I'm still a bit confused about Akira being a boy (not narrative wise), but looking absolutely feminine looking even by anime standards. Almost like they were meant to be female at first, then changed to a male character for other reasons. Maybe because Kon and Aya show up later.
Or it's just another of those, "why are Japanese people always so stupidly pretty" sort of things.
I think a detective show (Rampo something, I forget the name) does the exact same thing.
"Evening caress, Always yearning, I must confess, The stars aren't burning"
Copernicus - Candlemass