Akira (1988)

Akira was directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, who also wrote the original 1982 manga series. The landmark 1988 animated film was produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha. Otomo's adaptation drastically condensed his sprawling manga into a single two-hour feature.

In the 1988 film, Tetsuo acquires his immense telekinetic abilities after crashing his motorcycle into Takashi, one of the psychic Espers known as the Numbers. This collision triggers a massive mutation in Tetsuo's brain. His powers eventually spiral out of control, leading to the iconic, gruesome transformation at the end of the movie.

The film is set in Neo-Tokyo, a dystopian metropolis built on an artificial landfill after an explosion destroyed the original Tokyo. The year is 2019, which is exactly 31 years after Tokyo's destruction. This cyberpunk backdrop is heavily plagued by anti-government protests, biker gangs, and severe economic inequality.

No, the 1988 film only covers roughly the first third of Katsuhiro Otomo's massive manga series. Because the manga was still actively being published when the movie was released, Otomo had to write an original, condensed ending. The manga wasn't fully completed until 1990.