Akira (Manga) Review

Akira Manga

Akira cover

So I went into this manga thinking it would be the same as the animated film. Akira the manga is really different. The story is basically the same, but it is just more in detailed and drawn out. The manga is over a few years worth of time, while the anime only has a week worth's of story. It is a complex manga and has many different plot twists.

Akira Plot

Akira Destroys Tokyo

Akira was a child that had the power to destroy the world. He was part of a research group and was designated #28. He used it once to take out Tokyo and since that time he was put to sleep in the middle of ground zero. He lays deep within the ground frozen in time.

Kaneda is head of the Capsule gang. Him and his best friend Tetsuo, Yamagata, and Kaisuke all make up part of the gang. They race around Neo-Tokyo creating trouble. One night Testuo almost hits a child in the street. The child uses his abilities to protect himself. From this point on Tetsuo is never the same. He begins to experience psychic abilities and abnormal powerful behavior. He learns that he is not the only one with this power. He finds the other Espers (one of which is responsible for his crash) and learns there is another one. Tetsuo finds out that he is not the most powerful of the psychics. He goes to awaken #28.

All the while, Kaneda is trying to get revenge for Yamagata's death and Tetsuo's sudden attitude change. He is constantly getting close to the truth, but is always stopped before he can learn of Tetsuo's powers. He eventually runs into Kei. She is part of an anti-Akira group. He basically falls in love with her throughout the manga.

Once Akira is awakened he is momentarily placed with his three friends from the project. One incidentally takes a bullet in the head for him and causes Akira to release his powers once again. Neo-Tokyo is destroyed and the citizens are left with remains. Two groups arise from the ashes, those for and against Akira and Tetsuo. Kaneda and Kei must fuflill their destiny and take down Tetsuo and Akira before they destroy the world.

Akira Characters

Akira Character Collage

Kaneda and Kei are the main characters of the manga. While Kaneda is a delinquent at heart, he has good intentions when it comes to women. This is how he gets involved with the destruction of Akira and Tetsuo. Kei is smart girl which is involved with an anti-Akira group. She does not mess around and likes to get eh job done.

Akira (#28) and Tetsuo are the main evil doers of this manga. Number 28 is just a child. He rarely speaks in th emanga and has a scary look on his face. he is only happy when he sees the other children. Tetsuo is a drug addicted high school thug. He is always on drugs and loves to make an entrance.

The other children consist of #'s 25, 26, and 27, (or Kiyoko, Takashi, and Masaru). Kiyoko is a young girl who resides in a moveable bed. She has the ability to take over people and constantly uses Kei as a medium. Takashi can walk around normally and has the ability to go through objects and become invisible. Masaru has psychokinesis abilities. He is confined to a wheelchair because he is overweight.

There are various other characters that either have little to the Akira story or a lot. But since there are a lot of different characters and groups I only named the essential characters to the story.

Akira and the Children's Power

Akira

A group of children with special abilities were once experimented on in Tokyo. They were numbered off into certain groups by the government. They wanted to use the children's powers for their own benefits. Many died during the expirement while others were left crippled. Due to Akira losing control of his powers, the government buried the project.

Akira is a very complex and long manga. It is definitely nothing like the anime. It is in more detailed and even more mind blowing. Every anime fan should read this manga. You are drawn to each character, and you never know when you could lose them. Akira is the ultimate manga experience.

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Overall Grade 10/10