Akira. Volume 1

"Akira" is the cult 6-volume manga by Katsuhiro Otomo, which recently celebrated its 35th anniversary, and is one of the greatest science fiction works of all time. "Akira" masterfully combines several genres: it is one of the most important milestones... in the history of cyberpunk and post-apocalypse, as well as a political thriller, a psychological drama, and a splendid coming-of-age story. The plot of "Akira" has not aged to this day, continuing to influence science fiction (just take the hit series "Stranger Things" or the film "Timecrimes," whose director admitted borrowing much from "Akira"). "Akira" was a breakthrough for the entire manga industry - it was after its publication and the release of the animated film in the West that a sharp interest in Japan, manga, and anime flared up, soon ensuring the success of other science fiction masterpieces - for example, "Ghost in the Shell" or "Neon Genesis Evangelion".
In the universe of "Akira," Tokyo was destroyed by a nuclear explosion in 1988, after which World War III broke out. The manga takes place 31 years after that catastrophe. The war is over, and a new city - Neo-Tokyo - has been built on the site of the old capital. It is a massive cesspool, oozing with poverty and crime, on the brink of revolution, yet the totalitarian government tries to solve all problems solely by force.
While exploring the ruins of old Tokyo, a gang of teenage bikers stumbles upon a strange child who resembles an old man. One of the bikers, Tetsuo Shima, gets into an accident because of him. After recovering, Tetsuo awakens supernatural abilities, which increasingly cloud his mind as he grows, exacerbating his feelings of inferiority and jealousy towards his former friend and gang leader - Kaneda. Meanwhile, Kaneda, trying to learn more about the boy they encountered among the ruins, discovers a secret government project led by Colonel Shikishima. It turns out that the military has long been conducting experiments on several children with abilities similar to those awakened in Tetsuo. Unfortunately, the military does not always manage to control the powers of their subjects...