Akira - Movie Review

Akira, based on the manga of the same name, is an epic animated film that details the resurrection of a telekinetic boy named Akira and the characters that are caught up in the drama.

Akira is one of the greatest achievements in animated movies. The manga, Akira, is thousands of pages and distilling it into a movie was an epic feat but was done with such finesse that it trumps some of the best live-action movies.

Akira is based on the manga of the same name but has some major differences; however, compared to the two, the movie does a fantastic job condensing the story into a very, very enjoyable film.

The film revolves around the conflict between Kaneda and Tetsuo; friends and members of the same bike gang that roam Neo-Tokyo after World War III.

The world is now in peril after WWIII, Tokyo has been rebuilt but there are still many major problems with politics and crime throughout the city. Kaneda's gang gets wrapped up in a plot to rescue one of the 'numbers' which are telekinetic children, that posses incredible powers, by a rogue revolutionary cell.

Along the way, Tetsuo is pulled into the government project to harness the power of the telekinetics but doesn't comply so he sets out to discover the mysterious 'Akira'. The story culminates with an epic showdown between the military, Kaneda, friends and Tetsuo.

Akira is one of my favorite films - not just for the animated genre but from the entire spectrum of movies because it's extremely sci-fi and cyberpunk. The movie is a perfect blend of violence and satire about society that pulls together characters that are put face-to-face in competition.

The soundtrack is worth watching the movie; it's a great listen even on its own. The visuals are straight out of the manga - extremely detailed and unique.

The story is worth watching over and over again. Everything about this movie screams entertainment at its finest; you'll not only be cheering for Kaneda but understand the struggles of Tetsuo.

I could watch this movie every day and never get bored of it; in fact, I watched it just prior to writing this review. If you love great animation, soundtracks and an engaging story than Akira is definitely for you.

I know that you may have problems watching animated movies but this is one that you can't skip out on. The recent Blu Ray release is top notch with its 5.1 surround sound option which really pulls out the dynamic soundtrack and sounds throughout the film. The story is highly engaging and still looks polished even to this day; it's a perfect movie, in my mind.

The movie is sci-fi so it never feels dated. The eminent threat of war throughout the film is slightly disconnected from our own world due to it being set in the future but it pulls in multiple characters perfectly even through accidental involvement. This is one movie that stands out even compared to live-action features.

This movie isn't for children as it is very violent; however, it has an incredible edge and portrayal of youth in a broken society - I recommend it for everyone!

Final Verdict: Five stars out of Five.

If you'd love the Akira story, I highly recommend reading the Akira Manga that goes deeper into the story and plot.