Yamagata (Akira)

Yamagata (山形 "Yamagata") (first name unknown) is a fictional character in the manga, "Akira", and the adapted 1988 anime movie of that work, also called "Akira".

Basic information

Yamagata often criticizes Tetsuo and this leads to some hard feelings which eventually determine his fate. It is generally thought that he is an elder member of the group, and he is often seen hanging out with Kaisuke, which is strange to an extent seeing as how the two are not that alike (Kai being more sympathetic and Yamagata being a little brutish, but courageous nonetheless).

Role in the story

Yamagata's character personifies and represents the rest of Kaneda's gang; he is virtually Kaneda's second hand man. Yamagata's death, caused by Tetsuo in both the manga and the movie (however at different times), was a hard hit for Kaneda. In the manga, Yamagata dies in a warehouse district, at the end of a gang war with the Clowns (in the manga, Tetsuo had become the head of the Clowns) when Tetsuo caused his brain to explode out the back of his head. In the anime, it was in the featured bar, where Tetsuo hits him with a fridge and then kills him off-screen. Kai, who was there, escaped. Yamagata's bike was ritually burnt by Kaneda after his death in respect. Yamagata's death served as the main motivation for Kaneda's desire to kill Tetsuo to get revenge. At the end of the manga, images of Yamagata and Tetsuo are seen by Kaneda as he rides back into Neo-Tokyo.

His personality is fairly violent and like many of the gang members he enjoys chasing after rival teams. At the beginning of the film, Yamagata was one of the first to strike the enemy Clowns. Despite his rather 'sadistic' personality, Yamagata is a loyal friend to Kaneda and the other gang members, and is strictly devoted to his team, although he does tease his fellow comrade, Kai, a lot. Although he apparently does not respect Tetsuo (and is ultimately killed by him), leading to a strained relationship between the two, he shows genuine regret and worry when Tetsuo is wounded in a motorcycle accident involvling Takashi of the Espers.

External links

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* [http://www.absoluteanime.com/akira/yama.htm Absolute Anime / Akira / Yamagata]