Katsuhiro Otomo Antología by Katsuhiro Otomo

Otomo's involvement is also a huge reassurance, and the anime series may act as a more authentic alternative for fans who will inevitably be disappointed by the Hollywood movie.

But while there may be an element of capitalizing on the franchise's future cinematic exploits, there remains much untapped potential in the Akira world, and fans have been calling out for more additions to the story. It's unlikely that the announcement of this new Akira anime series coming so soon after the confirmation of Taika Waititi's live-action movie is a coincidence. Consequently, much of the Akira manga has been restricted to printed form only and the prospect of seeing Otomo's fictional world adapted in its entirely is undoubtedly a tantalizing one. Otomo's original manga was a huge, detailed affair and, for obvious reasons, the 1988 film was a greatly condensed version of the story. Although Akira is one of the most internationally revered movies of all time, the franchise hasn't expanded as rapidly as the likes of Ghost in the Shell and Dragon Ball, meaning there is plenty of story still to explore. This news will come as an incredibly exciting moment for anime fans. Although it wasn't explicitly confirmed whether this would be a remake, prequel, sequel or spinoff, Otomo suggested that the new series would explore parts of the manga series that didn't make it into the 1988 film, meaning the new series is most likely to be a direct adaptation of the source material. Speaking at this year's Anime Expo event in Los Angeles (via AnimeMojo), Otomo announced an ambitious 4k remaster of Akira and went on to reveal that a new anime based on the Akira manga was officially being developed.

Three years later, that prospect has now become a reality. Related: Why Akira Could Break The Anime Adaptation Curse While speculation surrounding the live-action adaptation was rife, Otomo revealed in 2016 that an Akira anime series was also being considered. Names as diverse as Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Lin and George Miller have been attached to the project in various capacities throughout the years, but earlier in May 2019, Thor: Ragnarok's Taika Waititi was officially announced as directing Akira, with a 2021 release date finally set. A live-action Hollywood adaptation of Akira has long been rumored but appeared unable to escape development hell, with many deeming the story impossible to film, at least without a substantially monstrous budget.

Katsuhiro Otomo Antología by Katsuhiro Otomo