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Reviewed by Michael Aronson “In a devastated 21st century Neo-Tokyo, the armed might of earth is massed against the godlike powers of two psychic titans, the mute child Akira and the deranged youth Tetsuo. While Akira has unintentionally destroyed the city twice before, Tetsuo has ravaged the surface of the moon for his sheer amusement, and his madness grows as his abilities expand. But he is gradually losing control of the limitless energies that rage within him, mutating Tetsuo into a horror beyond imagination, and as all forces converge for a final confrontation, the fate of the planet lies in the hands of mere mortals . . . and the mind of a child.” If all’s well that ends well, then all’s spectacular that ends spectacularly. That is, after putting down a book, nothing leaves a good impression like a great ending. The thing is, many revelations are spilled at the finale, and in the process the story attempts to become more than it’s been and more than it is, it terms of symbolism and intent. I’m not quite sure it succeeds, but it doesn’t interrupt the flow of the story either, and since the story has revolved around telekinetic warriors slugging it out while popping pills, defying authority and wrecking havoc all over the city, as long as these aspects reached critical mass by the end – and they do – Otomo can throw in whatever else he likes and I’ll be pleased – and I was. The ending follows a similar flow to that in the movie, but this time Akira is actually there (rather than as tiny organic tissue floating in a bottle), the pacing isn’t at all rushed, and things make much more sense within the context of the whole saga. Flashbacks take up two-page spreads, mystery images from earlier chapters are resolved, the heroes get their due and a few surprise characters get redemption. Akira the series constantly improves as it goes along. The post-movie material starts out a bit rocky in volume three, but it definitely picks up with each successive volume, and the momentum’s at full steam by the end. And if you’re wondering why I didn’t mention the art, it’s that it even tops the chaos and destruction of the last volume, and that kind of accomplishment is sort of beyond written description. Akira: buy it, read it, worship it. Interested in writing for MangaLife? We're always looking for talented reviewers and columnists, so drop us a line! Charles Webb Editor-in-Chief, MangaLife.com |
1 September 2010
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