I've just finished reading the third installment of the Akira series. What a book! Thinking back to the movie, it seems more obvious now that Katsuhiro Otomo wanted us to be intrigued into reading his books—and boy is it worth it! Compared to most graphic novels I've read the direction is of a much greater level. The plot is something I must take seriously (not just find fun). Obviously, it has to do with the length—6 books at roughly four hundred pages a piece. Everything from the drawings to the dialogue are just marvelous. The plot really fills out—the movie takes major events from each book to make a synopsis—more characters are introduced and the atmosphere reaches new heights, even the film didn't brink. A+