Excerpts from AKIRA Issue #1
Article title - AKIRA & Otomo

	Since the publication of his first work in 1973--adapting the 
short novel 'Mateo Falcone' by Prosper Merimee--Otomo's reputation had 
steadily grown, based on a number of unique and intense comics short 
stories (20 to 30 pages in length rather than the hundreds, sometimes
thousands, that an on-going saga can run in Japanese comics).  Some
of these dealt with fantasy and science-fiction themes, many with
slice-of-life comtemporary drama; all had a visual spirit and rhythm
that reflected Otomo's feelings for new wave cinema and modern jazz.
	With the publication of 'Domu' in 1983, Otomo enjoyed his greatest
success.  This 230 page comic--which centers upon a conflict between
two dwellers in a modern day high rise apartment complex, an old man and
a young girl, each possessing deadly psychic powers--became a best seller
and went on to win Japan's science-fiction grand prix for story of the 
year (Previously this prize had only been awarded to novels).
	The success of 'Domu' and reactions to an earlier work--the still
to be completed series, 'Fireball'--dealing with a human versus mega-computer
theme, led Otomo to consider doing an even larger scale science-fiction
adventure story.
	The story was 'AKIRA'.  And because he liked the new direction it
was taking, Young Magazine was where Otomo chose to present this major
work, which, when complete, would be a five volume, 1800 page graphic novel.
	Reader reaction to the first 25 page segment of the series to 
appear in Young Magazine was overwhelming.  The material brokw with
tradition and touched a nerve.  Circulation began to rise.  The new 
audience had been found.  Today there are about half a dozen titles like
Young Magazine.  Young Magazine and two others have a circulation of over
one million.
	Traditionally in Japan, a comics series first appears in installments
in a weekly or bi-weekly magazine.  When sufficient material has been 
published, the series is then collected into a book edition.  Usually
this would be about 240 pages and in a format that is a little bit larger
but still similar in size to an American paperback book.  Here too, 'AKIRA'
broke with tradition.
	The first Japanese book edition was in a format closer in dimension
to the magazine size (about the height and width of one of our comic 
books) and contained 360 pages.  The title and author's name appeared on
the cover in English; no Japanese lettering was used.  The format and
style grew out of Otomo's own concept of making the book edition similar
in feeling to American comics.