Akira Creator's Orbital Era Releases Full Synopsis

As anime fans certainly have noticed over the last few years, many classic series have experienced a resurgence as they hit major anniversaries or milestones. One such classic is Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira, which will be coming back with a new iteration. But what's more exciting is what Otomo seems to have in store for his next film project, Orbital Era.

Initially revealed during Anime Expo 2019, Orbital Era is still largely mysterious as the promotional materials revealed a lone person in space with a skateboard. But Sunrise has shared an official synopsis for the film that gives a little more insight in a recent press release.

Sunrise officially describes Katsuhiro Otomo's Orbital Era as such, "The new movie Orbital Era will be his 3rd animated feature film after Akira (1988) and Steamboy (2004). Otomo himself will write the original concept and screenplay, as well as design and direct the film. The plot takes place in the near-future on a space colony under construction. It is an action-adventure story following the lives of some young boys surviving in this peculiar environment and society as they are tossed around by fate. 'The reality found in mankind's future' will be depicted through their perspective."

With as big as Akira has become ever since its initial release, there's undoubtedly a huge amount of anticipation going to be building until this film project is eventually release. There's currently no word on a release window or release date as of this writing, but Orbital Era certainly going to be drawing a lot of attention through its various production stages.

If you are unfamiliar with one of his biggest previous works, Katsuhiro Otomo originally created Akira for Kodansha's Young Magazine in 1982, and it later inspired the equally as prolific 1988 animated film (which Otomo himself directed). The story is set in a dystopian world following the bleak close of World War III. A gang leader known as Kaneda finds himself embroiled in a massive government operation when his best friend begins exhibiting powerful telekinetic gifts. To save his friend, Kaneda must get to the bottom of Neo Tokyo's espers, but the lead quickly learns he is in way over his head.

Akira will soon be getting a live-action adaptation directed by Taika Waititi, and filming is reportedly slated to begin this Summer. The casting call for the film revealed its working title, and more importantly, revealed that it will be featuring a largely Asian cast.