Akira 1990 SDCC Poster Tee

Celebrate the 34th anniversary of the legendary debut of Akira’s Streamline English Dub at San Diego Comic-Con 1990 with this Limited Edition Akira SDCC Tee.

The English dub of Akira was a turning point in anime accessibility, bringing the art form to a broader, global audience. I think almost everyone now think of Akira when you mention anime in today’s world.

so it’s time to bring back the original English dub release with a tee. :) 

This Comfort Colors Ivory tee is hand-screened with water-based black ink, giving it a worn-in, vintage feel that stands out without being overdone. The design is a tribute to the history of Akira and its impact on pop culture.

Product Details

Comfort Colors 100% Cotton Tee in Ivory Colorway.
• Hand-screened with water-based black ink for a clean, eco-friendly finish.
• Limited edition fine art print on 186-gram paper included with each purchase.
• Celebrating 34 years since Akira’s 1990 SDCC debut.

Shipping Information:

• Free shipping for orders over $75.
• Flat-rate shipping of $5 for all other orders.
• Ships within 5-7 business days after purchase


Why this Drop?

This release celebrates the pivotal moment when Streamline Pictures brought Akira to U.S. audiences, breaking barriers for Japanese animation in the West. In 1990, Streamline premiered the first English dub of Akira at San Diego Comic-Con, forever changing the landscape of anime culture. Streamline’s Impact on Anime in the U.S.: Streamline Pictures, founded by Carl Macek and Jerry Beck, was created with a vision to bring uncut, authentic Japanese anime to Western audiences at a time when much of the content was being heavily edited.

Macek had already helped popularize anime with Robotech, but Streamline allowed him to preserve the artistic integrity of the original works.

When Streamline secured the rights to Akira, the staff made it clear that distributing a film wasn’t the only reason they fought for Akira, it was about delivering an untouched experience to a new audience. The 1990 dub premiere at San Diego Comic-Con introduced the world to the unfiltered power of anime, opening doors for other titles like My Neighbor Totoro, Castle in the Sky, and Robot Carnival to reach American viewers.


Why English Dubs Matter:

While the common saying is ‘subs not dubs’, English dubs like Streamline’s are incredibly important. They bring anime to a broader audience, breaking down language barriers and making these meaningful life changing stories accessible to people who may not have been interested in a ‘foreign-language film’.

For some folks this is the only way they can access a movie like this, and for others, it’s a way to get into a movie they never would have even thought to try out.

By supporting dubs, we help preserve anime’s global reach and ensure it continues to be shared with new generations of fans. And that seems fucking important.