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{{Английская Википедия/Панель перехода}}
{{short description|1988 animated film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo}}
{{redirect|Akira (anime)|the franchise|Akira (franchise)|the original 1982 manga|Akira (manga)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Akira
| image          = AKIRA (1988 poster).jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| alt            = In a road, Kaneda is seen walking towards his red motorcycle with is parked in the center facing left. Various stickers are placed in the front sides of the motorcycle. Kaneda's jacket has a pill etched to it.
| native_name    = {{Infobox Japanese
| kanji = アキラ
}}
| director       = [[Katsuhiro Otomo]]
| producer       = {{Plainlist|
* Ryōhei Suzuki
* Shunzō Katō
}}
| screenplay     = {{Plainlist|
* Katsuhiro Otomo
* [[Izo Hashimoto]]
}}
| based_on       = {{Based on|''[[Akira (manga)|Akira]]''|Katsuhiro Otomo}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Mitsuo Iwata]]
* [[Nozomu Sasaki]]
* [[Mami Koyama]]
* [[Taro Ishida]]
* [[Tesshō Genda]]
* [[Mizuho Suzuki]]
* Tatsuhiko Nakamura
* Fukue Itō
* Kazuhiro Shindō
}}
| music          = [[Tsutomu Ōhashi|Shōji Yamashiro]]
| cinematography = Katsuji Misawa
| editing        = [[Takeshi Seyama]]
| studio         = Tokyo Movie Shinsha Co. Ltd
| distributor    = [[Toho]]
| released       = {{film date|1988|7|16}}<!--LIST ONLY FIRST DATE AND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN DATE PER WP:FILMRELEASE.-->
| runtime        = 124 minutes
| country        = Japan
| language       = Japanese
| budget         = ¥700 million / $5.7&nbsp;million<ref name="Crunchyroll"/><ref name="currency"/>
| gross          = {{US$|49&nbsp;million|long=no}}<ref name="vice"/>
}}

{{nihongo|'''''Akira'''''|アキラ|lead=yes}} is a 1988 Japanese animated [[cyberpunk]] [[action film]]<ref name="telegraph"/> directed by [[Katsuhiro Otomo]], produced by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and written by Otomo and [[Izo Hashimoto]], based on Otomo's 1982 [[Akira (manga)|manga of the same name]]. Set in a [[dystopia]]n 2019, it tells the story of Shōtarō Kaneda, the leader of a [[bōsōzoku|biker gang]] whose childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, acquires incredible [[telekinesis|telekinetic]] abilities after a motorcycle accident, eventually threatening an entire military complex amid chaos and rebellion in the sprawling futuristic [[metropolis]] of Neo-Tokyo.

While most of the character designs and settings were adapted from the manga, the plot differs considerably and does not include much of the last half of the manga, which continued publication for two years after the film's release. The soundtrack, which draws heavily from traditional [[Music of Indonesia|Indonesian]] [[gamelan]] as well as Japanese [[noh]] music, was composed by [[Tsutomu Ōhashi|Shōji Yamashiro]] and performed by [[Geinoh Yamashirogumi]].

''Akira'' was released in Japan on July 16, 1988, by [[Toho]]; it was released the following year in the United States by [[Streamline Pictures]]. It garnered an international [[cult following]] after various theatrical and [[VHS]] releases, eventually earning over $80{{nbsp}}million worldwide in [[home video]] sales.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 10, 2013 |title=Akira: the future-Tokyo story that brought anime west |url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jul/10/akira-anime-japanese-cartoon-manga |access-date=2023-01-11 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> It has been cited as a masterpiece and is widely regarded by audiences and critics as one of the [[List of films considered the best|greatest films ever made]], especially in the field of animation and in the action and science fiction genres. It is regarded as a landmark in Japanese animation, and the most influential and iconic anime film ever made.<ref name="Akira">{{cite web |url=http://www.moviecricket.com/top-10-anime-movies-time-34075/ |title=Akira as #1 anime movie. |publisher=Movie Cricket |access-date=November 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128021329/http://www.moviecricket.com/top-10-anime-movies-time-34075 |archive-date=November 28, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Akira 2">{{cite web |url=http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-lists/10-best-anime-movies-of-all-time/ |title=Ten best anime movies of all time. |publisher=Screen Junkies |access-date=November 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216130035/http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-lists/10-best-anime-movies-of-all-time/ |archive-date=December 16, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Guardian">{{cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Phelim |title=Akira: No 22 best sci-fi and fantasy film of all time |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/21/akira-otomo-fantasy-sci-fi |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=August 4, 2012 |date=October 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417025629/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/21/akira-otomo-fantasy-sci-fi |archive-date=April 17, 2015 |url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="Film4">{{cite web |title=Akira |url=http://www.film4.com/galleries/top-50-science-fiction-films/sci-fi-akira |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111231120014/http://www.film4.com/galleries/top-50-science-fiction-films/sci-fi-akira |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 31, 2011 |work=Top 50 Science Fiction Films |publisher=[[Film4]] |access-date= August 4, 2012 |year=2011}}</ref><ref name="complex">{{cite web |last=Barone |first=Matt |title=27. Akira (1988) |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2011/06/the-50-best-sci-fi-movies/akira |work=The 50 Best Sci-Fi Movies |access-date=August 4, 2012 |date=June 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904161927/http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2011/06/the-50-best-sci-fi-movies/akira |archive-date=September 4, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> It is also a pivotal film in the cyberpunk genre, particularly the [[Japanese cyberpunk]] subgenre,<ref name="polygon" /> as well as [[adult animation]].<ref name= "filmschoolrejects" /> The film had a significant impact on popular culture worldwide, paving the way for the growth of anime and [[Japanese popular culture]] in the Western world as well as influencing numerous works in animation, comics, film, music, television and video games.<ref name="vice" /><ref name= "filmschoolrejects" /><ref name="O'Neill" />

== Plot ==
<!-- NOTE TO EDITORS: Before expanding this section, please read [[WP:FILMPLOT]]. A plot summary should be a 400-700-word overview of the film's main plot points and does not need to include minor details or replicate the experience of watching the film. Thanks! -->
[[File:Akira-Neo-Tokyo-Geography-2019.png|thumb|left|Geography of Neo-Tokyo (2019). Note the amount of reclaimed land in the middle of [[Tokyo Bay]].]]

In 2019, following a [[world war]] triggered by the sudden destruction of Tokyo on July 16, 1988, Neo-Tokyo is plagued by corruption, anti-government protests, terrorism, and gang violence. During a violent rally, the hot-headed Shōtarō Kaneda leads his vigilante ''[[bōsōzoku]]'' gang, the Capsules, against the rival Clown gang. Kaneda's best friend, Tetsuo Shima, inadvertently crashes his motorcycle into Takashi, an [[Extrasensory perception|esper]] who escaped from a government laboratory with the aid of a resistance organization. Assisted by fellow esper Masaru, [[Japan Self-Defense Forces]] Colonel Shikishima recaptures Takashi, has Tetsuo hospitalized, and arrests the Capsules. While being interrogated by the police, Kaneda meets Kei, an activist within the resistance movement, and tricks the authorities into releasing her with his gang.

At a secret government facility, Shikishima and his head of research, Doctor Ōnishi, discover that Tetsuo possesses powerful psychic abilities similar to Akira, the esper responsible for Tokyo's 1988 destruction. Esper Kiyoko forewarns Shikishima of Neo-Tokyo's impending destruction, but the city's parliament dismisses Shikishima's concerns, leading him to consider killing Tetsuo to prevent another cataclysm. Meanwhile, Tetsuo escapes from the hospital, steals Kaneda's motorcycle, and tries to flee Neo-Tokyo with his girlfriend Kaori, but the Clowns ambush them. The Capsules rescue Tetsuo and Kaori, but Tetsuo suffers intense headaches and hallucinations and is re-hospitalized.

Overhearing their plan to rescue Tetsuo and the other espers, Kaneda joins Kei's resistance cell. At the hospital, the espers try killing Tetsuo via hallucinations, but the attempt is thwarted. A frustrated Tetsuo searches for them, killing any orderlies and militiamen blocking his path. The resistance group infiltrates the hospital, and Kiyoko draws Kei and Kaneda into Shikishima and the espers' futile attempts to stop Tetsuo. Kiyoko tells Tetsuo that Akira, located in cryonic storage beneath the Olympic Stadium's construction site, could help Tetsuo with his powers. After rejecting everyone around him, especially Kaneda, Tetsuo flees the hospital to hunt for Akira.

Using Kei as a medium to stop Tetsuo, Kiyoko breaks her and Kaneda out of military custody. Shikishima stages a coup d'état against Neo-Tokyo's government and directs its military forces to destroy Tetsuo at any cost. At the Capsules' former hangout, Harukiya Bar, Tetsuo confronts gangmates Yamagata and Kai over Kaneda's bike and kills Yamagata after his protest. Kai relays the news to Kaneda, who vows to avenge his friend, while Takashi brings Kei away. Mistaken for Akira by cultists, Tetsuo rampages through Neo-Tokyo, arriving at Akira's [[cryogenic storage dewar]] under the stadium. Kei fights Tetsuo, but he defeats her and exhumes Akira, only to find his remains sealed in jars for scientific research.

Kaneda fights Tetsuo with a laser rifle, and Shikishima fires an [[orbital weapon]] at him. While the latter destroys his arm, neither is able to stop him. Shikishima and Kaori approach the stadium, where Tetsuo, now with a robotic arm, is in great pain and losing control over his powers. Kaori tries restraining Tetsuo while Shikishima unsuccessfully offers to heal his injuries and help control his abilities. Kaneda again fights Tetsuo, who, weakened from the missing arm, mutates into a gigantic mass of flesh, engulfing Kaneda and killing Kaori. The espers revive Akira to stop the growing mass. Reuniting with his friends, Akira creates a [[Initial singularity|singularity]], drawing Tetsuo and Kaneda into another dimension. The espers teleport Shikishima to a safe distance as the singularity destroys Neo-Tokyo in a mirror of Tokyo's previous destruction, and they agree to rescue Kaneda, knowing they will not return to this dimension as a result.

In the singularity, Kaneda experiences Tetsuo and the espers' childhoods, including his and Tetsuo's friendship and the espers' psychic training before Tokyo's destruction. The espers return Kaneda to Neo-Tokyo, informing him that Akira will take Tetsuo to safety and that Kei is developing psychic powers. Ōnishi witnesses the birth of a universe but is killed in his lab's destruction. After consuming most of Neo-Tokyo, the singularity disappears, and water floods the crater left in its place. Mourning Tetsuo's loss, Kaneda discovers that Kei and Kai have survived, and they ride off into the ruins while Shikishima watches the sunrise. At an unspecified plane of reality, Tetsuo introduces himself and triggers the creation of a universe, finally transcending the limitations of human existence.

