Hollywood might have a pretty contentious reputation when it comes to anime adaptations, however, anime fans had a lot of big expectations from the live-action adaptation of the classic anime movie, Akira. Not only is the project being spearheaded by Marvel's fan-favorite director Taika Waititi, but it's also being produced by Academy Award-winning Hollywood A-lister, Leonardo DiCaprio.
However, despite the many names attached to the live-action Akira movie, a new synopsis for the film has many fans worrying about its authenticity to its source material. Production Weekly just recently posted its most recent issue and in it, fans got to see an update on Akira which included a preliminary description of the film.
"When a young man's telekinesis is discovered by the military, he is taken in to be turned into a super weapon and his brother must race to save him before Manhattan is destroyed by his powers. Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother Tetsuo is abducted by Government agents lead by the Colonel. Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City 30 years ago when it was destroyed.
Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous, but after facing his brother again is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers. Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy. Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo's mind, Kaneda clashes with the Colonel's troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island as he did thirty years ago."
While the plot of the film seems more or less the same as what Katsuhiro Otomo crafted in the original manga series, there are a few major changes in the Akira live-action adaptation of the movie. Instead of having the film set in Neo-Tokyo, this version of Akira is being set in Neo-Manhattan. Fans are getting upset over the change, wondering why the film needs to be taken away from its eastern setting.
Changes between Kaneda and Tetsuo are also apparent. Sure, they might have kept the names, but Kanedo is no longer the leader of a biker gang but instead a bartender. Tetsuo is now his brother, not his best friend. There's also the addition of a new character named Ky Reed, a rebellion leader.
These changes have fans a little bit concerned – and not without reason. Hollywood made similar changes in other live-action anime adaptations like in Deathnote and in Ghost in the Shell, two films which ended up becoming major flops.
What do you think of these changes?
Akira has yet to receive a release date, but we'll update everyone as soon as we get word.
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