Movie Review "Akira"

Title: Akira

Rate: 8/10 (IMDb)

Date Release: July 16, 1988

Director: Katsuhiro Otomo

Production Company: Tokyo Movie Sinsha

Based On: Akira (Japanese Manga) by Katsuhiro Otomo

Running Time: 126 minutes (include credits)

Country: Japan

Language: Japanese

Genre: Animation, Action, and Sci-Fi

Cast (Voice): 

• Mitsuo Iwata as Kaneda
• Nozomu Sasaki as Tetsuo
• Mami Koyama as Kei
• Tessho Genda as  Ryu
• Hiroshi Otake as Nezu

Source: imdb.com

        Katsuhito Otomo's "Akira" is a movie based on manga with the same title created by Katsuhiro Otomo. This movie is one of the most expensive movie animated feature that ever made in Japan (cost over 1 billion yen). As mentioned above, this movie is adapted from Otomo's popular manga that explicit violent, super-colorful, intellectually provocative, and emotional.

        "Akira" is set in Neo Tokyo in 2019, 31 year after World War III. The rebuild city looking like an animated "Blade Runner" prototype, that under military rule. The city dominated with motorcycle-riding cyberpunk race through the streets engaging in deadly war to dominate and expand their territory. The school gang, lead by Kaneda, has a run with physically withered but have a strong power of telekinetic named Takashi. As result, one of Takeda's pals, that emotionally scarred Tetsuo, is captured by the mysterious military-scientific coalition that rule Neo-Tokyo. Soon, Tetsuo power stronger that get out of control and he become the focus of a battle between  oppressive authorities, an underground resistance group, Kaneda's gang, and a fellow trio physics terrified that he will unleash "Akira" that will destroy the world. All of this  is unfold at a fast-forward pace.

        What make it work is the outstanding animation, the detail is exceptionally realistic, fluid, and multidimensional, suggesting both a futuristic and ancient quest. Otomo's neon-lit Neo Tokyo is a marvel of post-apocalyptic tension and desire. "Akira" is equally breathtaking for its color design, whether in the brightness of Neo-Tokyo, the damp darkness of its underground, or the steely edge of its scientific outpost and military research. 

        A warning to parents of your children, "Akira" is not rated, but it does contain quite a bit of graphic violent. When bullets fly, punches lands, and folks die, bloods flows, copiously. This is probably not a good film for anyone under 12.

        We know, "Akira" is not a long animated movie, but the ambitious animated feature that can be seen as a parable of scientific responsibility and cosmic rebirth, or just an action-packed serial. Or it can be as a jaw dropping example of the future animation.