I somehow discovered Akira after going to US, people in my age (mid-20s or younger) in Japan seem to completely forgot manga like this and I feel like we're all missing out
@Al X. Andra Akira actually did eventually make back its budget and made 0.6 billion yen profit. Akira was known for having a ludicrously high budget for the time and was the most expensive animated film ever made, so it feels kinda unfair to say it bombed.
Akira was like Di Vinci level of quality, it set the bar soo high that later artist tried to ignore it knowing that they could never compare... it’s shameful
Haven't even watched this yet, but I was feeling super blue today and have been struggling to really get excited about anything (as sad as that sounds) but as soon as I read the title, I smiled. Love this channel, can't wait to watch.
Suprisingly complex and yet coming to the table with a handful of tropes I've loved Akira since I tried collecting the tanks back I think in the 90's. My thanks to the guy that posts this channel (sry I'm new). The comparison of the manga to the anime film was awesome, well done. Now I want to find I the tanks and read the full manga.
This was an incredibly clear, yet succinct, explanation of Akira. I'm in awe of your ability to process all that information and present it in just 17 minutes. I watch all your vids and they're inevitably excellent. But this one was a masterwork of your craft. Well done.
"Tetsuo kills his girlfriend, in the manga it's much darker" lol. Made me chuckle. Thanks for videos on manga like Akira and the comic Eternaut! Will you ever cover "100 Bullets" ?
Hello Chris. My name is Joe Dent. I'm from a countrified/country-fried green area in England. I thought you would like to know: since my GF left a year ago, I've been extremely depressed and often lacking hope; but - along with Sanford and Son - yours is one of the two programmes that make up the background of my every day, as I have found that having these things on really helps to combat an internal monologue that is as crushingly depressing as it is constant. So thanks. I like the whole package you do - I have clicked on other comic videos on RU-vid, but none of them can hold a candle to yours, mate. Here are two ideas you gotta do, and Im sure it will have gone thru your - obviously panel based - mind: BWS, and his influence; and Steranko. I know nothing of the latter, but I'd love to hear to do a video on his work. Nice one mate, thanks a lot, and keep up the good work JpD. :)
@@ComicTropes excellent. I really looking forward to seeing your videos on them. You do good work. I suppose that there must be SO many creators/runs/classic issues that you must want to cover - I know that every time I find out about one great, undiscovered comic? It sends me further into the rabbit hole, and I then have 2 more great properties to investigate, that link, spider-diagram like, to the first find. I think (and I know you are not short of ideas OR material to pick from!) that a history of "photo-realistic" comic rendering could be excellent - it'll look great on-screen, due to the nature of the beast, and its a skilled, and much-heralded area of comic books. I got myself a copy of Dave Sims "Glamourpuss" #1 recently, and, among one of its many aims, it gives a pictorial history of photo-realism in comic art, with Neal Adams being one of the names. it's a very interesting comic book, and its goals (as you could imagine with Dave Sim) are dense and multi-faceted. I recommend you check it out if you haven't done so already. Keep up the good work Chris. Your videos always perk me up. Cheers! JpD.
While the Tetsujin 28 analogues are definitely there and Mizuki’s hyper real backgrounds make sense as inspiration, it’s worth noting that Tezuka is the one and only mangaka he thanks in the brief afterword.
