Akira

Synopsis

In 1988, a young boy with psychic abilities triggers a catastrophic explosion that destroys Tokyo and ignites World War III. To avert future disasters, he is captured and hidden from the public. Thirty years later, the reconstructed Neo-Tokyo is ravaged by gang violence and anti-government unrest. Shoutarou Kaneda leads "the Capsules," a notorious gang known for their oversized custom motorcycles and their bitter feud with "the Clowns." During a confrontation with their rivals, Kaneda's best friend, Tetsuo Shima, collides with an esper escaping a government facility. This incident awakens Tetsuo's dormant psychic powers, which quickly spiral out of control. As authorities struggle to contain this new threat to the city, Tetsuo becomes increasingly powerful, transforming into the epicenter of the escalating chaos.

Background

Akira won the Silver Scream Award, the audience award of the Amsterdam-based Imagine Film Festival, in 1992 and was nominated for the American Anime Awards' Best Anime Feature award in 2007.