In the 21st century, the glittering Neo-Tokyo has risen from the rubble of a Tokyo destroyed by an apocalyptic telekinetic blast from a young boy c...
read full description
reviews
Aug 20, 2010
Dylan
rated it: 
Taking a second pass at the whole series right now. Can't get any better than this one though. Total destruction. The metaphors are stinging and sometimes a little obvious but very necessary.
Also, Kaneda is maybe the most ridiculous of protagonists. Incredibly flat character but still fascinating. Tetsuo as a character is way more interesting but less fun. Except for Book 6, where he turns in to Uber-Tetsuo and shit just gets crazy.
Seriously, if you've only seen the movie More...
Also, Kaneda is maybe the most ridiculous of protagonists. Incredibly flat character but still fascinating. Tetsuo as a character is way more interesting but less fun. Except for Book 6, where he turns in to Uber-Tetsuo and shit just gets crazy.
Seriously, if you've only seen the movie More...
Mar 24, 2008
Eric
rated it: 
(I read Akira in one huge go over a weekend, so I will be cutting and pasting this review for all 6 volumes)
Akira is an epic work of science fiction sequential art. The storyline is complex and consistent. There is social commentary, ethical musing, and morality woven through an action packed storyline of science gone wrong. The "romance" portion of the story is believable as well. The two characters are drawn to one another over time, and the world doesn't stop for them More...
Akira is an epic work of science fiction sequential art. The storyline is complex and consistent. There is social commentary, ethical musing, and morality woven through an action packed storyline of science gone wrong. The "romance" portion of the story is believable as well. The two characters are drawn to one another over time, and the world doesn't stop for them More...
Dec 11, 2011
John
rated it:
With this volume the anime and manga are on completely different trajectories. If Volume 2 were the anime, we'd have ten to fifteen minutes left in a two hour movie. In other words, what the anime condenses into ten minutes Volume 3 covers in great depth. Can you say civil war?! This manga takes a much deeper look into what drives and animates humans society and how those drives conflict with each other. Also, in this volume relatively minor characters take on great significance as the story pro
More...
Apr 02, 2011
Black Cynocephalus
rated it: 
Competently written. Very streamlined with heavy doses of action. Quick pacing, always on the move. Basically feels like one long chase after another from the very first issue up to this point, for the most part. Sadly, the action and pacing leaves a strangely tedious impression after a while, and the political machinations never rise above "meh" if you have seen the movie already. Ya know what's gonna happen before it happens with this type of story anyway. No surprises to be had alon
Jan 29, 2012
J.
rated it:
I feel like I should read all of the books before coming to a complete conclusion, since it's obvious this series isn't really meant to be episodic, but I can say that this volume was still highly entertaining, has a crazy ending, but still feels like a little padding is going on between the ending of volume 2 and the finale of this volume. It's a lot of people running around and chasing each other, but I'm just not totally sure what it did, plot-wise or character-wise.
Also, Chiyoko i More...
Also, Chiyoko i More...
Nov 24, 2011
Germancho
rated it:
Holy crap, things have taken a weird turn here: the book and the movie storylines begin to diverge. It's awesome that the action is so well paced, but it's sad that it makes me skip pages too fast. I guess a future re-read is in order to fully appreciate the art.
Aug 25, 2011
Caroline
rated it:
Akira's not one of my favorite manga series, but it's a staple in the genre and pretty much required reading, in my opinion. This boasts an impressive storyline, interesting characters, and is definitely one of the more complex, adult manga out there.
Feb 21, 2009
Mel
rated it:
Interesting that Takeshi never made an entrance in this volume. Ended quite interestingly. This is definitely where the novels and the movie diverge significantly so.
Jun 05, 2011
Noah
rated it:
Akira binge: Half way done! A little too much action and "ZOMG MUST SAVE LITTLE KID" plots compared to the first two volumes, but everything's coming together in a cool way.
Oct 06, 2011
Momscom
rated it:
A definite classic of the medium which I can fully recommend to every sci fi, graphic novel, and anime fan
Feb 20, 2008
Don
rated it:
Otomo's art is amazing. The level of meticulous detail he puts into his panels is simply stunning, and it's fascinating to see him occasionally experiment with new styles and techniques as he progresses. I haven't seen a level of craft this masterful and dedicated since Dave Sim & Gerhard; it's definitely a class of artistry that encompasses very few.
Also: The explosion at the end? The one that goes on for nearly 30 pages? Yeah. That's a big ####ing BOOM.
Also: The explosion at the end? The one that goes on for nearly 30 pages? Yeah. That's a big ####ing BOOM.
Jan 17, 2008
Peter
rated it:
Rereading...
This is the volume where everything hits the fan. A fundamental shift in the storyline, and maybe the strongest episode in terms of jaw dropping visuals and narrative revelations/developements.
Impressive sense of forboding and cultural fragility throughout, leading up to the end of this volume.
This is the volume where everything hits the fan. A fundamental shift in the storyline, and maybe the strongest episode in terms of jaw dropping visuals and narrative revelations/developements.
Impressive sense of forboding and cultural fragility throughout, leading up to the end of this volume.
Dec 19, 2007
TheReaper
rated it:
Ten years in the making, these series of 6 graphic novels is of epic proportions reaching cult status. It has been published in every possible language and won every possible award.It still continues to garner fans worldwide. The sci-fi setting of Neo-Tokyo, the illustrations showcase Katsuhiro Otomo's virtuosity.
Jan 23, 2008
Hunter
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Jul 30, 2007
Colin
rated it:
An amazing epic of a biker gang and a child destined to be a god, but he sees his powers as leverage to get what he wants in life. He desperately wants power, no matter who he takes down with him. Part III of VI
Jan 21, 2012
Josh
rated it:
And this is only the halfway point....God Almighty, this is going to get insane.
Feb 12, 2012