My parents got me the special edition anniversary box set of all the manga for my 21st a few months ago, it came with an art book too and some other cool stuff. Best gift ever man
Okay can I just say that you are my FAVORITE comic channel? Like seriously, I started off reading manga, but I wanted to get into Western comics, so I started looking for channels covering comics, but sadly the ones I have seen mostly just complain about SJWs and Lefties (I understand that politics get dragged into comics a lot, but god I wish they could focus on other things) and the overall tone of their channels just feel very hateful and unhelpful. Your channel however is a wonderful surprise! You talk about all the comics with such respect and enthusiasm, and you really seem to appreciate comics as an artform (which, as a comic artist myself, is SO appreciated). I also like that even though your channel is Western comic oriented, you still try to throw in variety by talking about Manga or lesser-known comics (instead of being caught in a rut of only reviewing Marvel-DC-Image comics). I'm not sure if you are going to read this, but if you do, I just wanna say THANK YOU for being an amazing creator, and if you ever start looking into reviewing Webcomics, I recommend Lackadaisy and The Property of Hate, because those comics had the most impact on me as an artist and I would love for you to share your opinion on them. ^^
Ehhh Hard not to talk about it when it comes to modern American comics when they are drenched in politics, and no respect for the medium. You have to call it out, but I get that it can be a bit tiresome... but it’s just as annoying to watch people praise crappy storytelling and even worse bad art. So this channel is great, mainly talking about the old good stuff, focusing on the positive. I would love if he brought up Carl Barks Duckverse. Those are some solid american Adventure comics that are great fun, back when Disney made quality stuff and hired great talent. If you want modern comics without the politics then manga is the way to go.
Christian Björck There’s nothing more tiresome than right wing reactionaries complaining about politics in art. Whining about “SJWs” and “PC culture” and on and on. It’s just getting old. Actual interesting analysis like Comic Tropes is hard to find.
Lol this is so true. Can’t agree more. I used to be one of these viewers that watch the rants but honestly the contents has become so stale ... All day every day complaining.
Wow. Really good analysis. I only wish it was longer. I can listen and talk about Akira all day. The key world is "powerful". Akira is a powerful work of art no doubt. Talking about power, Akira for me shows the power of artistic creation and the power of comics as a medium, what the human imagination can achieve with intelligence, talent and loads of hard work with just ink and paper.
You’ve introduced me to so many really good mangas and comics, I always thought akira was just another robo future type story but this makes me want to read the the series
I hope you have by now, if not you're in for a treat. The Akira manga is so stylish, exciting, visually interesting, and packed with ideas that you'll want to own the 6 volume set.
This is the best video on Akira. I've watched so many and none have explained the themes so clearly, they always resort to talking about the atomic bomb. Thanks for such a great video, keep up the good work!
I just finished the manga last night. It was super epic, detailed and amazing. It's really moved into my top 3 favorite comic book stories of all time. And is actually my new number 2.
excellent work! I still remember being 10 and renting Akira without any idea what it was. It blew my mind! And it holds up so well today. Many years later I came across the manga, but in those days it was very hard to find the entire series, not to mention at a reasonable price. I finally bought a used copy of the first volume, but it was years before I came across the entire series...at a university library of all places (go Longhorns!). I skipped class for the next two days and just went to the library to read Akira. I was so hyped I stupidly didn't check them out to read at home!
Akira was one of the first animes I'd seen and it set the bar for me. It's a perfect example of how to adapt a narrative to fit a different format without losing quality. Each version of the story is unique and uses the strengths of both mediums. The film is one of the best sci-fi action films of all time, the animation is gorgeous and not only holds up, but still looks better a lot of modern anime. The soundtrack is weird and amazing. The story is changed and shortened to fit the format, but its still great through and through. Kaneda and Tetsuo's troubled, but undeniably brotherly relationship is the heart of the story.
I finally read Akira earlier this year after getting the new box set. I had been waiting for it to be published in the right to left direction. That box set is utterly gorgeous.
This is arguably one of my favorite comic runs of all time. I got my hands on issue #1 of Akira in the Summer of 88 when it was printed by EPIC in color and was completely obsessed with the book from that point. I think EPIC's run far exceeds what is available today as most TPB editions are only available in Black & White format. I can just say that for it's time there was nothing like it in mainstream US comics. We talk about grim and gritty tropes in comics but this was just completely visceral and the story, technology, and plot were way ahead of its time. The animated movie while not as complete as the manga was also another achievement for animation. The amount of money spent was the most for an Anime film at that time and just the number of painted cells used per second/frame rate far exceeded anything used in a US animated film. Also all of the techniques used during the production like animating around the voice acting performances, the use of computer animation and even the score of this film was nothing short of amazing. Otomo is a perfectionist and it showed in his work.
