Akinci tells the story of Fatih, a fighter of the modern world who gets inspiration from Ottoman history and risks his life to safeguard the city from its enemies.

 

The subject of the Akinci series is based on the important events that have been passed on to a fearless man in his early 30s named Fatih. Keeping the memory of his late father, a former military soldier, close to his heart, he becomes the defender of his city leaving no crime unpunished.

One night he saves a young female reporter who showcases the first footage of the hero AKinci on the local news. Unexpectedly she becomes Fatih’s neighbor tangling him in her troubles. Along the way enemies rise and he must find a way to protect his family and his city.

 

ABOUT THE LIVE-ACTION AKINCI SERIES

Akinci is a 2021 action, crime, drama, science fiction, fantasy, and historical-based Turkish television series produced by NTC Media and distributed by ATV. The series was directed by Veli Çelik and written by Hakan Kandal.

The series stars Şükrü Özyıldız, Büşra Develi, Yıldıray Şahinler, and Tolga Tekin in leading roles. The first season aired originally 67 episodes of 45 min on the ATV network but on YouTube, they are condensed into 20 episodes of 2 hours each. The English title for the series is supposed to be “Raider” but it’s referred to as “Striker” in the English subtitles.

 

THE STORY

Akinci tells the struggle of a modern hero who takes his roots in Ottoman history and protects his city and its people at the cost of his life.

 

MEETING FATIH

Fatih never dreamed of becoming a hero. In his thoughts, there was not even that idea to drop everything and go to save the world. He lives with his family consisting of his mom, his little brother & sister, and his aunts. Fatih is protective of everyone, especially his younger siblings. He likes to give the necessary knowledge to young people and therefore Fatih decided to devote his life to teaching at the high school where his little sister attends.

Fatih was always an honest man and fought for justice, because of this, he was constantly indignant at what was happening on the streets of his hometown. He does not like that criminals feel impunity for their atrocities since the authorities are inactive.

Fatih is a handsome and idealistic history teacher. Fatih is a fearless young man. As soon as he graduates from college, Fatih encounters Orhan and he introduces himself as his father’s teammate. He comes from a line of ancestors who have served as guides (assistant and instructor) to the Akinci Beys (lords) with great loyalty. Orhan explains that Fatih’s family’s history is linked to the Ottoman ‘Akinci Bey’ tradition and that his father is deceased as a result of assassination. Orhan helps Fatih to train and fulfill his destiny as the warrior of the crescent.

 

THE HERO AKINCI

Now in his early 30s, Fatih takes on a mission that has endured for centuries. With assistance from Orhan, he undergoes training and infiltrates various crime syndicates. By day, he masquerades as an ordinary history teacher, but by night, he assumes the identity of Akinci, concealing his true self behind a mask.

As Akinci, he becomes a renowned figure, undertaking numerous heroic operations with unwavering dedication. His focus on his missions leaves little room for a personal life, and he remains skeptical about love. Orhan aids him in covert operations, providing valuable intelligence. Orhan comes from a family that has served the Akinci Beys for centuries. Meanwhile, journalist Nergis Emiroglu, intrigued by Akinci’s enigmatic persona, pursues both his story and his true identity.

While striving to thwart weapons trafficking, Akinci also delves into uncovering the Turkish organizations behind various illegal activities. As pressure mounts from authorities like Director Kemal Günay and Commissioner Cüneyt, Akinci must navigate a web of challenges to fulfill his mission and protect his city.

 

THE CRIMINALS IN ISTANBUL

Köksal and his men invade the City Lines ferry on Cevdet’s orders and take the passengers inside hostage. Akıncı is unaware of the trap set for him on his way to the scene. Cevdet wants to strengthen his hand against Lukas by killing Akinci. Daffodil will attend the promotional night of Oilz’s collection, but as soon as he hears about the action, he heads to the scene. Getting past the police and getting to the ferry won’t be as easy as he expected. The dark forces are severely damaged by the operations Akinci held, and they are in motion to destroy him.

In the meantime, Kemal is looking to get through the action without any problems and to catch Akinci, who monopolizes justice on his own. With Akinci’s intervention, Lukas was neutralized. Cevdet wants to mediate the smuggling of weapons, taking the opportunity to retreat to Lukas’ corner. This illegal trade, which is on Orhan’s radar, also involves Akinci.

However, the landscape Orhan and Akinci face is more than gun trafficking. The “Trafficking and Organized Crime Branch” follows Cevdet’s irregular affairs. Kemal believes that this is an early move when the search and capture decision is made about Cevdet.

 

LOVE AND ITS COMPLICATIONS

After meeting Nergis who would make him eventually like her, he would face many new challenges. Nergis is a successful journalist who is after Akinci’s real identity. During one operation, Akinci saves her life. And their paths cross again when Nergis rents the apartment that belongs to Fatih’s family.

