Shikishima Base

Lore & Background

The facility operates under the direct command of Japan Self-Defense Forces Colonel Shikishima, who oversees research led by Doctor Ōnishi. Its primary purpose is to investigate the psychic abilities of subjects like Takashi, Masaru, Kiyoko, and Tetsuo Shima, drawing parallels to Akira, the esper whose power destroyed Tokyo in 1988. The source details that while most of the setting adapts from Otomo's manga, the film plot diverges significantly. Inside, the facility is a place of high tension where Kiyoko forewarns Shikishima of Neo-Tokyo's impending destruction, concerns the city parliament ultimately dismisses. This dismissal drives Shikishima to consider killing Tetsuo to prevent another cataclysm. The location becomes a battleground when Tetsuo, suffering intense headaches and hallucinations after escaping with his girlfriend Kaori, is re-hospitalized there. The espers attempt to kill Tetsuo via hallucinations within these walls, an effort that fails as Tetsuo retaliates by killing any orderlies or militiamen blocking his path.

In Their Own Story

The narrative at the facility intensifies when Tetsuo escapes and returns, transforming the sterile environment into a scene of chaos. Overhearing plans to rescue him, Kaneda joins Kei's resistance cell to infiltrate the location. Inside, Kiyoko draws Kei and Kaneda into Shikishima's futile attempts to stop Tetsuo. A critical turning point occurs when Kiyoko tells Tetsuo that Akira, located in cryonic storage beneath the Olympic Stadium's construction site, could help him control his powers. Betraying everyone around him, including Kaneda, Tetsuo flees the hospital to hunt for Akira. The facility is no longer a place of study but a launchpad for Tetsuo's rampage. Later, Shikishima stages a coup d'état against Neo-Tokyo's government from a position of military command, directing forces to destroy Tetsuo at any cost, though the source does not specify the base as the sole location for this coup.

Reader's Guide

The facility is the starting point for understanding the conflict between the state and the espers. It is where Colonel Shikishima discovers that Tetsuo possesses powerful psychic abilities similar to Akira. Visitors to the narrative must note that the hospitalization of Tetsuo here leads directly to his escape, which sets off the chain reaction of violence. Key moments include the initial interrogation by police where Kaneda meets Kei, and the subsequent infiltration by the resistance group. The facility's defenses are rendered useless when Tetsuo kills orderlies and militiamen, showcasing the limits of military force against psychic power. Ultimately, the location serves as the catalyst for Tetsuo seeking Akira under the Olympic Stadium, leading to the singularity that destroys Neo-Tokyo.

Did You Know?

• The soundtrack draws heavily from traditional Indonesian gamelan and Japanese noh music, composed by Shōji Yamashiro.
• Akira was released in Japan on July 16, 1988, exactly matching the fictional date of Tokyo's destruction in the story.
• The film uses pre-scored dialogue, a first for an anime production where lip movements are animated to match recorded voice lines.
• Colonel Shikishima considers killing Tetsuo after Kiyoko forewarns him of Neo-Tokyo's impending destruction.