== Voice cast ==
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| direction         = vertical
| footer            = [[Cam Clarke]] and [[Johnny Yong Bosch]] (top to bottom) voiced Kaneda in the first and second English dub of the film, respectively.
| footer_align      = left
| image1            = Cam Clarke (14062782131).jpg
| image2            = Johnny Yong Bosch.jpg
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Character
! rowspan="2"|Japanese<ref name="CBM" />
! colspan="2"|English
|-
! {{small|Electric Media/<br />[[Streamline Pictures|Streamline]] (1989)}}<ref name="Streamline">{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalacids.com/database/title/20/akira/ |title=Akira (movie) |publisher=CrystalAcids.com |access-date=August 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129025742/http://www.crystalacids.com/database/title/20/akira/ |archive-date=November 29, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>
! {{small|[[Animaze]]/<br />[[NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan|Pioneer]] (2001)}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalacids.com/database/title/19/akira/ |title=Akira (movie) |publisher=CrystalAcids.com |access-date=December 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225155717/http://www.crystalacids.com/database/title/19/akira/ |archive-date=February 25, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://i.ibb.co/P1Y9KpZ/Akira.jpg|title=Voice actor call sheet}}</ref>
|-
! Shōtarō Kaneda
| [[Mitsuo Iwata]]
| [[Cam Clarke]]
| [[Johnny Yong Bosch]]
|-
! Tetsuo Shima
| [[Nozomu Sasaki]]
| [[Jan Rabson]]
| [[Joshua Seth]]
|-
! rowspan="2" |Kei
| rowspan="2" |[[Mami Koyama]]
!Kay
| rowspan="2" |[[Wendee Lee]]
|-
| [[Lara Cody]]
|-
! Colonel Shikishima
| [[Tarō Ishida]]
| [[Tony Pope]]
| [[Jamieson Price]]
|-
! rowspan="2" | Ryūsaku (Ryu)
| rowspan="2" | [[Tesshō Genda]]
! Roy
| rowspan="2" | [[Bob Buchholz]]
|-
|[[Steve Kramer (actor)|Steve Kramer]]
|-
! Doctor Ōnishi
| [[Mizuho Suzuki]]
| [[Lewis Arquette]]
| [[Simon Prescott]]
|-
! Takashi (No. 26)
| Tatsuhiko Nakamura
| [[Barbara Goodson]]
| Cody MacKenzie
|-
! Kiyoko (No. 25)
| Fukue Itō
| [[Melora Harte]]
| [[Sandy Fox]]
|-
! Masaru (No. 27)
| Kazuhiro Shindō
| [[Bob Bergen]]
| Travis Weaver
|-
! Kaori
| [[Yuriko Fuchizaki]]
| Barbara Goodson
| [[Michelle Ruff]]
|-
! rowspan="2" |Yamagata
| rowspan="2" |Masaaki Ōkura
!Yama
| rowspan="2" |[[Michael Lindsay]]
|-
| Tony Pope
|-
! Kai
| [[Takeshi Kusao]]
| Bob Bergen
| Anthony Pulcini
|-
! rowspan="2" |Nezu
| rowspan="2" |[[Hiroshi Ōtake]]
!Insider
| rowspan="2" |[[Mike Reynolds (actor)|Mike Reynolds]]
|-
| Tony Pope
|-
! Terrorist 1
| [[Masato Hirano (voice actor)|Masato Hirano]]
| Lewis Arquette
| [[Steve Blum]]
|-
! Terrorist 2
| [[Yukimasa Kishino]]
| [[Wally Burr]]
| [[Michael McConnohie]]
|-
! Shimazaki
| Yukimasa Kishino
| Tony Pope
| [[Robert Axelrod (actor)|Robert Axelrod]]
|-
! Colonel's Council Liaison
| [[Kōichi Kitamura]]
| Lewis Arquette
| [[Michael Forest]]
|-
! Eiichi Watanabe
| Tarō Arakawa
| Bob Bergen
| Ted Rae
|-
! Mitsuru Kuwata
| Yukimasa Kishino
| Tony Pope
| [[Skip Stellrecht]]
|-
! Yūji Takeyama
| Masato Hirano
| Jan Rabson
| [[Eddie Frierson]]
|-
! Groupies
| [[Kayoko Fujii]]<br />Masami Toyoshima<br />Yuka Ōno
| Lara Cody<br />Julie Phelan<br />Barbara Goodson
| [[Julie Ann Taylor]]<br />[[Patricia Ja Lee]]<br />[[Dyanne DiRosario]]
|-
! Lady Miyako
| [[Kōichi Kitamura]]
| Steve Kramer
| [[William Frederick Knight]]
|-
! Inspector
| [[Michihiro Ikemizu]]
| Bob Bergen
| [[Steve Staley]]
|-
! Army
| Kazumi Tanaka
| Steve Kramer
| [[Tony Oliver]]
|-
! Harukiya Bartender
| [[Yōsuke Akimoto]]
| Tony Pope
| [[John Snyder (actor)|John Snyder]]
|-
! Committee members
| Kōichi Kitamura<br />Yukimasa Kishino<br />Masayuki Katō<br />Masato Hirano<br />Taro Arakawa<br />Michihiro Ikemizu
| Cam Clarke<br />Lewis Arquette<br />Barbara Goodson<br />Steve Kramer<br />Jan Rabson<br />Bob Bergen
| [[Peter Spellos]]<br />[[Dan Lorge]]<br />[[Bob Papenbrook]]<br />[[Michael Sorich]]<br />[[Doug Stone (voice actor)|Doug Stone]]<br />[[Paul St. Peter]]<br />Christopher Carroll
|}

== Production ==
While working on the ''[[Akira (manga)|Akira]]'' manga, [[Katsuhiro Otomo]] did not intend to adapt the series; however, he became "very intrigued" when the offer to develop his work for the screen was put before him.<ref>{{cite AV media |title= Akira Production Report |medium=DVD |publisher=[[Madman Entertainment]] |date=November 13, 2001}}</ref> He agreed to an anime film adaptation of the series on the grounds that he retained creative control of the project – this insistence was based on his experiences working on ''[[Genma Taisen#Harmagedon|Harmagedon]]''.<ref name="CBM" /> The Akira Committee was the name given to a partnership of several major Japanese entertainment companies brought together to realize production of an ''Akira'' film. The group's assembly was necessitated by the unconventionally high starting budget of around ¥500,000,000, intended to achieve the desired epic standard equal to Otomo's over 2,000-page manga tale. The committee consisted of [[Kodansha]], [[Mainichi Broadcasting System]], [[Bandai]], [[Hakuhodo]], [[Toho]], [[NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan|LaserDisc Corporation]] and [[Sumitomo Corporation]] who all forwarded money and promotion towards the film. The animation for the film was provided for by animation producers, Tokyo Movie Shinsha (now [[TMS Entertainment]]).<ref name="AK3" />

''Akira'' had [[Lip-synching#Animation|pre-scored]] dialogue (wherein the dialogue is recorded before the film starts production and the movements of the characters' lips are animated to match it;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BFmrVHB44w |title=Interview with Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo (3/4) | work =Akira 2019 |date= December 29, 2009 |via=YouTube |access-date=November 29, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417162028/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BFmrVHB44w |archive-date=April 17, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> a first for an anime production and extremely unusual even today for an anime,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.funimation.com/blog/2019/05/22/the-great-and-powerful-akira/ | title=The Great And Powerful Akira | publisher=Funimation | date=May 22, 2019 | access-date=February 21, 2021}}</ref> although the voice actors did perform with the aid of [[animatics]]),<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> and super-fluid motion as realized in the film's more than 160,000 animation [[cel]]s.<ref name="AK3">Production insights, Akira No. 3 ([[Epic Comics]], 1988).</ref> [[Computer-generated imagery]] was also used in the film (created by High-Tech Lab. Japan Inc. and the cooperative companies for computer graphics, Sumisho Electronic Systems, Inc. and [[Wavefront Technologies]]), primarily to animate the pattern indicator used by Doctor Ōnishi, but it was additionally used to plot the paths of falling objects, model parallax effects on backgrounds, and tweak lighting and lens flares.<ref name="CBM" /> Unlike its live-action predecessors, ''Akira'' also had the budget to show a fully realized futuristic Tokyo.<ref name="empire">{{cite news |title=Akira: The Story Behind The Film |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/story-behind-film-akira/ |access-date=October 19, 2015 |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date= June 21, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909041713/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/story-behind-film-akira/ |archive-date=September 9, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The film's production budget was {{¥|700 million}}<ref name="Crunchyroll">{{cite web |last1=Harding |first1=Daryl |title=Akira Anime Film Producer Corrects 30-Year Fact on How Much the Groundbreaking Film Cost to Make |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2020/06/08-1/akira-anime-film-producer-corrects-30-year-fact-on-how-much-the-groundbreaking-film-cost-to-make |website=[[Crunchyroll News]] |access-date=June 8, 2020 |language=en-us}}</ref> ({{US$|{{#expr:700/128.15 round 1}} million|long=no}}),<ref name="currency">{{cite web |title=Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) - Japan |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.FCRF?end=1988&locations=JP&start=1987 |publisher=[[World Bank]] |year= 1988 |access-date=August 13, 2018 }}</ref> with the combined production and advertising budget believed to be reaching {{¥|1.1 billion}} ({{US$|9 million|long=no}}).<ref name="Crunchyroll"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |author1=Isao Taniguchi |author2=Hajime Asō |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=28c9DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA75 |title=図解入門業界研究最新ｱﾆﾒ業界の動向とｶﾗｸﾘがよ〜くわかる本 |date=June 2017 |publisher=[[:ja:秀和システム|秀和システム]] (Shuwa System) |isbn=978-4-7980-5038-6 |edition=2nd |location=Japan |page=75 |language=ja |trans-title=Introductory Illustrated Industry Research A book that gives a good understanding of the latest trends and karakuri in the animation industry}}</ref> Some sources claim it to the most expensive anime film at the time of release,<ref name="empire"/><ref name=":0" /> but this claim is disputed by Crunchyroll writer Daryl Harding.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harding |first=Daryl |title=Akira Anime Film Producer Corrects 30-Year Fact on How Much the Groundbreaking Film Cost to Make |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2020/06/08-1/akira-anime-film-producer-corrects-30-year-fact-on-how-much-the-groundbreaking-film-cost-to-make |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=Crunchyroll |language=en-us}}</ref>

The teaser trailer for ''Akira'' was released in 1987. The film's main production was completed in 1987, with sound recording and mixing performed in early 1988. It was released in 1988, two years before the manga officially ended in 1990. Otomo is claimed to have filled 2,000 pages of notebooks, containing various ideas and character designs for the film, but the final storyboard consisted of a trimmed-down 738 pages.<ref name="CBM" /> He had great difficulty completing the manga; Otomo has stated that the inspiration for its conclusion arose from a conversation that he had with [[Alejandro Jodorowsky]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.austinfilm.org/page.aspx?pid=2961 |title=Akira Program Notes |publisher=Austin Film Society |access-date=December 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222092919/http://www.austinfilm.org/page.aspx?pid=2961 |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He later recalled that the film project had to begin with the writing of an ending that would bring suitable closure to major characters, storylines, and themes without being extraordinarily lengthy, so that he could know in reverse order which manga elements would make the cut into the anime and thus suitably resolve the manga's various elements into a lean, two-hour story.<ref name="DVD int">{{cite AV media |title= Director Interview |medium= DVD |publisher= [[FUNimation Entertainment]] |date=November 12, 2013}}</ref> Otomo has called making the film before finishing the manga "the worst possible idea".<ref name="Clements">{{cite book|last=Clements|first=Jonathan |title=Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: Adventures in the Anime and Manga Trade|publisher=A-Net Digital LLC|year=2010|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=inWpe4hhc0IC&pg=PA36 36]|isbn=978-0-9845937-4-3}}</ref> Although he came to like having two similar but different versions of the same story, he still felt too much of the original was cut out of the film.<ref name="Clements"/>

Otomo is a big fan of ''[[Tetsujin 28-go]]''. As a result, his naming conventions match the characters featured in ''Tetsujin 28-go'': Kaneda shares his name with the protagonist of ''Tetsujin 28-go''; Colonel Shikishima shares his name with Professor Shikishima of ''Tetsujin 28-go'', while Tetsuo is named after Shikishima's son Tetsuo Shikishima; ''Akira''{{'}}s Ryūsaku is named after Ryūsaku Murasame. In addition, Takashi has a "26" tattooed on his hand which closely resembles the font used in ''Tetsujin 28-go''. The namesake of the series, ''Akira'', is the 28th in a line of psychics that the government has developed, the same number as ''Tetsujin-28''.<ref name="DVD int" />

