Not least thanks to streaming platforms anime productions have arguably moved into the mainstream nowadays and you can see the influences of these Japanese animations at the cutting edge of the Internet car culture, where renderings reside. Case in point with this Aston Martin Valhalla, whose AMR Pro makeover, with a potent cyberpunk flavor makes us want to picture the vehicle chasing bikes on the streets of Neo Tokyo in the Akira anime.
With the Akira title dating back to 1988, it’s only normal for the anime to get some description-reminder lines below. However, before we get to that, we also need to cover the basics of what the Valhalla is, since the 2019 concept will only be followed by a production model in 2023.
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the AM-RB 003 show car in person three years ago. And, even though this is, as Aston puts it, the son of Valkyrie (the British maker’s halo car), the motorsport-like design with all that negative space under the vehicle and the full carbon fiber construction blew me away—if you consider the fact that we’re looking at an uber-limited model (999 units) blurring the line between hypercars and supercars, which should come with a price of around $800,000, that conclusion is only natural.
Developed together with Red Bull, the production Valhalla will feature a powerplant that’s partly familiar. We’re looking at AMG’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 working together with two electric motors to deliver 950 PS (937 hp).
And while that level of firepower is perfect for pitting the Valhalla against hybrid beast such as the Ferrari SF90 Stradale (the Aston should weigh in at under 1,550 kg/3,417 lb), I could never shake the feeling that its output didn’t get past the magic four-digit number to keep the Valkyrie dominant—sure, these velocity devils are all about the handling and the immersive driving experience, but wouldn’t it be nice for the little brother to match its otherworldly looks with over 1,000 hp?
An AMR Pro Valhalla digital dream
Now, if Gaydon were to ignore the said limitation, the Valhalla could always be upgraded by receiving the AMR Pro treatment that was already announced for the Valkyrie, with the latter ditching the hybrid system and becoming lighter in the process, which also makes it a track-only car.
Sure, that would mean some of the power is lost, but, while we’re talking machines most of us will never afford, I’d rather have an even more focused, purer experience rather than chasing extra horsepower.
And this is where the rendering resting on our screens steps in. In fact, the digital artist known as Hakosan Designs has gone through multiple stages in his quest to spice up the Valhalla.
It all started with an AMR Pro version, which you’ll find in the second Instagram post below. As is the case with official efforts of the sort, this introduces even deeper aero channels across the vehicle, loses the chrome Aston grille in favor of a more focused approach, and adds a Le Mans-style wing, among others.
The next step, which got me even more excited, takes the Valhalla AMR Pro and gifts it with a new livery, while also changing the wheels and seeing that wing morphing into a generously-sized fin—this is displayed in the first Insta post below.
In fact, here’s how the artist sees this final form of his Valhalla work: “After months I decided to transform my Valhalla AMR Pro into a cyberpunk machine in the world of Akira or Ghost in the Shell, too much for a hypercar purist these days,“
Why I focused on the Akira part
Back in 1989, Katsuhiro Otomo‘s Akira anime, which was based on his eponymous manga series was a pioneering piece of animation that used motorcycle gang action to disguise a plot covering much deeper social issues. Among others, the tale reminds the world of the consequences of the nuclear bombs the U.S. dropped over in Japan in WWII.
And it’s no secret that rendering artists like Hakosan Design are digital pioneers, while their designs can cross boundaries that often prevent automakers from fully exploiting the potential of a vehicle.
But the vehicles highlighted in the show are mostly about motorcycles, with cars receiving considerably less attention, right? That is correct and yet Akira involves supernatural powers, which we’ve already established this Valhallah receives, not to mention the Neo Tokyo style of the rendering.
The attention to detail is mighty impressive, as you can easily notice when focusing on the various bits of this Aston—for me, the side view, wheels/tires included takes the cake.
It’s also worth noting that a Hollywood live-action Akira remake has been planned for over a decade now.
This sort of transformation comes with immense challenges, but it all depends on whether you wish to stick to the original vibe, in which case you’ll most likely be disappointed, or simply prepare yourself for another angle on the universe—for instance, I chose the latter version when consuming Netflix’s live-action adaptation of cult anime Cowboy Bebop and was thus able to enjoy the new production despite its shortcomings. Speaking of which, I can’t help but wonder about the vehicles in the potential Akira production.
