Akira
A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath that only two teenagers and a group of psychics can stop.
Despite its limited budget of $5.7M, Akira became a runaway success, earning $49.0M worldwide—a remarkable 760% return. The film's innovative storytelling found its audience, showing that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Akira (1988) showcases precise narrative design, characteristic of Katsuhiro Otomo's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 4 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.5, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Kaneda
Tetsuo Shima
Kei
Colonel Shikishima
Ryu
Takashi (No. 26)
Kiyoko (No. 25)
Masaru (No. 27)
Doctor Ōnishi
Main Cast & Characters
Kaneda
Played by Mitsuo Iwata
Leader of a biker gang who tries to save his childhood friend Tetsuo from destructive psychic powers.
Tetsuo Shima
Played by Nozomu Sasaki
Kaneda's insecure childhood friend who gains catastrophic psychic abilities and struggles with overwhelming power.
Kei
Played by Mami Koyama
A young resistance fighter who becomes involved with Kaneda while fighting government corruption.
Colonel Shikishima
Played by Tarō Ishida
A military officer trying to prevent another psychic catastrophe while managing dangerous experiments.
Ryu
Played by Tesshō Genda
Leader of the resistance movement fighting against Neo-Tokyo's corrupt government.
Takashi (No. 26)
Played by Tatsuhiko Nakamura
An elderly-looking psychic child with precognitive abilities who escapes from government custody.
Kiyoko (No. 25)
Played by Fukue Itō
A psychic child with prophetic visions who warns about Tetsuo's danger.
Masaru (No. 27)
Played by Kazuhiro Kandō
A psychic child who floats in a mechanical throne and helps confront Tetsuo.
Doctor Ōnishi
Played by Mizuho Suzuki
The scientist overseeing the psychic experiments who becomes conflicted about the project.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Kaneda and the Capsules race through Neo-Tokyo's streets on their motorcycles, establishing the gang's reckless freedom and the dystopian world of 2019.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when Tetsuo crashes his bike after encountering Takashi, a psychic child. He's injured and taken by the military, separating him from Kaneda and triggering his transformation.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 32 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Tetsuo's powers fully manifest as he escapes the hospital, killing orderlies. He chooses to embrace his new abilities rather than return to his old life, crossing into a new identity., moving from reaction to action.
At 62 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Tetsuo confronts the psychic children and learns about Akira. This false victory of his power becomes a curse as he realizes his abilities are growing beyond his control, and he needs Akira to understand himself., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 93 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Tetsuo opens Akira's cryogenic chamber and discovers only organic remains—Akira is dead, destroyed long ago. His hope for answers dies, and his body begins catastrophically mutating from unchecked power., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 100 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. The psychic children channel their power to help Tetsuo ascend to a higher plane of existence. A new universe is created. Kaneda is pulled into the cosmic event and witnesses Tetsuo's transformation and departure., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Akira's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Akira against these established plot points, we can identify how Katsuhiro Otomo utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Akira within the animation genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional animation films include The Bad Guys, The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie and Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. Presage Flower.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Kaneda and the Capsules race through Neo-Tokyo's streets on their motorcycles, establishing the gang's reckless freedom and the dystopian world of 2019.
Theme
The Colonel states "The future is not a straight line," foreshadowing the story's exploration of power, evolution, and humanity's inability to control what it creates.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Neo-Tokyo's gangs, the government's secret psychic experiments, the Resistance movement, and the relationship between Kaneda and Tetsuo. The world is on edge, rebuilt after destruction.
Disruption
Tetsuo crashes his bike after encountering Takashi, a psychic child. He's injured and taken by the military, separating him from Kaneda and triggering his transformation.
Resistance
Kaneda searches for Tetsuo while infiltrating the Resistance. Tetsuo undergoes testing that awakens his psychic powers. The scientists debate whether to continue experiments, while Kaneda meets Kei.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Tetsuo's powers fully manifest as he escapes the hospital, killing orderlies. He chooses to embrace his new abilities rather than return to his old life, crossing into a new identity.
Mirror World
Kei becomes important to Kaneda, representing hope and humanity. Their developing relationship contrasts with Tetsuo's isolation and mirrors the film's theme of connection versus power.
Premise
Tetsuo explores his growing psychic abilities, confronting former gang rivals and asserting dominance. Kaneda and Kei work with the Resistance. The promise of psychic power and its corruption unfolds.
Midpoint
Tetsuo confronts the psychic children and learns about Akira. This false victory of his power becomes a curse as he realizes his abilities are growing beyond his control, and he needs Akira to understand himself.
Opposition
Tetsuo's powers spiral out of control, causing him physical pain and mental anguish. The military hunts him. Kaneda pursues Tetsuo to save him. The opposition intensifies from all sides as Tetsuo seeks Akira.
Collapse
Tetsuo opens Akira's cryogenic chamber and discovers only organic remains—Akira is dead, destroyed long ago. His hope for answers dies, and his body begins catastrophically mutating from unchecked power.
Crisis
Tetsuo's body transforms into a grotesque mass of flesh as his power consumes him. Kaneda faces the horror of what his friend has become, and Neo-Tokyo erupts in chaos and destruction.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The psychic children channel their power to help Tetsuo ascend to a higher plane of existence. A new universe is created. Kaneda is pulled into the cosmic event and witnesses Tetsuo's transformation and departure.