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Additional Features
Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira is often described as the movie that created a mass audience for Japanese animation in America. Akira looks better now in this remastered DVD than it did on its original release: dust, dirt, and scratches have been digitally removed and the color has been rebalanced. It also makes more sense in a new translation. The ending still leaves many questions unanswered (which is not unusual in anime), but the convoluted plot is easier to follow than it was in the initial English version. Pioneer has included numerous special features in this two-disc set, some more special than others. "Capsule mode" offers brief explanations of some details and translations of signs in Japanese during the feature. "The Akira Production Report," an old Japanese making-of film, comprises interviews with staff members who explain the basic animation process (the footage of artists inking and painting cels by hand looks almost comically dated). "Restoration" provides a behind-the-scenes look at the people who prepared the remastered version, but it's pretty superficial. "Production Materials" contains more than 4,500 still images: storyboards, early character designs, background art, etc. There's also an interview with Otomo and an assortment of trailers. This Akira is the definitive version of a landmark film in the history of Japanese animation and anime fandom: it's a must-have not just for otaku, but for anyone interested in the medium. --Charles Solomon
Amazon.com Essential Video
Artist-writer Katsuhiro Ôtomo began telling the story of Akira as a comic book series in 1982 but took a break from 1986 to 1988 to write, direct, supervise, and design this animated film version. Set in 2019, the film richly imagines the new metropolis of Neo-Tokyo, which is designed from huge buildings down to the smallest details of passing vehicles or police uniforms. Two disaffected orphan teenagers--slight, resentful Tetsuo and confident, breezy Kanada--run with a biker gang, but trouble grows when Tetsuo start to resent the way Kanada always has to rescue him. Meanwhile, a group of scientists, military men, and politicians wonder what to do with a collection of withered children who possess enormous psychic powers, especially the mysterious, rarely seen Akira, whose awakening might well have caused the end of the old world. Tetsuo is visited by the children, who trigger the growth of psychic and physical powers that might make him a superman or a supermonster. As befits a distillation of 1,318 pages of the story so far, Akira is overstuffed with character, incident, and detail. However, it piles up astonishing set pieces: the chases and shootouts (amazingly kinetic, amazingly bloody) benefit from minute cartoon detail that extends to the surprised or shocked faces of the tiniest extra; the Tetsuo monster alternately looks like a billion-gallon scrotal sac or a Tex Avery mutation of the monster from The Quatermass Experiment; and the finale--which combines flashbacks to more innocent days with a destruction of Neo City and the creation of a new universe--is one of the most mind-bending in all sci-fi cinema. --Kim Newman
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Most helpful customer reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's not about big hair,
By Meggs (Fort St. John, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Akira (Signature Series) (DVD)
Fisrt of all, this movie will not likely appeal to those who only watch anime for the big hair and eyes that are the current style. The animation is realistic and graphic, closer to Miyazaki or Venus Wars than more stylistic films like Ninja Scroll. The soundtrack is deffinately distinct and can take some getting used to, using mostly voices and a few instruments. The movie is hard to describe. Apart from the mixing surface plots involving the biker gangs and "blue kids," there's plenty of material to play with for the philosophically inclined. Themes like existance and the nature of humanity show up beneath the main storyline. I gave the movie 4 stars because I feel it deserves it from a story and intellectual stand point. The animation, although plain by current standards, is smooth and detailed. The storyline can be confusing and most people I know needed to watch it through a couple times but for me the big shortcoming of this edition was the new dialogue. I felt that the original recording was sharper and fit the movie better. It feels like they dumbed it down for the new one.
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most mesmerizing anime's ever!,
This review is from: Akira (Signature Series) (DVD)
I bought this going in blind. My friends all told me that it was amazing and I wanted to see it for a while so finally I bought it. I have watched quite a few anime's in my day and I must say that Akira was by far the most in depth and artistic I have ever seen. Props to the artists who took the time to make this film because it was just simply amazing. The story is very interesting and keeps you watching, never did I want to stop watching or take a break. The animation is very cool and quite intricate. Have an open mind going into this film (as you should to be watching all anime) as there are some strange parts that are awesome in my opinion. (This is where the animation gets really intense) There is a bit of gore and swearing so I wouldn't recommend letting young kids watch this but that is up to what you believe. All in all a must buy. (Just a little side note if you want to check out some other good anime's then here are a few.....Anything from Studio Ghibli are a must see, Berserk....very graphic and medieval like, and finally one of my favorites High School Of The Dead....which is very graphic and has quite a bit of sexual innuendo (Zombie series) Studio Ghibli you could let your kids watch as it is in collaboration with Disney but the others I just listed lol I wouldn't. Check em out!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Princess Monoke,
By Stymie (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Akira: Special Edition (Widescreen) (DVD)
The day I saw this movie I was in shock and filled with excitment. Before, I never saw an anime or knew what it was, I thought it was no more than japanese Disney. In the the end of the 80's is when I saw Akira and I loved anime ever since. This movie makes you not want to get up out of your seat and possibly lead you to soil your pants. The only thing I don't like about the special edition is the remastering of the original english dubbing. The old dubbing had more character and brass which helped me love it so much, with that extra umph I marvelled this movie for a very long time. Get it!
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