One anime was so technically demanding that 50 new colors were developed exclusively

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Akira is a milestone in anime history. The 1988 film was one of the most technically demanding works of its time. For the film, 50 colors had to be developed so that Neo-Tokyo could develop the atmosphere that the production team wanted.

What is Akira about?

  • Akira was created in 1988 by its creator Katsuhiro Otomo
  • The film takes place in 2019, 31 years in the future (from that point in time)
  • Tokyo was destroyed by a nuclear explosion and rebuilt as Neo-Tokyo
  • Shotaro Kaneda and Tetsuo Shima are in a gang and have fierce street fights
  • One day the two are taken to a military facility where special powers reveal themselves to one of them

    • We don’t want to give you any more spoilers about the plot so that you can watch the film with an open mind. But every anime fan should have seen Akira, as it is a film that has set new standards in the field – both technically and in terms of color.

    The following trailer shows how the technically groundbreaking standards are noticeable:

    Akira: Trailer showcases the groundbreaking animation techniques

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    Akira sets new technical standards

    What makes Akira so special? Akira impressed above all with its aesthetics. For the production of Akira, 50 new colors had to be created. The colors were not previously available in any commercial portfolio.

    The majority of the story takes place at night, so the filmmakers needed a wider range of colors to distinguish the areas from one another. Bright orange tones should stand out against dull blue tones even in the dark.

    In addition, bright colors should show off the cyberpunk-like Neo-Tokyo well. This could not be guaranteed by the color palette at the time.

    In addition, an animation technique that was unusual for the time was developed in Akira. First, the dialogues were recorded before the production team began animating the characters.

    So the movements were tailored to the dialogue, resulting in more realistic animation and more precise lip sync. Normally it was the other way around in Japanese animation studios at the time.

    With this special technique, Akira set new standards for future productions. Many animes like Cowboy Bebop are among the animes that were inspired by Akira. But Ghost in the Shell wouldn’t be the anime it is today without Akira.

    MeinMMO author Cortyn has also put together a list of other anime films that every fan must have seen:

    The 5 best anime films that everyone should see

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