BY KATSUHIRQ OTOMO

Chapter 37

WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE203D The world hovers on

the brink of World War IV.

Kaneda, onetime leader

of a delinquent gang, is caught

up in tlie aftermath of a power

struggle between a Japanese

military research organization -

led bva man known as the

Colonel - and a resistance

group whose members mcluded

Kay, Ryu, and a formidable

woman named Chiyoko.

The Colonel had a nuiiiuei ui

psychic children under his con-

trol. Each one was identified by

a number marked on the hand.

Among them were Kiyoko and

Masaru - Numbers 25 and

27. The blind Lady Miyako- fMumher 19 - now heads a

U ir liinu Lult Number 41

TetsjQ. who Inst his left

aim to a laser blast from the

Ooionel s military satellitaSOL.

and has used Eybernetics- and'

telekinesis to fabricate a pros-

thetic replacement. Tetsuo

was Kaneda's dearest friend

until he used his burgeoning

powers to slaughter other

members of their gang. Now,

Kaneda \s out for revenge

[Vlost powerful of all the

rhildren is Number 28 -Akira,

a docile and.enigfiiatic EioVwho

was placed in cryogenic sleep

almost forty years ago after he

started the Third World War

with a mental blast. Akira

was recently reawakened by

Tetsuo, and again he devastat-

ed the reconstructed city oi

Neo-Tokyo. Now Japan exists

in a state of emergency The

i the army and the resis-

tance are scattered and the mil-

itary's formidable caretaker

robots patrol the streets.

In the western part of Neo-

Tokyo. the Great Tokyo

Empire is formed - a monarchy

with Akira on the throne and

Tetsuo as his prime minister

Together the pair use their pow-

ers, organizing their subjects

into fighting units to defend

their land. Their headquarters is

Neo-Tokyos Olympic Stadium.

To the east. Lady Miyalto wel-

comes refugees to. her shrine. In

this, she isaided t^-Kiyoko,

Masaru, and a number of loyal

psychic monks.

The Empire is inti!tr;ited bv

team of u nnd l minnndo

units from the outside world,

.equipped with biochemical

anranerrts whicfrtafe«lrs?

mendous toil on Tetsuo s forces,

A tieet oT Toreign snips waus

in Tokyo Bay, poised for action.

Aboard an American naval ves-

sel, an international conclave of

scientists and one Tibetan monk

study the Akira phenomenon

- which they've codeiiamed

Juvenile A. One of the scien-

tists - Stanley Simmons -

goes ashore to implement a

secret plan. The research team

is certain that using military

force against Akira and Tetsuo

can only lead to disaster

When the fleet sends fighter

planes against Tetsuo, he uses

a satellite to destroy their flag-

ship, forcing the surviving mili-

tary personnel and scientists

to f Igg.

MesnwIiilH, Kay joins

Miyako's forces in battlo yyainst

Tetsuo. Kay is a powerful

medium, ttirough whom the

pthers (sti'pfojeafi^gir^weis^

Kaneda teams up with Kai

and Joker-afriend and rival

from his gang days. Using sal-

vaged weapons the trio lead

a force ot refugeGS and street

rats to help Kay in her battle

with Tetsuo. As they hght.

Akira looks placidly on. drawn

by the siTTutarity Of Tetsuos

powers to his ovm.

Tetsuo IS gnefstricken over

the death of his gentle girl-

friend. Kaon. He carries her

budy to the underground cham-

ber wnere Akira once slept

Akira tollnws and is joined by

Kaneda. Joker. Chiyoko and

Ryu. They prepare to fight in

the bowels of fteearai vA\etB

many of their comrades died.

Tetsuo s powers have grown

erratic. His body frequently

bloats and expands, engulfing

those who venture ton closn

For a moment, (t sueriis that

contact with Kaneda has

restored Tetsuos humanity

Then. Tetsuos power comes

surging baekandKane^ts':

drawn into his monstrous form,

apparently consumed As the

battle rages. Akira becomes

more alert. Temfied at what

might occur if Akira awakens

fully. Ryu panics. He draws a

gun and shoots Akira. setting

the boys power free.

Seeking a new power source

for himself, Tetsuo flies tn

Lady Miyako's shrine. Kay

fellows ir hoi :jii-siii: Laiiy

Miyako iiutrucis Kiyoko anc

Masaru to look after Akira,

and tlie pair, teleport away

to hstp theirftfeni iMiMiyako, her followers, and

Kay prepare to make a final

stanci against Telsuo,

Kiyoko and l\/lasaru meat

Akira on the psychic plane.

They are joined by the spirits

ot all the gifted children whohave died before.

Telling Kay tfiat the resolu-

ttonctepajsds on her. taity

IVIiyako heroically draws

Tetsuo to herself and is killed.

As she dios, she, too, is diawn

to the spirit plane, where the

souls of friends who have gone

before await

Kay is guided in battle by

her late mentor's commands,

and is able to break through

tSTefeus. HfeeaoteMraaon

intermpted, he is vulnerable,

and is himself consumed by the

force of Akira 's mind.

Trapped within Tetsuo's soul,

Kaneda experiences a frac-

tured, kaleidoscopic journey

through his iate friend's life

and hardships. He shares with

Tetsuo botti the gopcl mem-

otie®.antitl#'bad.

Kaneda is contacted by

Lady Ivliyako's spirit, and is

stunned by what she tells him.

Although Tetsuo and Akira

were created in laboratories,

they, along wiih all the catas-

ircphe they bfing, are a vital

part of mankind's evolution.

NEXT ISSUE: THE FINAL CHAPTER

AKIRATRIBUTES

FEATURING WORKS BY;

MARK TEXEIRA

JOE DUFFY

KENT WILLIAMS

CflRl POTTSsslitor in chieF

l^ere are secrets deep within the

liuman soul thai aie at onne dii/idely wondRrfiil, . .and inssnelv !errilying. jQiiniey wilhKaneda, a yniinu biker-Urneiri-warrior, as hR plumbs ihe depths of mystery in IMm-Tol^yQ.

YoungchildrBnaremddled and nurtured before being fed to experiments that will open iheii

minds to the power ollhccnsmos. A yeung boy named Telsiioslaiids alone oil an mnei-wlyplayground, searching for a friend, wary ol daiigeiuus gangs linking ifi the shadows. Fierce

energies teat at ilie fabric oi reality lo reveal the wuiidtejs neKl step in man's ewlulion.

KATSUHIRO OTOMO'S

I l@Y<^ ym

I hu^ ym

I pr^j^m ym