Movie
Description
Colonel Shikishima is the military commander of Neo-Tokyo and the head of a secret government project researching psychic abilities. Born in the original Tokyo on November 15, 1977, his life was profoundly shaped by the catastrophic psychic explosion caused by a child known as Akira, an event that destroyed the city and triggered World War III. His father, a Major in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, was killed during that destruction, an event that likely influenced Shikishima’s decision to enroll in the National Defense Academy. He had a distinguished military career, studying abroad at the US Department of Defense and helping to establish Japan’s Army Special Forces, before being appointed to his position overseeing the top-secret Akira research as a form of political exile due to his growing power.
Physically, the Colonel is an imposing and intimidating figure. He stands approximately 203 centimeters (about 6 feet 7 inches) tall with a large, bulky build, a thin mustache, and a distinctive crew cut that leads the young biker gang leader Shotaro Kaneda to refer to him as "The Skinhead". He almost always appears in military attire, contrasting with the more casual suits of the politicians he often clashes with.
His personality is marked by a serious, stoic, and stern demeanor, with anger and determination being his most visible emotions. While he may first appear as a rigid or even tyrannical authority figure, his actions are driven by a deep and genuine concern for Neo-Tokyo’s safety. He holds the city and its populace in significant contempt, once calling it a garbage heap made up of hedonistic fools, yet he continues to serve and protect it, believing that is simply what a soldier must do. This pragmatic and principled nature sets him apart from the corrupt and self-serving politicians on the city's Executive Council, who blame him for the city's problems and try to make him a scapegoat. He returns their contempt with barely concealed anger, once storming out of a Parliament meeting and later staging a coup d'état against the government to gain a free hand in dealing with a growing crisis.
The Colonel is skeptical of scientific theory, referring to scientists as romantics, and scoffs at the notion that psychic powers represent the next stage of human evolution. He muses that humans were not meant to meddle with natural evolution and refers to the preserved Akira as a Pandora's Box, criticizing the government for trying to hide what they had created. His primary motivation is to prevent a second cataclysm like the one that destroyed Tokyo. When a young, unstable biker named Tetsuo Shima begins to manifest psychic powers similar to Akira's, the Colonel is deeply disturbed and immediately advocates for killing Tetsuo to prevent another disaster. In stark contrast to his harsh military exterior, he displays a protective, soft, and fatherly demeanor towards the three young Espers under his care—Takashi, Masaru, and Kiyoko. He treats them with genuine kindness, always listens to their premonitions and warnings, and in turn, they respect and are fond of him.
Throughout the story, Colonel Shikishima serves as a key force attempting to contain the chaos unleashed by Tetsuo. He is responsible for recapturing the escaped Esper Takashi and subsequently bringing Tetsuo into the government's research facility. When his warnings about the danger are dismissed by the political leadership, he acts on his own authority, staging a military coup to direct all forces toward eliminating Tetsuo. His relationship with the project's head researcher, Doctor Onishi, is antagonistic; he is disgusted by Onishi's fascination with Tetsuo's powers and throws him across the room for neglecting the potential human cost and destruction. Despite his best efforts, including firing a powerful orbital laser weapon called SOL at Tetsuo, he is unable to stop the awakening of Akira, which leads to the final destruction of Neo-Tokyo. He survives the catastrophe because the Espers, as an act of gratitude, use their powers to teleport him to safety.
Notable abilities of Colonel Shikishima are not supernatural but stem from his position and military experience. He is a highly skilled and decorated soldier and strategist with a keen, calculating mind that always weighs the risks of a situation. He commands the full authority of Neo-Tokyo's military forces, has access to advanced weaponry like the SOL satellite, and is a pragmatic leader who is not afraid to make difficult, ruthless decisions, such as attempting to kill a teenager to save millions of lives.
Physically, the Colonel is an imposing and intimidating figure. He stands approximately 203 centimeters (about 6 feet 7 inches) tall with a large, bulky build, a thin mustache, and a distinctive crew cut that leads the young biker gang leader Shotaro Kaneda to refer to him as "The Skinhead". He almost always appears in military attire, contrasting with the more casual suits of the politicians he often clashes with.
His personality is marked by a serious, stoic, and stern demeanor, with anger and determination being his most visible emotions. While he may first appear as a rigid or even tyrannical authority figure, his actions are driven by a deep and genuine concern for Neo-Tokyo’s safety. He holds the city and its populace in significant contempt, once calling it a garbage heap made up of hedonistic fools, yet he continues to serve and protect it, believing that is simply what a soldier must do. This pragmatic and principled nature sets him apart from the corrupt and self-serving politicians on the city's Executive Council, who blame him for the city's problems and try to make him a scapegoat. He returns their contempt with barely concealed anger, once storming out of a Parliament meeting and later staging a coup d'état against the government to gain a free hand in dealing with a growing crisis.
The Colonel is skeptical of scientific theory, referring to scientists as romantics, and scoffs at the notion that psychic powers represent the next stage of human evolution. He muses that humans were not meant to meddle with natural evolution and refers to the preserved Akira as a Pandora's Box, criticizing the government for trying to hide what they had created. His primary motivation is to prevent a second cataclysm like the one that destroyed Tokyo. When a young, unstable biker named Tetsuo Shima begins to manifest psychic powers similar to Akira's, the Colonel is deeply disturbed and immediately advocates for killing Tetsuo to prevent another disaster. In stark contrast to his harsh military exterior, he displays a protective, soft, and fatherly demeanor towards the three young Espers under his care—Takashi, Masaru, and Kiyoko. He treats them with genuine kindness, always listens to their premonitions and warnings, and in turn, they respect and are fond of him.
Throughout the story, Colonel Shikishima serves as a key force attempting to contain the chaos unleashed by Tetsuo. He is responsible for recapturing the escaped Esper Takashi and subsequently bringing Tetsuo into the government's research facility. When his warnings about the danger are dismissed by the political leadership, he acts on his own authority, staging a military coup to direct all forces toward eliminating Tetsuo. His relationship with the project's head researcher, Doctor Onishi, is antagonistic; he is disgusted by Onishi's fascination with Tetsuo's powers and throws him across the room for neglecting the potential human cost and destruction. Despite his best efforts, including firing a powerful orbital laser weapon called SOL at Tetsuo, he is unable to stop the awakening of Akira, which leads to the final destruction of Neo-Tokyo. He survives the catastrophe because the Espers, as an act of gratitude, use their powers to teleport him to safety.
Notable abilities of Colonel Shikishima are not supernatural but stem from his position and military experience. He is a highly skilled and decorated soldier and strategist with a keen, calculating mind that always weighs the risks of a situation. He commands the full authority of Neo-Tokyo's military forces, has access to advanced weaponry like the SOL satellite, and is a pragmatic leader who is not afraid to make difficult, ruthless decisions, such as attempting to kill a teenager to save millions of lives.