How bout John Cho? Ken Leung? James Kyson Lee?

Or that kid from Twilight? JUstin Chon?

Isn\’t Kenneth Choi in Captain America?

Um, on topic? I\’m not sure this is a smart move for any of these guys. There\’s going to be crazy backlash for any of these choices. But acting-wise, I think they\’d all do fine, with the exception of Timberlake.

Why are they looking at people who already did a franchise or in the process of doing one like Pattinson and Garfield?

Truthfull I don\’t like none of these choices. I don\’t see why they can\’t have an Asian actor

Thank God my favourite anime isn\’t being looked at to be Americanized.

I mean \”Oh, for AKIRA WB is looking to cast any of the current Top Leading White Male Actors between the ages of 16-40!\”

It\’s not really news. It\’s just kinda stating the obvious.

I promise when it comes time to cast the female lead WB will be looking at every leading white actress between the ages of 16-35

And I like most of those actors. But really, they couldn\’t find one Asian actor to send the script to? Not one? I mean, they found enough actors from the UK to send the damn script to but not ONE ACTOR OF ASIAN DESCENT?

Thanks, Hollywood. We get it. No one but white actors and actresses need apply.

Then you say,

\”Now there is definitely going to be a cry that the material has been whitewashed… Still, die hard fans will definitely not be pleased…\”

… See what you did there?

But apparently, WB is keeping the name \”Akira\” and the names of the characters even tho they are moving it to New Manhattan. By keeping the title & character names & supposedly adhering to the manga\’s storyline (manga, not anime), there is some indication that the context is supposedly still Otomo\’s story.

Yet, even if they move it to Manhattan, you can\’t tell me that only white guys live there. Last I saw, Manhattan was fairly diverse in its ethnic makeup.

And if the film(s) will be adhering closely to the manga, why are the actors all older guys? Tetsuo and Kaneda are teenagers at the beginning of the manga?

I get that there will be changes in any book-to-film adaptation, but they could at least have tried to find one Asian actor to send the script to for one of the parts. Or maybe an African-American actor. Or Hispanic. Or anyone but just white guys.

Or how about one actor who looks young enough to be a teenager.

I mean, what\’s next? Justin Bieber for the part of Akira? Relative to all these guys, he is practically a child.

The race issue is a legitimate complaint. Whining about popular actors who fanboys happen to hate making short lists, is not.

Hollywood is creatively bankrupt. No surprise when it\’s run by a bunch of thirtysomething tools.

Now we fastforward to 2011 where Akira is being offered to only Caucasians. Deja Vu! Well like back then, someone has to fight this racist casting. Well I note that an Italian Leonardo Dicaprio\’s company Appian Way is producing this film. I think Leonardo has the passion and power to fight for 1 of the 2 roles to be Asian. So I\’m calling you out Leo! You seem to be man of principal and integrity. Don\’t let this injustice go under your watch!