“Akira” (アキラ), Ultra‑Rare Original Japanese Tankōbon Launch / Young Magazine Promotional “Speed” Poster 1984, Long B2 Speed Size (c. 34.4 × 72.8 cm) O543

This is an original Japanese in‑store display / bookstore promotional poster produced by Kodansha and Young Magazine to launch Katsuhiro Otomo’s first Akira tankōbon, PART 1〈鉄雄〉. Issued around the 1984 release of Vol.1, it is printed in the tall, narrow “Speed” format (approximately B2 height with a reduced width) for eye‑level display on bookshop walls and end‑caps.

Ultra‑rare original survivor: Pieces of this type are virtually never offered for sale. This exact design is reproduced in the official AKIRA CLUB compendium. 

Dating and identification

Across the diagonal bands the copy shouts 「アキラ遂に単行本に！」(“Akira finally in tankōbon form!”) and 「ヤンマガ本誌サイズで登場!!」 (“Arriving in full Young Magazine size!!”). The lower text block reads:

「『アキラ』大友克洋 PART1〈鉄雄〉第①巻好評発売中！ 描きおろし豪華カバー・巻頭カラー8ページつき・B5判・362ページ 大サービス定価＝1,000円コミックス」

This specifies a B5, 362‑page volume with a brand‑new cover, 8‑page colour opener and a special ¥1,000 price—details that correspond to the first collected edition of Akira Vol.1 issued by Kodansha in September 1984. Together with the Young Magazine and Kodansha logos at lower right, these details firmly place the poster in the 1984 tankōbon launch campaign.

Poster design

The design is pure early‑’80s Otomo. A huge gradient “AKIRA” masthead crowns the sheet, with “OTOMO KATSUHIRO” beneath. On the right border, the magenta pillar declares 「大友克洋の本格SFアクション！」 (“Katsuhiro Otomo’s full‑blooded SF action!”). On the left, turquoise vertical copy insists 「アキラだけは、このサイズで読みたかった！」—roughly, “Akira is the one series you wanted to read at this size!”

The central teal panel condenses the manga’s premise, recounting the detonation of a new‑type bomb over the Kanto region and the slide into World War III, foreshadowing Neo‑Tokyo’s setting decades later—mirroring the manga blurbs. In front of this, a young, hard‑edged protagonist aims a pistol straight out at the viewer, sleeves and tunic rendered in thick, expressive inks. Across his chest, the two jagged banners—deep blue over green—push the key selling points: first tankōbon appearance and “Young Magazine main‑issue size.”

Along the bottom, bold blue 「アキラ」 type anchors the layout, followed by “PART 1〈鉄雄〉第①巻好評発売中！” and a specifications line promising 「描きおろし豪華カバー・巻頭カラー8ページつき・B5判・362ページ」. A red bar shouts 「『アキラ』グッズが1,500人に当たるスペシャルプレゼントもあるゾ！」, teasing a prize campaign for 1,500 winners. The classic green “YOUNG” masthead and yellow 「講談社」 box at lower right tie it directly to Young Magazine and Kodansha.

Why collectors prize this example

• Early manga‑era point‑of‑sale piece directly tied to the debut tankōbon, created several years before the 1988 feature film but already framing Akira as a “本格SFアクション” landmark.

• Rare “Speed” format: a tall, slim cut of a B‑series sheet (approx. 344 × 728 mm) designed for bookstore fixtures—printed in small numbers and almost always discarded after the campaign.

• Rich in on‑sheet information—pricing, format specs, giveaway copy and hype slogans—making it a key historical artefact for the launch of Akira Vol.1.

• A true “holy grail” for Otomo and Akira completists, complementing theatrical B‑posters and later video materials with a pure 1984 Young Magazine bookstore aesthetic.

Condition

Excellent condition for its age (over 41 years). No writing, tape, or tears; colours remain strong and saturated, with the blue‑to‑purple “AKIRA” masthead and teal central panel especially vivid.

Please review the photos, which show the exact item for sale.
It is an original 1980s printing, not a modern reproduction.
Certificate of Authenticity included.

Details

• Country: Japan

• Year: 1984 (issued for the launch of Akira Vol.1 tankōbon, first published September 1984, B5 format, ¥1,000).

• Type: Bookstore display / Young Magazine promotional “Speed” poster (tankōbon launch point‑of‑sale piece)

• Size: c. 34.4 × 72.8 cm (728 × 344 mm) — tall, narrow “Speed” / long‑B2 style format

• Printed identifiers on sheet (selection):

  • 「大友克洋の本格SFアクション！」 (right vertical headline)

  • 「アキラだけは、このサイズで読みたかった！」 (left vertical headline)

  • 「アキラ遂に単行本に！」 / 「ヤンマガ本誌サイズで登場!!」 (diagonal banners)

  • 「『アキラ』大友克洋 PART1〈鉄雄〉第①巻好評発売中！」

  • 「描きおろし豪華カバー・巻頭カラー8ページつき・B5判・362ページ」

  • 「大サービス定価＝1,000円コミックス」

  • 「『アキラ』グッズが1,500人に当たるスペシャルプレゼントもあるゾ！」

  • 「YOUNG」 masthead, 「掲載中！」 tag, and 「講談社」 publisher box