A brand-new 35mm print of Ôtomo Katsuhiro’s “Akira” – struck from the 4K master and the first of its kind to be created anywhere in the world in decades – will make its debut at BFI Southbank, London, from Aug. 14–19, distributor Anime Limited has revealed.
The print will then tour selected cinemas across the U.K. and Ireland for the remainder of the year.
Set in a neon-soaked future Tokyo, the film centers on Kaneda, the leader of a delinquent biker gang, and his friend Tetsuo, who becomes entangled in a covert government experiment after a late-night collision with a mysterious child. The British Film Institute has described the film as “a vital cornerstone of the cyberpunk genre.”
The print was produced in partnership with The Cinema Printing Company (CPC London) and ORWO Studios, and will screen in the film’s original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with a stereo Japanese-language soundtrack and English subtitles.
“There’s something special about film going through a projector and there’s something special about ‘Akira,'” said Robbie Duncan, technical manager at Anime Limited. “I can’t wait for audiences to experience both and get a hint of what it was like to see back in 1988. I can’t thank our partners at The Cinema Printing Company (CPC London) and ORWO Studios enough for their expertise and going the extra mile to make ‘Akira’ look as good as it can.”
