The 1988 Japanese animated film Akira, directed by Katsuhiro Otomo and based on his manga of the same name, has long become one of the popular cult films depicting a futuristic dystopian world. Besides the overall theme, many elements of the film have caught the eyes of the fans. For example, the protagonist Shotaro Kaneda’s bright red motorbike is a cult of its own, and can be seen in Steven Spielberg’s film Ready Player One and Cyberpunk 2077 video game. Barcelona-based creative studio Bel & Bel has recreated a working prototype of Kaneda’s bike, and will soon put it into production.

Bel & Bel has faithfully turned Kaneda’s motorbike into reality. It rides on neon light tyres and has a split-open body, and has all the stickers including Canon, Citizen, Shoei, Arai and more on it. Technically, the prototype features a modified chassis from a Yamaha Majesty YP 250 scooter and a swingarm from a Honda VFR 800, and the body panels are made of fibreglass and carbon fibre. While the prototype is equipped with a 1,000 W electric motor driving the front wheel and a 250 cc Yamaha engine at the rear, the final production model is intended to be fully electric.

Bel & Bel is currently finalising the specifications and other details for the Akira bike. However, enthusiasts can now secure an example of this remarkable piece by placing a pre-order with a deposit of 5,000 Euros. The introductory price for this exclusive, limited commissioned production commences at 24,000 Euros.