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When ‘Akira’ premiered in 1988, it revolutionized animation not only through its storytelling and scale but also with its unprecedented use of colour. Unlike most animated films of the time, which relied on a limited and standard palette, ‘Akira’ pushed artistic boundaries by employing an astonishing 327 unique shades—including about 50 brand-new paint colours created from scratch—to bring its dystopian Neo-Tokyo to vivid life.
Why Create New Colours?
Set in a sprawling, chaotic metropolis bathed in neon light, smog, and destruction, ‘Akira’ needed a colour palette that could realistically portray this complex environment. The filmmakers sought to capture the stark contrasts of night scenes, the pulsating glow of neon signage, and the surreal energy of psychic powers. Existing animation paints simply couldn't achieve the depth, luminosity, and intensity required.
Thus, the art department developed roughly 50 custom paint colours, designed specifically for this film’s unique visual demands. These were blended into a broader palette of 327 distinct shades, far exceeding the norm for animated films at the time.
The Innovation Behind the Palette
Creating these colours was a meticulous process involving artists and chemists working together to design pigments with:
Enhanced brightness and glow to mimic neon lighting and electronic displays.
Richness and layering capacity to maintain detail in complex shading.
Consistency and stability to ensure uniformity across thousands of hand-painted animation cels.
This careful crafting allowed ‘Akira’ to achieve hyper-realistic lighting effects and vibrant textures, adding a new dimension to 2D animation.
Impact on Akira’s Visual Style
With its expanded palette of 327 unique shades, including the 50 specially created colours, ‘Akira’ painted a world that felt alive and immersive. From the cold blues and purples of night streets to the fiery reds and radioactive greens of destruction and psychic energy, the colours amplified the film’s mood and storytelling.
This complexity in colour helped:
Establish Neo-Tokyo as a dynamic, dangerous city pulsing with life.
Reflect characters’ emotional and physical transformations, especially Tetsuo’s violent mutation.
Draw audiences into a richly textured, atmospheric world.
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A Legacy of Colour Innovation
Akira’s colour innovation extended beyond the film itself, influencing anime, Western animation, film, and video game art direction. It demonstrated how a detailed, expansive palette could elevate animation from simple entertainment to serious, immersive art.
Even in today’s digital era, where colour grading is often done post-production, Akira’s painstaking hand-crafted palette remains a landmark achievement—a testament to the artistry and dedication that defined the film’s visionary world.
Conclusion
With its creation of 50 new paint colours and the use of an astounding 327 unique shades, Akira transformed the animation colour palette forever. It didn’t just depict Neo-Tokyo—it breathed life into it, crafting a future that is as vibrant and chaotic as the city itself. This innovative use of colour remains one of the film’s most enduring legacies, inspiring generations of filmmakers and artists worldwide.