One of the film's key animators was [[Makiko Futaki]]; she went on to become a lead animator for Studio Ghibli films such as ''[[Kiki's Delivery Service]]'' (1989), ''[[Princess Mononoke]]'' (1997) and ''[[Howl's Moving Castle (film)|Howl's Moving Castle]]'' (2004), before passing away in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Taylor |first1=Trey |title=How Akira sent shockwaves through pop culture and changed it |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/31328/1/akira-anime-studio-ghibli-kanye-west-michael-jackson-pop-culture |website=[[Dazed]] |access-date=October 9, 2020 |language=en |date=May 31, 2016}}</ref> Another key animator who worked on ''Akira'' was former {{nowrap|[[Shin-Ei Animation|Shin-Ei]]}} animator [[Yoshiji Kigami]]; he animated several entire scenes in ''Akira'', such as the action scene in the sewers. He later joined [[Kyoto Animation]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Incredible Artists of Kyoto Animation: Part 1 |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2019-08-21/the-incredible-artists-of-kyoto-animation-part-1/.149150 |access-date=September 2, 2019 |work=[[Anime News Network]] |date=August 21, 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

== Releases ==
=== Box office ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"  style="text-align:center;"
|+ Box office performance
|-
! [[Box office territory|Territory]]
! Release(s)
! [[Distributor rentals]]
! [[Box office|Gross receipts]]
! [[List of films by box office admissions|Ticket sales]]
|-
| rowspan="5" | [[List of highest-grossing films in Japan|Japan]]
| 1988
| {{¥|750,000,000|link=yes}}<ref name="Kinema" />
| {{¥|{{#expr:750000000*<!--distribution-to-BO ratio-->(161921/65525) round -8}}|link=no}}<ref name="eiren">{{cite web |title=Statistics of Film Industry in Japan: Year 1955 - 1999 |url=http://www.eiren.org/statistics_e/index.html |website=Eiren |publisher=Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan |access-date=August 11, 2019}}</ref>
| {{formatnum:{{#expr:<!--gross receipts-->1900000000/<!--1988 price-->1118 round 0}}|}} ({{estimation}})<ref name="eiren"/>
|-
| 1989–2000
| {{¥|{{#expr:<!--1988-2000-->800000000-<!--1988-->750000000}}|link=no}}<ref name="Bouissou" />
| {{¥|{{#expr:50000000*<!--distribution-to-BO ratio-->(166681/67155) round -7}}|link=no}}<ref name="eiren" />
| {{formatnum:{{#expr:<!--gross receipts-->120000000/<!--1989 price-->1161 round 0}}|}} ({{estimation}})<ref name="eiren"/>
|-
| 1988–2000
| {{¥|800,000,000}}<ref name="Bouissou" />
| {{Unknown}}
| {{Unknown}}
|-
| 2005–2007
| {{N/A}}
| {{¥|137,000,000}}<ref>{{cite web |title=阿基拉-票房收入-日本偶像劇場 |trans-title=Akira – Box Office Revenue – Japanese Theaters |url=http://dorama.info/drama/pfd_boxoffice.php?num=29609&ud=0 |website=Dorama.info |language=zh |access-date=October 13, 2020}}</ref>
| {{formatnum:{{#expr:<!--2005-->(30000000/1235)+<!--2006-->(121000000-30000000)/1233+<!--2007-->(137000000-121000000)/1216 round 0}}|}} ({{estimation}})<ref name="eiren"/>
|-
| 2020
| {{N/A}}
| {{¥|106,389,400}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Ten JAPAN 2020 |url=https://www.insidekino.com/BO/JP2020.htm |website=Inside Kino |language=de |access-date=October 13, 2020}}</ref> ($1,130,351)<ref>{{cite web |title=Akira 2020 Re-release (Japan) |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2923528961/ |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=October 7, 2020}}</ref>
| {{formatnum:{{#expr:<!--gross-->1130351/<!--price-->{{To USD|1340|JPN}} round 0}}|}} ({{estimation}})<ref name="eiren"/>
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[List of highest-grossing films in the United States|United States]]
| 1989
| {{N/A}}
| $2,200,000<ref name="25thframe"/>
| 542,097<ref name="saltypopcorn">{{cite web |title=Akira |url=https://www.saltypopcorn.co.uk/movies/akira |website=Salty Popcorn: The Movie Database |access-date=24 April 2023}}</ref>
|-
| 2001
| {{N/A}}
| $114,009<ref>{{cite web |title=Akira 2001 Re-release |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr2733199877/ |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=June 9, 2020}}</ref>
| {{formatnum:{{#expr:<!--gross-->114009/<!--price-->5.66 round 0}}|}} ({{estimation}})<ref name="inflation">{{cite web |title=Box Office Mojo by IMDbPro FAQ: How are grosses adjusted for ticket price inflation? |url=https://help.imdb.com/article/imdbpro/industry-research/box-office-mojo-by-imdbpro-faq/GCWTV4MQKGWRAUAP#inflation |website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=October 13, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="4" | [[List of highest-grossing films in the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]
| 1991
| {{N/A}}
| [[Pound sterling|£]]878,695<ref name="25thframe" /> ({{US$|{{To USD|878.695|GBR|year=1991|round=yes}},000|long=no}})
| 382,041<ref name="saltypopcorn"/>
|-
| 2011
| {{N/A}}
| $18,813<ref>{{cite web |title=Akira 2011 Re-release |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr2749977093/ |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=October 13, 2020}}</ref>
| 3,419<ref name="lumiere">{{cite web |title=Film #2166: Akira |url=http://lumiere.obs.coe.int/web/film_info/?id=2166 |website=[[Lumiere (database)|Lumiere]] |access-date=June 9, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| 2015–2018
| {{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
| 15,108<ref name="lumiere"/>
|-
| 2020
| {{N/A}}
| £224,884<ref name="25thframe" /> ($325,657)<ref name="BOM2020">{{cite web |title=Akira 2020 Re-release |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr3399963141/ |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=December 7, 2020}}</ref>
| {{formatnum:{{#expr:<!--gross-->224884/<!--price-->7.11 round 0}}|}} ({{estimation}})<ref>{{cite web |title=UK cinema industry economics: Average ticket price – 2000-2019 |url=https://www.cinemauk.org.uk/the-industry/facts-and-figures/uk-cinema-industry-economics-and-turnover/average-ticket-price/ |website=[[UK Cinema Association]] |access-date=October 13, 2020}}</ref>
|-
|[[List of highest-grossing films in France|France]]
| 1991–2020
| {{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
| 167,372<ref>{{cite web |title=Akira (1988) |url=http://www.jpbox-office.com/fichfilm.php?id=20706 |website=JP's Box-Office |access-date=October 9, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" | Spain
| 1992–2013
| {{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
| {{formatnum:{{#expr:<!--1992-2016-->135600-<!--2014-2016-->1276}}|}}<ref name="Kino">{{cite web |title=Akira |url=https://www.kinopoisk.ru/film/8224/ |website=[[KinoPoisk]] |language=ru |access-date=October 7, 2020}}</ref><ref name="lumiere"/>
|-
| 2016–2018
| {{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
| 2,018<ref name="lumiere" />
|-
| 1992–2018
| {{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
| {{formatnum:{{#expr:134324+2018}}|}}
|-
| Finland
| 2020
| {{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
| 6,262<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Ten FINNLAND 2020 |url=https://www.insidekino.com/BO/FIN2020.htm |website=Inside Kino |language=de |access-date=October 13, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" | Other European countries
| 1999–2013
| {{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
| 25,047<ref name="lumiere" />
|-
| 2014–2018
| {{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
| 10,590<ref name="lumiere" />
|-
| 1999–2018
| {{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
| 35,622<ref name="lumiere" />
|-
| [[Quebec]] ([[List of highest-grossing films in Canada|Canada]])
| 2001–2002
| {{N/A}}
| {{Unknown}}
| 532<ref name="lumiere"/>
|-
| [[List of highest-grossing films in Taiwan|Taiwan]]
| 2006–2008
| {{N/A}}
| US$230,000<ref name="dorama" />
| 40,000<ref name="dorama">{{cite web |title=阿基拉-票房收入 |trans-title=Akira – Box Office Revenue |url=http://dorama.info/drama/pfd_boxoffice.php?num=29609&ud=0 |website=Dorama.info |language=zh |access-date=October 13, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| [[List of highest-grossing films in South Korea|South Korea]]
| 2017
| {{N/A}}
| {{KRW|86,224,200|link=yes}}<ref name="Korea" />
| 10,574<ref name="Korea">{{cite web |title=영화정보 |trans-title=Movie Information |url=http://www.kobis.or.kr/kobis/business/mast/mvie/searchMovieList.do |website=KOFIC |publisher=[[Korean Film Council]] |language=ko |access-date=November 8, 2018}}</ref>
|-
| New Zealand
| 2017
| {{N/A}}
| US$36,342<ref>{{cite web |title=Akira (1991) – International |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Akira-(1988)#tab=international |website=[[The Numbers (website)|The Numbers]] |access-date=December 7, 2020}}</ref>
| {{Unknown}}
|-
| [[List of highest-grossing films in Hong Kong|Hong Kong]]
| 2020
| {{N/A}}
| US$148,415<ref>{{cite web |title=Akira 2017 Re-release |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/releasegroup/gr2699645445/ |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=October 7, 2020}}</ref>
| {{Unknown}}
|-
| [[List of highest-grossing films in Australia|Australia]]
| 2020
| {{N/A}}
| US$183,882<ref name="BOM2020" />
| {{Unknown}}
|-
! Worldwide
! 1988–2020
!
! {{US$|49,000,000|long=no}}<ref name="vice" /> 
! 3,569,771+ ({{estimation}})
|}
{{clear}}
''Akira'' was released by [[Toho]] on July 16, 1988. At the Japanese box office, it was the sixth highest-grossing Japanese film of the year, earning a [[:ja:配給収入|distribution income]] ([[Gross rental|distributor rentals]]) of {{¥|750&nbsp;million|link=yes}} in 1988.<ref name="Kinema">{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P8I2AAAAMAAJ |title=キネマ旬報 |journal=[[Kinema Junpo]] |date=February 7, 1989 |publisher=Kinema Junposha |via=[[Google Books]] |language=ja |quote=作品サ'位 100 万円丄'し (...) 6 アキラ 750}}</ref> This made it a moderate success at the Japanese box office.<ref>{{cite news |title=Akira: Looking back at the future |url=https://features.japantimes.co.jp/akira-new/ |access-date=June 17, 2019 |work=[[The Japan Times]] |date=July 11, 2018}}</ref> By 2000, the film had earned a Japanese distribution rental income of {{¥|800 million}}.<ref name="Bouissou">{{cite journal |last1=Bouissou |first1=Jean-Marie |title=Manga goes global |journal=Critique Internationale |date=2000 |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=1–36 (22) |doi=10.3406/criti.2000.1577}}</ref> The film's [[4K resolution|4K]] [[remaster]] received a limited Japanese [[IMAX]] re-release in May 2020.<ref>{{cite news |title=Weathering With You, Akira 4K Remaster Rank at Japanese Box Office |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-06-09/weathering-with-you-akira-4k-remaster-rank-at-japanese-box-office/.160403 |access-date=June 9, 2020 |work=[[Anime News Network]] |date=June 9, 2020}}</ref>

===English releases===
Electric Media produced an English dub of the film in 1989 that was written by L. Michael Haller and directed by [[Sheldon Renan]] and [[Wally Burr]].<ref>Interviews with Streamline Pictures' co-founders [[Carl Macek]] and [[Jerry Beck]] in ''[[Protoculture Addicts]]'' No. 9 (November 1990), and company spotlight in ''Protoculture Addicts'' No. 18 (July 1992).</ref><ref name="MichaelHaller">{{cite web |title=Michael Haller - LinkedIn |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-haller-0b7251179/ |website=[[LinkedIn]] |access-date=April 18, 2023}}</ref><ref name="SheldonRenanDirector">{{cite web |last1=Schultz |first1=Ian |title=Mondo Generator: Sheldon Renan On The Killing Of America |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/21395-killing-of-america-interview |website=[[The Quietus]] |access-date=January 1, 2024 |date=November 26, 2016}}</ref><ref name="JanRabsonInterview">{{cite web |last1=Gencarelli |first1=Mike |title=Interview with Jan Rabson |url=https://mediamikes.com/2011/09/interview-with-jan-rabson/ |website=MediaMike |access-date=April 18, 2023 |date=September 6, 2011}}</ref>
The English version saw limited release by [[Streamline Pictures]] in North American theaters on December 25, 1989, and grossed about {{US$|2.2 million|long=no}} in the United States.<ref name="25thframe"/><ref>"Otomo Takes Manhattan", ''Marvel Age'' No. 100 ([[Marvel Comics]], May 1991).</ref><ref name="Cohen">{{cite book |last1=Cohen |first1=Karl F. |title=Forbidden Animation: Censored Cartoons and Blacklisted Animators in America |date=2004 |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-0-7864-2032-2 |page=111 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gIyH_DLYhoIC&pg=PA111}}</ref> Although Streamline was not involved in its production, this version became known as the "Streamline dub".

