Akira
アキラ
In 1988, World War III occurs and Tokyo is destroyed by an unprecedented black explosion. Thirty years later, in 2019, Neo-Tokyo is built on the ruins of old Tokyo and becomes a cityscape of neon lights and advanced technology. Despite its modernity, it is plagued with biker gangs, poverty, and revolutionaries. Tetsuo Shima and Shoutarou Kaneda are two friends who are also fierce rivals and belong to the same gang. Tetsuo tries to prove himself as equal to Kaneda by performing a dangerous stunt that leads to the awakening of Akira, a government secret that threatens to change Neo-Tokyo's future and impact its residents' lives.
Akira won the 8th Kodansha Manga Award in general category in 1984, the Harvey Award for Best American Edition of Foreign Material in 1993, and was nominated for the Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work in 2002.The series was first published in English by Marvel Comics under the Epic Comics imprint and was one of the first manga to be translated in its entirety. Marvels version was fully colorized and released in 38 trade paperback volumes from 1988 to 1996 (and later incompletely collected into 10 volumes). Dark Horse Comics republished Akira in its original 6-volume format from December 13, 2000 to March 27, 2002. Kodansha Comics USA currently holds the license and republished the series from October 13, 2009 to April 12, 2011. They rereleased the series in a 35th anniversary box set on October 31, 2017. The set contained 6 hardcover volumes in the original right-to-left reading format for the first time, as well as the artbook Akira Club. The manga has also been published in Brazilian Portuguese by JBC since 2016.
Akira
ProtagonistThe code name for a top-secret ESP project in Japan is #28, which centers around an eight-year-old boy. Akira's immense psychic abilities accidentally caused Tokyo's devastation in 1988. Following thi...
Miyako
ProtagonistLady Miyako serves as a prominent figure at a temple located in Neo-Tokyo, where she plays an essential role in opposing Tetsuo. She is a former subject from experiment #19 and has psychic abilities. ...
Tetsuo Shima
ProtagonistTetsuo is a character in the story who has been friends with Kaneda since childhood. He plays a significant role as one of the main themes of the narrative. In the group they belong to, Tetsuo stands ...
Shoutarou Kaneda
ProtagonistKaneda is a leader of a carefree gang who owns a customized motorcycle. He and Tetsuo have been close friends since childhood. Although he teases him, Kaneda has feelings for Tetsuo as if they were si...
Kei
ProtagonistDuring Kaneda's search for Tetsuo, he encounters a female youth who becomes part of the group he is working with. This woman belongs to an opposition movement that both Ryu and Nezu are affiliated wit...
Takaba
Takaba is a very violent teacher at Kanedas school. He is hated by all students who call him "Jaws."...
Kaori
A timid young girl who ends up becoming Tetsuos companion and Akiras babysitter....
Ryuusaku
Kei's brother and a member of the resistance movement who participated in an attack on a shopping mall. He later led a group responsible for infiltrating a military hospital to gather information abou...
Nezu
A parliament member who is also a leader in an anti-government resistance movement. They act as a spy within the government, providing valuable information to their fellow rebels. This person reveals ...
Masaru
Masaru was an orphan who was taken in by the government of old tokyo along with other children. at the time, this government was working on a secret project led by colonel shikishima to develop psychi...
Resistance Member
The individual who abducted takashi from the hospital at the start of the anime was later killed by the military. this event led to takashi unleashing his abilities. in the manga, this person collabor...
Joker
The Joker leads a group called "The Clowns," which consists of individuals who are addicted to drugs and ride motorcycles. They wear makeup that resembles a clown's face, and the design is frequently ...
Shikishima
An army leader responsible for investigating paranormal talents. They pay attention to the offspring of the Esper family, aiming to seize Tetsuo's abilities for their own benefit....
Kiyoko
Kiyoko, designated #25, is the only girl among the Espers. She has green wrinkled skin and long white hair styled into braids, and wears a pink nightgown; in the flashback in the anime, Kiyoko has hea...
Doctor Onishi
Dr. Onishi, commonly referred to as the Doctor, leads the secret psychic research project and advises Colonel on scientific matters. He is part of the second generation of scientists overseeing the pr...
Yamagata
A well-known member of Kanes gang frequently criticizes Tetsuo, resulting in a tense relationship that eventually contributes to his downfall....
Harukiya Barkeeper
Owns a seedy, run down bar located just off the Eastern Express Highway, in District 17....
Kai
Known by his alias Kaisuke, he belongs to Kaneda's gang and initially has a minor presence. However, as the plot progresses, his significance increases....
Takashi
The individual known as Takashi, who holds position #26 within the Espers group, played an unintentional role in bringing about Tetsuo's psychic manifestation and subsequent descent into madness. This...
George Yamada
Lieutenant Yamada is a Japanese-American soldier who is sent on a mission to assassinate Akira and Tetsuo in the latter-half of the story, after Akira has leveled Neo-Tokyo. Yamada plans to kill the t...
Tori Otoko
Tetsuos elite group of psychics known as Tori Otoko are tasked with monitoring and reporting on events happening within the Empires territory. They wear blindfolds and often stand atop ruined structur...
Karma Tangi
Karma Tengi is a Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader who has minor psychic powers that allow him to sense large-scale psychic events and the presence of nearby psychics, like Tetsuo Shima. He's part of ...
Taichou
In the narrative, Taichou pretends to be a devoted follower of Tetsuo and acts as his assistant towards the end. However, beneath this facade lies his true desire for power over the Great Tokyo Empire...
Spy
The military had a covert operative who exposed terrorist strongholds. This individual was discovered by Ryu's acquaintance, resulting in severe injuries. Despite this setback, they ultimately avenged...
Stanley Simmons
Dr. Stanley Simmons, a scientist associated with Project Juvenile A, focuses on investigating the causes and consequences of psychic powers in individuals like Akira and Tetsuo Shima. The team behind ...
Nurse
A nurse at Kanedas school. She was the one supplying the band members with drugs and it is implied that she and Kaneda had some sexual relationship....
Mike
Mike is a scientist, and member of Project Juvenile A. He studies the effects and causes of psychic abilities in people like Akira, and Tetsuo Shima....
Jorris
Dr. Jorris is part of Project Juvenile A and focuses on investigating the reasons behind psychic powers like those possessed by Akira and Tetsuo Shima. She's a scientist who specializes in this field....
Houzuki Otoko
Houzuki Otoko belongs to Tetsuos elite forces known as shock troops. He is portrayed as an obese, stout individual wearing spectacles who interacts with Yamada and the Marines at Olympic Stadium. Desp...
Dubrovsky
Dr. Dubrovsky is a scientist who specializes in studying phenomena related to Akira's powers as well as those of other individuals with psychic abilities. He joined Project Juvenile A for this purpose...
Chiyoko
Chiyoko is the weapons expert for the Resistance and Keis close friend and ally....
Bernardi
Dr. bernardi is an investigator associated with project juvenile a who specializes in examining the origins and consequences of extraordinary talents like those possessed by individuals such as akira ...
Admiral
He is an admiral of USA fleet that been staying nearby Japan, monitoring Neo-Tokyo. He is very skeptical of the research of Project Juvenile A....
George Hock
George Hock is a scientist, and member of Project Juvenile A. He studies the effects, and causes of psychic abilities in people such as Akira, and Tetsuo Shima....