Katsuhiro Otomo - Akira Manga

AKIRA is one of the most important works in the history of comics — a staggering 2,000+ page science fiction epic written and illustrated by Katsuhiro Otomo, originally serialized in Kodansha's Young Magazine from 1982 to 1990. Set in the post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo of 2019 — a vast, neon-drenched megalopolis built on the ashes of a city destroyed by a mysterious cataclysm that triggered World War III — the story begins with two teenage biker gang members: the brash, reckless Kaneda and his troubled friend Tetsuo. When Tetsuo survives a collision with a mysterious child and begins manifesting catastrophic psychic abilities, he is seized by a shadowy government military program desperate to contain what they've awakened. At the center of it all, locked away beneath the city in a cryogenic chamber, is Akira — a child with godlike psychic power who destroyed Tokyo once before, and may do so again.

What Otomo achieved with AKIRA is almost impossible to overstate. The level of draftsmanship across all six volumes is breathtaking — Neo-Tokyo rendered in extraordinary architectural detail, motorcycle chase sequences of cinematic dynamism, crowd scenes and military hardware and urban destruction that reward close study on every page. The story escalates from street-level gang warfare into government conspiracy, military coup, revolutionary politics, and finally something approaching myth — a meditation on power, the fragility of civilization, and what comes after humanity reaches the limits of what it can control. Each volume is a substantial, oversized tome; the complete set totals well over 2,000 pages of some of the finest black-and-white art ever committed to comics.

Inducted into the Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2012, awarded the Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême in 2015 — the first manga artist ever to receive it — Otomo's AKIRA is the work that introduced manga to a generation of Western readers who had never seen anything like it. The legendary 1988 animated film adaptation directed by Otomo himself remains a cornerstone of anime history. This Dark Horse six-volume edition — released in the original black and white with a revised translation — is the definitive English-language presentation of the complete work. A complete set is a serious collector's prize and an essential cornerstone of any manga library.

Other Notable Works

Katsuhiro Otomo: Domu: A Child's Dream, Steamboy (Film), Short Piece, Farewell to Weapons

Series Details

Japanese Name: アキラ (Akira)
English Title: AKIRA
Story & Art: Katsuhiro Otomo
Original Publisher: Kodansha (Young Magazine)
English Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Release Years: 1982–1990 (Japan) / 2000–2002 (Dark Horse Edition)
Volumes: 6 (Complete )
Format: Oversized tall trade paperback, original black and white, right-to-left reading
Age Rating: Mature (18+)
Genre: Cyberpunk, Science Fiction, Action, Seinen

Comics & manga are assumed VG+ or better unless otherwise noted. No broken spines, no writing, no stickers, and may have light shelf wear. Mid-2000s or earlier manga may have slight yellowing due to the age of the paper. All manga and comics are assumed to be pre-owned.