Akira remains one of the anime industry’s most famous franchises and for good reason. Created by Katsuhiro Otomo, the sci-fi title helped reinvigorate anime abroad while expanding the sci-fi genre overall. Now, a new studio is set to try its hand at the series, and fans just got a big update on Akira.
After all, it seems Warner Bros. has shared the film’s working title, and it has got fans curious.
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Recently, a series of casting calls surfaced online through Backstage regarding Akira. The Warner Bros. titled referred to the film as Box 28 instead, giving fans a peek at how the film is being referred to behind the scenes. Now, the working title has got fans speculating about its significance, but that is not all.
No, the casting calls also released full character breakdowns for the Akira‘s leads, and that has drawn lots of attention.
As you can see here, the film is currently looking for global application in terms of talent. Jun seems to stand in for the character Kaneda while Tetsuo goes by the codename Koichi. Fans are currently thinking these names are simple codenames rather than actual name changes which gives them hope. And if you look closely, the casting calls are looking for actors of Asian ethnicity to apply for the role. This has already assuaged fears which netizens had about whitewashing the cast, so if you know someone who fits these roles, then you might want to point them in the direction of these applications.
Earlier this year, fans got a good idea of what could be coming for the live-action adaptation. The first synopsis of Akira was spotted in a production magazine, and you can read up on the blurb below:
“When a young man’s telekinesis is discovered by the military, he is taken in to be turned into a super weapon and his brother must race to save him before Manhattan is destroyed by his powers. Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother Tetsuo is abducted by Government agents lead by the Colonel. Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City 30 years ago when it was destroyed.
Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous, but after facing his brother again is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers. Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy. Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo’s mind, Kaneda clashes with the Colonel’s troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira, but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island as he did thirty years ago.”
So, how do you feel about this long-awaited adaptation? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
