An animated film adaptation was released in 1988, shortening the plot, but with its structure and scenes heavily informed by the manga and its serial origins. The manga takes place in a vastly larger timeframe than the film and involves a far wider array of characters and Subplots. Otomo's Akira projects – the manga and its animated film adaptation – marked his transition from a career primarily in the creation and design of printed manga to one almost exclusively in the creation, direction and design of anime for television and film.