After [[NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan|Pioneer Entertainment]] acquired the rights to the film, a new English dub was produced by [[Animaze]] and directed by [[Kevin Seymour]] in 2001 for the [[DVD]] release to obtain [[THX]] certification.<ref name="StreamlineTHX">{{cite web |title=Akira Streamline Dub |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-04-26/akira-streamline-dub |website=[[Anime News Network]] |access-date=April 18, 2023 |date=April 26, 2001}}</ref><ref name="AkiraPressRelease">{{cite web |title=Akira Press Release |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-05-15/akira-press-release |website=[[Anime News Network]] |access-date=April 18, 2023 |date=May 15, 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2014-02-07/anime-dub-director-kevin-seymour-passes-away| title=Anime Dub Director Kevin Seymour Passes Away | publisher=[[Anime News Network]] | date=8 February 2014 | accessdate=22 May 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/anncast/2014-02-28| title=ANNCast: The Life of Kevin Seymour | publisher=[[Anime News Network]] | date=1 March 2014 | accessdate=22 May 2017 }}</ref> Pioneer re-released the film with the new dub in select theaters from March through December 2001, making it the 20th [[digital cinema]] release in North America.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Digitally projected movies |journal=[[Screen Digest]] |date=2003 |page=60 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r0DvAAAAMAAJ |publisher=Screen Digest Limited}}</ref> The restored 4K version was shown in North American movie theaters on September 24, 2020, and for multiple days in select IMAX auditoriums and other cinemas worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |title=Akira 4K |url=https://www.funimationfilms.com/movie/akira-4k/ |website=Funimation |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Akira 4K – In Cinemas Now |url=https://www.madmanfilms.com.au/akira-4k/ |website=Madman Films |access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref>

In the United Kingdom, ''Akira'' was theatrically released by [[Island Records|Island Visual Arts]] on January 25, 1991.<ref name="Answerman">{{cite news |first=Justin |last=Sevakis |date=September 14, 2015 |title=What Ever Happened to Manga Entertainment? |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/answerman/2015-09-14/.92910 |department=Answerman (column) |work=[[Anime News Network]] |access-date=February 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722132743/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/answerman/2015-09-14/.92910 |archive-date=July 22, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> It debuted at number three on the UK box office charts, grossing [[Pound sterling|£]]439,345 in its opening weekend. The film was fourth place the following week, was in the top ten for four weeks, and in the top 12 for seven weeks, grossing £878,695 by early March 1991.<ref name="25thframe">{{cite web |title=Akira |url=https://www.25thframe.co.uk/detail-page/?movie=akira |website=25th Frame |access-date=December 7, 2020}}</ref> It was re-released on July 13, 2013, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the film, and again on September 21, 2016. The 4K and IMAX re-release in October 2020 debuted at number three on the UK box office charts, grossing £201,124 in its opening weekend.<ref name="25thframe"/>

=== Home media ===
The Streamline dub was first released to [[VHS]] through Streamline's Video Comics label in May 1991 and received wider distribution from [[Orion Pictures|Orion Home Video]] in September 1993. Orion also distributed the original Japanese version with English subtitles on VHS, making ''Akira'' one of Streamline's few titles to have a Japanese audio release. [[The Criterion Collection]] released a [[LaserDisc]] with the Streamline dub and Japanese audio in 1992, which was the company's first animated release and its only until ''[[Fantastic Mr. Fox (film)|Fantastic Mr. Fox]]'' in 2014.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=Criterion |number=128940222170931200 |date=October 25, 2011 |title=In 1992 we released Katsuhiro Otomo's landmark AKIRA on laserdisc: http://ow.ly/i/jTnf |access-date=August 16, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About Criterion |url=https://www.criterion.com/about_us |website=The Criterion Collection |access-date=August 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801154746/https://www.criterion.com/about_us |archive-date=August 1, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Amidi |first1=Amid |title=Criterion's First Animated Feature Release in 20 Years: A Sign of Things to Come? |url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/dvd/criterions-first-animated-feature-release-in-20-years-a-sign-of-things-to-come-93377.html |access-date=August 16, 2015 |work=[[Cartoon Brew]] |publisher=Cartoon Brew, LLC |date=December 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915043907/http://www.cartoonbrew.com/dvd/criterions-first-animated-feature-release-in-20-years-a-sign-of-things-to-come-93377.html |archive-date=September 15, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Pioneer released a restored version to home media in 2001. The release featured a single- and two-disc DVD set with the second English dub and Japanese audio, along with VHS versions of these audio tracks. It was one of the few releases from Pioneer to feature THX-certified audio and video. Although Pioneer intended to have the Streamline dub in the release, it was excluded to maintain the THX certification.<ref name="StreamlineTHX"/><ref name="AkiraPressRelease"/>

In the United Kingdom, ''Akira'' was first released on VHS by Island World Communications in 1991.<ref name="Blanc">{{cite book |last1=Blanc |first1=Michelle Le |last2=Odell |first2=Colin |title=Akira |date=2014 |publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan International Higher Education]] |isbn=978-1-84457-809-2 |page=49 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hzooBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT49 |access-date=May 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190205101619/https://books.google.com/books?id=hzooBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT49 |archive-date=February 5, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> By 1993, the film had sold 60,000 tapes in the United Kingdom,<ref name="Blanc"/> 100,000 tapes in Europe,<ref name="Bouissou"/> and 100,000 tapes in the United States.<ref name="Cohen"/> The success of this release led to the creation of [[Manga Entertainment]], who later assumed distribution. Manga released a two-disc DVD set in 2004, which featured the restored version with the Japanese audio Pioneer dub on the first disc and a VHS transfer with the Streamline dub on the second.

A Blu-ray disc edition of the film was released on February 24, 2009, in North America by [[Bandai Entertainment]] under the Honneamise label.<ref>[http://www.mania.com/press-release-bandai-announces-akira-bluray_article_87492.html Akira on Blu-ray]. "Bandai Announces ''Akira'' Blu-ray" . Retrieved October 14, 2008. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203040355/http://www.mania.com/press-release-bandai-announces-akira-bluray_article_87492.html |date=December 3, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.i4u.com/article8301.html |title=Akira comes on Blu-ray this Summer – I4U News |publisher=I4u.com |date=March 23, 2007 |access-date=March 13, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407044734/http://www.i4u.com/article8301.html |archive-date=April 7, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> A Blu-ray edition of ''Akira'' was subsequently released in Australia by [[Madman Entertainment]] under exclusive license from Manga and Kodansha.<ref>[https://www.madman.com.au/actions/catalogue.do?releaseId=12128&method=view Madman Entertainment release of ''Akira'' on Blu-Ray]. Madman.com.au . Retrieved November 19, 2009. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203052702/http://www.madman.com.au/actions/catalogue.do?releaseId=12128&method=view |date=December 3, 2013 }}</ref> Madman has recently released a DVD/Blu-ray combo which license is separate from the standalone Blu-ray release because instead of the DVD version being the Manga Video UK version, it uses Madman/Manga's 2001 Special Edition DVD release which is licensed from Manga UK. The Blu-ray release is the first use the format's highest audio sampling rate ([[Dolby TrueHD]] 5.1 at 192&nbsp;kHz for the Japanese audio track) and first to use the [[hypersonic effect]] (only available on the Japanese track and on high-end audio systems). Beyond Japanese with English subtitles, the Blu-ray also features the 2001 Pioneer/Animaze English dub (TrueHD 5.1 at 48&nbsp;kHz). The DVD version was again released in 2012 by Bandai Entertainment. The film was licensed again by [[Funimation]] following Bandai Entertainment's closure shortly after its DVD release.<ref>{{cite news |title=Funi Adds Seikishi, Yamato: R, One Piece: Strong World, Fairy Tail Film, Akira |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-07-28/funi-adds-seikishi-yamato/r-one-piece/strong-world-fairy-tail-film-akira |work=Anime News Network |access-date=July 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330093631/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-07-28/funi-adds-seikishi-yamato/r-one-piece/strong-world-fairy-tail-film-akira |archive-date=March 30, 2014}}</ref> The Funimation release includes both English dubs, Streamline in stereo and Pioneer in 5.1 surround (both TrueHD at 96&nbsp;kHz).<ref>{{cite news |title=Akira 25th Anniversary Edition Includes Streamline, Pioneer Dubs |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-08-05/akira-25th-anniversary-edition-includes-streamline-pioneer-dubs |work=Anime News Network |access-date=August 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329073955/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-08-05/akira-25th-anniversary-edition-includes-streamline-pioneer-dubs |archive-date=March 29, 2014}}</ref> Funimation released a 25th anniversary Blu-ray/DVD combo and separate DVD release on November 12, 2013, which features the TrueHD Japanese audio and both English dubs (TrueHD at 96&nbsp;kHz on Blu-ray).<ref>{{cite news |title=Akira DVD/Blu-ray 25th Anniversary Edition (Hyb) |url=http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/bhlxBJs6OiFRz6L21v/browse/item/99275/4/0/0 |work=Anime News Network |access-date=September 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130904181155/http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/bhlxBJs6OiFRz6L21v/browse/item/99275/4/0/0 |archive-date=September 4, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Best Buy released a limited edition exclusive Blu-ray Steelbook the same year.

