Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will bring Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira to select US and Canada theaters on September 4 in 4K and IMAX formats.
Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will screen Katsuhiro Otomo's landmark 1988 film Akira in 4K and IMAX at select theaters across the United States and Canada on September 4, 2026. Both Japanese-with-English-subtitles and English-dub presentations will be available.
Originally released in Japan on July 16, 1988, Akira remains one of the most influential animated films ever made. Directed and co-written by Otomo, the film was produced at Tokyo Movie Shinsha and adapted from Otomo's own manga, which ran in Kodansha's Young Magazine from December 1982 to June 1990. The story unfolds in a post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo, following biker gang leader Kaneda as he struggles to save his friend Tetsuo from a secret government research program that has awakened devastating psychic powers within him.
Crunchyroll described the film as "iconic and game-changing" and "the definitive anime masterpiece," stating that Otomo's work "obliterated the boundaries of Japanese animation and forced the world to look into the future." The re-release will give a new generation of fans the chance to experience the film's meticulously hand-drawn animation and Shoji Yamashiro's legendary gamelan-influenced score on the largest possible screens.
The dual-format rollout is notable for an anime theatrical event. Standard 4K digital cinema projection will bring out fine details in the film's famously dense cityscapes and fluid animation sequences, while IMAX screens will deliver the expanded aspect ratio and immersive sound design the format is known for. Both language tracks ensure the release caters to subtitle purists and dub viewers alike, a standard practice for Crunchyroll's theatrical anime releases in North America.
Specific theater chains and participating locations have not yet been detailed, though "select theaters" across both the United States and Canada will carry the screenings. Ticket sale dates are expected to follow in the coming weeks.
The theatrical re-release arrives at a particularly active moment for the director. Otomo recently founded a new animation studio called OVAL GEAR, based in Tokyo, with its first feature film currently in production. While no connection between the new studio's debut project and the Akira franchise has been confirmed, the timing of the re-release keeps Otomo's body of work in the spotlight.
Akira's cultural footprint extends far beyond anime fandom. The film is widely credited with popularizing Japanese animation in Western markets during the late 1980s and early 1990s, and its cyberpunk aesthetic has influenced filmmakers, musicians, and visual artists worldwide for nearly four decades. Kodansha USA continues to publish the original manga in English through its deluxe hardcover editions.
The September 4 screening date places the event just ahead of the fall anime season, giving it a clear window in the theatrical calendar. Crunchyroll has steadily expanded its theatrical anime distribution arm in recent years, partnering with Sony Pictures Entertainment on multiple high-profile releases. Fans interested in attending should watch for ticket availability announcements through their local theater chains in the weeks ahead.
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