What features make Akira cyberpunk, and how does it reference the wider subgenre?
According to Jorgensen (2020), Cyberpunk refers to a sub-genre of science fiction and features highly advanced technological societies, cities and landscapes, heightened scientific research platforms and displays urban, dystopian futures with a film noir aesthetic. Cyberpunk contains various characteristics that have become trademarks of the genre such as dystopian futuristic settings, combinations of low-life and high tech, massive class divides between the grossly rich and the poverty and addiction ravaged lower class societies, vast technological advancement to the point of the total destruction and extinction of natural and organic resources as well as the corruption of governments or the systematic oppression by major mega-corporations (Cavallaro, D., 2000).
Akira contains several of these trademark characteristics of cyberpunk such as a dystopian earth. A world based on a near-future earth where technology has become deeply enmeshed in everyday human existence (Nicholls, P., 1999.) as seen with the highly modified street racer motorcycles that are seen prevalently among the youth biker gangs as well as the advanced military technology such as the compression laser weapons used by the Japanese army and military factions as well as the satellite weapon used to injure Akira’s leading antagonist Tetsuo.
One of the other trademark features portrayed within the film is the high tech, low life archetype. Following the destruction of Tokyo, the generational youth have grown up within an advanced technological world which both supports and controls them (Iglesia, M., 2018). We see this with the high presence of law enforcement and military personnel seen interfering with the working-class protests as well as with the youth groups violent criminal rebellion against rival biker gangs. The police and law enforcement presence in Akira is violent, oppressive and utilize advanced machinery such as high surveillance and jet bikes which utilize highly lethal miniguns as a form of intimidation and execution (Otomo, K., 1988).
Akira also uses several tropes from old noir movies, many of the characters represented within Akira are cynical, bitter and disillusioned by the violence and oppression of their every day lives. Kaneda is portrayed as a violent delinquent and malcontent whose only interest is in his biker gang and chasing the skirts of other lead character Kei but is later portrayed as the reluctant hero only after Tetsuo murders their close friend and ally Yamagata with his driving force behind this decision being that “If anybody should be killing him [Tetsuo] it should be us!” (Otomo, K., 1988).
One final feature demonstrated within the film is the existence of a higher authoritarian organization, while in most cyberpunk this power is often demonstrated through mega-corporations which control the earths planetary resources, services and industries, with a largely powerless government, or vice versa, Akira demonstrates this controlling organization as the military, led by Colonel Shikishima, who overthrows the existing government by staging a coup and turns the remaining military to his control by using the fear and uncertainty created by Tetsuo’s supernatural and psychic abilities as well as the prophesized threat of Akira (Otomo, K., 1988).
References
Cavallaro, D. (2000). Cyberpunk and cyberculture: Science fiction and the work of William Gibson. The Athlone Press.
Iglesia, M. (2018). Has Akira always been a cyberpunk comic?. Institute of European Art History.
Jorgensen, D. (2020). 2019: The year of our cyberpunk future. Artlink.
Nicholls, P. (1999). Cyberpunk. In the Encyclopaedia of science fiction. London: Orbit.
Otomo, K. (Director), (1988). Akira [Film]. Tokyo Movie Shinsha.
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