(above) Just like Domu, This volume comes with a nice little bookmark as well as forms for a special gift upon purchase of the entire collection, but this is only applicable for those residing in Japan unfortunately.

You can also just grab a copy here – /NVEFGJFBAI Just teasing of course ! My review for the storyboard book ( Vol 1 ) is almost done. Not entirely convinced the storyboards that Otomo drew for Akira are detailed enough, I mean look at this shoddy work… ? Also, I’m a sucker for drawings that stretches over several panels, which usually denote a big camera pan or movement. (image above) As you can see, Otomo’s drawings are ridiculously detailed, certainly some of the most detailed storyboard drawings I’ve ever seen ( maybe with the exception of this one ). (above & below) And there are even some rare colored panels ! I’m pretty sure this was not present in the older edition. (image below) Just like the Ghibli storyboard books, the first few pages is a visual guide that walks the reader through some commonly used industry semantics ie camera movement, frame sizes etc used during story-boarding. That said, this Complete Works new edition is printed on smoother, better quality paper, which helps to better reproduce Otomo’s drawings in their original state, with more values in the midtones. While I do not have my copies of the Continuity of Akira with me to do a side-by-side comparison, I can confirm that this new edition is indeed slightly smaller in print size see the photo below by Otomo scholar Junya Suzuki – This release has been highly anticipated because just like Domu, the older edition of the storyboards ( called The Continuity Of Akira ) have been out of print for the longest time, and this new and improved release is what Otomo fans have been hoping for. Together with Otomo’s highly acclaimed 1981 manga Domu, the storyboards (part 1) for the director’s magnum opus Akira animated film were the first two titles to be released under the Otomo The Complete works collection.Īnd what a thing of beauty.

Akira manga vol 1