Akira - Katsuhiro Otomo

I'll start by pointing out that my review is based on the Dark Horse reprint of Akira that was released in 2001 (I think?). Each copy is pretty difficult to get hold of and you can expect to pay in the region of £25 for each of the 6 volumes (thats right. I paid £150 for a comic). It is a 2,500+ page piece that took creator Katsuhiro Otomo 10 years to finish.

The plot is essentially the same as the well known (and quite superb) anime but with one very major difference. The film was created mid-way through the creation of the comic meaning that the Akira story was not complete. This isn't to detract from the film. To include the entire plot of the comic would mean the film was about 25 hours long. But the film ends about a third of the way through the comic.

The story is set in Neo Tokyo. Years earlier a huge explosion destroyed Tokyo and the survivors built Neo Tokyo over the wreckage. As we go on, we find out that the explosion was not caused by a bomb, but by Akira. To reveal anymore of the plot would be to spoil it.

The artwork is wonderful. It is drawn with the pace of a skilled movie director and the attention to detail is stunning. Every shot of Neo Tokyo really takes your breath away when considering that it is rarely drawn from real-life examples, but instead from Otomo's imagination. The quality never dips throughout the piece. It is as good in page 2,499 as it is in page 1. You really have to see it to believe it.

The plot is gripping, epic and the ending really befits the story before it. It has motorbike gangs, huge explosions, psychic children, wars, cities raised to the ground, and big pulsating balls of light. It has political satire, existential philosophy and most importantly comedy.

Fans of the film will get a great deal from the comic. It is much more coherent and certainly fills in the blanks that film leaves. Plus you get an extra two thirds of a plot.

The one obvious downside is the cost. £25 is quite a bit to shell out for a book so £150 for all six volumes is madness. Is it worth it? I don't regret buying it . I've read it twice over the past 12 months and it never fails to impress mates when they see it. But then you aren't me so you may balk at the idea.

Also, its hard work reading the American translation. I know the work is Japanese and I find it a bit of an insult to my intelligence when words like 'Rad' and 'Dude' are used. But thats a minor gripe.

Akira is arguably the greatest piece of graphic fiction ever produced. That said, it is also one of the most expensive and difficult to obtain. If you have the opportunity to read it then I strongly recommend that you do.