The classic film Akira has been uttered by the lips of most every anime fan. However those who have read the manga are in a shrinking minority. With any adaptation (especially if you consider yourself a writer) it’s really important to absorb both and look at what was selected and condensed for the adaptation. The manga of Akira has an intense, gripping and action-heavy plot, and much of the movie summarizes the comic very well. However the movie is condensed for characterization’s sake, and leaves out certain details that made the plot make more sense in the manga.

Otomo loves both setting and action, as both are illustrated throughout the manga with care and prowess. All of the praise that this manga has received since it was published is well deserved. Setting the standard isn’t easy, and I would argue that Otomo not only builds to the art style of older manga but also takes on a unique style of his own (foreheads and all). He displays the chaos of Neo-Tokyo so well and even when the action calms down or speeds up you still know exactly where you are. Nothing is spared and every panel is filled as it needs to be. The art never looks to bedazzle you, but when Otomo wants to express the hugeness of a scene and the breadth of every event, it pulls off a sense of colossal dread that makes the story altogether incredibly memorable, terrifying, and human.

The plot of the manga is a deeply engaging stream of events that grabs you by the shirt collar and never really lets go. It takes enough twists and turns to keep the tension high but still stays linear and focused in every volume despite the chaos. The sequence of events in the manga is exactly that, while the movie’s plot is much more all over the place. You always know where you are and why you’re there with the characters in the manga, and it remains exciting because they’re always subjected to the whim of this unknown power.

The characters in the manga are more catalysts for moving setpieces than they are invested back stories and experiences. One thing that I mentioned in my film review is that Kaneda and Tetsuo’s relationship is the primary focus of the movie, and it made the two of them the most interesting part of the story due to their entwined pasts. The bike scene and the buildup given to Tetsuo throughout the film make him a much more compelling character to watch then read. His inferiority complex is his ignition switch in the manga too, but his intent is all over the place to the point where he is rabid with power and exists to move the plot rather than be analyzed.

The other children subjected to the experiments are important but particularly underwhelming, especially Akira himself. They always felt like the reason why the events effect the main characters like Kei, Kaneda and the Colonel instead of unique individuals. However, I would say the parts of the story involving Kei, Chihiro and Lady Miyako were the most compelling character moments in the series. Their intertwined stories show care and revolution for the future along with a mild journey of self-discovery for Kei, and I found that subplot to be the most interesting.

Overall, read it! Experience it knowing that your viewing of the movie will be a different story entirely. It’s really difficult to adapt a manga of this length into anything shorter than a 26-episode show, so the fact that many of the important images and ideas from the manga were adapted to the film is impressive. Both are impressive and impactful stories although I will say I like what the music and the characterization do for the movie more than the manga. But the printed story clears up so many details that the movie lacks. Both experiences are deeply moving and terrifying stories of human potential and impactful works of sequential art important to pop culture.

Overall Rating- 7 out of 10