Japanese courtyard at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens. (Photo by Aliza Schlabach)
The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is the exclusive U.S. venue for the exhibition “AKIRA: The Architecture of Neo-Tokyo,” showcasing the original background artwork of the classic Japanese science-fiction animation.
Running from Nov. 9 to April 6, the exhibit delves into the architectural world-building process behind “AKIRA.” Co-curated by Stefan Riekeles of Riekeles Gallery in Potsdam, Germany, and Hiroko Kimura-Myokam of Eizo Workshop in Kaga City, Japan, the showcase features hand-drawn works that bring to life the futuristic urban environments of the anime.
“AKIRA,” released in 1988, played a pivotal role in popularizing Japanese animation internationally in the early 1990s. The film’s cinematic impact largely stems from its vivid portrayal of Neo-Tokyo.
The exhibition contains more than 50 original production backgrounds, layout drawings and concept designs used in creating Neo-Tokyo, sourced from the studio archives of the artists involved in “AKIRA.” The artworks have never been exhibited outside Japan, and only a few have been published.
The showcase includes pieces by Toshiharu Mizutani, the production’s art director, and his colleagues Hiroshi Ono and Katsufumi Hariu.
The exhibition is made possible in part by the Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation.
Admission to the museum is $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, $12 for students and military with ID, and $10 for children ages 6 to 17. Museum members and children under 6 enter free.
The Morikami is at 4000 Morikami Park Road in Delray Beach. For further details, call 561-495-0233, or visit morikami.org.
