Akira and Technology

         Katsuhiro Otomo's modern classic, Akira focuses on man's struggle for control. Intertwined in its narrative, we find our characters are inextricably tied to the technology around them. This stands not only for the society of Neo Tokyo as a whole, but amongst individuals and their own personal effects. Otomo uses these non-organic tools associated with characters (identified via color and hue) to evoke and maintain the ideas of the film. As the movie progresses, the line between what we have created and what we are, becomes blurred and ultimately, shattered.

         Otomo's Neo Tokyo exists as a mecca of mecha, a technological paradise. The expansive buildings never seem to end; in fact, there is no shot other than the one taken from space (01:00), that shows the tops of these buildings. Neo Tokyo itself is constantly looming over it's populace. Flashing holograms and lights that never go out can be seen from all sides to the point where it's impossible not to see them. The film spends quite a bit of time establishing this for us. (from 03:42 to 03:59) Seventeen seconds may not seem like much to us in the real world, however, to a filmmaker each individual frame within each second is vital to establishing tone and mood. To dedicate seventeen seconds,  four hundred and eight frames of animation towards Neo Tokyo is not a decision made lightly. Otomo wants us to realize how embedded technology has become in the everyday lives of people living in 2019.

         The citizens the movie focuses upon most are the members of the bike gangs. Logically, Otomo makes them the prime example of the integration of man and machine. Constantly, the film reminds us that these boys are their bikes. Kaneda if first seen wearing all red, the same color as his bike. Tetsuo also matches with his own with the color blue. However we first see him sitting in Kaneda's bike. This leads to him being scolded and ordered off Kaneda's property. But it is not only Kaneda's ride that Tetsuo seeks, but his position of power as well. We as an audience easily gather this information through this simple use of item interaction and usage of color. We quickly realize that the bike is an embodiment of Kaneda's power as leader of the gang, as it is admired by all the bikers.

         The use of these bikes is also reflective of the people riding them. For example the boss of the clown gang confidently and recklessly rides his bike without touching the handlebars. (05:14) His ride is gaudy, large and powerful, just as we would perceive the person riding it. Kaneda's confident game of chicken (05:40) and Tetsuo's embarrassing crash (04:58) are also the means through which we come to understand their personalities. The young women seen with Kaneda's gang reiterate, “Without their bikes, these boys are like fish out of water.” (31:13) This couldn't be more true, as Tetsuo is rendered completely helpless once his bike is destroyed. (12:53) In fact, the Tetsuo that exists before and after this crash can no longer be considered the same “person”. It is this same event that leads Tetsuo to find his powers, powers that he creates as an extension of himself, now that he no longer has his bike to do that for him.

         The same thing happens to other characters as well. The rider Kaneda kicks off his own bike  (27:51) is knocked out, but immediately afterwards, so is his bike (his extension) as it bursts into flames. When Yamagata dies, Kaneda runs his bike into a wall to destroy it, saying, “I'm gonna send Yamagata his wheels.” (1:13:06) A similar event occurs when one of Kaneda's friends believes him dead, just by viewing his partially destroyed bike. (1:54:15) He is truly shocked to see Kaneda alive moments later. As we see, the bike still runs, if just barely. (1:55:11)

         Bikes however are not the only extensions of the self that we find. Average people, such as the injured man carrying Takashi, are also represented through their items. The man struggles to raise his small pistol, compared to the vast army surrounding him, each soldier as indistinguishable as the rifles they carry. (08:50) In fact, the only one not carrying a gun, has a mustache, and is the one telling them to hold their fire. This is no coincidence, the director went out of his way to give this one particular soldier a feature that separates him from the pack. These cops differ from the riot officers seen at 11:22, whose facial features are literally masked. They also exhibit needlessly inhuman behavior, such as beating downed citizens and firing upon the peaceful. At the station, there is a scene with a toothless, war-torn man baring countless bandages, who tries to blow up the building with a grenade. (17:40) The greande, of course, is a dud, powerless.

