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AKIRA

  • Project
    Akira
  • Year
    2024
  • Role
    Director, Modeling, Surfacing, Animation, Lighting
  • Synopsis
    Kaneda (character from Akira) riding his iconic motorcycle through street.
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AKIRA

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About AKIRA Reimagined

Inspired by the legendary 1988 anime film AKIRA, this project is my tribute to its groundbreaking visual storytelling, cyberpunk aesthetics, and dynamic action sequences. My goal was to bring Kaneda to life in a highly detailed 3D environment while staying true to the original’s artistic vision.

Process Breakdown -

Recreating Kaneda’s iconic motorcycle scene from AKIRA was an exciting challenge that allowed me to refine my skills in storytelling, modeling, texturing, and animation while staying faithful to the original’s cyberpunk aesthetic. Below is a breakdown of my creative process

Reference -

Call out sheet for the character Kaneda and his motobike
character_CallOutSheet
Motorcycle_reference

Storyboard & Animatic -

Every great animation starts with a strong foundation in storytelling. I began by breaking down the original AKIRA scene into key frames, ensuring that my recreation captured the same dynamic energy and cinematic composition. Using these frames, I created an animatic to block out camera angles, timing, and motion dynamics, setting the groundwork for the final animation.
Akira_Storyboard-1
Akira_Storyboard-2
Akira_Storyboard-3
Akira_Storyboard-4
Akira_Storyboard-5
Akira_Storyboard-6
Akira_Storyboard-7
Akira_Storyboard-8

Head & Body Sculpting (ZBrush) -

I sculpted Kaneda’s likeness from scratch, ensuring accurate proportions and details while maintaining the stylized look of the original film.

Clothing (Marvelous Designer) -

Using Marvelous Designer, I created a realistic fabric simulation for Kaneda’s signature red jacket and pants, ensuring natural folds and movement that enhanced the realism.
AkiraClothing_MD

Retopology & UV Mapping (Maya) -

To optimize the model for animation, I cleaned up the high-poly sculpt in Maya, ensuring proper edge flow for smooth deformations.

Texturing (Substance Painter) -

Using PBR texturing techniques, I added fabric textures, weathering, and small details to enhance the believability of Kaneda’s look.

Motorcycle Modeling & Texturing -

Hard-Surface Modeling (Maya): The iconic red motorcycle was modeled in Maya, paying close attention to its futuristic, aerodynamic design. Every curve and decal was carefully crafted to match the original aesthetic.
Texturing (Substance Painter): Using Substance Painter, I added realistic materials such as glossy red paint, metal scratches, and illuminated decals to give the bike a well-worn but high-tech look.

This project was an exciting challenge in hard-surface modeling, texturing, and cinematic lighting, allowing me to refine my skills while paying homage to one of the most visually striking animated films of all time.

I hope you enjoy this reimagining of AKIRA!

Tools Used: Maya | ZBrush | Substance Painter | Marvelous Designer | Nuke X | Photoshop | Premiere Pro | Redshift

Credits – 

Director – Vito Yang

Modeling – Vito Yang   Maksim Bitiukov   Tina Gao

Surfacing – Vito Yang

Rigging – Ricardo Chaves

Animation – Vito Yang   Isaac Ordonez   Sergio Ambriz

Lighting – Vito Yang

Compositing – Tom Ji

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