Tron: Ares Pulls Off Akira’s Legendary Bike Slide in a Jaw‑Dropping Live‑Action Moment
Tron: Ares includes a clear live-action nod to Akira’s famous motorcycle slide, and the filmmakers say that reference was intentional. The movie puts a version of Kaneda’s celebrated bike move into a real-world light cycle chase, and both the director and Jared Leto have commented on how they view Tron’s place among sci‑fi influences.
- Akira bike slide influence
- Nope and other live-action references
- How Tron: Ares uses the shot
- Context and director/producer quotes
Akira bike slide influence
For nearly four decades, Kaneda’s bike slide from Akira has been a widely copied visual. Dozens of cartoons and video games have made their own versions of the move, from Batman: The Animated Series to Pokémon and Steven Universe, as well as games like Rocket League, Tekken 8, and Overwatch 2. In short, the shot has a long history in animation and gaming.
For a compilation of animated takes on the move, see the clip below.
Nope and other live-action references
Live-action films have referenced the Akira slide less often. However, Jordan Peele’s Nope included the move, showing it can appear in big studio productions as well. The inclusion in Nope followed Peele turning down a job to direct an Akira adaptation.
How Tron: Ares uses the shot
In Tron: Ares, the character Ares (played by Jared Leto) performs a take on the bike slide during a chase while pursuing Eve Kim (Greta Lee). Director Joachim Rønning called the choice a “very intentional” one. The film pairs that move with the franchise’s signature light cycles, linking Akira’s visual with Tron’s established aesthetic.
Also, the production highlighted connections between design histories: Kaneda’s bike and the original Tron cycles share a lineage through designers like Syd Mead, and Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo has cited the original Tron cycle designs as an influence. For more on Otomo’s comments, see this Forbes piece on Otomo’s comments.
Context and director/producer quotes
The filmmakers framed the reference as both a tribute and a way to place Tron: Ares in a broader sci‑fi conversation. Director Joachim Rønning said, “They’re almost like a part of each other, Akira and the OG Tron,” and called the choice “very intentional.”
Rønning also told Polygon: “I feel the original Tron and [Joseph] Kosinski’s Tron: Legacy, I think they are masterpieces.” He added, “There’s a tough fan base for the Tron universe, so I just hope that there’s a little bit for everyone in there.”
Jared Leto, who also produced Ares, described Tron as “one of the great science-fiction franchises.”
Finally, the filmmakers referenced the idea of the move as part of the industry’s appreciation for spectacle and design. For a discussion of the “rule of cool” that often underlies such stunts, see this rule-of-cool essay on Medium.
