Up next in 10
Every Akira Manga Edition Compared - What's the best way to collect Akira?
40K views
Dec 6, 2022
All of the English Akira manga editions that fully collect the series compared, including the Akira 35th Anniversary Box Set, Kodansha and Dark Horse paperbacks, and the Akira comics released by Epic! Hope this video is helpful for those of you looking to get into the series and thanks as always for watching! Patreon: https://bit.ly/3Sa87ZM Favorite places to buy manga: Takara Cafe https://geni.us/takara-cafe (20% off with code ANIMECOLLECTIVE) Book Depository https://geni.us/bookdepository Amazon https://geni.us/amazonmanga Barnes & Noble https://geni.us/barnesandnoble Right Stuf https://geni.us/rightstufanime Blackwell's https://geni.us/blackwells-manga Favorite places to buy anime statues: FavorGK https://geni.us/favorgk Spec Fiction https://geni.us/specfiction ($10 off with code ANIMECOLLECTIVE) Tokyo Otaku Mode https://geni.us/tokyo-otaku-mode Some of the above links are affiliate links, which helps support the channel at no extra cost to you.
View Video Transcript
0:00
Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo is a classic sci-fi series that was way ahead of its time
0:05
and it's one of the most influential manga to ever release. It's one of my favorite series, so it goes without saying that I recommend it
0:12
but what's the best way to collect it? In this video, I'll show you guys the difference between the main English releases that have been released so far
0:18
including the two paperback releases, the comic book issues that began releasing in the 80s
0:23
and the Akira 35th Anniversary box set. First, I want to talk about how each edition collects Akira
0:28
The comic books collect Akira in 38 issues. There are also two paperback releases
0:34
The first was released by Dark Horse and it collects Akira in six paperbacks
0:37
The second was released by Kodansha and it also collects the series in six paperbacks
0:42
And finally, there's a 35th anniversary box set which collects the series in six hardcovers
0:46
Also worth noting real quick is that there is an anime version released by Tokyopop
0:50
as well as a Barnes & Noble hardcover exclusive of Volume 1 only. A trade paperback graphic novel collection also released by Epic
0:57
There are 10 books which collect 3 issues each. Since the final 8 issues were never released in this format, unfortunately it is not complete
1:04
I want to focus on the main editions that fully collect Akira, but wanted to mention these real quick in case you'd like to look into them
1:11
How do they differ in terms of design? So the Dark Horse paperbacks and Kidansha paperbacks are actually pretty much identical in terms of design
1:18
They have the same artwork on the covers that the Japanese volumes do, but they made some different stylistic choices
1:24
The Akira logo, for instance, has Katsuhiro Otomo's name layered over the top
1:27
and the volume numbers included in the logo as well. The spines are totally different from the Japanese releases, though
1:33
They feature different colors with Akira horizontally running down the spine as well as artwork of prominent characters
1:39
A quick look at the back of these editions as well, but as you can see, these two are nearly identical in terms of look
1:45
The hardcovers included in the box set come with slipcovers and their overall design and style is nearly the same as the Japanese release
1:52
They feature different art on the volume covers themselves, and they have an incredible graphic and bold look to them too
1:58
They look great with and without the slipcovers on, and their bright and bold colors make them stand out on the shelf
2:03
To me, they are the most appealing in terms of design with or without their slipcovers on
2:07
The box that it comes in also has a really graphic, bold look to it
2:11
and it looks awesome on display with artwork of Kaneda and his bike. It really pleasing to open it up for the first time and see everything from the art book to the hardcovers neatly housed inside the box The comic book issues each feature different cover art I actually really love the design of them They have a more nostalgic feel to them look awesome on display
2:28
and they are great collector's pieces. In terms of price, the box set retails for $199.99
2:34
Kadasha paperbacks retail for $27.99, so you can collect the entire series for around $168
2:40
Dark Horse paperbacks are out of print, so they vary in terms of price. The most recently sold
2:44
listing of the complete set sold for $60 plus shipping on eBay. The comics are also out of
2:49
print and fetch a number of different prices, but it looks like the full set sells for over a grand
2:53
on Buy It Now listings. However, I have seen people get the set for way less on bids or best
2:57
offer listings so you can get them for lower prices. For those that are still in print, you can
3:02
find them on sale a lot of the time and for lower base prices on sites like Right Stuff, which I'll
3:06
link in the description below. The cheapest way to collect Acura that's currently in print though
3:10
is the Kodansha paperbacks, but only marginally by around $32. Let's check out print and page quality next
3:17
When comparing the Dark Horse and Kodansha paperbacks, the paper in the Kodansha paperbacks is a bit thicker
3:22
and the panels that feature heavy blacks appear deeper as well. The contrast is better in the Kodansha release as well as the paper quality
3:28
in comparison to the Dark Horse paperbacks. When comparing the Kodansha hardcovers to the Kodansha paperbacks
3:34
the paper quality feels and looks the same to me. Both are printed on high-quality off-white paper
3:39
that has an eggshell-like texture to it. The pages feel the same thickness
3:42
and the contrast looks the same to me when comparing them side by side. The difference between the two really comes down to the quality of the covers
3:48
and the overall quality of the editions themselves, and the hardcovers easily win in this department with how well-made and sturdy they are
3:55
I will briefly say that the color pages in both of Kadatcha's releases are printed on higher-quality paper and look brighter than a Dark Horse release
4:02
