ARIA

my KATSUHIRO OTOMO
ARIA
BY KATSUHIRO OTOMO

CHAPTER 11

AKIRARISING
WHAT HAS one possessing a unique psychic ligutenant left for dead, they
GONE talent and identified by a number pursue Tetsuo to the Olympic
BEFORE marked on their hand,Another site, where Ryu and his
of the children is Akira, so lieutenant are working
powerful that since the war he undercover,
he year is 2030, The world has been suspended in cryogenic The Colonel tries to prevent
is rebuilding from World sleep. a disaster by unleashing his
War II In Neo-Tokyo, The Colonel's chief medical troops and scientists, A fight
plans are being made to hold the} advisor, called Doctor, subjects ensues, Tetsuo is attacked, but
next Olympics in the “old city’— Tetsuo to painful electronic and not harmed. Meanwhile, Akira’s
where, thirty-eight years ago, chemical experiments, This chamber temperature rises,
the bombs fell. In the old city, a awakens tremendous telepathic apparently responding to Tetsuo’s
band of teenaged delinquents potential in the boy, who is psychic energy.
led by Kaneda encounter dubbed Number 41. Kaneda, Kay and the spy
Number 26—a terrified child Unfortunately, a monstrous side steal one of the army's flying
with telekinetic abilities. As a of Tetsuo’s nature also appears, platforms, but are unable to
result of the encounter, Kaneda With the ability toshrug off the Control it. The result is while
and his friend Tetsuo become most serious injuries, Tetsuo trying to reach Akira’s chamber,
entangled in a power struggle goes on a killing spree. the unlikely trio fly by an elevator
between a mysterious Eventually, he murders one of platform carrying Tetsuo, Ryu
organization led by a man known Kaneda’ closest friends, then and his lieutenant. The trio
only as the Colonel and an attacks Kaneda. This allows the barely manages to leap off the
underground resistance group, Colonel to capture Kaneda and platform before it crashes. Now
bent on stopping the Colonel's Kay. grounded, Kay forces the spy to.
activities, Tetsuo finds it intolerable go his own way. Kaneda and
Among the resistance, that Akira may be more she stumble across Akira’s
Kaneda meets Kay, her powerful, arid forces the Doctor chamber. Meanwhile, the spy
brother, Ryu and Ryu’s closest to tell him where Akira is. comers Ryu’ lieutenant on an
subordinate, who finds and Tetsuo is determined to seek elevator platform, Suddenly,
nearly kills a spy from the Akira out and attacks the intense cold from Akira’s
Colonel's organization. They are Colonel when he tries to stop chamber consumes the site
commanded by Nezu—a him. The psychic children, like meaning Akira is dangerously
government official—and a Lady Miyako, fear Akira’s clase to consciousness. The
powerful religious leader with power. They are worried about Colonel orders his troops to
precognitive gifts—Lady the disaster Tetsuo may retreat. As Tetsuo reaches
Miyako. unleash, and use theirtalents to Akira’s resting place, the
There is a number of children help Kay and Kaneda escape. cryogenic chamber begins to
under the Colonel's control, each “Aided” by the same spy Ryu's crack from within,
eae in(S$
CAPSULE
SHATTERED.
ARE YOu
AKIRA?!
 THE
SUPERCOOLANT
Is BLEEDING
WTO THE AIR,
You MEN GET
INSIDE ! ¢
IT's
GETTING
CoLpER?

GOMETHING WRONG,
FRIEND? YOU LOOK
LIKE YOU'VE SEEN A
GHOST.
LOWER THE
 f is WY yaw
Bows, THE ELECTRICAL . iH
! pSYSTEMS ARE
SMe Reacting |
a Subsiesoonés
 THIS (SA
CODE SEVEN
ALERT. IT IS
NOT A
ORILL.
Ale PuBLiE INFORMATION /

ONTH
FURTHER NOTICE.
COMPLETE INUTE
OBEDIENCE 1S REMAINING UNTIL
REQUIRED, \ . SHELTER
AUTOMATICALLY
CLOSED!
GET LAby
MYAKO
70,
IMPOSS! BLE! ‘WM SORRY,|
No Owe’S BEEN ? We fe HAPS
Tue ELECTRICAL
DISCHARGE
 WAIT! THE WE'VE PASSED THE
Te qe
MPERATURE.
1S STARTAVG TO
WroMaric STARTING g
SABI /ZE.

