AKIRA 2 (OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS 13) – Katsuhiro Otomo

This is the second volume (of eight) in the Otomo Complete Works edition of AKIRA, featuring chapters 15–28 as originally serialized in Young Magazine from 1983 to 1984, when Katsuhiro Otomo was 29 years old.

It faithfully preserves the content from the magazine’s biweekly publication, covering pages 280 of Volume 1 to page 200 of Volume 2 in the Young Magazine KC edition.

Continuing the format of the previous volume, this edition presents a “serialized version”, restoring everything—including cover illustrations—as closely as possible to its original magazine appearance (for details on the editorial intent and approach of this edition, refer to the introduction of AKIRA 1 in the Otomo Complete Works). As expected, the rare color covers and in-story color pages are also faithfully reproduced in their original color.

In the six-volume Young Magazine KC edition, the story was reorganized into six seamless parts—”Tetsuo,” “Akira,” “Akira II,” “Kei,” “Kei II,” and “Kaneda”. In contrast, the Otomo Complete Works edition retains the original magazine format, with each chapter (~20 pages) presented as an independent unit, arranged in order of serialization. This allows readers to experience the story as a true episodic narrative.

Enjoyable on its own, this edition also offers deeper insight when compared to the KC version, highlighting AKIRA’s meticulous structure and masterful storytelling.

※ “OTOMO THE COMPLETE WORKS” Volume 13