It was in Shanghai, where most of André Malraux's The Human Condition fictionally took place, that James Qiu designed this unusual motorcycle. She appears in Akira, a 1988 Japanese post-apocalyptic cyberpunk animated film by Katsuhiro Ōtomo, adapted from the manga of the same name. Its production budget of 1,1 billion yen (9 million euros) made it the most expensive animated film in history at that time.
The motorcycle appearing in this film was designed by Qiu, who specializes in automobiles, but also author of creations representing motorcycles.
One of the peculiarities of this motorcycle is that it incorporates an internal combustion engine to power the rear wheel, while the front wheel is driven by two electric motors.
Illustrations © James Qiu (Behance) via Rocket Garage et Asphalt and rubber