THE MAIN
WA; U
 THERE'S.
SOMEONE
Ow
THE,
LEVATOR 1,

OnE OF
THEM'S
Gora
KNIFE!
(URRY! WERE
 THAT. GUYS
2, MINES
DO YOu REALLY
AN
 NOW! CHECK
THE MONITORS!
J WANTA REPORT
OW THE WHERE-
ABOUTS OF
NUMBER 41!

DON'T
KNOW EITHER,
SO ce7's,
WORRY!
HE'S TRYING
70 LEAVE
 ZOOM IN
WITH THE
CAMERALT
WANT TO
SEE WHO'S
WiTl ML

WEVE
MAGNIFIED TH
IMAGE AS MUCH)
AS POSSIBLE,
wR,

THE FOOL
HAS AWAKENED
SUMMON £ABO
ONCE! ZOON'T CARE! WE'RE GOINS
70 NEED MISSILES... FIGHTER
PLANES! CAtlL FOR EVERY
WEAPON AVAILABLE!
CAN SOL

THEY MUST! WE
MUST DESTROY
OUR PROBLEM--
Kit THEM BOTH
<<
WHILE A CHANCE
STL EX xisTs!
8 3 # wy 8 8 8 A
 YES, SIR. WE'RE TM AFRAID OUR
ADIUSTING THE © EQUIPMENT HERE
REMOTE ON SOL's J ISN'T SOPHISTICATED
SEE ME YOU CAN CAMERA’S NOW —! ENOUGH TO CAPTURE
GET MEA THE FULL RANGE OF THE
SENSORY DATA SOL SENDS

THE MAIN,
HATCH Witt
OE COMPLETELY
CLOSED IN.
OWE MINUTE!
 THIS 1S THE
WMEART OF THE
PEVASTATION--
THE PLACE WHERE
THE BOMB FELL
MAYBE TM
MAGINING
THINGS
 SWITCH
OVER FROM
THERMAL
TRACKING TO
MANUAL
con7Ro: !
eureKey!
 ARE
You
Ale.
RIBHT

HEY, STUPID,
WERE GONNA
HAVE ENOUSH
Teougie GETTING
D OURSELVES OUT
OL THIS WITHOUT
“EVIVETVEOLY
you'me THE owe
O.. would imagine from the pure size of a volume of
Akira that Katsuhiro Otomo would have no time left for
anything else—not so. This month in your favorite comic
store you should be able to find a beautiful book called
Otomo Katsuhiro Artwork—Kaba.
It is a collection from the
incredibly wide-ranging
work that Otomo has done
over the years. This
particular piece is from a
story called Farewell to
Weapons. What is really
interesting to us here is the
story page (which originally
appeared in Young Magazine
under the title Buki yo
Saraba,) is already
“westernized.” The sound
effects were translated and
balloon shapes changed to
horizontals. The easy
transition of the art gives
you a feel for how comics
are the international
language.
 Aw. ‘small sleepy child Ns from a thirty-eight year long
Sleep. He stumbles hesitantly to the person who woke him—Tetsuo. From the chamber that has
held Akira a deadly cold wave rushes forth flooding tunnels around the site. The cold extinguishes
the life from all it touches, but it is only fitting justice for is victims are the ones who have helped
keep Akira asleep...entombed...stealing a part of his life, Akira stumbles away from his almost
tomb, seeking only the lovely warmth, following Tetsuo up to, the bright blinding light of the sun
Actoss Neo-Tokyo the civilian defense claxon sounds, people scrambling for shelter. What do they
fear? It is only a child waking from a nap...

KATSUHIRO OTOMO’'S