The Gist:
Uncontrollable and dangerous psychic powers are unleashed in a young boy after an encounter with a secret government agency.
The History:
Based on Katsuhiro Otomo's manga, Akira was released at Japanese theaters in 1988 by Toho. The movie quickly gained wide recognition and was picked up by Streamline Productions for a limited North American release through 1988 and 1989.
Interestingly, it is reported that both George Lucas and steven Spielberg turned down the film, calling it "unmarketable" for US audiences. Akira was dubbed Roger Ebert's "Video Pick of the Week" in 1989.
The film was released on VHS by Streamline Video in 1991 and was released again on DVD and VHS with a new dub by Pioneer in 2001.
Interestingly, it is reported that both George Lucas and steven Spielberg turned down the film, calling it "unmarketable" for US audiences. Akira was dubbed Roger Ebert's "Video Pick of the Week" in 1989.
The film was released on VHS by Streamline Video in 1991 and was released again on DVD and VHS with a new dub by Pioneer in 2001.
Manga vs. Anime:
Katsuhiro Otomo's manga is based on Katsuhiro Otomo's 2,182 page manga of the same name and follows the general storyline however, much of the last half of the manga was rewritten for the film version and shows noticeable differences.
How To Watch:
Akira is available on DVD from Geneon Entertainment.
Genre:
Action, horror, supernatural, psychological, military, sci-fi
Studios:
Streamline Entertainment - US Distribution (original theatrical release)
Geneon Entertainment - US Distribution (DVD, VHS)
Geneon Entertainment - US Distribution (DVD, VHS)
Rating:
The Review:
Tokyo was destroyed by what everyone believes to be a nuclear explosion in 1988, an explosion that starts World War III.
But in reality, the explosion was the work of Akira, a young boy with extraordinary psionic abilities and a test subject for a secret government ESP experiment. Although Akira was killed in the blast, his life force remains preserved in a cryogenic chamber.
Now thirty-one years later, the new Tokyo - Neo-Tokyo - has become a crime infested city built on an artificial island. Bike gangs are everywhere and and turf wars are the norm.
When Shotaro Kaneda and his motorcycle gang run into some rivals known as the Clowns, the fight is on until Shotaro's right hand man - Tetsuo - almost collides with a child and his bike mysteriously explodes. Shotaro and the rest are taken in for questioning but Testsuo and the child are taken by armed soldiers to Colonel Shikishima, the head of the ESP project.
After discovering that Tetsuo has abilities not unlike Akira, he decides to keep a close watch on him but Tetsuo escapes and makes his way back to Shotaro. Unfortunately, Tetsuo's powers have been released and he begins undergoing a massive psychic change.
Unable to control his powers, the ESP agency decides Tetsuo must be eliminated but the only person strong enough to do that is their first experiment - Akira.
Intense, isn't it?
Considered to be the film that paved the way to anime's popularity in the West, Akira was a cutting-edge production for its time. Noted for its next-generation production process, Akira was one of the first to create fluid motion in its characters and provide precise lip-synching movement to the audio.
And the story's pretty good too.
But in reality, the explosion was the work of Akira, a young boy with extraordinary psionic abilities and a test subject for a secret government ESP experiment. Although Akira was killed in the blast, his life force remains preserved in a cryogenic chamber.
Now thirty-one years later, the new Tokyo - Neo-Tokyo - has become a crime infested city built on an artificial island. Bike gangs are everywhere and and turf wars are the norm.
When Shotaro Kaneda and his motorcycle gang run into some rivals known as the Clowns, the fight is on until Shotaro's right hand man - Tetsuo - almost collides with a child and his bike mysteriously explodes. Shotaro and the rest are taken in for questioning but Testsuo and the child are taken by armed soldiers to Colonel Shikishima, the head of the ESP project.
After discovering that Tetsuo has abilities not unlike Akira, he decides to keep a close watch on him but Tetsuo escapes and makes his way back to Shotaro. Unfortunately, Tetsuo's powers have been released and he begins undergoing a massive psychic change.
Unable to control his powers, the ESP agency decides Tetsuo must be eliminated but the only person strong enough to do that is their first experiment - Akira.
Intense, isn't it?
Considered to be the film that paved the way to anime's popularity in the West, Akira was a cutting-edge production for its time. Noted for its next-generation production process, Akira was one of the first to create fluid motion in its characters and provide precise lip-synching movement to the audio.
And the story's pretty good too.