I remember the first time I ever saw Akira. I walked into my lcs, and found everyone in the store, gathered in one small room. About ten people. On the screen, a bunch of kids, gathered in a gym. The animation smooth as live action. It , cuts to outside. Just after Kei ditches Kaneda, from a guy who would end up being my best friend, 3...2...1. BOOM as the roof explodes. What a soundtrack. I sometimes just listen è.
Outstanding video, as usual. I’m a recent fan of Comic Tropes, and I’m so grateful for this series and it’s high level of commentary. Many thanks for something so enjoyable to watch!
@@ComicTropes I recently read a compilation of The Spirit's best stories and it was a fun time. Surprisingly mature for what other comics had at the time. It was like reading a Noir movie at times and an adventure in crime busting at others.
I'm a really big fan of the flipped colored manga EPIC did for American audiences, which I saw no mention of. Most fans enjoy reading the manga in it's original form, and I appreciate that, but the coloring work really is mindblowing. It was done by Steve Oliff, who was approved by and guided by Otomo, and was one of the first big project to use Digital Coloring, which Marvel and others began using after the colored manga came out. The entire manga, all the detail, is one of the most inspiring pieces of art to me and I try to reread it at least once a year. Great video, I learned so much more about Akira!! Have you seen Steamboy?
I'm checking out manga for the first time and read vol 1 of Dragon Ball. And I enjoyed your vid on One Piece. This seems more my thing tho. Def want to check it out. Tempted to go ahead and buy the box set bc it's gorgeous and I'm pretty sure I'll love it.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH NO
It wasn't until the anime that Kaneda was actually presented as the central protagonist. He and Kei were always the closet thing the series had to unambiguous goods, but Kaneda was a lot more self serving in the first half of the manga. It was also more of an ensemble cast of characters, at least in the first half. I think that the author felt that the series really needed a point of view protagonist. Kei would have worked just as well at first, but in the manga that changes once she starts training.
@@MicahBuzanMUSIC I think you are correct; while writing my post I conflated being the hero and being the protagonist. In the movie Tetsuo is the only character to have a full arc. He is sympathetic at the start and becomes more contemptible as time progresses, but never unsympathetic. He is the center and the driving force of the movie. As opposed to the manga which is more a psychic Lord of the Flies and an Ensemble Cast. Tetsuo's status as main character kind of depends on the volume. He goes missing for most of volume 3. Not really relevant as this is about the anime. I am just trying to explain some of my confusion.
@@myopicmanatee6432 Oh yeah, I understand what you mean and that makes sense. The manga and anime film are totally different beasts with how they treat a lot of characters, especially Lady Miyoko who was more complicated and wise in the manga but was reduced to a one-dimensional cult leader in the film (which still served some narrative function to show that there is this religious Akira movement going on in the chaotic world of Neo-Tokyo).
Cool video. I'm glad you're talking about Akira. I just wish you were pronouncing Kaneda, Kaori, and Akira more correctly. I recommend watching the film in Japanese and listening closely sometime. Stay cool!
I had to stop watching after he said the rival gang were “The Jokers” and that the female protagonist was “Kai” just a few minutes in. Nitpicky? Maybe, but details are important when analyzing AKIRA.
Another good one, Chris. I highly recommend Akira to anyone who like comics or manga. It's a long epic, but it's totally worth the time and money investment. It's an experience you won't forget. Not to sound cliche, but the story is truly enthralling and the art is stunning. You could spend forever just looking at the detail in every panel. I've always preferred American comics, but Akira ranks right up there as one my favorites. Also, Marvel Comics published a fully colored version of the manga in the 80's.
