Good for education
ABOUT THE MOVIE
When AKIRA exploded onto the scene in 1988, it redefined animation with its groundbreaking visuals, cyberpunk storytelling, and uncompromising vision of the future. But its journey from Japan to the West was anything but simple. This documentary traces the history of AKIRA’s arrival in America, from the manga’s groundbreaking publication to its role in legitimizing anime as a global art form. Through rare archival materials and interviews with voice actors, animators, historians, and industry insiders, we uncover how AKIRA influenced everything from Hollywood blockbusters to hip-hop culture, comic books, and video games. More than just a retrospective, this is the story of how one film ignited a movement, turning anime and manga into a worldwide phenomenon.
MEET THE CREW
Danika Lee Massey (ComicBookGirl19) – Director
Danika Lee Massey, known to fans as ComicBookGirl19, is an acclaimed content creator, filmmaker, and visual artist with a deep passion for animation, comics, and pop culture history. As the director of the upcoming AKIRA documentary, she brings her expertise and enthusiasm to exploring the groundbreaking legacy of Katsuhiro Otomo’s masterpiece.
Beyond her work on the AKIRA documentary, Danika is the creator of Epic History X-Men, a documentary series that dives deep into the history and lore of Marvel’s most iconic mutant team, and Greater Creators, a biography series highlighting the visionary artists and writers who have shaped the world of cinema, science-fiction, comics, and animation.
With this documentary, she aims to tell the story of AKIRA’s journey from manga to global phenomenon, celebrating the film’s craftsmanship and its lasting influence on anime, comics, and cinema worldwide.
Brenton Oechsle – Cinematographer
Brenton Oechsle is an American cinematographer and award-winning filmmaker. His experience in documentary and narrative filmmaking extends over a decade.
His work has been promoted through organizations such as The New York Times, Hollyshorts, The Atlantic, Tribeca Film Festival, Nowness, Austin Film Festival, and AFI.

Director’s statement
Hayao Miyazaki said, "Whenever someone creates something with all of their heart, then that creation is given a Soul." Few films embody this philosophy more than AKIRA. Every frame of AKIRA is infused with an undeniable energy—an intensity born from the painstaking work of human hands. As a visual artist myself, I am in awe of what the Japanese animators accomplished with this film. It’s a level of craftsmanship that, in today’s industry of digital shortcuts, would be impossible to replicate.
I didn’t truly understand the scope of what went into AKIRA until I attended a panel at Dragon Con, where a collector broke down scenes from the film in a presentation. Every so often, he would pause and pull out actual production art—original pieces from the movie—that we could come up and see up close and personal. I was blown away! I’ll never forget seeing a massive background painting in stunning detail. The sheer number of hand-painted windows in Neo-Tokyo’s towering megastructures was already unbelievable—but what truly stunned me was that the artist had taken the time to paint individual details inside the rooms. Tiny desks, bookshelves, curtains—things you’d never consciously notice. And in the final shot this piece was used for? Only a small sliver of that insanely detailed painting was visible for just a few seconds. That level of dedication, that obsessive attention to detail, is what makes AKIRA a masterpiece.
With this documentary, I want to trace AKIRA’s journey to America from the pages of Katsuhiro Otomo’s groundbreaking manga to its mind-blowing film adaptation and beyond. I want to explore how it shaped an entire generation of artists, filmmakers, and storytellers—including myself. This is more than just a history lesson; it’s a love letter to a film that redefined what was possible.
STILLS and Behind the sCenes photos
Jerry Beck: Co-Founder, Streamline Pictures
Joshua Seth: Voice Actor, Tetsuo Shima
mike haller: akira committee member
Steve oliff: akira digital colorist
GOOD FOR EDUCATION
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GOOD FOR EDUCATION ✦