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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Picking up pace, May 11, 2001
Second volume of six, 'Akira' moves into high gear in this volume. Like the first volume, there are dire hints as to what will happen when Akira is released from his imprisonment - an event which happens in this volume, but one that we observe from some distance. The pace of this volume is faster than the first - it seemed to go very fast, but then I realised how long I'd spent reading it. It is certainly more action-packed than the first, although this shouldn't be confused with having no story. This would have been easy to do, but the story is progressing, although slower than it might be expected by the pace of the action. I'm sure others may have been tempted to tell the story in less space, concentrating on action. Several of the characters from the first volume are prominently on display, including several who were somewhat in the background last time. I expect that some characters will fade into the background, while others become more prominent. Last volume, I suggested that I wasn't certain if I'd go the distance with this story. With this volume, I think it is more likely that I will.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stays hot, August 1, 2001
This volume is much like the first volume if you look at the story-telling. Unlike most comic-books where they try to stuff as much information as possible in as little as possible pages, this is the complete opposite. Each tiny detail of information is spread out over several pages which makes it an easy to follow story, you won't miss out on vital details easily, and it isn't slow anywhere thanks to the 'animated' art. About the story: After the agency, under leadership of 'the Colonel' catches up with Kaneda, Kei and Tetsuo (all in vol.1) each of them is taken with them to their test-base where Tetsuo's powers are quickly increasing. When Tetsuo learns there are more numbered subjects like him he goes looking for others. That's how he learns about Akira. With this new knowlegde Tetsuo goes out to find project Akira, determined that nobody is gonna stop him from doing so. The agency turns desperate because if Tetsuo should reach Akira, there is no way of telling what is to become of the world. Meanwhile Kaneda and Kei are also on their way to stop Tetsuo, only in a more brutal way. A race against the clock begins. The first half of this collection is really a big phase were you get to wonder "who is possibly enpowered and who's not". It's a very good read with enough twisting points to keep it on the edge. The second part is even better when the hunt for Tetsuo begins and we have to see who gets to Tetsuo first, or is Tetsuo himself the first to reach his goal ? We also get to meet Akira himself for the first time, which makes you look to each panel very curious to catch the first hints of what he might be capable of. This second (from 6) books doesn't let you down at any point if you liked the first volume. The story stays action-packed and the style in which it is done stays the way you're accustomed to it. Fast but not revealing to much at once. For people who are interested in it, read the first volume first because reading it in order is a must. It won't be a disappointment. For people who have already read the first installment: the joy continues.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Epic Continues....., May 13, 2002
Katsuhiro Otoma's epic of post World-War III Japan continues in this full-throttle, non-stop-action chapter. Akira Book 2 starts out with Kei and Kaneda in the clutches of the mysterious Colonel, while Tetsuo continues to test the limits (If there are any...)of his newly discovered powers. Meanwhile, under the crater at ground zero, Akira begins to awaken... Akira is the Comic-Book equivalent of an epic action movie. The art is clear and crisp, and the amout of detail in every panel is staggering. I've never been a fan of "Manga" (Japanese Comics), but the work of Katsuhiro Otomo (The Akira books, and the amazing Domu) are winning me over. The opening of the book has an in-depth recap for new readers, and the first few pages are in color.The black-and-white art really looks great, and the book is a great value at 288 pages. Try it...you'll be hooked!
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