Shikishima Base

The Secret Government Facility: Where Colonel Shikishima attempts to control the uncontrollable power of Akira and Tetsuo Shima.

Located within Neo-Tokyo, it serves as the primary site for studying Tetsuo Shima after his motorcycle accident with the escaped esper Takashi. The facility is central to the plot's escalation, housing Tetsuo during his initial hospitalization and subsequent containment attempts by the military. It functions not merely as a prison but as a testing ground where the government hopes to replicate or control the power of Akira, the entity responsible for Tokyo's destruction in 1988. The narrative shifts dramatically when Tetsuo escapes this location, triggering a chain of events that leads to the city's eventual annihilation.

Quick Facts

Location

Secret government facility within Neo-Tokyo

Commander

Colonel Shikishima

Key subjects

Tetsuo Shima
Akira (Subject 1)
Takashi
Masaru
Kiyoko

Affiliation

Japan Self-Defense Forces; Neo-Tokyo Government

Lore & Background

The facility operates under the direct command of Japan Self-Defense Forces Colonel Shikishima, who oversees research led by Doctor Ōnishi. Its primary purpose is to investigate the psychic abilities of subjects like Takashi, Masaru, Kiyoko, and Tetsuo Shima, drawing parallels to Akira, the esper whose power destroyed Tokyo in 1988. While most of the setting adapts from Otomo's manga, the film plot diverges significantly. Inside, the facility is a place of high tension where Kiyoko forewarns Shikishima of Neo-Tokyo's impending destruction, concerns the city parliament ultimately dismisses.

This dismissal drives Shikishima to consider killing Tetsuo to prevent another cataclysm. The location becomes a battleground when Tetsuo, suffering intense headaches and hallucinations after escaping with his girlfriend Kaori, is re-hospitalized there. The espers attempt to kill Tetsuo via hallucinations within these walls, an effort that fails as Tetsuo retaliates by killing any orderlies or militiamen blocking his path.

Reader's Guide

The facility is the starting point for understanding the conflict between the state and the espers. It is where Colonel Shikishima discovers that Tetsuo possesses powerful psychic abilities similar to Akira. Visitors to the narrative must note that the hospitalization of Tetsuo here leads directly to his escape, which sets off the chain reaction of violence. Key moments include the initial interrogation by police where Kaneda meets Kei, and the subsequent infiltration by the resistance group. The facility's defenses are rendered useless when Tetsuo kills orderlies and militiamen, showcasing the limits of military force against psychic power. Ultimately, the location serves as the catalyst for Tetsuo seeking Akira under the Olympic Stadium, leading to the singularity that destroys Neo-Tokyo.

Did You Know?

The soundtrack draws heavily from traditional Indonesian gamelan and Japanese noh music, composed by Shōji Yamashiro.
Akira was released in Japan on July 16, 1988, exactly matching the fictional date of Tokyo's destruction in the story.
The film uses pre-scored dialogue, a first for an anime production where lip movements are animated to match recorded voice lines.