AKIRA
"Neo-Tokyo is about to E.X.P.L.O.D.E."
Akira - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
A hidden message from a frustrated animator is visible on a piece of machinery.
In the scene where the 25th Esper's prophecy is being discussed, a caution label on a machine contains text in Romanized Japanese that translates to: "Why do I have to even draw this part! Give me a break! Geez." This humorous, hidden complaint was not widely noticed for decades after the film's release.
A character in a riot scene wears a T-shirt that says 'Young Magazine'.
This is a nod to 'Young Magazine,' the bi-monthly manga anthology where Katsuhiro Otomo's original "Akira" manga was serialized.
Logos of famous rock bands appear on a jukebox.
In a scene where Kaneda is at a jukebox, the logos for the rock bands Cream, Led Zeppelin, and The Doors can be seen, reflecting the film's Western cultural influences.
Computer sound effects are borrowed from the film 'Alien'.
The sound effects used for the computer during Tetsuo's medical scan are the same as those from the MU-TH-UR 6000 computer in Ridley Scott's 1979 film "Alien," a subtle tribute to another science fiction classic.