14 Behind-The-Scenes Facts and Easter Eggs About 'Akira'
Facts you didn't know about the sci-fi Anime, set in the distant year of 2019.
![14 Behind-The-Scenes Facts and Easter Eggs About 'Akira'](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/8/8/784888_320x180.jpg)
The Herculean task of getting this behemoth adaptation made was almost as monstrous as the psychic mountain of Beefaroni that terrorizes Neo-Tokyo in glorious 24 FPS.
![LUCAS AND SPEILBERG TURNED IT DOWN CRACKED.COM In 1987, both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg turned down an opportunity to bring Akira to the big screen, claiming it was totally unmarketable to western audiences. It's a shame Katsuhiro Otomo, who directed the animated feature, didn't listen to the person riding high off Ewoks: The Battle For Endor.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/8/4/784884.jpg)
Source: NME
![USED THE AMERICAN WAY OF VOICE RECORDING dy= CRACKED.COM Akira was one of the first anime films to record voice over lines before being animated, like American features. Actors had to deliver their lines while looking at, essentially, storyboards](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/8/2/784882.jpg)
Source: CBR
![RELEASED BEFORE THE ENDING OF THE MANGA GRACKED.COM The animated film was released two full years before the end of it's manga, but the movie doesn't spoil the original comic; there are many differences between the movie and the source material, including the titular Akira that is unearthed, which would still serve as a surprise for comic readers.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/7/7/784877.jpg)
Source: Screenrant
![INVENTED NEW COLORS TO USE IN ANIMATION CRACKED.co Since most of the movie takes place in the neon-light-dripping darkness of Neo-Tokyo, a record total of 327 different colors were used. Of those 327 colors, 50 were exclusively created for the film.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/8/1/784881.jpg)
Source: Geek Tyrant
![PREDICTED THE 2020 OLYMPICS 30 th 000 TOKYO CRACKED.COM Although created in 1987, you can see Neo-Tokyo building facilities for the upcoming Olympics in the film, accurately predicting Tokyo hosting the 2020 Olympics. What Akira couldn't predict was the 2020 Olympics being rescheduled to 2021 due to a deadly, world wide virus. Maybe they're saving that for the sequel.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/7/5/784875.jpg)
Source: Uproxx
![RECORD SETTING BUDGET CRACKED.COM Akira had a record $10 million budget (or 1.1 billion yen), and put it to good use; new technology and a staff of 70 kept up with a production that put even giants like Studio Ghibli to shame, using 12 to 24 frames-a-second animation that made a much smoother final product.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/7/9/784879.jpg)
Source: Empire Online
![TWICE THE AMOUNT OF SHOTS CRACKED.COM The average film has 1,250 individual shots, whereas Akira almost doubles that at 2, 212. Moreover, the movie contains a staggering 160,000 single pictures, 2-3 times more than normal, which is a LOT of animated body horror for 80's audiences.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/8/3/784883.jpg)
Source: Geek Tyrant
![DREW INSPIRATION FROM WAR OF THE WORLDS CRACKED.COM The large-scale destruction of Neo-Tokyo in Akira is reminiscent of older tales featuring unstoppable forces of otherworldly design. Taking this into consideration, it's not surprising director Katsuhiro Otomo calls out H. G. Wells' War Of The Worlds as the book having the biggest impact on him.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/7/4/784874.jpg)
Source: Empire Online
![VOICE TALENT WAS ESPECIALLY HEROIC CRACKED.COM Kaneda, in the original English dub, is voiced by Cam Clarke (Leonardo; the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series), Masaru and Kai were voiced by Bob Bergen (current Porky Pig), and, in the 2001 remaster, Kaneda was voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch (Adam Park, the black Power Ranger).](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/8/0/784880.jpg)
Source: Uproxx
![SOUNDTRACK CAME FIRST CRACKED.co The music for the film was completed before any of the composers saw a single frame of film, or even read the script. Instead of the musicians composing a soundtrack around the actions on screen, animators created scenes in time to the music.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/7/6/784876.jpg)
Source: Japan Times
![IN THE CRITERION COLLECTION THE CRITERION COLLECTION ERASERHEAD THE CRITERION the COLLECTION CRACKED.COM Along with 1973's Fantastic Planet and 1978's Watership Down, Akira has the unique honor of being one of the few animated movies to be included within the Criterion Collection.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/7/8/784878.jpg)
Source: Screenrant
![ONE OF KANYE'S FAVS CRACKED.COM Kanye West has gone on record (Twitter) by stating that Akira and There Will Be Blood are equally his favorite movies ever. He even went as far as to parallel a lot of the scenes in the anime classic in his music video for Stronger.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/7/3/784873.jpg)
Source: The Fader
![STILL INSPIRES MOVIES AND GAMES CRACKED.COM Akira was a huge inspiration on Western media; Kaneda's motorbike, for instance, appears in the film Ready Player One (2018) and in the video game Cyperpunk 2077. Rapper Lupe Fiasco named his album Tetsuo & Youth after Tetsuo Shima. Even the cyberpunk, indie game Red Strings Club has a cyborg called Akira, who plays a very crucial role.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/7/1/784871.jpg)
Source: CBR
![CONNECTION TO ORIGINAL MAGAZINE 'OUNG CRACKED.COM A man is seen wearing a jumper with the word 'Young' on it, giving a subtle nod to 'Young Magazine,' a 300-page anthology manga magazine which initially published the Akira manga. Also in the crowd is a man wearing a jacket that says Adolf, a nod to probably nothing.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/7/0/784870.jpg)
Source: Screenrant