The futuristic electric motorcycle inspired by the legendary film Akira

Fans of Japanese anime films from the 1980s will most likely remember the iconic film Akira. Almost four decades later, the post-apocalyptic feature film that marked an entire generation is back in the news. The protagonist's flashy motorcycle, which has become a pop culture phenomenon, has inspired the vehicle you can see in the images.

Design firm Ichiban has designed a sleek, retro-futuristic electric motorcycle , which takes its name from the company itself, based on the original manga drawings by Katsuhiro Otomo. With the help of industrial designer Ivan Zhurba, the vehicle has been brought up to date with respect to the original creations from the last century and has been turned into a technically viable motorcycle for riding on the streets.

The term Ichiban means “number 1” in Japanese. And while it’s not the first electric motorcycle of its kind, there’s no doubt that it could rank among the best in its class. Unlike many of the flashy designs Ichiban has created in the recent past, this bike is designed to be production-ready.

Acceleration The vehicle can go from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds.

For those who are not familiar with Akira, the film adaptation of the manga of the same name remains, to this day, one of the most important works of science fiction in history. Although the new electric motorcycle is not an exact replica of the one used in the film, the silhouette, swingarm design and colour scheme are clearly inspired by it.

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The Ichiban motorcycle stands out for its angular shapes thanks to the presence of various geometric panels that cover most of its surface, including the wheels themselves, as the vehicle has spokeless rims. The fully digital dashboard is made up of a small screen with neon green animations reminiscent of video games from the 1980s.

As for lighting, the front features a rounded, vertical LED headlight, while the rear features a series of overlapping horizontal stripes. If we compare it to the bike ridden by the protagonist of Akira, we can see that the Ichiban has a more simplified and defined aesthetic.

Electrical range Provides up to 250 km of autonomy for each full charge

In terms of performance, the vehicle is designed to operate using a 45 kW dual-motor system that allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds. In addition, the bike includes a curious “Godzilla” mode that, when activated, allows it to maintain a speed of 100 km/h for 10 seconds.

According to the specifications provided by its creators, it is designed to have ABS and traction control. As for autonomy, it provides 250 km for each full charge, being able to reach 70% of that capacity in 30 minutes of connection to the electrical grid.

For now, the Ichiban is in the concept phase, so we'll have to wait and see if it becomes a reality.