The Akira manga

[adam]

THIS THREAD CONTAINS SPOILERS - THESE SPOILERS ARE SEPARATE FROM THE MOVIE AND UNIQUE TO THE MANGA - IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, DO SO

I just finished reading this series for the I-don't-know-how-many-th time.

I adore it like I adore few other things. I love it because of the amazing depth of human effort that it represents. Whenever I'm thinking about my own creative endeavours, and am having difficulty with realizing some of my ideas, I can turn to this work and be absolutely humbled by what one person can accomplish with a little dedication.

The detail in the artwork is astounding. The city backdrops are meticulous.

It's so bloody cinematic as well. There are sequences of panels that are just bloody brilliant in their storytelling. The use of film techniques to deliver key sequences is masterful.

But the story gets me every time. Tetsuo is a bit of a bastard towards the beginning, but he's so sympathetic in the final book. When the colonel finally catches up with him, and Tetsuo turns towards him, and says, "Look. I got my arm back," right before the colonel blasts him with Sol, it breaks my heart. Also, every scene involving Kaori's death, and her attempted resurrection. Damn.

But what actually brings me to tears each time I finish the series is that final scene, when Kaneda is riding through the tunnel, and he sees Yamagata and Tetsuo riding on either side of him. Kills me.

Thank you Katsuhiro Otomo.

It's like Donnie Darko, when every time I experience it I desperately want it to end a different way.