Akira must have a new adaptation. I want to see that scene where Tetsuo fucking makes holes into the Moon.. man it would b great.. My personal guess is thst DBZ's Vegeta sacrifice and explosion was inspired by that shot where Tetsuo explodes and destroys the city.
Comic Tropes is absolutely right about this one. AKIRA(both manga and film)are fantastic. My personal wish list always included an animated series. This would allow some of the plot points from the manga(regrettably omitted from the film due to time constraints) to be expanded upon. The sequence where Tetsuo approaches Akira as he is seated on the throne deserves to be animated!
First anime I ever watched, so I peaked pretty early. (Kidding.) I'd love to see a Comic Tropes videos on my favorite forgotten comics artist: Travis Charest.
COMMMMIIIICCCCC TROOOPPPEEESSSS!!!! ok that aside I love the allusion to the moon destruction in Scott Pilgrim. My library has all the manga and I’m inspired to reread it now. Have you seen Bartkira, the insane Simpsons/Akira mashup?
No doubt that Akira is a great story, and one of my favourites. When I first read it, it was a monthly publication via Epic comics, which flipped it for L-R reading, and coloured, so I was surprised when it was said that Manga production increased during Movie production because there was an 18 month hiatus about half way through the Manga from its Epic comics release. No internet back in those days, so we had no idea what was the cause of the suspension. I was also quite surprised to read, at the time, that Epic were given panels from Japan, prior to lettering, and any effects wording, to facilitate the non-Japanese language version by avoiding the need to remove, correct art, and re-letter. I was, however, eventually pleased with the release of the Anime, as I was reticent to watch as it may spoil the Manga story. Hindsight revealed that my fears were unfounded given the disparity of the respective story-lines.
I first saw Akira when I was 10 (1997), it had come to the Sci Fi channel during the time they were bringing a whole lot of Anime over (Robot Carnival being another one). Back then I could not appreciate it, it was too weird for me. Then I saw it again in 2004, it was pretty cool! Then, after being stationed in Iwakuni, Japan, I read the entire Manga after hearing it goes further than the movie. It's legit probably the best Manga there is. If they ever do make a remake, I don't think it should be live action. Instead they just do like 3 anime films or a mini series that tells the entire story. Given how cinimatic the manga is, it would'nt be the most difficult translation. I mean come on! It's Goverment conspiracies, Bōsōzoku (the Japanese version of Greasers! And equally cool!) and psychics all battling for supreamacy in Neo-Tokoyo! Also the symbolism is pretty heavy in this story. It gets one part Mad Max, one part X-Men, one part Carrie, one part Escape From New York, one part Rebel Without a Cause, all the while serving as metaphor for Japan's tumultous period of change from WW II. Capsules forever man!
When the picture of the child Akira was showed, I just thought:„My god this boy looks like Mob from Mob Psycho 100!“ If you don't know this manga, read it. It's written and drawn by the same guy who wrote the One Punchman Webmanga, ONE, not the retail manga that's redrawn by someone else. Yes the drawings are really not that good in Mob Psycho but that's not the point, the point is the comedy and phenomal character writing and the art brings over emotion really well, which is good for such a story. ONE is great in that regard. He did draw the first chapters of One Punchman on his cell phone while in school and kept it secret, because of didn't want to get bullied, he immediately got a cult following. He's the perfect story that phenomenal writing can still make a good comic/manga, even if the artwork isn't that good. Check it out
Kind of bummed how you didn’t mention how Akira was introduced to a lot of comic book fans thanks to Epic Comics. I loved it and was blown away by the movie which I 1st became aware of at a Star Trek convention I had attended a little after the movie had been released in Japan.
I wonder how big an influence the works of people like Alfred Bester were to Otomo when making Akira. Apart from the espers, Kaneda's disappearance and sudden apparitions as a "force ghost" in flames to say something mysterious remind me of The stars my destination