Cüneyt, who is a member of special forces, and is after chasing Akinci, was once platonically in love with Nergis. As Fatih draws nearer to Nergis, he remains unaware that Nergis’ father, Cevdet, is one of the individuals responsible for the turmoil plaguing the country. Despite this revelation, Akinci remains committed to defending his nation and seeking vengeance for his father.

 

THE THEMES

The themes in the Akinci series encompass a range of elements that contribute to its depth and complexity:

 

HEROISM

At the heart of the series lies the theme of heroism, as protagonist Fatih grapples with the responsibility of protecting Istanbul and its people at great personal sacrifice. But we also see heroism displayed by other characters. When Fatih’s mother confronted the criminals that entered her restaurant she inspired the other women that were there to not be scared. At that moment she was a hero to me.

 

LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS

The series explores the complexities of love and relationships, as Fatih and Orhan navigate romantic entanglements amidst their duties as modern-day heroes. It’s funny to see how the women in Fatih’s family are so interested in his love life. The series goes beyond just the love between lovers, it emphasizes the love of family and friends.

 

HISTORY AND LEGACY

Drawing from Ottoman history, Akinci delves into themes of legacy and lineage, as Fatih discovers his connection to the ancient Akinci Bey tradition and embarks on a mission that spans generations. Even though part of the history is explained in the intro and across the series, there is so much that is not mentioned which makes me have a lot of questions.

 

JUSTICE AND MORALITY

As Fatih confronts crime syndicates and corruption within the city, the series delves into questions of justice, morality, and the pursuit of what is right in the face of adversity. However, it is not clear who all the enemies are and what their purpose is.

 

IDENTITY AND PURPOSE

Fatih’s journey is also a quest for identity and purpose, as he grapples with his role as a hero and his place in the world. He takes it very seriously, so much so that he doesn’t let any distractions affect his work. But the road ahead will be difficult to navigate. He will question his identity and purpose but will find inner strength to keep fighting for what is right.

 

POWER AND CORRUPTION

The series explores themes of power and corruption, as Fatih battles against dark forces seeking to undermine the city and exploit its people for personal gain.

 

FRIENDSHIP AND BETRAYAL

Throughout his journey, Fatih encounters allies and adversaries, highlighting themes of friendship, loyalty, and betrayal in the face of danger.

 

HOPE AND RESILIENCE

Despite the challenges he faces, Fatih embodies themes of hope and resilience, inspiring those around him to stand firm in the face of adversity and strive for a better future.

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: A GLIMPSE INTO THE WORLD OF “AKINCI”

The story of “Akinci” takes viewers on a journey into a world where the echoes of Ottoman history intertwine with the challenges faced by a modern-day hero named Fatih. Right from the start, the series grabs hold of audiences with its compelling storyline and well-developed characters. Following Fatih’s adventures, we find ourselves immersed in a world filled with danger, romance, and mystery.

 

FAMILIARITY

In some ways, “Akinci” brings to mind the 90s series “Lois and Clark,” albeit with less emphasis on romance. They appear not to like each other at first glance. Like Lois, Nergis often finds herself in trouble but Fatih doesn’t have superpowers, he relies on his wit and determination to overcome obstacles and eventually save her.

Nergis is not blindly in love with him but is unhealthily obsessed with Akinci so much that she doesn’t pay attention to anything else happening in the newsworthy city. Nergis is a reporter but Fatih is just a teacher and he loves his job. While I see some similarities, at one point Fatih even has the “Clark Kent Look”, in reality, the series is something completely different.

 

WATCHING EXPERIENCE

The series is a unique blend of crime drama, science fiction, fantasy, action, and romance. While the story can be slow at times due to its focus on multiple characters, it ultimately enriches the narrative, making us care deeply about their fates like Fatih’s family members. It is how the demise of a lovable character leaves a bitter taste, the acting is so good you feel the pain through and through. Later on, when a significant character gets killed you feel sad for all those he is leaving behind.

The series concludes with an open ending, leaving viewers wondering about Fatih’s future. There are magical/mythical forces bound to the legend and Fatih is just starting to uncover them. Whether there will be a continuation of the series remains uncertain, but in the meantime, the cartoon series serves as a continuation of the legacy of Akinci. “Akinci” offers a captivating exploration of heroism and heritage, leaving a lasting impression on those who venture into its world.

 

GIVING IT A CHANCE: EMBRACING THE ADVENTURE

For those willing to embark on this adventure, “Akinci” is an interesting ride filled with unexpected twists and turns. With its blend of science fiction, fantasy, action, drama, and romance, the series offers an immersive viewing experience. The intro of each episode is a short narration of the legend/history of Akinci. As we follow Fatih’s quest to protect Istanbul and uncover the truth about his past, we are compelled to join him in his daring escapades.

