Akira to Akira

The story begins in April 1986 and is set during the days of the bubble economy. Kaidou Akira comes from a wealthy background and is the heir of a large company Tokai Yuusen. On the other hand, his genius classmate from the University of Tokyo, Yamazaki Akira had a tough life due to the bankruptcy of his father’s company and having to run away from creditors but overcomes the odds to graduate from the top-notch school. The two are employed at the same bank and get caught in a battle lasting over 10 years which causes upheavals in their lives.

One of Japans’s foremost leading megabanks, Sangyo Chou, gains two fresh employees when Yamazaki Akira (Takeuchi Ryoma) and Kaido Akira (Yokohama Ryusei) become the latest to join the company. Hailing from very different backgrounds, the two might seem destined for rivalry, though, with their names being one of their only commonalities. Despite experiencing a rough upbringing after his parent’s bankruptcy, Yamazaki held on to the aspiration of helping others like his family by becoming a banker. Kaido, on the other hand—son of a well-to-do family that heads a large company—works with composure and can’t be swayed by emotion. As Kaido flourishes while climbing the corporate ladder, Yamazaki is demoted — yet the two cross paths once more when a family dispute leads the Kaido group into its own bankruptcy crisis.