The landmark Japanese anime Akira was made in Tokyo, hand-drawn on an epic scale, and set in a fictional future Neo-Tokyo.
Where was Akira made?
Akira is a hand-drawn Japanese anime film, made in Tokyo, Japan – not filmed on location. It is set in a fictional future city called Neo-Tokyo.
How Akira was made
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The studio – Tokyo
The film was produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha in Tokyo, Japan.
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Landmark hand-drawn animation
Akira used an unusually high number of hand-painted cels, setting a new bar for anime.
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Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo
Otomo adapted his own sprawling manga for the screen.
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Set in Neo-Tokyo
The story unfolds in Neo-Tokyo, an imagined future rebuilt after a catastrophe.
Where you can go instead
Neo-Tokyo is fictional, but it is built on the very real Tokyo – a city you can visit, whose energy and scale inspired the film.
Akira Fun Facts
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A Japanese anime It is one of the most influential anime films ever made.
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Made in Tokyo It was produced by Tokyo Movie Shinsha.
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Hugely detailed It used a famously high number of hand-painted cels.
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From a manga Katsuhiro Otomo adapted his own comic.
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A future city It is set in the imagined Neo-Tokyo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Akira filmed on location?
No – it is a hand-drawn anime film.
Is Akira set in a real place?
It is set in Neo-Tokyo, a fictional future version of Tokyo.
Who directed Akira?
Katsuhiro Otomo.
Can you visit anywhere connected to Akira?
Yes – Tokyo, the real city behind Neo-Tokyo.
When was Akira released?
1988.
