Tetsuo renamed to Travis in Akira live action remake - WTF

I'm so upset. They're totally whitewashing the classic anime Akira. Not only with actors, but everything. Why even name the movie Akira? And even if they change the location from Tokyo to New York -- New York is such a diverse city, the actors don't need to be white. New York City is only 44% White (only 35% for non-Hispanic Whites). Hollywood: destroying my childhood one movie at a time.

From Cracked:

Now, here are three facts that simply should not be: They're making a live action version. They're changing the location from Tokyo to New York. And they're recasting it with all white people. Not just any old white people, either. No, Akira, that quintessentially Japanese classic, is being recast with the whitest white people this side of a Mint Julep. Here's the latest casting announcements for the two leads:

Kaneda: Garrett Hedlund, Michael Fassbender, Chris Pine, Justin Timberlake or Joaquin Phoenix

Tetsuo (now, no shit, changed to "Travis"): Andrew Garfield, Robert Pattinson or James McAvoy

Coming soon to a theater near you: Akira, starring Justin Timberlake and that fucking guy from Twilight.

And this brings up a vital and urgent question: Why?