Shotaro Kaneda (Akira)

Shotaro Kaneda (金田 正太郎 "Kaneda Shōtarō") is a fictional character who appears as the main protagonist in the manga "Akira" and the adapted 1988 anime film of the same name. The storyline for Kaneda in the manga diverges from his storyline in the film.

Character description

Known to other characters by his family name, the 16-year-old Kaneda is the main protagonist of both the manga and its anime adaptation. Other characters, particularly Kaneda's childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, envy him for his brash, defiant, over-confident personality and the custom sports bike he owns. A natural leader, Kaneda heads a gang of young bikers called The Capsules -- named for "capsules" of drugs -- on the streets of Neo-Tokyo.

Role in Plot

He befriended Tetsuo when they were young and they remained friends up until the events of "Akira". On the night of Tetsuo's accident, Kaneda and the rest of the gang are taken in for questioning. While there, he meets Kei, whom he'll eventually be teamed up with. He's unwillingly been thrown into the middle of a battle between the government and a resistance faction. Not interested in politics, but seemingly obsessed with playing the hero and winning the woman, Kaneda makes it his duty to keep Kei and Neo-Tokyo safe from the maniacal Tetsuo. Even though his goal is to bring Tetsuo down, he can't shake the fact that he was his best friend.

Kaneda's bike

One of the most famous and iconic images in "Akira" is Kaneda's motorcycle, a sleek looking, sport motorcycle. Its recognizability is due, in part, to the placement of the bike on many of the different posters for the film. In the manga, the bike displays an old Honda logo. In the film, it displays a BMW logo. Unlike the bikes of the other members of The Capsules and The Clowns gangs, Kaneda's bike is a sport bike with a shell covering the inner components and a distinct red finish. Conversely, most of the other gang members' bikes are constructed in classic chopper style, placing the engine and other components open and visible.

When the movie was released, a full-scale reproduction of Kaneda's bike was made as a showpiece for advertisements. According to "Akira Club," the bike's whereabouts "became unknown" after being sent to England for a publicity campaign.fact|date=March 2008

Specifications