Akira is considered to be one of the most legendary anime films released and with good reason. The adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s masterpiece still resonates amongst fans to this day and it seems that the mangaka is set to return with a new tale. With 2019’s Anime Expo featuring the creator revealing that a new Akira story was set to arrive on the screen, fans should be extra curious to see what this new manga might be.
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In 2019, Otomo announced that Akira would be making a return via that year’s Anime Expo convention. Originally, the new Akira project was billed as a story that wouldn’t be a sequel, but perhaps a retelling of the original manga that would stick closer to that story than the original movie. Over the years since this big announcement, there has been little news when it comes to the series which was set to have Sunrise produce. On top of this Akira series, Otomo had also announced that a he was working on an unrelated anime film dubbed Orbital Era, though much like the Akira continuation, there has been little news on the project since it was first announced three years ago.
Rumors are circulating that the new manga by Katsuhiro Otomo will be published “soon”. However, the title and any story details about the new tale from the creator of Akira remain blanketed in secrecy.
To help illustrate Akira’s longevity and influence, the story of Kaneda and Tetsuo recently appeared in Jordan Peele’s Nope, with the prolific director recreating the well-known “motorcycle slide” in the original anime. The original Akira movie first released in 1988, and since the film hit theaters, no new stories have been told in this universe, though the legacy of the original simply cannot be overstated. We’re certainly crossing our fingers that Otomo’s new manga project will also shed a light on the previously announced projects that were previewed in 2019.
For Akira fans, the movie will also be hitting Crunchyroll later this month, marking the first time that the film has hit the streaming service.
Do you think we’ll receive new information on the previously announced Akira series? What do you think Otomo’s new project will turn out to be? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Akira.