Akira (1988)

Akira (1988)

 4/10

Starring the voices of

Mitsuo Iwata

Nozomu Sasaki

Mami Koyama

Taro Ishida

 

Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo

 

How Akira is regarded as one of the best animated sci-fi movies ever is beyond me. I say that with all due respect to those who hold it in such high regard, but I genuinely don’t understand why anyone would consider it so.

The pacing wasn’t great, I wasn’t a huge fan of the animation style, and there were parts of the movie that just dragged on. When those moments finally led to something, the payoff felt anticlimactic.

Akira is a 1988 Japanese animated post-apocalyptic cyberpunk action film that has become a sought-after piece of pop culture and is often considered one of those “must-watch” anime classics. I have to strongly disagree with that sentiment. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the action in the movie’s final act—I did. The way the story escalates and transcends into chaos is impressive. But everything leading up to that felt like a chore: dull conversations with occasional bursts of action.

The story takes place in 2019, in a future where corruption, anti-government protests, terrorism, and gang violence are at their peak. This dystopian future is set in Neo-Tokyo, a city rebuilt after the original Tokyo was destroyed by a mysterious event, which is explained later in the film.

The plot focuses on a vigilante biker gang led by a kid named Kaneda. One of his friends, Tetsuo, is smaller and often sidelined when the gang goes on their rampages. Tetsuo, constantly feeling the need to prove himself, steals a bike and gets chased by a rival gang. During the chase, he has an accident after nearly colliding with a strange-looking child who had escaped from a secret government facility.

The accident awakens Tetsuo’s psychic powers, and he is captured by the same facility the child came from. Tetsuo’s powers grow rapidly, and he breaks out of the facility with one goal in mind: to find something called Akira and prove his strength to Kaneda and the rest of the biker crew.

The idea of a future where people have telekinetic powers is intriguing, and exploring what happens when such powers are given to someone who isn’t mentally equipped to handle them is compelling. However, I felt this theme could have been executed more effectively.

One thing I did enjoy about Akira was the creative use of dream sequences to show different perspectives. The film blurs the lines between reality and illusion, adding a layer of complexity to the narrative. It also touches on themes of self-sufficiency and the need (or lack thereof) to prove oneself. Unfortunately, aside from these elements, I found myself questioning why this movie is so highly recommended.

If you decide to watch Akira, keep in mind that this animation is not suitable for children.