The Legendary Anime Film “AKIRA” is Set for a Groundbreaking TV Broadcast!
In a surprising move, the seminal anime film AKIRA is scheduled for a terrestrial TV broadcast in Japan at the start of 2026.
AKIRA is a landmark 1988 theatrical anime film, directed and written by its original creator, Ootomo Katsuhiro, with animation production by Tokyo Movie Shinsha (now TMS Entertainment). Known as a monumental masterpiece of sci-fi anime, it depicts the intense struggle between delinquents, the military, and guerrillas over a mysterious entity known as “Akira” in the setting of Neo Tokyo in 2019, all brought to life with overwhelming animation and a powerful soundtrack.
The production took three years with a total budget of 1 billion yen. The roughly 150,000 hand-painted cels were created by a team of 1,300 staff, representing an unprecedented investment of time and labor for an anime of its era.
It has now been decided that the film will air on NHK’s ETV channel on January 3, 2026, at 10:00 PM. Following this announcement, fans have reacted with comments like, “It’s too edgy for terrestrial TV!”, “Will it be shown uncut?”, “NHK, are you serious…?”, “Are they going to air this as an educational program?”, and “This might give me trauma.”
Broadcast Details & Synopsis
January 3, 2026 (Saturday)
Theatrical Anime “AKIRA”
ETV, 10:00 PM
■ Synopsis
In July 1988, a new type of bomb was deployed over the Kanto region, triggering World War III.
31 years later—in 2019, the megalopolis of Neo Tokyo, built over Tokyo Bay, is on the verge of reclaiming its former prosperity as it prepares to host the Olympics the following year. The leader of a healthy-but-delinquent biker gang, Kaneda, tears through the ruins of this city on his motorcycle, engaging in reckless races and gang fights. One night, during a run, his friend Tetsuo encounters a strange experimental child, crashes, and is injured. As Kaneda and the others look on in shock, Tetsuo and the child are taken away to a military research facility. Kaneda infiltrates the institute to rescue Tetsuo, only to find his friend, driven mad by excessive human experiments, awakening to a new “power.” Meanwhile, in a special baby room within the facility, an experimental girl predicts the awakening of “Top Secret = Akira.” Seeking the truth behind his own power, Tetsuo begins his approach toward “Akira,” who sleeps deep underground…
Production Staff
| Original Creator | Ootomo Katsuhiro |
| Director | Ootomo Katsuhiro |
| Screenplay | Ootomo Katsuhiro / Hashimoto Izou |
| Composition & Conducting | Yamashiro Shouji |
| Character Design | Ootomo Katsuhiro |
| Animation Director | Nakamura Takashi |
| Assistant Animation Director | Morimoto Kouji |
| Art Director | Mizutani Toshiharu |
| Music | Geinou Yamashirogumi |
| Sound Director | Aketagawa Susumu |
| Recording | Segawa Tetsuo |
| Cinematography | Misawa Katsuji |
| Editing | Seyama Takeshi |
| Animation Production | Tokyo Movie Shinsha (Now: TMS Entertainment) |
| Production | Akira Production Committee |
Voice Cast
| Kaneda | Iwata Mitsuo |
| Tetsuo | Sasaki Nozomu |
| Kei | Koyama Mami |
| The Colonel | Ishida Tarou |
| Ryu | Genda Tesshou |
| Kai | Kusao Takeshi |
| The Doctor | Suzuki Mizuho |
| Takashi (No. 26) | Nakamura Tatsuhiko |
| Kiyoko (No. 25) | Itou Fukue |
| Masaru (No. 27) | Shindou Kazuhiro |
(C) 1988 Mashroom / Akira Production Committee
《animeanime》
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