Akira Earns Over £1M Across UK and IRE Cinemas

Date: 2026 April 22 19:54

Posted by Joe

In case you've missed it classic anime movie Akira was released in the cinemas across the UK and Ireland on on Friday 17th April 2026. Anime Limited have told us that the release as gone very well so far and has earned over £1 Million so far. Making it the highest grossing classic release of the year and the all-time 4th highest UK & IRE opening weekend for an anime film.

The hugely influential classic is screening dubbed in English, in Japanese with English Subtitles and on IMAX too. To find a screening near you visit AkiraFilm.co.uk.

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THE HIGHEST GROSSING CLASSIC RELEASE OF THE YEAR
LEGENDARY SCI-FI "AKIRA" EARNS £1M
IN CINEMAS & IMAX NOW


©1988 MASH・ROOM / AKIRA COMMITTEE All Rights Reserved.

★★★★★
The Guardian

★★★★★
Total Film

★★★★★
Get Your Comic On

"Simply put, no AKIRA, no Matrix. It's that important"
EMPIRE

"The story of contemporary popular culture is incomplete without it"
The Times

Glasgow, UK, 22nd April 2026 - Anime Limited are thrilled to announce that AKIRA is the highest grossing classic release of the year. Exploding back into cinemas after first captivating audiences across the UK and Ireland 35 years ago, AKIRA has earned over £1 Million proudly showing that there's no better place to experience incredible films - old or new - than the cinema. AKIRA is in cinemas and IMAX now.

Standing alongside major studio blockbusters as the 5th highest grossing film at the UK & IRE box office last week, and the all-time 4th highest UK & IRE opening weekend for an anime film, AKIRA continues to prove its reputation as a timeless classic. On this monumental milestone, Anime Limited Theatrical Product Manager Anna Francis said:

"We're absolutely thrilled to see AKIRA take over £1,000,000 at the UK & Ireland box office. In recent years we have seen a huge surge in interest for classic anime films in cinemas and AKIRA is one of the best known anime films of all time. The monumental influence of the film is clearer now than ever and the fact it still resonates with audiences today, 38 years after it was initially released in Japan, is a sign of how incredible it is as an enduring work of art. It has been fantastic to see the marketing campaign reach new audiences as well as existing fans and we are sure this is a key reason behind the box office success to date. We have many exciting plans for AKIRA coming up over the next few months and can't wait to continue working with our wonderful cinema partners to bring AKIRA to more screens in the future."

One of the most influential Sci-Fi stories ever told, Katsuhiro Ôtomo's AKIRA was a cultural moment that introduced the world to anime. First released in Japan in 1988 and then the UK & Ireland in 1991, AKIRA is widely considered "a vital cornerstone of the cyberpunk genre" (British Film Institute), and on release was declared "a visceral example of the future of animation" (The Washington Post) - an assessment proven true by anime's rise as a global box office force that rivals even Hollywood blockbusters.

Rebuilt from the ashes of World War III, Neo-Tokyo is a breath-taking, neon-lit metropolis where lawlessness and corruption run rampant. Racing through its streets are Kaneda and Tetsuo, two delinquents and members of a biker gang. When they crash into a secret government plot and Tetsuo is experimented on, the result is an explosive, mesmerising masterpiece of animation that would change cinema forever.

Founded in Glasgow in 2012, Anime Limited are honoured to continue their mission of celebrating unique and original cinema by bringing the film that started it all back to the big screen - including the explosive spectacle of IMAX. Whether you've enjoyed AKIRA over the years or are discovering this classic for the very first time, there's no better way to experience it than on the biggest screen possible, as originally intended. Find your nearest screening at akirafilm.co.uk.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

Synopsis:

Iconic and game-changing, AKIRA is the definitive anime masterpiece! Katsuhiro Otomo's landmark cyberpunk classic obliterated the boundaries of Japanese animation and forced the world to look into the future. AKIRA's arrival shattered traditional thinking, creating space for future generations of ground-breaking movies.

July, 1988- World War III breaks loose. Then, in 2019, in megalopolis Tokyo...

As the leader of a group of young robust delinquents, Kaneda spent his nights tearing through the urban wastes, racing his motorbike against rival groups. One night while riding with his gang, his friend Tetsuo suddenly encounters a strange boy- the product of human experimentation- and is injured in the ensuing crash. Shortly thereafter, a military squadron appears on the scene to take the boy and Tetsuo away to an army research facility. Determined to free Tetsuo from capture, Kaneda sneaks into the army research lab. However, a regimen of extreme experimental procedures has awakened a new power in his friend, and now he is consumed by madness...

AKIRA releases in IMAX and cinemas in both Japanese with English subtitles, and English dubbed versions, from Friday 17th April.

About Anime Limited:

Founded in 2012, Glasgow-based Anime Limited is a subsidiary of TOHO GLOBAL and represents Japanese animation interests in the UK, France, and beyond. With a thoughtfully curated lineup of films, series, and soundtracks, Anime Limited has earned its title of Europe's favourite anime distributor. Whether through fan-centric cinema runs, beautifully packaged collector's editions, or sharing the best of anime music on vinyl, We offer bespoke experiences for all fans for titles such as Attack on Titan, BELLE, Cowboy Bebop, JUJUTSU KAISEN, Neon Genesis Evangelion, One Piece Film: RED, Spy x Family CODE: White, Your Name, and Weathering with You.