc.
He then becomes the newest test subject for the "Akira Project", an initiative to imbue capable subjects with telekinetic powers. But when Tetsuo's powers awaken, the combination of an inferiority complex harboured since childhood and power beyond his wildest dreams wastes no time in driving him insane. He escapes the lab and goes on a super-powered rampage through Neo-Tokyo, and it falls to a handful of people, including Capsule leader and Tetsuo's friend Kaneda, to stop the destruction.
While the anime is pretty famous for its nightmare fuel, the original manga which the anime was adapted from was pretty nightmarish, too. For one, the characters live in a crappy world where there are lots of people dying left and right in brutal ways, unruly and savage teenagers who run vicious bōsōzoku gangs, brutal police officers, a shady and corrupt government whose members engage in all sorts of clandestine activities, powerful psychics, and of course, the titular child whose psychic awakening was responsible for the destruction of not one city, but two! Their world is still reeling from World War III and is thrust to the brink of another World War by the events in the manga.
While the movie had its rough edges due to being set in a post-apocalyptic world where violence and corruption are rampant and with a few scenes of nasty imagery thrown in for good measure, the manga makes it look tame in comparison due to how far more nihilistic it is! Case in point, Kaneda and Tetsuo are far more mean-spirited and cruel than they are in the movie. Despite being a badass in his own right, Kaneda is otherwise just your standard biker. His outfit is more iconic than his personality. Meanwhile, he's surrounded by godlike psychics, a rebel group, and a military colonel who gets his own character arc.
May 16, 2021
Je tiens à préciser avant de commenter plus en profondeur : C'est la première fois que je lis un manga, et je n'ai pas vu le film.
Donc, je sais qu'Akira est un classique, mais je n'ai pas le bagage pour comprendre en quoi cela a pu être une oeuvre révolutionnaire pour le genre.
Malgré cela, j'ai trouvé le manga visuellement magnifique. Je vois sans peine content cela a pu être une oeuvre fondatrice de l'esthétique cyberpunk.
Les personnages sont aussi étonnamment complexe. À la fin, on comprend sans peine les motivations de chaque personnages, assez pour souhaiter que cela se termine bien, même les antagonistes.
Il y a une exception à cela, et c'est malheureusement Kaneda, le protagoniste. C'est presque l'archétype du personnage écrit de la façon la plus générique possible dans l'espoir que le lecteur s'y identifie. La bonne nouvelle, c'est qu'il est absent presque le tiers du manga.
L'histoire est bonne, et elle était sûrement originale en 1985, avant que "dystopie cyberpunk" soit un genre littéraire à part entière.
Le problème est la longueur. 2500 pages, et le manga aurait pu être à moitié plus court. L'intrigue est ralentie par des scènes d'actions interminables qui n'apportent rien à l'histoire. (Sauf qu'elle sont souvent visuellement magnifiques, mais pas toujours.)
J'imagine sans problème comment le film a pour devenir un chef d'oeuvre en ne gardant que l'essentiel. (On m'a dit par exemple que le personnage d'Akira lui-même n'est pas dans le film. Ça m'amuse d'imaginer le personnage éponyme absent, mais je comprends parfaitement le choix : Akira est inutile.)
Bref, Akira n'est pas mauvais, mais je ne le recommande pas comme œuvre pour s'initier aux mangas. Personellement, ça m'a déçu.
Donc, je sais qu'Akira est un classique, mais je n'ai pas le bagage pour comprendre en quoi cela a pu être une oeuvre révolutionnaire pour le genre.
Malgré cela, j'ai trouvé le manga visuellement magnifique. Je vois sans peine content cela a pu être une oeuvre fondatrice de l'esthétique cyberpunk.
Les personnages sont aussi étonnamment complexe. À la fin, on comprend sans peine les motivations de chaque personnages, assez pour souhaiter que cela se termine bien, même les antagonistes.
Il y a une exception à cela, et c'est malheureusement Kaneda, le protagoniste. C'est presque l'archétype du personnage écrit de la façon la plus générique possible dans l'espoir que le lecteur s'y identifie. La bonne nouvelle, c'est qu'il est absent presque le tiers du manga.
L'histoire est bonne, et elle était sûrement originale en 1985, avant que "dystopie cyberpunk" soit un genre littéraire à part entière.
