SPECULATION The Force Awakens is Akira set in the Star Wars universe

AKIRA SPOILER ALERT AKIRA SPOILER ALERT AKIRA SPOILER ALERT

Akira is Katsuhiro Otomo's groundbreaking anime masterpiece based on his manga. The story follows a group of teenage bikers in post-apocalyptic Tokyo (a huge explosion by the super-powerful esper named Akira leveled the city years ago.) The gang has a run-in with a psychic/esper on the run from his government keepers. The exposure to this psychic forever changes the bikers, specifically the relationship between the gang's badass leader, Kaneda, and their weakest link, Tetsuo.

Tetsuo begins to develop incredible powers just like Akira 31 years earlier. He becomes unhinged and begins to lord his newfound powers over his old gangmates.

The other espers in the government's program begin seeing visions of Tetsuo destroying the world. So they unsuccessfully attempt to kill Tetsuo, which sets him off on a rampage.

Plot twist: Akira, the megaton human bomb that destroyed Tokyo... he's still around. His remains are kept in a government facility. A wild chase to get to Akira's tomb ensues with Tetsuo hoping to wake the super-powerful esper in order to destroy the world. Oh, and Tetsuo loses an arm and creates an artificial one.

Kaneda faces off against a horribly mutated Tetsuo (who loses control of his powers)... things get nuts, and just when all hope is lost... the espers awaken Akira, who proceeds to contain Tetsuo in a ball of light.

Meanwhile, most of Neo-Tokyo is destroyed again, but Kaneda survives. As the film ends, we see that Akira has helped Tetsuo learn how to command his powers... And Tetsuo creates a Big Bang in some other dimension.

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Now how the hell does that have anything to do with TFA outside of me bolding the word awake a few times?

The Kaneda/Tetsuo relationship is akin to Poe/Kylo but could also reflect Rey/Kylo.

Kylo is the born loser. The not-quite-as-good kid when compared to his pal or bro Poe. Both are pilots. Poe is the hot shot squad leader. Kylo lives in his shadow, etc. Poe is a scoundrel like Han, Kylo is uncomfortable around most people, especially women. Poe is preferred by Han, despite the fact that Kylo is his own son. Imagine your dad thinking your buddy was the son he never had, and you doing your best impression of your buddy to win dad's love. Sad.

The awakening gives Kylo some power. He begins to use it recklessly. He likely beats the snot out of Poe for old time's sake (note the bruises on Poe in the cockpit during the teaser trailer.)

Rey and Finn serve as other espers... they are also awakened in the force... and sense Kylo's destructive nature... so they try to stop him and fail.

As for who or what is our Akira? You already know, hot shot, and you're getting more and more pumped by the word.

Luke had a 'Force Unleashed' moment 30 years ago, leveled a city/planet/likely got his apprentice killed too. He is our megaton human bomb in hiding. Our Akira.

Everyone wants to find him to use his power for their own gain. It is likely that our espers Rey and Finn make it to Luke first. They cut a deal with him... but Luke has to kill Kylo to contain him. Obviously this doesn't sit well with Han or Poe (Kylo's bud or brother) but somehow there is a Republic raid planned on Luke's lair to help destroy Kylo.

That's the scene where Poe goes rogue I believe... As much as he knows Kylo is a madman and must be stopped, he doesn't want him killed.

Remember the rumor about Luke absorbing all of the dark side energy in order to save everyone? Yep. Akira.

How he's changed I dunno. What role if any the bigger baddie plays in this, not sure.

If anything, I hope I've made you go watch Akira again.

Discuss!




P.S. The poster above was done prior to the name reveals, playing off the similarities between Kira and Akira obviously. I don't think it was coincidental, and I do think her name will be Kira Rey. I know the above speculation doesn't have her in the Akira role, but it makes too much sense for it to be Luke. Rey's name may just be an homage, but the plot may be very close to Otomo's masterpiece. Now if only Kira Rey's pod bike left a badass laser trail like Kaneda's!

UPDATE UPDATE: I knew there was something I was forgetting. One more connection between Tetsuo and Kylo Ren... FASHION!





Apparently, the tattered capelet is all the rage with powerhungry nerds trying very, very hard to be taken seriously.

 

You're mixing up primary theme with primary character. The character of Akira actually plays a small but pivotal role in the anime. However, the primary theme still holds. The mouse as you put it is Kylo... his powers are his own as those of Tetsuo's were his own. But when Tetsuo discovers that Akira still exists, he makes for a power grab. Only then does Akira/Luke play a role.

As for Luke being too powerful to be used by someone else... Two things:

1. I never claimed that. If you reread my post and remember the anime, you'll see that the all powerful figure (Akira or Luke in TFA) sides with the good (espers/Kaneda) and helps contain the character hellbent on destroying the world. Akira/Luke weighs options and makes up his own mind to do what he feels is right for the universe at large.

2. He could be coerced if Kylo discovers some family secrets and holds someone near and dear hostage. This would force Luke to make a difficult decision, one that would leave him changed, a bit darker etc. as rumors have alluded to in the past.

 

Oh, the irony -- it's like poetry -- if any of this turns out to actually play out onscreen. In all fairness though, Uncle George certainly wasn't wrong at the time. Even today, Akira would be a tough sell... Would easily need to lop off a half hour from its run time, tone down the violence, and make the ending much clearer in order to market it effectively and see the biggest return.

 

More kindling for the fire:

Akira means "bright or rising sun in Japanese. Luke means "light giving" in Greek. Same same, yes?

Tetsuo means "iron man" in Japanese. Kylo is derived from The Old Norse word "kaldr" which means to shiver with cold. Iron is pretty cold, yes?

Kaneda means "golden rice field" or "wealthy" in Japanese. Poe is Old Norse for "peacock." If you're golden boy, you're a natural peacock, yes?

 

Currently reading the manga and this line in the preface (The Story So Far) to Volume V stood out for obvious reasons:

Tetsuo's psychic vibrations stir Akira, and the child emerges from his frozen prison.

Tetsuo is Kylo Ren. His presence creates a disturbance in the force, which wakes our uber-Sith from his slumber in a similarly frozen prison.



Another interesting thing to consider regarding a snowy planet being the hiding spot for a long-thought dead Sith:

Cryopreservation or cryoconservationis a process where cells, whole tissues, or any other substances susceptible to damage caused by chemical reactivityor time are preserved by cooling to sub-zero temperatures. At low enough temperatures, any enzymatic or chemical activity which might cause damage to the material in question is effectively stopped. Cryopreservation methods seek to reach low temperatures without causing additional damage caused by the formation of ice during freezing.

Could this explain how the ages-old Sith who's been through some stuff is still alive? It's an alternative worth considering. I suppose carbon freezing is the same thing... but either way, it opens up the possibilities of seeing the return of familiar faces believed dead, or introducing a new entity who would have a reason for the freezing as it were... He/she/it would also have a logical reason for not taking parts in the events of the PT or OT... they were frozen.

 

Maybe they periodically unfreeze Walt when they really need a hit... ironically (or in the world's greatest troll) he ONLY pitches films that involve being frozen in some way. Walt was the secret sauce behind Frozen and is also leading the charge on TFA, also to involve a frozen enemy. Disney execs quickly re-freeze Walt after two or three ideas... Don't want the well to run dry lolz.

 

Do it... watch it on Blu Ray!