Katsuhiro Otomo

The Profile

Katsuhiro Otomo is a Japanese manga artist, screenwriter, and film director. He created the manga Akira (1982–1990) and directed its 1988 film adaptation. His influential works include Domu and the feature film Steamboy, shaping global cyberpunk and anime culture.

Born in 1954 in Miyagi, Japan; debuted in manga in 1973; creator of Akira (manga and 1988 film), a cornerstone of cyberpunk and modern anime.

Two enthusiastic reviews focus on Akira as a landmark of cyberpunk and philosophical sci‑fi. They contrast the manga’s breadth with the film’s standalone structure, praising Otomo’s direction and visionary worldbuilding. Themes include power, spirituality, post‑war trauma, and moral ambiguity. Both reviews regard Akira as an enduring masterpiece.