Le problème est la longueur. 2500 pages, et le manga aurait pu être à moitié plus court. L'intrigue est ralentie par des scènes d'actions interminables qui n'apportent rien à l'histoire. (Sauf qu'elle sont souvent visuellement magnifiques, mais pas toujours.)
J'imagine sans problème comment le film a pour devenir un chef d'oeuvre en ne gardant que l'essentiel. (On m'a dit par exemple que le personnage d'Akira lui-même n'est pas dans le film. Ça m'amuse d'imaginer le personnage éponyme absent, mais je comprends parfaitement le choix : Akira est inutile.)
Bref, Akira n'est pas mauvais, mais je ne le recommande pas comme œuvre pour s'initier aux mangas. Personellement, ça m'a déçu.
October 30, 2022
First of all: WOW!!!
What this 35th anniversary box includes: 6 books for the comic, 1 book for the covers and various drawings and other things, and 1 iron-on patch.
Book 1. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no.24 December 1982 to no. 17 September 1983 -357 pages
Book 2. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no. 18 September 1983 to no. 9 April 1984 - 301 pages
Book 3. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no. 10 May 1984 to no.1 1985 - 282 pages
Book 4. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no.5 March 1985 to no.8 April 1986 - 394 pages
Book 5. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no.10 May 1986 to no. 7 April 1989 - 413 pages
Book 6. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no. 10 May 1989 to no. 28 June 1990 . 434 pages
First time I became aware of Akira was in the mid 90s or towards the late 90s. And it was the anime. All I saw was the cover for the video cassette. And learned there was a manga too sometime later. So up until now, actually and finally reading the manga, 40 years after it was first published, I thought the person on the cover was Akira! Now obviously I know that it is Kaneda that's on the cover with his motorbike! I knew it was a classic, but I was blown away at how fantastic this series actually is!
The series starts with these words: "At 2:17 P.M. December 6th, 1982, a new type of bomb exploded over the metropolitan area of Japan. Nine hours later World War III began." Then the story moves forward to 2019 and ends in 2020.
Is it worth the 40 year wait and the price of the box set? Abso-bloody-lutely!!! If you love comics, manga, great art and good story telling, you have to read this and include it into your collection!!!
What this 35th anniversary box includes: 6 books for the comic, 1 book for the covers and various drawings and other things, and 1 iron-on patch.
Book 1. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no.24 December 1982 to no. 17 September 1983 -357 pages
Book 2. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no. 18 September 1983 to no. 9 April 1984 - 301 pages
Book 3. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no. 10 May 1984 to no.1 1985 - 282 pages
Book 4. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no.5 March 1985 to no.8 April 1986 - 394 pages
Book 5. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no.10 May 1986 to no. 7 April 1989 - 413 pages
Book 6. Episodes first appearing in Young Magazine no. 10 May 1989 to no. 28 June 1990 . 434 pages
First time I became aware of Akira was in the mid 90s or towards the late 90s. And it was the anime. All I saw was the cover for the video cassette. And learned there was a manga too sometime later. So up until now, actually and finally reading the manga, 40 years after it was first published, I thought the person on the cover was Akira! Now obviously I know that it is Kaneda that's on the cover with his motorbike! I knew it was a classic, but I was blown away at how fantastic this series actually is!
The series starts with these words: "At 2:17 P.M. December 6th, 1982, a new type of bomb exploded over the metropolitan area of Japan. Nine hours later World War III began." Then the story moves forward to 2019 and ends in 2020.
Is it worth the 40 year wait and the price of the box set? Abso-bloody-lutely!!! If you love comics, manga, great art and good story telling, you have to read this and include it into your collection!!!
September 20, 2025
I just don’t get it, I don’t get what makes this series so good. People rave about it, but it honestly feels kinda generic. The characters are all terrible, like I mean terrible, they are either barely given character, or their character is hardly expanded. Like what a joke of a character akira is, he is nothing short of wasted potential, he does nothing throughout the whole series and yet he’s the title character.
And then there’s Kaneda and tetsuo, both charActers are kind of bland and generic, and I’m supposed to believe that they have some sort of friendship, or history, or some shit, but that was never developed in the beginning of the story, we didn’t see their friendship at all at the beginning, and then they retconned their friendship out of nowhere, I just didn’t by it, and it seems the latter 2 parts needed you to care about their relationship, but they didn’t fkn have one.