On April 24, 2020, an [[Ultra HD Blu-ray]] version was released in Japan by [[Bandai Namco Entertainment]], featuring a [[4K resolution|4K]] [[High dynamic range|HDR]] remaster sourced from the original 35mm film print, as well as the 192&nbsp;kHz audio transfer created for prior Blu-ray releases.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lawler |first1=Richard |title=4K 'Akira' Blu-ray arrives next year before the series continues |url=https://www.engadget.com/2019/07/05/uhd-blu-ray-akira-otomo-orbital-era-anime/ |website=Engadget |access-date=July 5, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> The same remaster was released by [[FUNimation]] on December 22, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-09-15/funimation-to-release-akira-film-remaster-on-4k-blu-ray-disc-on-december-22/.164069|title=Funimation to Release Akira Film's Remaster on 4K Blu-ray Disc on December 22|website=Anime News Network|date=June 26, 2023 }}</ref>

{{As of|2014}}, the film has earned over $80&nbsp;million in worldwide [[home video]] sales.<ref name="Blanc" /> In the United States, it was the seventh best-selling DVD anime film of all time {{As of|2006|lc=y}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 31, 2006 |title=Top Selling Anime DVD Movies |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2006-01-31/top-selling-anime-dvd-movies |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}}</ref> and grossed $2,086,180 in Blu-ray sales {{As of|2022|1|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Akira (1991) – Video Sales |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Akira-(1988) |access-date=2022-04-28 |website=The Numbers}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, it was 2020's ninth best-selling [[foreign language film]] on physical home video formats and the year's second best-selling [[Japanese film]] (below the anime ''[[Weathering with You]]'').<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/industry-data-insights/statistical-yearbook |title=2021 – Film on Physical Video |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] (BFI) |year=2021 |location=United Kingdom |pages=10 |access-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref>

=== Television ===
The Streamline dub aired on the [[Syfy|Sci-Fi Channel]] in the 1990s during the week-long anime events and ''Saturday Anime'' block. The Pioneer dub aired twice on [[Adult Swim]]'s [[Toonami]] programming block, once on December 7, 2013,<ref name="DecMovies">{{cite news |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-11-16/toonami-to-show-akira-summer-wars-1st-fma-film-trigun-film |title=Toonami to Show Akira, Summer Wars, 1st FMA Film, Trigun Film |work=[[Anime News Network]] |date=November 16, 2013 |access-date=November 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140406000134/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-11-16/toonami-to-show-akira-summer-wars-1st-fma-film-trigun-film |archive-date=April 6, 2014}}</ref> with a rating of TV-MA-V, and again on December 20, 2014, both times with explicit language and nudity censored. It has aired numerous times on Australian [[Free to air|FTA]] station [[Special Broadcasting Service|SBS]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/movies/movie/akira|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016231539/http://www.sbs.com.au/films/movie/10577/akira |url-status=dead |title=Akira|date=February 17, 2014|archive-date=October 16, 2013|website=SBS Movies}}</ref> In the United Kingdom, the film aired several times on [[BBC Two]] between 1994 and 1997.<ref>{{cite web |title=Akira (animation) |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?q=Akira+animation |website=[[BBC Genome]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=June 10, 2020}}</ref>

== Reception ==
=== Critical response ===
On [[review aggregator]] [[Rotten Tomatoes]] the film has an approval score of 91% based on 53 reviews, with an average rating of 7.90/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "''Akira'' is strikingly bloody and violent, but its phenomenal animation and sheer kinetic energy helped set the standard for modern anime."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/akira/ |title=''Akira'' (1988) |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]] |access-date=November 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171220071325/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/akira/ |archive-date=December 20, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

From contemporary reviews, Tony Rayns commented in ''[[The Monthly Film Bulletin]]'' that the narrative was paced at such "speed and complexity" that "viewers who come to it without prior knowledge of the ''manga'' (comic-strip) version tend to find it almost overpowering" concluding that "The film virtually demands to be 'read' alongside the ''manga'', and amounts to a kind of commentary on it."{{sfn|Rayns|1991|p=66}} Discussing the story, Rayns found the film "not particularly ground-breaking as science fiction" comparing the film to be between ''[[Blade Runner]]'' and ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' with the film's main achievement being "the sheer credibility of his vision of future-tech, as seen in fully thorough designs of vehicles, laboratory equipment" and that the film "yields some extremely arresting images in the film's closing scenes" and that "Simply as animation, ''Akira'' is an undoubted ''tour de force''."{{sfn|Rayns|1991|p=67}} ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' praises aspects of the film "from the imaginative and detailed design of tomorrow to the booming Dolby effects on the soundtrack" but criticizes the "slight stiffness in the drawing of human movement".<ref name="VarietyReview">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/1987/film/reviews/akira-1200427683/ |title=Review: 'Akira' |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=December 31, 1987 |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018092624/http://variety.com/1987/film/reviews/akira-1200427683/ |archive-date=October 18, 2013}}</ref> ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''<nowiki/>'s Dave Kehr commends Otomo's "excellent animation-specific ideas: Vehicles leave little color trails as they roar through the night, and there are a number of dream sequences that make nice use of the medium's ability to confound scale and distort perspective".<ref>{{cite web |last=Kehr |first=Dave |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1990-03-30-9001260575-story.html |title=Japanese Cartoon ''Akira'' Isn't One For The Kids |work=Chicago Tribune |date=March 30, 1990 |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203030233/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-03-30/entertainment/9001260575_1_katsuhiro-otomo-japanese-akira |archive-date=December 3, 2013}}</ref>

From retrospective reviews, [[Anime News Network]]'s Bamboo Dong commends the Limited Edition's DVD for its "superbly translated" English subtitles and the commendable English dubbing, which "sticks very close to the English translation, and the voice actors deliver their lines with emotion".<ref>{{cite news |last=Dong |first=Bamboo |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/akira/limited-edition |title=Akira Limited Edition Metal DVD Case |work=[[Anime News Network]] |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404115238/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/akira/limited-edition |archive-date=April 4, 2014}}</ref> THEM Anime's Raphael See applauds the film's "astounding special effects and clean, crisp animation".<ref>{{cite web |last=See |first=Raphael |url=http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=24 |title=Akira |publisher=THEM Anime |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403152222/http://themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=24 |archive-date=April 3, 2014}}</ref> Chris Beveridge comments on the Japanese audio, which brings "the forward soundstage nicely into play when required. Dialogue is well placed, with several key moments of directionality used perfectly".<ref>{{cite web |last=Beveridge |first=Chris |url=http://www.mania.com/akira-special-edition-limited-edition_article_73374.html |title=Akira: Special Edition (& Limited Edition) |publisher=Mania.com |date=April 17, 2002 |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203031833/http://www.mania.com/akira-special-edition-limited-edition_article_73374.html |archive-date=December 3, 2013}}</ref> Janet Maslin of ''[[The New York Times]]'' commends Otomo's artwork, stating "the drawings of Neo-Tokyo by night are so intricately detailed that all the individual windows of huge skyscrapers appear distinct. And these night scenes glow with subtle, vibrant color".<ref>{{cite news |last=Maslin |first=Janet |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C0CE1DF113CF93AA25753C1A966958260 |title=Akira (1988) Review/Film; A Tokyo of the Future In Vibrant Animation |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=October 19, 1990 |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219174613/http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C0CE1DF113CF93AA25753C1A966958260 |archive-date=December 19, 2013}}</ref> Richard Harrison of ''[[The Washington Post]]'' comments on the pace of the film, stating that the author "has condensed the narrative sprawl of the comics to provide coherence, though there's a bit of "''[[Back to the Future Part II]]''" incompleteness to the story. That hardly matters, since the film moves with such kinetic energy that you'll be hanging on for dear life".<ref>{{cite news |last=Harrison |first=Richard |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/akira.htm |title='Akira' (NR) |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=December 25, 1989 |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910064144/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/akira.htm |archive-date=September 10, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] compares the film to ''[[Mad Max]]'', calling it "very gory, very gruesome, but entertaining in its own demented way."<ref name="SiskelAndEbert">{{cite AV media|url=https://siskelebert.org/?p=12290|title=White Sands, A Midnight Clear, Passed Away, The Playboys, Delicatessen, 1992 |date=July 3, 2021|time=24:47 |access-date=July 3, 2021|via=siskelebert.org}}</ref> [[Kim Newman]] of ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' commends the film's "scintillating animated visuals, with not one – not one – computer-assisted shot in sight".<ref>{{cite web |last=Newman |first=Kim |url=https://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=7729 |title=Akira |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date=March 18, 2002 |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203025206/http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?DVDID=7729 |archive-date=December 3, 2013}}</ref> [[Helen McCarthy]] in ''500 Essential Anime Movies'' claims that the anime "remains fresh and exciting, easily holding its own against the products of two decades of massive technical advancement".<ref>[[Helen McCarthy|McCarthy, Helen]]. ''500 Essential Anime Movies: The Ultimate Guide''. — Harper Design, 2009. — P. 12. — 528 p. — {{ISBN|978-0061474507}}</ref> Meanwhile, in February 2004, Dan Persons of ''[[Cinefantastique]]'' listed the film as one of the "10 Essential Animations", simply referring to the film as "the film that changed everything."<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Persons |first1=Dan |title=The Americanization of Anime: 10 Essential Animations |journal=[[Cinefantastique]] |date=February–March 2004 |volume=36 |issue=1 |page=48 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ly0nAQAAIAAJ&q=editions:0AFLRE736LO1AnqYXhN92VLUi3o6sFT1GgYU-Fw2cLmjwIZk1c7q9_ZE |access-date=April 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428143017/https://books.google.com/books?id=ly0nAQAAIAAJ&dq=editions:0AFLRE736LO1AnqYXhN92VLUi3o6sFT1GgYU-Fw2cLmjwIZk1c7q9_ZE |archive-date=April 28, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Awards ===
In 1992, ''Akira'' won the Silver Scream Award at the [[Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Clarke |first1=James |title=Animated Films – Virgin Film |date=2012 |publisher=[[Random House]] |isbn=978-1-4481-3281-2 |page=76 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B090Ndx1o6cC&pg=PT76 |language=en}}</ref>

''Akira'' was one of the four nominees for the 2007 [[American Anime Awards]]' "Best Anime Feature" award, but it lost to ''[[Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children]]''.

== Music ==
{{Infobox album
| name               = AKIRA: Original Soundtrack (Symphonic Suite AKIRA)
| type               = soundtrack
| artist             = [[Geinō Yamashirogumi]] (芸能山城組)
| cover              = 
| alt                = 
| released           = 1988
| recorded           = 1988
| venue              = 
| studio             = 
| genre              = [[Music in Japanese animation|Anime]], [[Film score|film]], [[gamelan]], [[noh]]
| length             = 69:36
| label              = [[Victor Entertainment|Victor Music Industries]], [[Demon Records]]/[[JVC Records]], [[Milan Records]]
| producer           = [[Tsutomu Ōhashi|Shōji Yamashiro]]
| prev_title         = Ecophony Rinne
| prev_year          = 1986
| next_title         = Ecophony Gaia
| next_year          = 1990
}}
''AKIRA: Original Soundtrack'' (''Symphonic Suite AKIRA'') was recorded by [[Geinoh Yamashirogumi]] (芸能山城組).<ref name="Goldmark Taylor Maltin 2002 p. 221">{{cite book |last1=Goldmark |first1=D. |last2=Taylor |first2=Y. |last3=Maltin |first3=L. |title=The Cartoon Music Book |publisher=Chicago Review Press, Incorporated |year=2002 |isbn=978-1-56976-412-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5rfRdOMfTqsC&pg=PA221 |access-date=April 5, 2019 |page=221 |quote=The Akira soundtrack, constructed by Shoji Yamashira and performed by the group Geinoh Yamashirogumi, slides through musical cultures and knits them together with the easy grace of Toru Takemitsu.}}</ref> The music was composed and conducted by musical director Shōji Yamashiro (pseudonym of [[Tsutomu Ōhashi]]), and performed by the collective [[Geinoh Yamashirogumi]].<ref name="Goldmark Taylor Maltin 2002 p. 221"/> The soundtrack draws heavily from traditional [[Music of Indonesia|Indonesian]] [[gamelan]] music, in addition to elements of Japanese [[noh]] music.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bradley |first1=Paige Katherine |title=Cue the Gamelan Music, Maestro, Because the Best Anime Ever Made Is Back in Theaters! |url=https://garage.vice.com/en_us/article/paw5bg/akira-30th-anniversary-anime-metrograph-kanye-approved |access-date=June 17, 2019 |work=[[Garage Magazine]] |publisher=[[Vice Media]] |date=August 28, 2018}}</ref>

It features music which was additionally re-recorded for release. "Kaneda", "Battle Against Clown" and "Exodus From the Underground Fortress" are really part of the same song cycle – elements of "Battle Against Clown" can be heard during the opening bike sequence, for example. The score is generally sequenced in the same order that the music occurs in the film. The North American version featured extensive production notes by David Keith Riddick and Robert Napton.

