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This Akira Motorcycle Concept by James Qiu Is Fire

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I am, and forever will be, a complete sucker for a good rendition of Kaneda’s motorcycle from the cult Japanese anime movie Akira. Growing up as a kid (versus growing up as an adult, which is my current state), Akira‘s portrayal of motorcycles was one of the few things that got me interested in two-wheels.

I was a “car kid” growing up, with pictures of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche automobiles hanging on my walls. But, Kaneda’s bike was an influence too, and judging from the comments section when we post about this bike, it was a transformative machine for many others as well.

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Lifestyle

An Homage to the Kaneda Bike in Akira

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If there is a piece of Japanese animation that has transcended from the niche realm of anime into the larger consciousness of mainstream film, that piece surely has to be the movie Akira.

And while the dystopian themes of a future that is still recovering from the fallout of WWIII predominate the film, it is surprising to see how many fans have latched onto the motorcycle the main character, Kaneda, rides in the story.

I wasn’t even a motorcycle enthusiast when I first watched Akira, but Kaneda’s bike always struck me profoundly. Judging from the number of people who have tried to re-create the motorcycle in the flesh, I am not alone on this – even Kanye West has given the movie a nod.

Our friends at MotoFire luckily found this short tribute trailer from filmmakers Brad Kremer and Dean Fowler, who like us, also have a fascination with the Kaneda bike, and have re-made the iconic movie’s trailer to focus on this piece of machinery.

Fans of the original movie will find the imagery familiar, and for those who are getting their first taste of Akira, we hope the trailer intrigues you further.

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