Nerd Reactor: Akira has been in hot water for that last couple of years now. It can’t keep a director and the script has been rewritten numerous times by various writers. The most recent version written by Harry Potter’s Steve Kloves has hit the net. Our friend over at io9 got there hands on some of the pages of the script that is currently being sent out to various talent agencies. Some of the details from the script may actually please many fans that have been uneasy about the project. Lord knows how much an abomination Dragonball Evolution was.
Ok assuming this leaked script is indeed real it makes NO SENSE.
If they are gonna keep the name of all the characters the original Japanese names why bother changing the setting to Neo Manhatten? It makes less sense.
While some of the other changes are not to bad they aren't really needed. The Tetsuo and Kaneda as brothers while not a terrible change didn't need to be there as they basically were as close as brothers because of them growing up together.
I also find it hard to believe this script will get approved because if it does it means they would need to have a primarily Asian cast to fill the main characters roles and I highly doubt Hollywood would even attempt this. If they approve it and then make none Asian actors portray Japanese characters I will be very annoyed.