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ARIA
BY KATSUHIRO OTOMO

AKIRA'S RAIN
 The Colonel has a number of
psychic children under his con-
trol. Each child is identified by a
number marked on the hand,
Lady Miyako was, at one time,
Number 19. Number 28 is Akira,
so powerful that since the war
he has been suspended in
cryogenic sleep.
The Colonels staff conducts
experiments which awaken tre-
yenty-thirty. The world mendous telepathic potential in
hovers on the brink of Tetsuo, who is redubbed Number
World War IV. In a section 41, Tetsuo is able to shrug off the
of Neo-Tokyo known as the most serious injuries. He goes on
“old city’—where, thirty-eight a killing spree, even attacking
years before, the destruction of Kaneda. Followed by Kay and
World War Ill began—a band of Kaneda, Tetsuo seeks out Akira,
teenaged delinquents led by whose powers he fears may rival
Kaneda encounter Number his own. In hibernation, Akira's
26—a child named Takashi power responds to Tetsuo’s psy-
who uses extraordinary telekine- chic energy, When Tetsuo
tic abilities to injure Tetsuo, one reaches Akira resting place, the
of Kaneda’s close friends. cryogenic chamber cracks from
Asa result Kaneda and within, Akira emerges, dazed
Tetsuo become entangled ina and docile following his long
power struggle between a mys- sleep,
terious military and scientific The Colonel summons the
organization led by the Colonel powerful SOL military satellite
and an underground resistance and orders that its laser cannon
group bent on putting a stop to be fired at Tetsuo and Akira.
the Colonels activities. Members The two are separated by the
of the resistance include Kay, blasts. Akira is saved by Kay
Ryu, and a formidable woman and Kaneda, but the laser
named Chiyoko. Among their strikes Tetsuo’ left arm, After-
superiors is the blind Lady ward, Neo-Tokyo is placed ina
Miyako—a powerful religious state of military emergency, with
leader with strong precognitive “caretaker robots” patrolling the
street and keeping order.

‘ss ‘
Chiyoko Akira Seer Tetsuo Aide
 Akira and the resistance monarchy with Akira on the
fighters are comered by the Col- throne and Tetsuo as his prime
onel’s troops, but all seems well minister. Together the pair use
when Takashi fondly greets their powers, healing the sick,
Akira, Then Nezu, a former wielding control of the faithful,
resistance leader who has and organizing their subjects into
betrayed his own side, arrives. fighting units that destroy care-
He tries to kill Akira, but kills taker robots and conquer military
Takashi instead. and medical relief parties sent
The trauma of Takashis death from the outside world, In addi-
galvanizes Akira, He fully tion, Tetsuo conducts deadly
awakens and unleashes @ coher- tests on special followers, findng
ent light blast powerful enough more psychics fit for training. The
to devastate the entire city. Empire is eventually infiltrated by
Masaru and Kiyoke sweep. teams of spies from the outside
most of the people in the area world,
upward, Kaneda is last seen 1e Colonel is alone, living
vanishing toward the sky. After- in hiding. The remnants of his
ward, Lady Miyako opens her forces have joined the survivors
temple and offers shelter and ofthe resistance, Masaru and
comfort to those in need, gather- Kiyoko are sick with withdrawal
ing large groups of followers in from the drug which augments
the East. and channels mental powers,
Neo-Tokyo is completely cut and when Kiyoko, whose
off from the outside. In the west- powers are precognitive, tells
em part of the city the Great Kay to find Number 19, Lady
Tokyo Empire is formed—a Miyako asks that Kay bring the
other psychics to her when they inconceivable powers, but that
are well he must first overcome his
Tetsuo's new psychics kill dependency on drugs. Disgusted
most of the spies from the out- and perplexed, Tetsuo departs,
side, but their leader, Lt On returning to his stronghold,
Yamada, escapes when Ryu he neglects his duties of state,
leads him into the safety on an Concentrating instead on trying
underground shelter. Yamada. to kick the habit,
refuses to tell Ryu who has sent Kay and Chiyoke try to
him or to let Ryu join him. He move Masaru and Kiyoko to
does, however, reveal that Lady Miyako’ temple, but are
Russia has conquered part of attacked by Tetsuo’ followers,
Japan, and that the Americans’ who escape with Kiyoko.
fear of Akira makes them reluc- Chiyoko rescues the girl, but is
tant to get involved. badly wounded. The two are
Tetsuo forces an orgy of sex brought to safety by the Colo-
and drugs on several young girls, nel, who has been living in
only one of whom—Kaori— isolation while the last of his sci-
survives. During it,Tetsuo sees entists attempts to re-establish
visions of the past, the present contact with SOL. Chiyoko,
and of possible futures. After- delirious, tells the Colonel to
‘wards, Tetsuo looks into Akira’s take Kiyoko to the temple,
mind, He emerges a terrified where he'll also find Masaru,
wreck. When he recovers, he Meanwhile, Kay safely conveys
decides that Lady Miyako— Masaru to the temple. There,
whose mind he also briefly Miyako mysteriously alludes to
touched—may be able to Kaneda and informs Kay that
explain matters to him. Taking a although Kay herself lacks intrin-
dose of power-enhancing medi- sic psychic gifts, she serves as a
cation, Tetsuo teleports to the powerful medium for the talents
‘temple of the religious leader. of others.
Lady Miyako recounts to him Ryu and Lt. Yamada watch
the experiments decades earlier the Empire from hiding. When
which created the numbered Tetsuo’s dapper lieutenant—
psychics and reveals that the disgusted by Tetsuo’s lack of
Third World War was begun by a interest in the way Lady
mental blast from Akira. She Miyako has thwarted their
also wars Tetsuo that he alone schemes—leads most of the
can control Akira’s near- Empire's men out as an army,
Ryu and Yamada move in. They urges Lady Miyako to flee
are startled by an encounter with before it's too late. When the
Tetsuo, whose withdrawal religious leader refuses, they
causes his power to surge errat- decide to make a last stand with
ically. Ryu is even more startled Masaru in the temple's tower—
when Tetsuo blurts out what his but before they can get the boy
telepathy has shown him—that to safety, the attack begins,
the foreign spy has come to
assassinate Akira.
Tetsuo’ lieutenant leads his
army to Lady Miyako’s temple,
and they slaughter all in their
path—monks, penitants and
helpless refugees alike. They are,
however, thwarted by the power
of Lady Miyako's psychically
gifted monks and defeated when
Kay captures their leader, Lady
Miyako refuses to permit the
execution of her enemies. Tet-
‘suo’s men depart alive, bitterly
swearing revenge. They retum
an hour later hungry for blood
and victory. Kay, along with
Kai—one of the surviving mem-
bers of Kaneda’s old gang—

