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EPIC
COMICS*

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*VOL
1,
NO
32
ARIA
BY KATSUHIRO OTOMO

Chapter 32

CLASS REUNION
WHAT HAS identified by a number
marked on the hand. Among
GONE them were Kiyoko and
BEFORE Masaru — Numbers 25
and 27. The blind Lady
Miyako — Number 19 —
was once among their ranks
but now heads a great
feligious cult, Number 41 is
Tetsuo, once Kaneda’s
friend, but now his greatest
enemy. Tetsuo lost his left
arm to a laser blast from the
Colonel's military satellite
SOL, and has used cybernet-
ics and telekinesis to fabri-
cate for himself a prosthetic
replacement.
Most powerful of all the
children is Number 28 —
Akira — a docile and
enigmatic boy who was
placed in a cryogenic sleep
almost forty years ago after
he started the Third World
030. The world hovers War with a mental blast. He
on the brink of World was recently reawakened by
War IV. Kaneda, one- the jealous and ambitious
time leader of a delinquent Tetsuo. Shortly thereafter he
gang, is caught up in the responded to an emotional
aftermath of a power struggle trauma by again devastating
between a Japanese military the reconstructed city of
research organization — led Neo-Tokyo. Now Japan
by a man known only as the exists in a state of emergency.
Colonel — and a resistance The forces of the army and
group whose members include the resistance scattered, and
Kay, Ryu, and Chiyoko. the military's formidable
The Colonel had a “caretaker robots” patrol the
number of psychic children streets.
under his control. Each is In the western part of

Kaneda Kiyoko Kay

 Neo-Tokyo the Great Tokyo Yamada — who takes
Empire is formed — a temporary shelter with Ryu
monarchy with Akira on the — are killed. Ryu wants to
throne and Tetsuo as his join with Yamada until he
prime minister. Together the learns that the spy plans to
pair use their powers, healing assasinate Akira even if it
the sick, wielding control of means taking innocent lives.
the faithful, and organizing After that, Ryu keeps an eye
their subjects. Most faithful on Yamada, trying to protect
among their numerous follow- both the invader and the
ers are Tetsuo’s dapper, people of Neo-Tokyo.
ambitious assistant assistant Aboard an American naval
and his friend Kaori. Their vessel, an international group.
headquarters is Neo-Tokyo's of scientists studying the
Olympic Stadium. To the Akira phenomenon learns
east, Lady Miyako welcomes that the world's armies have
refugees, including Kay and amassed an Akira Assassi-
Chiyoko, to her shrine. In nation Corps, despite their
this, she is aided by Kiyoko, recommendations, They are
Masaru, and a number of aghast to learn that, to stop
loyal and psychically gift Akira, the military is willing
monks. to destroy all of Neo-Tokyo
The Empire is infiltrated and its citizens, if necessary.
4 teams of spies from the One of the scientists —
outside world, but all of Stanley Simmons — goes
them except Lieutenant ashore without authorization,

SN ia|
The Colonel Ryu Stanley Simmons
hoping desperately to gang days — is outraged to
implement a secret plan. learn of the risk that Miyako
Meanwhile, Lady Miyako, has talked Kay into taking.
Masaru, and Kiyoko con- He vows to kill Tetsuo
vince Kay to join them in himself rather than let Kay
battle against Tetsuo, face such danger. He, Kai
because Kay is a powerful and Joker formulate a
medium through whom the strategy involving most of
others could project their their men as well as the
powers and strike as one. state-of-the-art weapons
Lady Miyako explains that they've salvaged, including
Akira’s personality has been laser rifles, flying platforms,
destroyed by his power, and one caretaker robot.
leaving him a passive vessel, Together, they head for the
and that when Tetsuo's char- Olympic ‘Stadium.
acter is likewise eroded, he
too will be beyond control. Following his huge
Remembering that, on a expenditure of power, Tetsuo
whim, Tetsuo recently begins to lose control, and
destroyed part of the moon his artificial arm assumes a
and set off geological grossly mutated form. He
cataclysms, Kay agrees to tuns amok, killing anyone
join them. who comes too close. His
Kaneda, who's teamed up power has grown beyond
with Kai and Joker — a what his body can contain
friend and a rival from his and is now trying to absorb

Lady Miyako Lt Yamada

its surroundings. Tetsuo, causing him to
Yamada and his men mutate again.
meet one of Tetsuo’s trained Kaori, still loyally trying to
psychics — the Eggplant find someone to help the boy
Man. To their dismay, they she loves, learn that Tetsuo's
find that he can withstand former assistant is now
gunfire. .and kill without planning to betray and
touching. However, they are murder his former master. As
able to distract him long she runs to warn Tetsuo, the
enough to kill him, and then traitor shoots her in the back.
eliminate Tetsuo’s other Tetsuo, his mutations
trained psychics with temporarily in remission,
biochemical weapons, saving comes upon her as she dies,
their deadliest germs for use
against Tetsuo.
Soon after, the Colonel
also reaches the stadium,
determined to kill Tetsuo,
who he believes could
become another Akira. He
manages to fire one blast
from SOL before outside
military forces seize control
of the satellite by computer.
Then, Joker arrives on a
flying platform and strikes
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