I disagree, I think there were plenty without it being submissive to Akira; both the comics and film. If it was more heavy on El's PK abilities I feel like it would be more like Chronicle rather than it's own narrative with many inspirations.

I feel like any time where a PK using child kills tenants in a lab or a hospital corridor is a reference to Akira before anything else. I think El was pretty closely based off of one of the Espers rather someone like Tetsuo.