         The grenade itself was colored red, a color we already associate with power, as well as Kaneda. It is only in a brief moment of Kaneda's frustration and anger that the grenade apparently detonates. (19:36) Color becomes an extremely important element in denoting character associations and extensions of the self. For example, in the following scene, Kaneda is disciplined by his school. (23:07) No longer is he wearing his trademark red jacket, but a shirt that is a lighter hue of pink. These are the moments when Kaneda is at his weakest and most unlike himself. While he was more than happy to flirt with Kei, he now can't stand the thought of such trivialities. (24:08) It is also during this time that Tetsuo steals Kaneda's bike, in essence, stealing his authority and power. Tetsuo has already shown a resentment of Kaneda, accentuated in a scene when he angrily throws a red soda can. (25:10) However once he has attained Kaneda's power, Tetsuo is proven unfit for it, as the bike stalls. (26:30) This is reiterated in the climax of the movie, when Tetsuo can no longer control his mental powers. (Whilst donning a red cape, symbolizing his authority at 1:19:37) While at first being powerless to stop the thugs that chase he and Kaori down, Tetsuo later dons black gloves that he did not have before (28:02) when he lashes out in rampant destruction. This blackness is already associated with Akira, and the destruction of old Tokyo. In fact, as Tetsuo's rampage through the city continues, his black hair grows longer and longer.

         There are countless examples of people being reflected or emoted via the items around them. Kaneda's jacket and bike are clearly pieces of himself. Masaru, the young child seen sitting in a floating chair, a throne if you will, commands great authority. The military's “eye in the sky” SOL, a super-powerful weapon, is destroyed and rendered useless. Afterwards, the Colonel (himself, a sort of embodiment of the military at large) no longer takes any action in the film. Takashi's embodiment as a giant stuffed bear, and defeat, is dramatized when Tetsuo steps on a small toy bear in front of him. (56:35) The dead barkeep lies amongst his shattered whiskey bottles. (1:06:53) Mr Nezu dies after his carefully guarded papers fly away into the air. (1:18:50) The military scientist is literally consumed by his machines. (1:52:28) But what does that say about our connection to our physical creations? It comes to the point where we begin to question if these objects are simply physical extensions of the characters, or genuine parts of a singular being.

         This is brought to our attention in Tetsuo's robot arm. (1:38:35) This arm is something artificial, something manufactured, created by him. It ultimately becomes just as genuine a part of him as any other. Kei/Kiyoko warns Tetsuo that he is still unable to control what he has created, saying it will begin to control him. (1:24:16) This occurs literally, as Tetsuo sprouts ligaments constructed of both biological and artificial matter. (1:40:31) His power not only consumes himself, but the people around him. The person closest to him, Kaori, dies because of his inability to control his creation.

         The movie's ultimate message is that we cannot separate these results from our actions, nor those actions from ourselves. These have potential for both creation and destruction. We as humans have the potential to cause both (exemplified in Tetsuo) should the opportunity present itself. Otomo proposes through his numerous examples that we are responsible for our creations, as they are inextricably parts of ourselves. Akira's destruction of Tokyo and Neo Tokyo are clearly references to the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan. Therefore, we can say Otomo does not see these events are merely products of the war, but direct actions taken by a conscious force. (the world's military leaders) Just as Tetsuo must take account and responsibility for his power, so must we in the real world. Despite this, Otomo's view is not cynical, after all, the movie ends on a high note with the creation of a new universe by none other than Tetsuo. (1:55:43)

         This new universe is Tetsuo. It is something he has created, has become through his own efforts. This is similar to the earlier instance in which Tetsuo is recognized as a “boss” in his wearing a cape (1:30:09) or his mechanical arm. By saying “I am Tetsuo,” we can assume that the universe, as with any other product of creation, is an extension of its creator. This is in harmony with Buddhist beliefs, that we are all connected to the things around us, to one another, and to God. God creates the universe, an extension of himself, as a result we are all a part of God, and all a part of one another.

         We can say the same for ourselves even now. People are tied to their facebook profiles, to their cell phones, cars, etc. We see something a person has created or obtained and identify it as an extension of that person. Akira and its characters are no different. In fact, the film serves as a constant reminder of something we should already know. We are what we create.









Cited:



Katsuhiro Ôtomo. _Akira_. Akira Committee Company Ltd, 1988.