Jacked In Reviews ‘Akira’ (1988)

Last year Akira was rereleased in 4K IMAX, reminding audiences why this visually stunning, mind-melting, post-apocalyptic, sci-fi anime will always be relevant in the world of cinema. Based on director and writer, Katsuhiro Otomo’s manga series of the same name, Akira was initially released in 1988. This philosophical masterpiece uses the medium of the sci-fi genre and superhuman sub-genre to narrate nuclear war and how incredibly dangerous power can be in the wrong hands. So buckle up as we revisit a feature that changed the game, influential not just for anime, but for movies in general.

A large spherical orb expands in size as a silent explosion wipes out half of 1988’s Tokyo. Fast forward to an alternate, dystopian, neo-Tokyo in 2019, where a ragtag gang of misfit bikers leave a bar, start up their bikes and the (now iconic) green electricity wraps itself around the leader’s front wheel.

This is our first insight into the main characters, Kaneda and Tetsuo, two high school dropouts turned bikers (the main focus of this plot composed of multiple strands), and the first look at the cyberpunk future that was envisioned by Otomo back in 1988. This anime broke grounds like never before. With a budget of $11 million, Otomo’s team of 70 artists were able to hand paint over 160,000 animation cells to create detailed scenes and fluid motion of the characters. As soon as the biker gang-related violence ensues all over the vastness of futuristic Tokyo, alongside the films melodic percussions, it’s clear to see their hard work certainly paid off. And, by setting the entire feature at night, you can’t help but be entranced by the synthetic lights of Otomo’s universe.

After going toe-to-toe with a rival biker gang in essentially a game of chicken, if you didn’t think Kaneda’s bike had something about it before, you will now. Causing a rival gang leader to tumble from his ride, Kaneda then skids into, arguably, one of the most famous anime poses of all time . . . and all this in within the first ten minutes!

The world then begins to widen as we’re introduced to cults, revolutionists, the military and the politicians that make up the sub-plot. This movie showed that it wasn’t afraid to shake things up in its genre, pushing the boat out philosophically, using a childlike sub-genre to communicate adult subject matter. Although at first glance, it would seem we’re primarily following the story of a kid [Tetsuo] who gains superpowers in a sci-fi surrounding, there’s much more to it than that. From child experimentation to sexual assault, this film differs from a lot of other anime out there, it’s grittier, it isn’t afraid to go from epic action to dark subject matter in an instant. Not to mention a nightmarish, Toy Story-esque hallucination which takes this -already swimming in variety- feature to even “trippier” heights, once again, perfectly contrasting light subject matter with something truly disturbing.

Not only does it show how power can be abused if it ends up in the wrong hands (which is emphasised with a brilliant amoeba analogy), but by using the cult’s belief of Akira to their [the politicians] advantage, it also hits a lot on exploitation and corruption. However, you don’t necessarily need to get bogged down with the political agenda behind the scenes, thanks to the movies constant fast pace, brilliant artwork and individual stories to latch onto, there’s certainly something in this for all audiences.

As for the violence, there are no outlandish blood spurts that are generally associated with Japanese cinema (even when people are burst all over the ceiling), which works to the film’s strengths, almost like you can feel every inch of brutality on screen giving more weight to it.

For the finale, we find Tetsuo on a dark, maniacal path in a setting befitting to the movies grandness, in the ruins of Tokyo’s stadium. The abilities within Tetsuo finally take hold as he loses complete control and we are introduced to the gargantuan, intertwining mass of flesh and muscle that culminates to one of the best bits of body horror ever committed to film. Not only that but we are once again reminded of what separates this movie from western cinema as Kaora (Tetsuo’s girlfriend) is absorbed, receiving a gruesome onscreen end at the hands of a powerless Tetsuo and his new gigantic, grotesque form.

Kaneda, who still cares very much for Tetsuo throughout, shows us that as well as the many messages within this film, it’s still a movie about friendship and these characters’ visceral relationship, which is only strengthened thanks to the emotional and passionate voice-over work of both Mitsuo Iwata and Nozomu Sasaki. It could even be described as a twisted coming of age story, painting the adults as the villains and the youths simply being products of their environment, coming to terms with who they really are. Although initially portrayed as vein, Kaneda is a good guy deep down, and Tetsuo, originally shown to be the spunky sidekick, loses himself to his resentful, egotistical ambitions.

Akira is a movie that continues to inspire, is constantly referenced (Spaced, Kanye West’s Stronger, Ready Player One etc.) and will always have a gigantic influence on cinema. And, with a potential live-action remake that now sits with director, Taika Waititi, Akira will hopefully continue to entertain audiences, long into OUR WORLDS FUTURE.

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