And the there’s Kei or Kai whichever one she is, this chick is the biggest block of wood. I’ve never seen such a boring character in all my life. Was this really the peak of manga back then.
This is ridiculous, waste of 200+ bucks, and a waste of so much potential. Very disappointed.
And then there’s Kaneda and tetsuo, both charActers are kind of bland and generic, and I’m supposed to believe that they have some sort of friendship, or history, or some shit, but that was never developed in the beginning of the story, we didn’t see their friendship at all at the beginning, and then they retconned their friendship out of nowhere, I just didn’t by it, and it seems the latter 2 parts needed you to care about their relationship, but they didn’t fkn have one.
And the there’s Kei or Kai whichever one she is, this chick is the biggest block of wood. I’ve never seen such a boring character in all my life. Was this really the peak of manga back then.
This is ridiculous, waste of 200+ bucks, and a waste of so much potential. Very disappointed.
Read
December 18, 2021Was really hoping this 35th anniversary set from Kodansha would include a completely new and more faithful translation than the original, and I believe only other, English translation. What this does have is the art in the original right-to-left orientation, the original katakana sound effects and the original front matter from the original Japanese volumes which recaps the events in each previous volume. What this does not have is a completely new English translation. The text here is odd. On the one hand, it is word for word the same 90% of the time with the previous translation, but there are some changes. However, these changes don't always make the translated text more close the original Japanese text, but sometimes they do. Sometimes information omitted from the Japanese text in the first English translation is added back in here but other times it's not. Still waiting for an accurate, not so cringe English translation.
January 26, 2022
I never write reviews, but I am making an exception on this one. Simply put, Akira is a science-fiction masterpiece. Set aside any preconceived notions and biases you have towards comics / manga and check it out.
The art work is phenomenal. At times I found myself studying the backgrounds just to take in the wonderful artwork. They story itself is also a compelling read. It has parts of the anime, but it it’s own unique story.
The 35th anniversary edition looks great on a bookshelf and is very well designed. The only minor quibble I have with it is the Japanese sounds effects on the panels. They look wonderful, but to see the actual translation is a tad awkward. All the translations are at the very end of each volume. The large size of each volume makes it hard to check them out. That said, I was able to fill in the blanks on my own based on context and some things from the anime.
The art work is phenomenal. At times I found myself studying the backgrounds just to take in the wonderful artwork. They story itself is also a compelling read. It has parts of the anime, but it it’s own unique story.
The 35th anniversary edition looks great on a bookshelf and is very well designed. The only minor quibble I have with it is the Japanese sounds effects on the panels. They look wonderful, but to see the actual translation is a tad awkward. All the translations are at the very end of each volume. The large size of each volume makes it hard to check them out. That said, I was able to fill in the blanks on my own based on context and some things from the anime.
May 14, 2025
Impossível parar de ler
Realmente muito, muito bom mesmo. Um mangá com uma história muito boa, muita ação, bons personagens e uma mensagem por trás (por mais nacionalista que seja).
A ação em si as vezes é um pouco confusa por ter muita coisa acontecendo ao mesmo tempo em lugares diferentes, alternando o tempo todo entre esses lugares. Mas não é nada que jogue pra baixo a obra, dá pra relevar e entender mesmo que por cima tudo.
A mensagem final, como falei, é bem nacionalista de um Japão em reconstrução ainda, após passar por diversas catástrofes. O intervencionismo dos outros países é notável e cria-se no subtexto o interesse deles por algo oculto disfarçado de ajuda humanitária.
Muito legal, pena que usam tão pouco as motos 😝
Realmente muito, muito bom mesmo. Um mangá com uma história muito boa, muita ação, bons personagens e uma mensagem por trás (por mais nacionalista que seja).
A ação em si as vezes é um pouco confusa por ter muita coisa acontecendo ao mesmo tempo em lugares diferentes, alternando o tempo todo entre esses lugares. Mas não é nada que jogue pra baixo a obra, dá pra relevar e entender mesmo que por cima tudo.
A mensagem final, como falei, é bem nacionalista de um Japão em reconstrução ainda, após passar por diversas catástrofes. O intervencionismo dos outros países é notável e cria-se no subtexto o interesse deles por algo oculto disfarçado de ajuda humanitária.
