Neo-Tokyo is about to E.X.P.L.O.D.E.|Jul. 16, 1988|Japan|124 Min.|R
Genre: Action;Animation;Science;Fiction
Description: In 2019, after a devastating world war, Neo-Tokyo is engulfed in chaos, plagued by corruption, anti-government protests, terrorism, and gang violence. During a violent protest, Shōtarō Kaneda, the impulsive leader of the Capsules bōsōzoku gang, clashes with the rival Clown gang. Kaneda’s close friend, Tetsuo Shima, accidentally crashes his motorcycle into Takashi, an esper who escaped from a government laboratory with the help of a resistance group. Colonel Shikishima, aided by another esper named Masaru, recaptures Takashi, apprehends Tetsuo, and arrests the Capsules. While being interrogated by the police, Kaneda encounters Kei, a resistance activist, and cleverly secures her release along with his gang.
At a classified government facility, Shikishima and researcher Doctor Ōnishi uncover that Tetsuo possesses extraordinary psychic abilities akin to Akira, the esper responsible for the destruction of Tokyo in 1988. Esper Kiyoko warns Shikishima of Neo-Tokyo’s impending doom, but the city’s parliament disregards his concerns, prompting him to consider eliminating Tetsuo to avert another catastrophe. Meanwhile, Tetsuo escapes the hospital, steals Kaneda’s motorcycle, and plans to flee Neo-Tokyo with his girlfriend Kaori. However, they are ambushed by the Clowns. The Capsules rescue Tetsuo and Kaori, but Tetsuo begins experiencing severe headaches and hallucinations, leading to his return to the hospital.
After overhearing plans to rescue Tetsuo and the other espers, Kaneda joins Kei’s resistance group. At the hospital, the espers attempt to assassinate Tetsuo through hallucinations, but their efforts fail. Enraged, Tetsuo searches for them, ruthlessly killing anyone in his path. The resistance infiltrates the hospital, and Kiyoko involves Kei and Kaneda in Shikishima and the espers’ futile attempts to stop Tetsuo. Kiyoko informs Tetsuo that Akira, cryogenically preserved beneath the Olympic Stadium construction site, might help him control his powers. Rejecting everyone, especially Kaneda, Tetsuo escapes the hospital and embarks on a hunt for Akira.
Cast director: Katsuhiro Otomo
Cast actor: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Tesshou Genda, Hiroshi Ohtake, Kōichi Kitamura, Yuriko Fuchizaki, Masaaki Okura, Takeshi Kusao, Kazuhiro Kamifuji
Original name: アキラ