Season 1 is not heavily action-packed but it does have entertaining action sequences. It focuses a lot on drama and the bad guys do a lot of mental gymnastics to get what they want. The element that got me interested more is the historical element, having the protagonist linked to his ancestors from the 14 hundreds particularly pointing to May 29, 1453. The day that the Sultan started a tradition that would protect his city and country from all enemies and evil, the use of the Sword of Justice.

The challenge to watch this series is its availability online. Apart from the official series YouTube channel and Facebook page, it’s not available on any major international streaming platform. And the automatic English translation on YouTube is not that great so there may have been things lost in translation that I did not understand correctly or went over my head but overall, it was a great watch.  “The handsome male lead had nothing to do with it” saying this in a very unconvincing voice 😊

 

One curious fact about the Turkish name of the series is that Akinci, in real life is the name of a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) from the Turkish Navy that can perform various missions, such as air-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-sea attacks.

 

THE CARTOON SERIES

As mentioned before, there is also the 2023 cartoon series on YouTube that is what the live-action series wasn’t as an action superhero series. Targeting a younger audience, with more action, more tech, and more lore, the cartoon series takes a different approach than the life-action.

Even though the cartoon style is not that great, the storytelling was good enough to keep me engaged and interested. Season 1 and Season 2 each have 13 of approximately 22 to 23 minutes each episode. The series was distributed by ATV, directed by Ammar Gündüz, and written by Hakan Kandal, the same writer of the live-action series, and Ali Hakan Kaya.

 

THE NEW UNIVERSE

In this universe, Akıncı is the reflection of the Akıncı tradition, the Sword of justice, which defends goodness, order, and justice and is the Turkish superhero’s great defense against the deep-rooted Chain tradition that fosters evil and chaos. While the Chain, consisting of five villains whose identities we did not know for a long time, is after the ancient sword, Fatih is trying to protect a tradition that has existed for centuries and flourished with the sword.

 

ALLIES AND ENEMIES

The Chain has a very strong influence in the fields of media, biochemistry, finance, weapons, and informatics, but of course, Akıncı is not alone against the Chain of Evil. His biggest assistants are the artificial intelligence he designed, named Cezeri, named after the scholar and inventor Al-Jazari, and Orhan, the last member of a family that comes from the Akinci tradition and has served the Akinci Beys for centuries.

 

MORE LIKE IRONMAN?

In addition to being the last representative of an ancient tradition, Akıncı is also a technological genius who can make his costumes, equipment, and vehicles very similar to Iron Man. He has three vehicles named Miraş, Puyan, and Mercan, whose names are inspired by Turkish culture, a crossbow on each of his wrists, crescent stars on his waist, and a technological stick on his back.

 

LIVE-ACTION VS CARTOON

The life-action seems to have left a lot of lore out that they could have used such as a clear explanation of the villains and a deeper exploration of the technical abilities of Fatih. It seems like they wanted it to have the familiar structure of a Turkish crime drama for their Turkish audience, and not lean so much into the action and science fiction.

While they did a good job with the limited action scenes and science fiction in the first few episodes, it could have been better balanced throughout the series. For example, Akinci’s fight with an enhanced fighter could have been more interesting. Maybe they didn’t have enough budget to do all those things in the live-action version.

However, they did a very good job focusing on the human side of the story, showcasing how people react in different situations. It was very emotional at times. The cartoon format seems to be a great alternative to enhance and expand the world of Akinci in the action and sci-fi genre but I’m still curious about the fantasy angle of the live-action series and would like to see that in life-action.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS: A TAPESTRY OF HEROISM AND HEART

“Akinci” stands out as a captivating saga that transcends mere entertainment, offering viewers a thought-provoking exploration of timeless themes. Through its storyline, stellar cast, and breathtaking cinematography, Akinci immerses audiences in a world where heroism, love, and legacy intersect in profound ways.

It is heavily drama-driven in a good way. As each episode unfolds, we are reminded of the enduring power of courage and sacrifice and the indomitable spirit that drives individuals to stand against injustice. With “Akinci,” viewers embark on a journey that not only entertains but also inspires, leaving a lasting impression. The cartoon series takes it to the next level with more action, more science fiction, and more details about the Akinci tradition.

Nowadays I noticed that people have difficulty simply enjoying entertainment and they have their justified reasons for being that way but how long will they choose to remain miserable? There must be a way to break from the chains. People say that they are willing to embrace something different for their entertainment but so far, most prefer to stay with the properties they are familiar with and talk about them because it will easily trend on social media.

Be brave and try something different rather than watching something you know you will not like in advance. So, buckle up and prepare to be swept away by the epic saga of “Akinci.” If not the live-action, check the cartoon. If neither is your thing there is more alternative entertainment to explore. Check my notes on some Alternatives or try to discover some yourself. You’ll be surprised by what you can find.

 

All images in this publication belong to the original creators and are used as references under fair use.

My notes are all set. Let me know what you think.

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