''AKIRA: The Original Japanese Soundtrack''; an alternate soundtrack was also released. This version included music as it appeared in the film with dialogue and sound-effects albeit ordered out of sequence.

The soundtrack spawned an album of [[electronica]] remixes from Bwana, called ''Capsules Pride''.<ref name="vice" /> [[Sampling (music)|Samples]] from the ''Akira'' soundtrack have also been featured in numerous other [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] and [[electronic music]] tracks.<ref>{{cite news |title='Akira' soundtrack featured music worthy of a visual masterpiece |url=https://features.japantimes.co.jp/akiraweek-music/ |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=[[The Japan Times]] |date=August 29, 2016}}</ref>

== Adaptations ==
=== Video games ===
In 1988, [[Taito]] released an [[Akira (video game)|''Akira'' adventure game]] for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Famicom]] exclusively in Japan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mobygames.com/game/nes/akira_|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212064341/http://www.mobygames.com/game/nes/akira_ |url-status=dead |title=Akira for NES (1988)|archive-date=December 12, 2013|website=MobyGames}}</ref> Another ''Akira'' game for the [[Atari Jaguar|Jaguar]],<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Ripper |first=The |url=https://archive.org/stream/Gamefan_Vol_2_Issue_05#page/n135/mode/1up |title=Europa! |magazine=[[GameFan]] |volume=2 |issue=5 |date=April 1994 |page=136 |access-date=August 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105155347/https://archive.org/stream/Gamefan_Vol_2_Issue_05#page/n135/mode/1up |archive-date=January 5, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AVideoGames_DE_1994-07.pdf&page=32 |title=Warpzone – Jaguar – Angekündigte Jaguar-Spiele |magazine=[[:de:Video Games|Video Games]] |issue=32 |publisher=Future-Verlag |date=July 1994 |page=32 |lang=de |access-date=August 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804201143/https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AVideoGames_DE_1994-07.pdf&page=32 |archive-date=August 4, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]], [[Sega Genesis|Genesis]] and [[Sega CD]] was being developed,<ref name="SRa1">{{cite web|last=Baird|first=Scott|url=https://screenrant.com/akira-video-game-sega-discovered-gameplay/|title=Akira's Long-Lost Video Game On Sega Genesis Has Been Discovered|work=[[Screen Rant]]|publisher=Valnet, Inc.|date=December 26, 2019|access-date=2020-12-02|archive-date=2019-12-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228135113/https://screenrant.com/akira-video-game-sega-discovered-gameplay/|url-status=live}}</ref> but canceled along with prospects of another ''Akira'' title for the [[Game Boy]] and [[Game Gear]] handheld consoles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/akira/jimgregory.htm |title=Jim Gregory interview – AKIRA – SNES |publisher=Hardcore Gaming 101 |date=December 22, 2012 |access-date=August 27, 2013 |author=Szczepaniak, John |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102000406/http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/akira/jimgregory.htm |archive-date=January 2, 2014}}</ref> International Computer Entertainment produced a video game based on ''Akira'' for the [[Amiga]] and [[Amiga CD32]] in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mobygames.com/game/amiga-cd32/akira|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020171321/http://www.mobygames.com/game/amiga-cd32/akira |url-status=dead |title=Akira for Amiga CD32 (1994)|archive-date=October 20, 2013|website=MobyGames}}</ref> To coincide with the DVD release in 2002, [[Bandai]] released ''[[Akira Psycho Ball]]'', a [[pinball]] simulator for the [[PlayStation 2]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tothegame.com/game.asp?id=1739|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011145314/http://www.tothegame.com/game.asp?id=1739 |url-status=dead |title=Review of the Akira pinball simulator by Tothegame.com|archive-date=October 11, 2007}}</ref>

=== Live-action film ===
{{Main|Akira (planned film)}}

Since 2002, [[Warner Bros.]] acquired the rights to create a live-action [[remake]] of ''Akira'' as a seven-figure deal.<ref name="ign2002">Linder, Brian et al. (April 12, 2002). [https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/04/12/akira-hollywood-remake "Akira Hollywood Remake!?"] ''IGN''. Retrieved October 24, 2006. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100313174510/http://movies.ign.com/articles/357/357213p1.html |date=March 13, 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=September 19, 2017 |access-date= September 25, 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=September 25, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The live-action remake has undergone several failed attempts to produce it, with at least five different directors and ten different writers known to have been attached to it.<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=April 6, 2017 |access-date= August 31, 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=September 1, 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= January 5, 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= March 16, 2014}}</ref> By 2017, director [[Taika Waititi]] was named as the film's director for the live-action adaptation.<ref name="deadline waititi" /> Warner Bros. had scheduled the film for release on May 21, 2021,<ref>{{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 = May 24, 2019 | access-date = May 24, 2019 | work = [[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> and filming was planned to start in California in July 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/leonardo-dicaprio-akira-california-tax-credits-warner-bros-paramount-1202586735 |title=Leonardo DiCaprio Produced 'Akira' Scores In Latest CA Tax Credits Allocation |first=Dominic |last=Patton |date=April 2, 2019 |access-date=April 2, 2019 |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402155119/https://deadline.com/2019/04/leonardo-dicaprio-akira-california-tax-credits-warner-bros-paramount-1202586735/ |archive-date=April 2, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, Warner Bros. put the work on indefinite hold just prior to filming as Waititi had chosen to first direct ''[[Thor: Love and Thunder]]'', the sequel to ''[[Thor: Ragnarok]]'', which he had also directed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/taika-waititi-direct-thor-4-1224464|title=Taika Waititi to Direct 'Thor 4' (Exclusive)|last=Kit|first=Borys|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=July 16, 2019|access-date=July 16, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716174750/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/taika-waititi-direct-thor-4-1224464|archive-date=July 16, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
{{Further|Akira (franchise)|Akira (manga)#Legacy}}

''Akira'' is widely regarded as one of the greatest animated movies of all time and prompted an increase in popularity of anime movies in the US and, generally, outside Japan. It is still admired for its exceptional visuals. In Channel 4's 2005 poll of the 100 greatest animations of all time featuring both film and television, ''Akira'' came in at number 16.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/cartoons/results.html |title=Channel4 – 100 Greatest Cartoons |publisher=Channel 4 |access-date=June 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520014452/http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/cartoons/results.html |archive-date=May 20, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On ''Empire'' magazine's list of the 500 greatest movies of all time, ''Akira'' is number 440.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.empireonline.com/500/12.asp |title=The 500 greatest Movies of All Time |work=Empire |access-date=March 13, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214213958/http://www.empireonline.com/500/12.asp |archive-date=December 14, 2013}}</ref> It showed again on ''Empire''{{'}}s list of The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema, coming in at No. 51.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema |url=https://www.empireonline.com/features/100-greatest-world-cinema-films/default.asp?film=51 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014141447/http://www.empireonline.com/features/100-greatest-world-cinema-films/default.asp?film=51 |archive-date=October 14, 2013}}</ref> [[IGN]] also named it 14th on its list of Top 25 Animated Movies of All-Time.<ref>{{cite web |title=TOP 25 Animated Movies of All-Time |work=[[IGN]] |date=June 25, 2010 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/06/25/top-25-animated-movies-of-all-time?page=3 |access-date=July 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731202624/http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/06/25/top-25-animated-movies-of-all-time?page=3 |archive-date=July 31, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The ''Akira'' anime also made ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine's list of top 5 anime DVDs.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1088692,00.html |title=5 Top Anime Movies on DVD |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=July 31, 2005 |access-date=March 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825213945/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C1088692%2C00.html |archive-date=August 25, 2013 |url-status=dead}}{{subscription required}}</ref> The film also made number 16 on ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]''{{'}}s top 50 animated movie list<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timeout.com/film/features/show-feature/8839/ |title=Time Out's 50 Greatest Animated Films – Part 4 – Time Out Film – Time Out London |work=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]] |access-date=March 16, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106221843/http://www.timeout.com/film/features/show-feature/8839/ |archive-date=January 6, 2013}}</ref> and number 5 on the ''[[Total Film]]'' Top 50 Animated Films list.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/totalfilm/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140523152706/http://www.totalfilm.com/features/50-greatest-animated-movies |url-status=dead |title=Total Film |archive-date=May 23, 2014|website=[[GamesRadar+]]}}</ref> The film was ranked No. 1 by ''Wizard's Anime'' magazine on their "Top 50 Anime released in North America" list in 2001.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 6, 2001 |title=Wizard lists Top 50 Anime |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-07-16/wizard-lists-top-50-anime |work=[[Anime News Network]] |access-date=February 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140402111019/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-07-16/wizard-lists-top-50-anime |archive-date=April 2, 2014}}</ref> It was ranked No. 4 on ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' critic's list of "10 Best Animated Films for Adults" in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |title=Critic's Picks: 10 Best Animated Films for Adults |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/critics-picks-10-best-animated-919190 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=August 12, 2016 |access-date=November 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201005210/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/critics-picks-10-best-animated-919190 |archive-date=December 1, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' selected ''Akira'' as his "Video Pick of the Week" in 1992<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P-sxAQAAIAAJ&q=ebert%20akira |title=Animation in Asia and the Pacific |last=Lent |first=John A. |date=2001 |publisher=John Libbey |isbn=978-1-86462-036-8 |access-date=June 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626083000/https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=P-sxAQAAIAAJ&dq=ebert%20akira&source=gbs_book_other_versions |archive-date=June 26, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> on ''[[At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper|Siskel & Ebert and the Movies]]''. For its wider 2001 release, he gave the film "Thumbs Up".

''Akira'' has also been regarded as one of the greatest action and [[science fiction film]]s of all time. It was ranked number 22 on ''[[The Guardian]]''{{'}}s list of best sci-fi and fantasy films,<ref name="Guardian" /> included on [[Film4]]'s list of top 50 science fiction films,<ref name="Film4" /> and ranked number 27 on ''[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]]'' magazine's list of 50 best sci-fi movies.<ref name="complex" /> ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' listed ''Akira'' as the fifth greatest action film of all time.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite news|url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/best-action-movies-ever-made/akira/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/best-action-movies-ever-made/akira/ |archive-date=January 12, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title= Akira, Beat it, Kingsman: the 24 greatest action movies of all time|work= [[The Daily Telegraph]]|date= March 20, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Phelim O'Neill of the ''[[The Guardian|Guardian]]'' draws a parallel on ''Akira''{{'}}s influence on the science-fiction genre to ''[[Blade Runner]]'' and [[Stanley Kubrick]]'s ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]''.<ref name="O'Neill">{{cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Phelim |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jun/23/akira-film-review |title=Akira – review |work=The Guardian |date=June 24, 2011 |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203070323/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/jun/23/akira-film-review |archive-date=December 3, 2013}}</ref> ''Akira'' is considered a landmark film in the [[cyberpunk]] genre, particularly the [[Japanese cyberpunk]] subgenre.<ref name="polygon">{{cite news |title=What is cyberpunk? |url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2018/8/30/17796680/cyberpunk-2077-history-blade-runner-neuromancer |work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |date=August 30, 2018 |access-date=October 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014091351/https://www.polygon.com/features/2018/8/30/17796680/cyberpunk-2077-history-blade-runner-neuromancer |archive-date=October 14, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[British Film Institute]] describes ''Akira'' as a vital cornerstone of the cyberpunk genre, along with ''Blade Runner'' and ''[[Neuromancer]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=30 years of Akira – teenage kicks, anime-style |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/features/30-years-akira-teenage-kicks-anime-style |website=[[British Film Institute]] |access-date=June 15, 2019 |date=July 16, 2018}}</ref> Rob Garratt of ''[[South China Morning Post]]'' calls ''Akira'' one of "the most influential sci-fi visions ever realised" on film, comparable to the influence of ''Blade Runner''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Garratt |first1=Rob |title=How Akira and Blade Runner predicted the neon urban ugliness of Tokyo and Hong Kong in 2019 |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3037944/how-akira-and-blade-runner-predicted-neon-urban |access-date=April 23, 2020 |work=[[South China Morning Post]] |date=November 17, 2019}}</ref> ''Akira'' is also credited as a breakthrough for [[adult animation]], proving to global audiences that animation was not just for children.<ref name="filmschoolrejects" />

===''Akira'' slide===
[[File:Akira_Slide.jpg|300px|thumb|right|The "''Akira'' slide" scene is regarded as an iconic anime scene, widely imitated and referenced in many works of animation, film and television.]]

