The future is not a straight line. It is filled with many crossroads.
-Kiyoko

Can't believe it, but Akira is creeping up on being 25 years old. The only thing I remember from my first viewing, which was over a decade ago at minimum estimate, is that I was blown away by something I didn't fully understand. While it's based off of a 2182 page manga, I'm guessing the plot was tinkered with, some things were condensed while others were completely cut. Watching it tonight, while the plot is dense, I would have never come to the conclusion on my own that it was based on such a large work.

I can't honestly say how many times I've viewed the…

"Top 100 of all Time Selection"
"Top 50 Film of the 80's Selection"
"Top 10 of 1988 Selection"
"Top 10 Anime Films Selection"

"The future is not a straight line. It is filled with many crossroads. There must be a future that we can choose for ourselves."

Science Fiction is a complex genre, bu there are certain film that transcend the genre, films that not only become iconic but they cast a shadow and a raise the bar so high, that you can't help comparing future films to this films, Katsuhiro Otomo Akira (アキラ), is one of those films.

The animation on Akira (アキラ) is outstanding in every level, the detail in every scene, the colors, the city landscapes, the…

One of the coolest, greatest things I've ever had the pleasure of looking at for two hours. The way that some people feel about TV sitcoms, I have generally felt about cartoons[1] - i.e., not art, even though they are obviously technically art (in a very literal way, i.e.[2] drawings) - but Akira[3] whipped up my soul cream like nothing has in a long time and now I'm uncontrollably spurting everywhere. Totally awesome.

[1] For the last couple decades, anyway. I was a big 'toon enthusiast as a child - not sure how/why it slipped away from me. Them's the vagaries of taste, I suppose.
[2] Double i.e., that's some flagrant Mike Lowery shit.
[3] Pronounced "ah-kee-rah," not "akeera" like…

Akira singlehandedly kick-started a personal fascination with Anime and Japanese culture, while at the same time tainting my enjoyment of everything that followed. It's not so much a tantalising taster that whets one's appetite, but more like being served up a four course meal, after which everything else feels like you're rooting around in the bins on a desperate hunt for scraps. Now and then you'll discover something tasty, but nothing that quite satisfies the hunger, let alone leaves you as bloated with a silly smile on your face. Truly a visual feast, Akira demonstrates how free animation can be, able to create moments of epic scale and metaphysical wonder that don't jar in the way SFX often do in…

So I decided to check this out because I've been getting into studio Ghibli and a lot of people seem to site this film as another great Japanese animated film. I vaguely remember hearing about when I was a kid. It's a crazy fucking film. Like seriously, the balls on this thing are solid rock and are dragging on the floor.

It's a non stop, exciting film, with some awesome visuals and some interesting ideas. The film starts with a motorcycle chase and pretty much never lets up. It's filled with sci/fi aspects, action set pieces, creepy dream sequences, teenage angst and punk sensibilities.

This movie could really only come from Japan at exactly the time it came out. It…

Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira is by and large a bleak vision set in dystopian Neo-Tokyo, 2019 following a biker gang, The Capsules as one of the members becomes embroiled in parapsychology experiments conducted by government scientists.

After an encounter with an Esper, Tetsuo Shima, a member of The Capsules who also happens to be impaired with an inferiority complex concerning gang leader Shotaro Kaneda, begins to develop psychic and telekinetic powers. Using these newly discovered powers, Tetsuo Shima becomes the antagonist and wrecks havoc on Neo-Tokyo in search of legendary psychic number and enigmatic symbol Akira. Akira represents the political enigma enshrouding Neo-Tokyo as his existence is often questioned as well as embodying the films absolute criticism of biological development and…

'Akira' strikes me as the sort of film that will warrant multiple watches if I have even the slightest chance of fully understanding it. But despite not having the mental capacity to understand all of the big themes and ideas, I still fully appreciated it.

This is also helped by the fact that the animation is wonderful. I have been wanting to give anime a go for quite some time, and everyone I asked for a recommendation from always pointed me into 'Akira's direction - the film that arguably opened up the western world to embrace anime.

The story is engaging, intelligent and creative. It will provoke your thoughts and it asks some huge questions that your interior monologue will…

Film No.11 in my Anime Marathon

From what i understand Akira is the Citizen Kane of Anime films. influencing Anime since it was made even now, and also influencing live action cinema for example the Matrix trilogy and Chronicle. The film lives up to this reputation, and continues to influence now 25 years on.

The complicated for some story concerns a futuristic Tokyo biker gang whose lives are impacted on after an accidental collision with a child who is a part of a secret government run project dealing with telekinetic powers in children. Exploring ideas about mans need for power, rebelliousness of youth, and friendship. It does at times make it difficult for these to fully emerge with the frenetic…

Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira is by and large a bleak vision set in dystopian Neo-Tokyo, 2019 following a biker gang, The Capsules as one of the members becomes embroiled in parapsychology experiments conducted by government scientists.

After an encounter with an Esper, Tetsuo Shima, a member of The Capsules who also happens to be impaired with an inferiority complex concerning gang leader Shotaro Kaneda, begins to develop psychic and telekinetic powers. Using these newly discovered powers, Tetsuo Shima becomes the antagonist and wrecks havoc on Neo-Tokyo in search of legendary psychic number and enigmatic symbol Akira. Akira represents the political enigma enshrouding Neo-Tokyo as his existence is often questioned as well as embodying the films absolute criticism of biological development and…

"Top 100 of all Time Selection"
"Top 50 Film of the 80's Selection"
"Top 10 of 1988 Selection"
"Top 10 Anime Films Selection"

"The future is not a straight line. It is filled with many crossroads. There must be a future that we can choose for ourselves."

Science Fiction is a complex genre, bu there are certain film that transcend the genre, films that not only become iconic but they cast a shadow and a raise the bar so high, that you can't help comparing future films to this films, Katsuhiro Otomo Akira (アキラ), is one of those films.

The animation on Akira (アキラ) is outstanding in every level, the detail in every scene, the colors, the city landscapes, the…

One of the coolest, greatest things I've ever had the pleasure of looking at for two hours. The way that some people feel about TV sitcoms, I have generally felt about cartoons[1] - i.e., not art, even though they are obviously technically art (in a very literal way, i.e.[2] drawings) - but Akira[3] whipped up my soul cream like nothing has in a long time and now I'm uncontrollably spurting everywhere. Totally awesome.

[1] For the last couple decades, anyway. I was a big 'toon enthusiast as a child - not sure how/why it slipped away from me. Them's the vagaries of taste, I suppose.
[2] Double i.e., that's some flagrant Mike Lowery shit.
[3] Pronounced "ah-kee-rah," not "akeera" like…