The acclaimed Akira franchise is getting a shot in the arm with not just a 4K remaster next year but a new series as well.
At this year’s Anime Expo in Los Angeles, Katsuhiro Otomo, the director of the critically acclaimed 1988 sci-fi film, confirmed that Akira is receiving the 4K treatment next year. The remastered film is set to release in Japan on April 24th and sometime after that in the U.S.
In addition, a new series based on the original Akira manga was also announced. The series will be produced by Sunrise, the Japanese animation studio behind popular anime like Cowboy Bebop and Crash Gear Turbo.
Sunrise president, Makoto Asanuma, said the studio was still developing the new anime series and that it will incorporate the events of the entire manga, which was published from 1982 to 1990.
A Facebook post by the company states, “Fans will be kept up to date about this new anime adaptation project as details become available,”
A live-action remake of the 1988 film is also in the works, slated for a 2021 release. The film will be produced by Warner Bros. Pictures and directed by acclaimed New Zealand director, Taika Waititi.
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by Luke Hancock.