The "''Akira'' slide" refers to a scene where Kaneda slides into view with his motorbike, as he uses a sideways slide to bring his bike to a halt, while the bike gives off a trail of smoke and electric sparks caused by the slide. It is regarded as one of the most iconic anime scenes of all time, widely imitated and referenced in many works of animation, film and television.<ref name="Slide">{{cite news |last1=Burke |first1=Carolyn |title=You've Definitely Seen The "Akira Slide" Before, Even If You Don't Watch Anime |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2018/12/07/youve-definitely-seen-the-akira-slide-before-even-if-you-dont-watch-anime |access-date=March 10, 2022 |work=[[Crunchyroll]] |date=December 7, 2018}}</ref> The ''Akira'' slide appears in many dozens of animated works, including ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]'' (1993), ''[[You're Under Arrest (manga)|You're Under Arrest]]'' (1994), ''[[Gargoyles (TV series)|Gargoyles]]'' (1994), ''[[Air Master]]'' (2003), ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' (2003–2009), ''[[Yakitate Japan]]'' (2004), ''[[Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go]]'' (2005), ''[[Teen Titans (TV series)|Teen Titans]]'' (2005), ''[[Gurren Lagann]]'' (2007), ''[[Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003 TV series)|Star Wars: Clone Wars]]'' (2003), ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh]]'' (2008–2016), ''[[Fresh Pretty Cure]]'' (2009), ''[[Lupin III vs. Detective Conan]]'' (2009), ''[[Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl]]'' (2009), ''[[Durarara]]'' (2010), ''[[Adventure Time]]'' (2011), ''[[Clarence (American TV series)|Clarence]]'' (2014), ''[[Ready Player One (film)|Ready Player One]]'' (2018) and ''[[Spider-Man (2017 TV series)|Marvel's Spider-Man]]'' (2018), ''[[Steven Universe: The Movie]]'' (2019), among many others.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Knox |first1=Kelly |title=Watch Two Full Minutes of the AKIRA Motorcycle Slide Across the Years |url=https://nerdist.com/article/akira-motorcycle-slide-kaneda-homage-compilation-video/ |access-date=March 10, 2022 |work=[[Nerdist]] |date=September 29, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=That Famous 'Akira Slide:' Watch the Supercut |url=https://www.heavymetal.com/news/videos/akira-slide-supercut/ |access-date=March 10, 2022 |work=[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]] |date=October 11, 2021}}</ref> Several live-action films have also paid homage to the ''Akira'' slide, notably in ''[[X-Men Origins: Wolverine]]'' (2009) and ''[[Nope (film)|Nope]]'' (2022).<ref name="Slide"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Barnett |first=Sam |date=July 26, 2022 |title=Nope's Climax Calls Back to One of Anime's Most Iconic Moments |url=https://www.cbr.com/nope-jordan-peele-calls-back-akira-motorcycle-slide/amp/ |access-date=2022-07-27 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Cultural impact ===
''Akira'' is regarded by many critics as a landmark anime film, one that influenced much of the art in the anime world that followed its release with many illustrators in the manga industry citing the film as an important influence.<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=March 13, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307121115/http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/akira/ |archive-date=March 7, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Manga author [[Masashi Kishimoto]], for example, recalls becoming fascinated with the way the poster was made and wished to imitate the series' creator Katsuhiro Otomo's style.<ref name="inspiration">{{cite book |last=Kishimoto |first=Masashi |title=Naruto, Volume 10 |year=2006 |publisher=[[Viz Media]] |isbn=978-1-4215-0240-3 |page=157 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/splendidninjanar10kish }}</ref> The film had a significant impact on popular culture worldwide. The film led the way for the growth in popularity of [[anime]] outside Japan as well as [[Japanese popular culture]] in the Western world. ''Akira'' is considered a forerunner of the second wave of anime [[fandom]] that began in the early 1990s and has gained a massive [[cult following]] since then. It is credited with setting the scene for anime franchises such as ''[[Pokémon (anime)|Pokémon]]'', ''[[Dragon Ball]]'' and ''[[Naruto]]'' to become global cultural phenomena.<ref name="filmschoolrejects">{{cite web |title='Akira' Is Frequently Cited as Influential. Why Is That? |url=https://filmschoolrejects.com/akira-influence-12cb6d84c0bc/ |website=[[Film School Rejects]] |date=April 3, 2017 |access-date=May 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107205951/https://filmschoolrejects.com/akira-influence-12cb6d84c0bc/ |archive-date=November 7, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="vice">{{cite web|date=September 21, 2016|title=How 'Akira' Has Influenced All Your Favourite TV, Film and Music|url=https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/kwk55w/how-akira-has-influenced-modern-culture|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730204751/https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/kwk55w/how-akira-has-influenced-modern-culture|archive-date=July 30, 2017|access-date=July 23, 2017|work=[[Vice (magazine)|VICE]]|quote=''Akira''{{'}}s combination of cyberpunk dystopia, youth alienation, scientific-based philosophy and grand scale visual bombast was already a staple part of the western sci-fi genre throughout the 80s, and its appeal became evident when it went on to gross $49 million worldwide when it was first released in cinemas – a lot of money for a film back then.}}</ref> According to ''[[The Guardian]]'', the "cult 1988 anime taught western film-makers new ideas in storytelling, and helped cartoons grow up".<ref>{{cite news |title=Akira: the future-Tokyo story that brought anime west |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jul/10/akira-anime-japanese-cartoon-manga |access-date=January 2, 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=July 10, 2013}}</ref>

''Akira'' has influenced numerous works in animation, comics, film, music, television and video games.<ref name="filmschoolrejects" /><ref name="vice" /> It inspired a wave of Japanese cyberpunk works, including manga and anime series such as ''[[Ghost in the Shell]]'', ''[[Battle Angel Alita]]'', ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'', ''[[Serial Experiments Lain]]'',<ref name="polygon"/> and ''[[Elfen Lied]]'',<ref name="thedailybeast">[https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-stranger-things-the-duffer-bros-on-how-they-made-the-tv-hit-of-the-summer Inside ‘Stranger Things’: The Duffer Bros. on How They Made the TV Hit of the Summer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012001214/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/07/inside-stranger-things-the-duffer-bros-on-how-they-made-the-tv-hit-of-the-summer.html |date=October 12, 2016 }}, ''[[The Daily Beast]]'', August 7, 2016</ref> live-action [[Japanese films]] such as ''[[Tetsuo: The Iron Man]]'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Tetsuo: The Iron Man |work=Mandiapple.com |url=http://www.mandiapple.com/snowblood/tetsuo.htm |access-date=July 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217122100/http://www.mandiapple.com/snowblood/tetsuo.htm |archive-date=December 17, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> and video games such as [[Hideo Kojima]]'s ''[[Snatcher (video game)|Snatcher]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gamecritics.com/great-games-snatcher/ |title=Great Games Snatcher |work=GameCritics.com |first=Ben |last=Hopper |date=February 20, 2001 |access-date=August 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111021214258/http://www.gamecritics.com/great-games-snatcher |archive-date=October 21, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> and ''[[Metal Gear (series)|Metal Gear Solid]]'',<ref name="polygon" /> and [[Squaresoft]]'s ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]''.<ref name="paste">{{cite web |title=Final Fantasy VII's Legacy Gets Everything About Final Fantasy VII Wrong |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/04/final-fantasy-viis-legacy-gets-everything-about-fi.html |work=[[Paste Magazine]] |date=April 13, 2016 |access-date=June 11, 2019}}</ref> Outside of Japan, ''Akira'' has been cited as a major influence on [[Hollywood films]] such as ''[[The Matrix]]'',<ref name="gaeta-empire">{{cite journal |date=February 2006 |title=200 Things That Rocked Our World: Bullet Time |journal=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |issue=200 |page=136 |publisher=[[EMAP]]}}</ref> ''[[Dark City (1998 film)|Dark City]]'',<ref>[[Alex Proyas|Proyas, Alex]]. {{cite web |url=http://mysteryclock.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1647 |title=Dark City DC: Original Ending !? |access-date=August 29, 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014191637/http://mysteryclock.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1647 |archive-date=October 14, 2007}}. Mystery Clock Forum. Retrieved July 29, 2006.</ref> ''[[Kill Bill]]'',<ref>{{cite news |title=30 Years of Akira: The Triumph and Legacy of a Legendary Film |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2018/07/16/30-years-of-akira-the-triumph-and-legacy-of-a-legendary-film |work=[[Crunchyroll]] |date=July 16, 2018 |access-date=November 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128075345/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2018/07/16/30-years-of-akira-the-triumph-and-legacy-of-a-legendary-film |archive-date=November 28, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Chronicle (film)|Chronicle]]'',<ref>{{cite web |last=Woerner |first=Meredith |title=Chronicle captures every teen's fantasy of fighting back, say film's creators |url=http://io9.com/5881852/chronicle-is-a-movie-about-every-teens-fantasy-of-fighting-back |publisher=[[io9]] |access-date=May 25, 2012 |date=February 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226195315/http://io9.com/5881852/chronicle-is-a-movie-about-every-teens-fantasy-of-fighting-back |archive-date=February 26, 2014}}</ref> ''[[Looper (film)|Looper]]'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Rian Johnson Talks Working with Joseph Gordon-Levitt on LOOPER, Hollywood's Lack of Originality, Future Projects and More |work=[[Collider (website)|Collider]] |date=September 25, 2012 |url=https://collider.com/rian-johnson-reddit-ama/ |access-date=July 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619134519/http://collider.com/rian-johnson-reddit-ama/ |archive-date=June 19, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[The Dark Knight]]'',<ref>{{cite news |last1=Osmond |first1=Andrew |title=Akira: The Story Behind The Film |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/story-behind-film-akira/ |work=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date=June 21, 2011 |access-date=September 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909041713/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/story-behind-film-akira/ |archive-date=September 9, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Midnight Special (film)|Midnight Special]]'', ''[[Inception]]'',<ref name="vice"/> ''[[Godzilla (2014 film)|Godzilla]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/10-things-we-learned-about-godzilla-from-gareth-edwards/|title=Godzilla: 10 things we learned from Gareth Edwards|last=Lambie|first=Ryan|work=Den of Geek|date=March 4, 2014|access-date=May 26, 2020}}</ref> ''[[Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse]]'',<ref>{{cite news |last1=Morrissy |first1=Kim |title=Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Directors Discuss Film's Japanese Anime Influences |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2019-05-19/spider-man-into-the-spider-verse-directors-discuss-film-japanese-anime-influences/.146685 |access-date=March 2, 2022 |work=[[Anime News Network]] |date=May 19, 2019}}</ref> and ''[[Puss in Boots: The Last Wish]]'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://discussingfilm.net/2022/12/21/puss-in-boots-the-last-wish-director-joel-crawford-talks-breaking-new-ground-in-the-shrek-franchise-exclusive-interview/ | title='Puss in Boots: The Last Wish' Director Joel Crawford Talks Breaking New Ground in the Shrek Franchise – Exclusive Interview | date=December 22, 2022 }}</ref> television shows such as ''[[Batman Beyond]]'' and ''[[Stranger Things]]'',<ref name="thedailybeast"/> and video games such as [[Core Design]]'s ''[[Switchblade (video game)|Switchblade]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Whitta |first=Gary |url=https://archive.org/stream/theone-magazine-15#page/n113/mode/1up |title=Review – Swtichblade – From the team that put the dangerous into Rick comes Gremlin's mix of action and exploration. Gary Whitta's going underground... |magazine=[[The One (magazine)|The One]] |issue=15 |publisher=[[Ascential|EMAP]] |date=December 1989 |pages=113–114}}</ref> [[Valve Corporation|Valve]]'s ''[[Half-Life (series)|Half-Life]]'' series,<ref>{{cite news |title=Half-Life tiene varias referencias a Akira |url=https://as.com/meristation/2018/08/29/noticias/1535543681_545901.html |work=[[:es:MeriStation|MeriStation]] |publisher=[[Diario AS]] |date=August 29, 2018 |language=es |access-date=October 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014010144/https://as.com/meristation/2018/08/29/noticias/1535543681_545901.html |archive-date=October 14, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The most impressive PC mods ever made |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/the-most-impressive-pc-mods-ever-made |work=[[TechRadar]] |date=June 14, 2018 |access-date=October 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616224054/https://www.techradar.com/news/the-most-impressive-pc-mods-ever-made |archive-date=June 16, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Dontnod Entertainment]]'s ''[[Remember Me (video game)|Remember Me]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=FEATURE: "Life is Strange" Interview and Hands-on Impressions |url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2015/01/28/feature-life-is-strange-interview-and-hands-on-impressions |work=[[Crunchyroll]] |date=January 28, 2015 |access-date=October 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014053106/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-feature/2015/01/28/feature-life-is-strange-interview-and-hands-on-impressions |archive-date=October 14, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[John Gaeta]] cited ''Akira'' as artistic inspiration for the [[bullet time]] effect in [[The Matrix (franchise)|''The Matrix'' films]].<ref name="gaeta-empire" /> ''Akira'' has also been credited with influencing the ''[[Star Wars]]'' franchise, including the [[Star Wars prequels|prequel film trilogy]] and the ''[[Clone Wars (Star Wars)|Clone Wars]]'' film and television series.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Cinema Behind Star Wars: Akira |work=[[Star Wars|StarWars.com]] |date=October 26, 2015 |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/cinema-behind-star-wars-akira |access-date=July 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730203627/http://www.starwars.com/news/cinema-behind-star-wars-akira |archive-date=July 30, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Todd McFarlane]] cited ''Akira'' as an influence on [[HBO]] animated television series ''[[Todd McFarlane's Spawn|Spawn]]''.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Todd McFarlane's Spawn 2 |first=Todd |last=McFarlane |author-link=Todd McFarlane |type=Special features |publisher=HBO Home Video |year=1998}}</ref>

