The good about this manga has already been told extensively, so I will talk about the bad.
Kaneda, one the main characters, is a normal human being, yet somehow he can wrestle with Superman, outsmart Batman, and overcome the Fates and the angels of Death. Additionally, he drives the fanciest motorcycles (and is the best rider, obviously), and gets the girl (another obviously, as all good heroes are supposed to get the girl). By the way, Kaneda is a teenager, like many of the readers to whom the manga was targeted. Coincidence?
There is supposed to be a relationship between two characters like the one you can find in Berserk and other manga. But here the relationship is poorly developed - okay, maybe I am being too soft here. The relationsihip is rather not developed (a couple of drawings to tell a sotry which, admittedly, didnt need more because it was cliché even back in the day).
Wondering whats behind the powers of some of the characters? Well, dont. It is just military experimentation and that kind of stuff. You do not need to know more, and you wouldnt understand it anyway. Think of it as a world with magic, but no rules, so the author can have whatever they want, and need, any time.
There are characters that can read the thoughts of other characters, fly, survive in space, cause explosions more destructive than the bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But, a regular Joe can kick their asses.
There is no consistency as to what sort of skill can is a "power" mastered by a character. In Akira, we may find a characer than can simply jump very high, another that can move objects with their mind, yet another that can apparently see what is going on everywhere in the world and, further, has the ability to direct that vision to precisely what is of interest to them - instantly.
Etc. etc.
If you are not bothered by thinks like those above, then Akira is a great read. Otherwise, dont waster your time.
