(W/A/CA) Katsuhiro Otomo. The epic* timeless hit that inspired the legendary anime film and made the word "manga" part of the global vocabulary returns in a new hardcover edition. The AKIRA Hardcover Collection features the original right-to-left manga reading format and Katsuhiro Otomo's original* hand-drawn sound effects in a beautiful* large-sized collectible edition. Thirty-eight years have passed since the end of World War III* and the megalopolis of Neo-Tokyo has sprung from the bones of the devastated old city. By night* the borderlands between glittering towers and irradiated ruins are ruled by criminals* cultists* and street gangs. Two childhood friends (and rivals)* Kaneda and Tetsuo* ride with one of these gangs. By day* the military and a secret elite toy with the psychic phenomena that caused the devastation in the first place. A high-speed incident on a decrepit express road will lead to a collision between Tetsuo* Kaneda* and forces they cannot hope to understand and that will change them forever. The AKIRA Hardcover Collection features the updated translation and lettering of the 35th Anniversary Edition box set* now available one book at a time.