The world established by Akira remains one of the most iconic, recognizable ever to be created within the medium of anime, and one fan has decided to use the style of the universe created by merging it with the fast-food establishment Arby’s. While the feature-length adaptation of Akira was released decades ago, a new sequel series was announced in 2019 by creator Katsuhiro Otomo, who is looking to create an adaptation that sticks closer to the source material of the manga, though details about the series or any footage from it have yet to be revealed to the general public.
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Surprisingly enough, Arby’s has been no stranger to the world of anime, having used a number of different franchises to help push their food on an unsuspecting populace. With their social media accounts sometimes bringing in characters from anime series including the likes of Dragon Ball, Inuyasha, One Piece, Mobile Suit Gundam, and more, this new fan-made crossover between the fast-food establishment and the world created by Otomo isn’t as far fetched as you might think. While Arby’s itself has never created an anime advertisement to sell their wares, McDonald’s has in the past used the medium in creating commercials to push their products in Japan.
Instagram Artist Dirge Funk shared this amazingly hilarious advertisement for Arby’s that uses the aesthetic of Akira to help in promoting the fast-food restaurant that hasn’t been shy about diving into the world of anime via its social media presence from time to time:
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With the original animated film being the first and only time that Katsuhiro Otomo’s universe has been brought to the world of anime, fans have been anticipating the arrival of the television series that was announced a few years ago. Unfortunately for Akira fans, the plans for the live-action adaptation of the franchise directed by Thor Ragnarok’s Taika Waititi were put on indefinite hold, leaving many to wonder if a Western adaptation would ever arrive. Needless to say, Akira’s influence on the medium of anime definitely cannot be overstated when all is said and done.
What do you think of this hilarious crossover? Do you think we’ll get more news on the Akira series soon? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk about all things comics, anime, and the world of Katsuhiro Otomo’s works.
