Plot details on Akira
This article contains SPOILERS for the plot of Akira.
Fans have already expressed their anger when Zack Effron was rumored (here) to have been offered the lead in The Hughes Brother’s live-action adaptation of Akira. Even the news that Morgan Freeman was reported to be in talks for a role (here) wasn’t able to reduce their anger. Now, Screenrant has gotten their hands on details of the film’s plot that may fuel their anger.
“The story has been “Americanized,” with the center of the action taking place in New Manhattan after the decimation of the city ( an incident resembling a nuclear bomb explosion), has been blamed on the work of unknown terrorists, with the iconic shot of Akira as the sole survivor clutching his teddy bear standing solemn in the crater at ground zero.”
“Flash-forward to sometime in the future where protagonists Kaneda and Travis (gone is the name Tetsuo – why not just keep it? ) belong to one of several biker gangs that control the burned out old Manhattan, while the shiny new Chinese-owned-and-invested “New Manhattan” glitters back at them like a star that cannot be touched.”
The plot does follow that of the anime, but will be introducing new characters. One of them is Ray Arcman, a mad-scientist who created Akira by experimenting on children. Motorcycle gangs will still be present in the film, but some of the original characters will be changed. For example, Princess Miyako will be an old trash-collecting woman, and The Colonel will have less impact on the plot. Kandea will also get a weaker weapon than shown in the manga/anime as well.
We will see Travis’ (originally Tetsuo) powers grow out-of-control as they did in the anime, but it will only be a brief moment. That scene was one the most important scenes in the anime/manga as it showed Tetsuo’s powers growing out-of- control, and cutting that could prove to be a mistake, but probably necessary to receive a PG-13 rating. The ending also hints at a possible sequel, but given the fans’ backlash at this film, it probably won’t happen.
