Katsuhiro Otomo's cyberpunk classic Akira makes its welcome return to the big screen. In a dystopian neo-Tokyo, Kaneda and Tetsuo are members of a vigilante biker gang. When his best friend Tetsuo is captured by the authorities after an accident, they discover he has powerful telekinetic abilities. As Tetsuo struggles with his newfound abilities, he uncovers the dark secrets of Akira - the subject of previous catastrophic experiments by the government. As Tetsuo’s newfound powers spiral out of control, Kaneda must save his best friend to prevent a new cataclysm. A landmark in anime and grown-up animation, Akira has lost none of its power and spectacle in the nearly 40 years since its original release. JFF is delighted to present these special screenings of Otomo’s iconic masterpiece as part of this year’s festival.