A new synopsis just popped up for the American version of Akira. They seem to have done away with the entire bike gang angle and instead have made Kaneda a bar owner in … Neo Manhattan. No worries though, because now that they’ve got an actual Asian person in the cast (Ken Watanabe) they probably feel like they are shielded from the hell they are going to catch for casting Garret hedlund as Kaneda and Kristen Stewart as Ky. Oh, and let’s not forget…. Helena Bonham Carter as Lady Miyako
Newly posted synopsis:
Kaneda is a bar owner in Neo-Manhattan who is stunned when his brother, Tetsuo, is abducted by government agents led by The Colonel.
Desperate to get his brother back, Kaneda agrees to join with Ky Reed and her underground movement who are intent on revealing to the world what truly happened to New York City thirty years ago when it was destroyed. Kaneda believes their theories to be ludicrous but after finding his brother again, is shocked when he displays telekinetic powers.
Ky believes Tetsuo is headed to release a young boy, Akira, who has taken control of Tetsuo’s mind. Kaneda clashes with The Colonel’s troops on his way to stop Tetsuo from releasing Akira but arrives too late. Akira soon emerges from his prison courtesy of Tetsuo as Kaneda races in to save his brother before Akira once again destroys Manhattan island, as he did thirty years ago.