''Akira'' has also influenced the work of musicians. The music video for the [[Michael Jackson]] and [[Janet Jackson]] song "[[Scream (Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson song)|Scream]]" (1995) features clips from ''Akira''.<ref name="NME">{{cite news |last1=McMahon |first1=James |title='Akira': how the '80s anime classic changed pop culture forever |url=https://www.nme.com/film-features/akira-anime-rerelease-2777512 |access-date=October 9, 2020 |work=[[NME]] |date=October 8, 2020}}</ref> [[Kanye West]] cited ''Akira'' as a major influence on his work,<ref name="NME"/> and he paid homage to the film in the "[[Stronger (Kanye West song)|Stronger]]" (2007) music video.<ref name="vice" /> [[Lupe Fiasco]]'s album ''[[Tetsuo & Youth]]'' (2015) is named after Tetsuo Shima.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lupe-fiasco-is-avoiding-politics-on-tetsuo-youth-20131025 |title=Lupe Fiasco's 'Tetsuo & Youth' Avoiding Politics |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=October 25, 2013 |access-date=December 2, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141117113659/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lupe-fiasco-is-avoiding-politics-on-tetsuo-youth-20131025 |archive-date=November 17, 2014}}</ref> The popular bike from the film, Kaneda's Motorbike, appears in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s film ''[[Ready Player One (film)|Ready Player One]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/42981-ready-player-one-anime-easter-eggs-gundam |title='Ready Player One' Anime Easter Eggs Include Gundam, Voltron and Much More |work=inverse.com |first=Eric |last=Francisco |date=March 30, 2018 |access-date=August 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180822050245/https://www.inverse.com/article/42981-ready-player-one-anime-easter-eggs-gundam |archive-date=August 22, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Peters |first1=Megan |title=Steven Spielberg Reveals How Hayao Miyazaki Inspires Him |url=https://comicbook.com/anime/2018/04/25/steven-spielberg-hayao-miyazaki-influence-anime/ |work=ComicBook.com |date=April 25, 2018 |access-date=October 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028151538/https://comicbook.com/anime/2018/04/25/steven-spielberg-hayao-miyazaki-influence-anime/ |archive-date=October 28, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[CD Projekt]]'s video game ''[[Cyberpunk 2077]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cyberpunk 2077 devs 'will be significantly more open' |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/cyberpunk-2077/cyberpunk-2077-announcement-future |work=[[PCGamesN]] |date=June 12, 2018 |access-date=October 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014093101/https://www.pcgamesn.com/cyberpunk-2077/cyberpunk-2077-announcement-future |archive-date=October 14, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Deus Ex: Mankind Divided]]'' video game developer [[Eidos Montréal]] also paid homage to the film's poster.<ref>{{cite news |title=Here's Some Spiffy Unused Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Art, Inspired by Akira |url=https://www.kotaku.co.uk/2017/07/17/heres-some-spiffy-unused-deus-ex-mankind-art-inspired-by-akira |work=[[Kotaku]] |date=July 17, 2017 |access-date=October 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014091607/http://www.kotaku.co.uk/2017/07/17/heres-some-spiffy-unused-deus-ex-mankind-art-inspired-by-akira |archive-date=October 14, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> The season four premiere of ''[[Rick and Morty]]'' ("[[Edge of Tomorty: Rick Die Rickpeat]]") features a scene in which [[Morty Smith|Morty]], and then [[Rick Sanchez|Rick]], are transformed into a giant tendrilled monster that Jerry and Beth later refer to as "an Akira". The 2000 ''[[South Park]]'' episode [[Trapper Keeper (South Park)|''Trapper Keeper'']] has references to ''Akira'',<ref>{{Citation|title=South Park – IGN|url=https://www.ign.com/tv/south-park|language=en|access-date=2020-12-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=South Park episode Parodies Anime|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2000-11-17/south-park-episode-parodies-anime|access-date=2020-12-15|website=Anime News Network|language=en}}</ref> such as one of the characters transforming into a giant blob organism before absorbing several other characters, not unlike the movie. The stage name of pornographic actress [[Asa Akira]] also comes from ''Akira''. The music video for [[Grimes]]' [[Delete Forever]] pays homage to Tetsuo's penultimate moments on the Olympic throne.

When Tokyo was chosen to host the [[2020 Summer Olympics]] in [[Bids for the 2020 Summer Olympics|the 2013 bidding process]], several commentators claimed that ''Akira'' predicted the future event.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McFarland |first1=Kevin |title=Akira predicted that the 2020 Olympics would be held in Tokyo |url=https://www.avclub.com/article/iakira-ipredicted-that-the-2020-olympics-would-be--102654 |access-date=July 27, 2016 |date=September 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818140438/http://www.avclub.com/article/iakira-ipredicted-that-the-2020-olympics-would-be--102654 |archive-date=August 18, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ashcraft |first1=Brian |title=The 2020 Tokyo Olympics Were Predicted 30 Years Ago by Akira |url=http://kotaku.com/the-2020-tokyo-olympics-were-predicted-30-years-ago-by-1276381444 |access-date=July 27, 2016 |date=September 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803030535/http://kotaku.com/the-2020-tokyo-olympics-were-predicted-30-years-ago-by-1276381444 |archive-date=August 3, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2017, ''Akira'' was referenced in several Tokyo Olympic promotions.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baseel |first1=Casey |title=The Tokyo Olympics might be taking its Akira anime connection too far【Video】 |url=https://soranews24.com/2017/07/25/the-tokyo-olympics-might-be-taking-its-akira-anime-connection-too-far%E3%80%90video%E3%80%91/ |access-date=February 28, 2020 |work=Sora News 24 |date=July 25, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Tagsold |first=Christian |date=2023-01-02 |title=Akira and the Tokyo Olympics in 1964 and 2020/21: Reading the games through manga and anime—reading manga and anime through the games |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/18692729.2023.2168840 |journal=Contemporary Japan |language=en |volume=35 |issue=1 |pages=117–135 |doi=10.1080/18692729.2023.2168840 |s2cid=258313153 |issn=1869-2729}}</ref> In February 2020, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic|coronavirus pandemic]] and 147 days before the Olympics, a scene in ''Akira'' which calls for the cancellation of the 2020 Olympics (147 days before the event) led to a social media trend calling for the cancellation of the 2020 Olympics.<ref>{{cite news |title='Just Cancel it!' trending hard as coronavirus gets Olympic push from '88 anime 'Akira' |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/28/national/just-cancel-trending-hard-coronavirus-gets-olympic-push-88-anime-akira/ |access-date=February 28, 2020 |work=[[The Japan Times]] |date=February 28, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Reidy |first1=Gearoid |title=30-Year-Old Anime Prediction Sparks Talk of Olympic Cancellation |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-28/30-year-old-anime-prediction-sparks-talk-of-olympic-cancellation |access-date=February 28, 2020 |agency=[[Bloomberg News]] |date=February 28, 2020}}</ref> The Summer Olympics were eventually postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite magazine|magazine=[[Monthly Film Bulletin]]|title=Akira|last=Rayns|first=Tony|volume=58|date=March 1991|issue=686}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote|Akira}}
* {{Official website}} {{in lang|ja}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://akira2001.com/ American site] (archived by the [[Wayback Machine]])
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{AllMovie title}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1988/dl001700.htm |title=Akira |access-date=July 19, 2007 |publisher=[[Japanese Movie Database]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821031651/http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/1988/dl001700.htm |archive-date=August 21, 2007 |url-status=live |language=ja}}
* {{anime News Network|movie|375|Akira}}
* {{cite book |chapter=''Akira'' (p. 11) |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zx9dDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA11 |title=100 Cult Films |year=2011 |last1=Mathijs |first1=Ernest |last2=Mendik |first2=Xavier |author-link1=Ernest Mathijs |author-link2=Xavier Mendik |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |location=London |isbn=978-1-84457-571-8 |title-link=100 Cult Films}}

{{Akira manga|state=expand}}
{{Katsuhiro Otomo}}
{{TMS Entertainment films}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Akira}}
[[Category:1980s dystopian films]]
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[[Category:Akira (franchise)]]
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[[Category:1980s Japanese-language films]]
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