but I'll show you guys an example of this later on in the color pages section. As far as readability goes, I didn't have any issues when reading any of the volumes as far as gutter loss goes
4:12
but the Akira hardcovers are the only edition with a sewn binding, so they offered a better reading experience in comparison to other editions that had a glued binding
4:20
Since the hardcovers are the only edition printed in the original right-to-left reading format
4:25
I found them to be easier and more of a joy to read as well. Size the Dark Horse and Kodansha paperbacks are both around 7 wide 9 tall and 1 inches deep The Akira hardcovers collected in the box set are a little bit bigger all around than the other two They about the same size as releases like the Ghost in the Shell Deluxe Editions and the Blom Master Editions Let take a look at sound effects translation and lettering
4:49
next. The only edition that features the original hand-drawn sound effects by Katsuhiro Otomo is the
4:54
35th anniversary hardcovers. The only sound effects that have been replaced with English
4:59
translation are those that were typed, and they included reference guides in the back of the
5:03
volumes you can reference if needed. The sound effects in the other editions were translated and
5:07
redrawn in English. The Kadansha and Dark Horse paperbacks appear to have the same lettering and
5:12
translation after a side-by-side read-through, but the translation in the hardcovers collected
5:16
in the box set is drastically different and much more readable. It's a much more accurate
5:21
translation and they read better. The lettering was completely changed by Kadansha in the hardcovers
5:26
too, but is more readable and has a more pleasing modern look to it. I think it fits the series
5:31
better and Kodansha's hardcovers offer a more smooth as well as a better reading experience
5:35
as a result of the grammatical changes in update translations they made. Unfortunately, the worst translation goes to the Epix Comics releases, which is something
5:43
expected given that they were the first to release. They emitted some quote bubbles entirely as well as sound effects which Dark Horse later
5:50
added back in in their release. The paperbacks by Kodansha have the same translation as Dark Horse, but they later updated the
5:56
translation in the hardcover release. The spacing of the text in the quote bubbles and placement of the dialogue in text looks the best in the hardcovers too
6:04
so they're the best in this department all around. The comic book issues in both paper rack releases were flipped and they read left to right
6:11
so the artwork was reworked, particularly in the Epic Comics release, and even in some cases, redrawn
6:17
The only edition that reads in the original right-to-left reading format are the Acura hardcovers
6:21
that are collected in the 35th anniversary box set. What about full-color pages
6:27
The only full color editions of Acura are those released by Epic Comics, including the 38 comic book issues
6:33
You will notice that the color pages look very different and feature a different color palette than Kasuhiro Otomo's color pages
6:38
that are only present in a few pages of other releases. This is because the Epic's comic releases were computer colorized by Steve Oliff and Ollie Optics for the English release
6:47
and not by Kasuhiro Otomo himself. The rest of the editions only have full color pages in the first few pages of the volumes As you can see the color pages are a little brighter in the Kedansha releases than the Dark Horse release Kodansha used higher quality thicker paper for the color pages while Dark Horse used thin paper like that which you would commonly see in single comic book releases
7:09
What about extras? The box set comes with the Acura Club art book, which contains over 100 title-page illustrations created for the original series that were never published
7:18
It also features rarely seen alternate art, preliminary drawings, production sketches, and a variety of Acura posters, advertisements, and products, along with commentary by Kasuhiro Otomo
7:29
It's a fantastic companion book and a wonderful collective piece as well. In addition, you get an exclusive iron-on patch that features the iconic pill design
7:36
in the box set. This is the only edition of Acura that comes with extras
7:41
Now that we've gone over everything, what's the best way to collect Acura
7:45
As always, it definitely depends on what you are looking for. If you're looking for the edition with the best quality all around, awesome extras, and want the most true release to the original
7:54
the Oculus 35th Anniversary box set is the way to go. Even though it technically isn't the cheapest way to collect the series, I still think it's the best value for your money
8:03
If you want a full-color release, definitely check out the comic book issues released by Epic
8:07
They are fun to collect too, and I really enjoy the individual cover art on each issue
8:11
Cheapest way to collect at retail that's currently in print. The paperbacks released by Kadansha, but you can also pick up the Dark Horse paperbacks for decently cheap on sites like eBay too
8:21
Want the best translation and the best lettering? The box set released by Kadansha is the way to go since they fix many of the issues that are present in the paperback releases
8:30
What do I think though? Personally, I think the Acura 35th Anniversary box set is the best way to collect Acura by far
8:36
The hardcovers are beautifully designed, bold, and they are well made. The print quality is incredible too
8:42
They're the only English edition that reads in the original right-to-left format, and they're the only edition that has the original hand-drawn sound effects by Katsuhiro Otomo
8:50
and they have updated lettering and a better translation. Plus, for only around $30 more, you get a fully hardcover release
8:57
the Akira Club Artbook, which is an incredible read, by the way, and the Iron-On Pill Patch
9:01
It's my favorite manga box set to release so far, so I highly recommend picking it up
9:05
What about you guys? What's your favorite way to collect Akira? Let me know in the comments below
9:10
If you want more manga reviews like these, be sure to check out this playlist next
9:14
That's it for the video, thanks as always for watching, and I'll see you all next time
#Anime & Manga
#Comic Books
#Comics