’,

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NEXT ISSUE: A WESTERN WIND
 Last month, Epic printed readers’ comments on KABA, the collected illustrations
of Katsuhiro Otomo. Lack of available space limited the number of comments
Printed, so we are continuing this month with KABA: Readers Respond.
“A great book! Not many good art books from Japan are available in
Washington, DC, and it was truly good luck to find this one. Katsuhiro
Otomois very talented, I'm glad Kodansha has immortalized him in this
wonderful book.”
—Nick Heitzman
Washington, DC
“It’s a wonderful package, really—the paper, printing, and colors all make
KABA a book I'll treasure for years to come, not forgetting Katsuhiro
Otomo's artwork, of course!”
—James A. Wu
Medford, MA,
“A briliant collection of a brilliant author and artist, of comics.”
—Steven Henry
London, England
“Excellent book, | haven't been able to put it down since I've bought it.”
—Stuart M. Johnson
Savannah, GA

“Excellent production, design, and layout of text and art.”

—Patrick N. Cosgrove
San Antonio, TX
“Great sequence on pages 60-66!"
—Kaveh Kardan
Montreal, Canada
“Classic! More than an illustration book.”
—Wong Tak Wai
Hong Kong
“This art is a pleasant synthesis of intricate detail and sensitive feel for
and expression of expression and emotion.”
—Christian Simon
Newark, CA
“Very impressive! | enjoyed the information about Mr. Otomo and his
workshop.”
—Henry Rieke
Morgantown, WV
“Excellent. I've never seen artwork this good. | would like to be an illus-
trator, and KABA is very inspirational. | thank you for what you've done.”
—Daran B. Chapman
Dearborn, MI
 “KABA rules!”
—Neil Barrie Hodge
Ontario, Canada

"Please publish a second book! I'm dying to get it.”

—Hiro Yakakura
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
“| enjoyed the book and was pleased to find it in English. | enjoyed the
detail on the book and the fine pictures and the drawing. In the future |
hope many more books like this will come out so that people will under-
stand that animation is not just for children.”
—Tom Miller
Revere, MA

“I love Otomo’s works. Please make more available. The artwork is radi-
cal and the story is always excellent.”
—Mark Cota
Poughkeepsie, NY
“This is a wonderful piece of work. However, | would have liked to read
more of Mr. Otomo’s comments on his art. Thank you for this book.”
—Le Dong
Paris, France
AKIRA: the movie
AN UPDATE
Upcoming AKIRA dates include:
BOSTON AREA
BROOKLINE, MA
COOLIDGE CORNER MOVIEHOUSE
August 31—September 13
KEENE, NH
PUTNAM SCREENING ROOM
September 7-9
WICHITA, KS.
NORTH ROCK SIX
September 13
WATERVILLE, ME
RAILROAD SQUARE CINEMA
September 14-20
PLEASANT STREET THEATER
NORTHAMPTON, MA
September 19-25
Also, look for AKIRA in New York City at the New Film Forum in
early Fall.
 P. Its touch, its taste, its feel—that is
the order of the day in Neo-Tokyo. It is from the desire for power that Tetsuo’s aide once more
advances his army into the temple of Lady Miyako, eager for the secrets within. It is in the use
of power that the Colonel unleashes his secret weapon—with devastating results. And it is for
the meaning of power that Tetsuo is catapulted into a search foranunderstanding of his
psychic abilities, a journey that takes him from the infinity of the stars to the deep recesses af
his own soul...

KATSUHIRO OTOMO’'S

AW AN