There were several (legal) issues of Shoji Yamashiro's score (performed by his band Geinoh Yamashirogumi, a massive choir, and a host of bizarre percussive instruments.) The one I have is the first, "Symphonic Suite AKIRA," sort of a 70-minute conceptual version of the score, although all the important music is there. A more direct soundtrack, with cues as heard in the film, came out later. Finally, an American company issued the straight soundtrack version, which I've never heard. I DO have a CD single of a couple of themes, which were also mixed far differently than on Symphonic Suite. It's all the same music, really, it's just that Yamashiro enjoyed playing with it (and the Japanese record companies enjoyed stringing fans along -- the CD single was the ONLY release in Japan for MONTHS, and the "original soundtrack" version might have come out a full YEAR later! Inscrutable ...)

JVC JIMI 1001 - a score only presentation of 10 tracks (69:35). Very highly recommended.

Demon Soundtracks DSCD 7 - 4 very long tracks (43:07) which unfortunately combines music with dailog and sound effects.

NP: Images (Mr. Williams)

I recommend the JVC version highly.

My version has no songs at all.

My feeling is the "ten-song version" is the one you want, as there seems to be more music and it's the more interesting album. But I'm not absolutely certain what the "four-song" version is (probably the OST?)

My own rule of thumb would be: Get the longest one! AKIRA is a great score.

NP: Ennio Morricone "At the Movies"