Akira

## Akira *Akira* is the foundational work of Japanese science fiction manga — Katsuhiro Otomo's staggering post-apocalyptic epic that defined cyberpunk aesthetics and influenced virtually every major sci-fi franchise that followed. Neo-Tokyo, 2019 — built on the ruins of Tokyo, which was destroyed by a mysterious explosion in 1988. Teenage biker gang leader Shotaro Kaneda and his volatile best friend Tetsuo Shima are caught up in a secret government experiment when Tetsuo makes contact with a small, wizened child with psychic powers. Tetsuo begins developing catastrophic telekinetic abilities that he cannot control, while forces within the military, government, resistance groups, and a religious cult all converge on the location of AKIRA — a name whispered in terror since the original destruction. Otomo's six-volume manga is twice as long as the acclaimed 1988 film adaptation, expanding the world, its politics, and its characters into a truly epic scope. Its influence on *Ghost in the Shell*, *Neon Genesis Evangelion*, *Attack on Titan*, and countless Western works is immeasurable.