Muito legal, pena que usam tão pouco as motos 😝
October 19, 2021
What a masterpiece. Still a cornerstone of comics as a medium and a storytelling language. It stands there along with all other '80s landmarks of comic book storytelling (Watchmen, The Dark Knight Strikes Again, The Incal, Zenith). It was a golden era, where politically relevant stories informed the action-packed plot. Their influence is, thankfully, still felt to this day.
Also, the collected version of the printed story was completed two years after the movie, allowing the reader and viewer to experience the (similar) stories to a different effect.
So glad to have finally read this...
Also, the collected version of the printed story was completed two years after the movie, allowing the reader and viewer to experience the (similar) stories to a different effect.
So glad to have finally read this...
May 19, 2024
Somehow lives up to the incredible amount of hype even after all of these years. It has so much to say on our relationship with science, government, and the ruling class. Even ignoring all of the lessons it’s trying to convey, the story is full of action and emotion. Also incredibly well illustrated.
If you’ve only seen the anime you’ve only seen probably 20% of the story. They’re both equally good in their own rights and judged against their own medium but if you’re a fan of the anime you owe it to yourself to go deeper and read this manga.
If you’ve only seen the anime you’ve only seen probably 20% of the story. They’re both equally good in their own rights and judged against their own medium but if you’re a fan of the anime you owe it to yourself to go deeper and read this manga.
Read
September 16, 2022Breathtaking in scope, and utterly fascinating. As a long time fan of the film I finally broke down and bought this boxed set so I could read the source material. Someone wrote in a review I read that the movie is more of an introduction to the story in the books, and boy were they right about that. There is so much more to this story than the movie ever touched on.
Also, for what it's worth, I can't recommend the boxed set enough. It is spectacular!
Also, for what it's worth, I can't recommend the boxed set enough. It is spectacular!
February 2, 2024
Akira is a triumph of fiction and something I really think everybody with even a passing interest in sci fi, adventure, fantasy or horror should read. The characters are incredible, the way they all weave in and out of the narrative is impressive, and the themes of humanity, mortality and the horrors of war and science are very impactful and well explored without feeling preachy, it’s all in service of a harrowing, hopeful, imaginative storyline.
October 22, 2024
Finally read this after watching the film to death. Still adore the film but I don’t know how they could’ve cut basically the entire final three volumes. And the ending in this is cataclysmic in scale yet still so poignantly intimate. There has never been and probably never will be another blend of biological-cosmic-cyber-horror as stunningly realized as this. To reuse my Letterboxd review: “mankind engineering its own extinction while anticipating its rebirth.”
August 4, 2025
Obviously this is a monumental achievement that’s a lot of fun to read, but I have to amend my initial rating of five stars down to four. Just because I realised a few of the story arcs or plot points are a little half-baked (the friendship between Birdman and Eggplant Man, and the scientist who sneaks into the Great Tokyo Empire, as examples). If these had been better fleshed out, it’d have been great, but as it is they make this already massive work feel a little incomplete.
December 5, 2019
Pensem nas crianças
Mudas, Telepáticas
Pensem nas meninas
Cegas, inexatas
Pensem nas mulheres
Rotas, Alteradas
Pensem nas feridas
Como rosas cálidas
Mas oh! Não se esqueçam
Da rosa, da rosa
Da rosa de Hiroshima
A rosa hereditária
A rosa radioativa
Estúpida e inválida
A rosa com cirrose
A anti-rosa atômica
Sem cor, sem perfume
Sem rosa, sem nada
Mudas, Telepáticas
Pensem nas meninas
Cegas, inexatas
Pensem nas mulheres
Rotas, Alteradas
Pensem nas feridas
Como rosas cálidas
Mas oh! Não se esqueçam
Da rosa, da rosa
Da rosa de Hiroshima
A rosa hereditária
A rosa radioativa
Estúpida e inválida
A rosa com cirrose
A anti-rosa atômica
Sem cor, sem perfume
Sem rosa, sem nada
July 2, 2021
Amazing edition which includes lots of information about the author including questionnaires and interviews. The ending made much of an emotional impact on the second read through and the story made much more sense. I liked the summaries that began each volume and showed profile pictures of the main characters, serving as a useful reminder of all their names.
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