In the post-apocalyptic metropolis of Neo-Tokyo, set 31 years after a cataclysmic explosion leveled the original city and triggered World War III, society is fractured and on the brink of collapse. Amidst the chaos, rival motorcycle gangs battle for control of the streets, engaging in high-speed chases and violent confrontations. The story follows Kaneda, a cocky leader of one such biker gang, and his childhood friend, Tetsuo, who exhibits a meeker, less assertive personality compared to the audacious Kaneda.

During one such gang conflict, Tetsuo encounters a strange child with wizened features and unusual powers; this event triggers a cascade of mysterious and inexplicable changes in Tetsuo. Military and government forces, secretive about past experiments on children with psychokinetic abilities, quickly capture Tetsuo. While confined, Tetsuo begins to manifest devastating psychic abilities of his own, struggling with the sudden upsurge in power and the attendant psychological torment. Meanwhile, Kaneda finds himself embroiled in a broader conflict involving anti-government activists, scientists, and politicians, all trying to unravel the significance of "Akira," the enigmatic individual linked to the history of psychic research and the previously destroyed Tokyo. As Tetsuo's powers grow, so does the threat he poses, prompting Kaneda to pursue his friend in a desperate attempt to save him and the city from a potentially catastrophic fate.