Akira's Creator Announces New Akira Anime, Anthology and Movie
As Anime Expo 2019 in Los Angeles goes on, news are released and exciting announcements are made. Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of the anime movie and manga Akira, will produce an adaption of the story to anime series. The studio Sunrise Inc. (Code Geass, Cowboy Bebop, Gintama, InuYasha) announced the anime project at the convention, alongside Otomo's anthology and a new movie of his.
“We’re just starting discussions on this. We’re bringing Akira back as a new production - it’s not a sequel. There are 6 volumes of the manga, so we want to take more of it in. - Makoto Asanuma, CEO sunrise “that’s all I can say for now” #ax2019 pic.twitter.com/A5bFSW6oCk
— Deb Aoki (@debaoki) July 5, 2019
4th announcement - a new 4K remaster of the original Akira film - coming out in early 2020 in Japan, US soon after #ax2019 pic.twitter.com/jjJ6NFFuYA
— Deb Aoki (@debaoki) July 5, 2019
Orbital Era, a new anime Sci-Fi movie by Katsuhiro Otomo, takes place in the future and follows a group of boys living in a spatial colony still under construction. The plot will move along the development of these boys, set in four spatial stations. Orbital Era is under production, and Otomo is doing script, design, and directing, while Sunrise Inc. does the animation.
At Otomo's Anime Expo panel, Kodansha Ltd. announced that the anthology, Otomo: The Complete Works, will be a collection of the mangaka's works, curated by the artist himself. The piece includes all his works and statements since his debut as mangaka in 1971. Althought Kodansha confirmed a worldwise release, there is no date set yet.
The 2nd big announcement - Kodansha & Otomo will be releasing “Katsuhiro Otomo x Kodansha: the complete works” - including works from his debut as a manga artist in 1971 #ax2019 pic.twitter.com/6GJZU8qeDt
— Deb Aoki (@debaoki) July 5, 2019
Akira originally debuted in 1982 as a manga serialized by Japan's Young Magazine. It finished in 1990, 2 years after the anime's release.
Akira already had a live action movie confirmed in May 2019 to be released in May 2021, under Warner Bros.'s distribution. Directed by Taika Waititi (Thor:Ragnarok - 2017, Boy - 2010), the possible cast could include Keanu Reeves, Andrew Garfield, and Justin Timberlake.
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