In one of Akira’s most memorable scenes, Shotaro Kaneda skids his 200-hp motorcycle sidways. The skid in the original manga isn’t the same iconic showpiece that it is in the anime. The scene has been copied and references by numerous anime, cartoons and live-action shows.
Just how many? Let’s try to find out!
The below clip was tweeted out by Twitter user Ichina and shows a handful of homages. As of writing, it has been liked nearly 160,000 times.
これまで様々なアニメがやってきたAKIRAのオマージュ。
映像研も加わる事に。#映像研#AKIRA pic.twitter.com/H4wXEJQuiL— いちな (@jmaieh) March 8, 2020
According to The Avocado, the earliest reference is in 1993 episode of Batman: The Animated Series with Robin making an Akira-style slide. But as many pointed out on Twitter, there are numerous other homages, which include video games and even TV commercials. For example:
https://twitter.com/a/status/1122083951890194432
Don’t forget this (From Marvel’s Spider-Man 2017) pic.twitter.com/LV3DOYxinB
— Kafka’s dad bod (@iammothbeast) March 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/a/status/1237021324469366784
https://twitter.com/a/status/1237037486779428864
https://twitter.com/a/status/1237033484834623488
The Brazilian cartoon “Irmão do Jorel” {Jorel Brother} pic.twitter.com/VrHOScHC6A
— Clecyo de Sousa (@clecyo) March 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/a/status/1237089876610142208
another from the TMNT 2012 Usagi Yojimbo episode. pic.twitter.com/AET07xpa7m
— Scott W. (@flipskip1) March 10, 2020
遊星もやってた pic.twitter.com/psDInkVt40
— 電邪羅主じーさん (@TsPPUXC1a9MBnPb) March 10, 2020
あぃまぃみぃ!ストロベリー・エッグ(2002) 4話 pic.twitter.com/mGovg7CrHH
— Ruby & Emmeline (@ruby_emy) March 9, 2020
ゲームにもありました pic.twitter.com/1cURXb0Plj
— シャケP (@tomsjjm) March 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/a/status/1237080090435035137
— Zebitas Martinex 🇨🇴🕶️🟣 @ NUEVO VIDEO (@ZebitasMartinex) March 9, 2020
And this one from Carmen Sandiego : pic.twitter.com/RuADINyNur
— Spadeas 🏳️⚧️ (@Spadeas49) March 9, 2020
Is this the most referenced anime sequence ever? I’m having a hard time thinking of another anime scene that has been copied so many times.
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