Video: The ‘AKIRA’ Bike Is Real, Bombing Across Japan For Charity
Shinji Tejima is a wild dude, dreaming the dreams of rock stars. The good man has spent what would be over $120,00 in American bucks to build a replica of the motorcycle seen in Akira. Now that this monument to a pop cultural icon is done, he’s riding this futuro-steed across Japan in the name of the charity. Dude is ballin’ hard.
Comics Alliance:
According to Anime News Network, Tejima hails from Fukuoka, where he works at the auto repair outfit Showa Studio. It took Tejima seven years to build the bike, which is apparently the only official recognized replica of Kaneda’s famous motorcycle. He’s so far traveled to Shikoku, Osaka, Nagoya, ShÃ… do Island and Kobe Harbor on his quest to raise money for the autism charity Bokura Company, and will be stopping next week in Tokyo for the Katsuhiro Otomo GENGA Exhibition. There the replica bike will be available for photographs as part of an effort to raise money for reconstruction of the TÃ… hoku region that was hit by a tsunami and earthquake last year. The whole thing brings new meaning to “Good for Health,” the phrase printed on the back of Kaneda’s red jacket in the manga.