Akira Highly recommended

Publisher
Dark Horse
Writer
Katsuhiro Otomo
Artist
Katsuhiro Otomo
Country of origin
Japan
Length
6 volumes
Year
1988

Akira volume 4

By otaku_kei
10th Nov 04

Akira has decimated Neo-Tokyo! The city lies in ruins; the people are scattered struggling to survive at the edge of starvation. The outside world is cut off from the city. Whenever contact is made the forces from outside the city disappear and are never heard of again. International forces are moored just outside Japanese national waters, the U.S. running a scientific study of the shocking phenomena that levelled the city, but always with a hair-trigger to attack this lawless place. Two forces are growing within the wreckage of the old city, in the East Lady Miyako is gathering her forces opening her doors to all refugees and the needy. Whilst in the West Tetsuo has formed the Great Tokyo Empire a dictatorship ruled with violence and mysticism, with Akira as the puppet head of government.

The city is devastated. Kei and Chiyoko are caring for the sick psychic children Masaru and Kiyoko. The Colonel is travelling incognito across the city waiting for a time for him to strike again against Tetsuo. Kaneda is missing, possibly dead after the destruction of Neo-Tokyo his absence keenly felt by Kei. Tetsuo's forces are rallying against perceived threats from Miyako's people and from the American forces. And Tetsuo's power continues to grow exponentially.

So this is the volume where the story diverges greatly from the anime version. With the destruction of Neo-Tokyo some of the characters are becoming embittered and focussed: the Colonel for example having survived the destruction of the city has become consumed by his desire to bring number 41 to heel for all the damage he has caused, whilst Tetsuo revels in his position as the most powerful man in all the city. But as before the characters are still on a journey, a discovery of the truth behind this jump in human evolution, as well as a trust in this powers ability to work alongside the human race without destroying it.

As always this series is closing down each volume with a fantastic cliffhanger/striking image
vol 1: The Colonel reaching out to Tetsuo as he accepts the experiment series designation 41.
vol 2: Tetsuo on his knees just having had his arm severed by a blast from SOL.
vol 3: Tetsuo finds Akira playing in the wreckage of the destroyed city, and takes the child into his custody.
vol 4: This volume is no different, Tetsuo on his knees in true supplication to Akira compared to earlier scenes of his smug exploitation of the child as a figurehead. What does this change mean for Tetsuo?

As always the quality of this publication is evident in the plotting, script, artwork just about everything is perfect with this series. Each volume just leaves me itching to pick up the next and seeing how things are going to turn out.

I know a series really shouldn't be able to score this high consistently, but it is a classic:

10/10

-- otaku_kei 10th Nov 04