Akira Vol. 1: Akira 1
- ISBN
- 9781935429005
- Publisher
- Kodansha
- English release
- Pages
- 352
The first Akira paperback opens the six-volume paperback run with Tetsuo and Kaneda caught in the aftermath of an earlier catastrophe. Neo-Tokyo stands where the old city was destroyed; Tetsuo develops paranormal abilities that attract an agency afraid of another disaster. The useful starting point is that mismatch of scale: two teenage friends have entered a problem the authorities already recognize. This 352-page volume begins their involvement, before the name Akira becomes something either can safely understand.
Spoilers — why this volume matters. Tap to reveal.
The opening gives the authorities a memory that the two friends lack. Their fear of Akira precedes Tetsuo becoming a target, so the pursuit has an institutional motive beyond removing a troublesome teenager. That makes the first book a useful foundation for the conflict: Tetsuo is entering an existing history, even while his new abilities seem to make him exceptional. Kodansha also lists an Otomo foreword and a Mike Richardson postscript in this edition. Those additions frame the book as a published work with a history of its own; they are not extra adventures for Kaneda and Tetsuo.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links on this page are affiliate links, which cost you nothing extra. They never influence what appears on this site or what the commentary says about it.