Akira (1988)
Average Rating: 7.4/10
Reviews Counted: 45
Fresh: 39 | Rotten: 6
Akira is distractingly bloody and violent, but its phenomenal animation and sheer kinetic energy helped set the standard for modern anime.
Average Rating: 6.2/10
Critic Reviews: 9
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 3
Akira is distractingly bloody and violent, but its phenomenal animation and sheer kinetic energy helped set the standard for modern anime.
liked it
Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 144,584
Movie Info
One of the most influential examples of anime, Akira is based on the manga (comic book) by Katsuhiro Otomo. The story is set in the post-apocalyptic community of Neo-Tokyo. Tetsuo is a fiercely individualistic member of a scroungy motorcycle gang. The despotic authorities, the robot-like police, and even the cycle gang pursue Tetsuo when he's bombarded with a new, insidious energy source that has rendered him telekinetic. Budgeted at eight million dollars, Akira has become a cult favorite in the
R,
Drama, Action & Adventure, Animation, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Mar 30, 2001 Limited
Jul 17, 2001
Streamline Pictures
Cast
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Cameron Clarke
Kaneda (Streamline E... -
Mitsuo Iwara
Kaneda (Japanese Ver... -
Jan Rabson
Tetsuo (Streamline E... -
Nozomu Sasaki
Tetsuo (Japanese Ver... -
Lara Cody
Kei (Streamline Engl... -
Mami Koyama
Kei (Japanese Versio... -
Tarô Ishida
The Colonel (Japanes... -
Masaaki Ohkura
Yamagata (Japanese V... -
Tony Pope
Colonel (Streamline ... -
Barbara Goodson
Kaori (Streamline En... -
Yuriko Fuchizaki
Kaori (Japanese Vers... -
Yosuke Akimoto
Store Owner (Japanes... -
Yasuko Ohno
Girl C (Japanese Ver... -
Takeshi Kusao
Kai (Japanese Versio... -
Bob Bergen
Masaru (Streamline E... -
Drew Thomas
Ryu (Streamline Engl... -
Sandra Fox
Kiyoko (Streamline E... -
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Simon Prescott
The Doctor (Animaze ... -
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Akira Trailer & Photos
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (6) | DVD (29)
Pounding away, it becomes monotonous.
A compendium of the worst cliches of Japanese animation -- two hours of chases, laser attacks, machine-gun battles, spilled stage blood, computer-animated backgrounds and hokey dialogue.
The movie, even at 124 minutes, has the densely packed sweep and go-for-it pep of a pop epic.
Grade-school violence freaks may find a few kicks here, but even they may have trouble coping with this ugly movie's ending about eight separate times.
A lavish animation extravaganza produced at a cost of $8 million, this futuristic exploration is a followup by author-director Katsuhiro Otomo to his tremendously popular comic books.
An impressive achievement, often suggesting a weird expressionist blend of 2001, The Warriors, Blade Runner and Forbidden Planet.
While its typically convoluted sci-fi plotting and sprawling ensemble of characters occasionally lead it to border on the incoherent, it's hard not to be in awe of the giant hand-drawn cityscapes that make up the backdrop for the eye-popping action.
[Akira] is a blast and a half, a twisted dystopian parable of violence and rock and roll, Japanese-style. It's Disney on PCP, mean, rotten, psychotic, but incredibly vivid.
Extremely violent classic introduced anime to Westerners.
Moments that can only be captured as animation make Akira still worth watching: gusts of wind from chopper blades, ka-tooming bursts of fiery explosions, Tetsuo's visions.
Plenty of superb recent blockbusters, including The Matrix, The Dark Knight, Minority Report, Dark City and Inception, are all in its debt - not to mention a fair number of shockers, like Star Wars Episode II and the most recent Resident Evil atrocity.
Put it up there with the most astonishing animated features ever made.
Style and substance run neck and neck in this thrilling, bold landmark film that just refuses to become dated.
The cityscapes are awesome, the camerawork is dizzying. If you're new to manga, prepare to be converted.
Akira is pure concentrated cinematic excellence - accept no substitutes.
When you absolutely, positively have to get some anime in your life, accept no substitutes; 23 years on, Akira is still the genre's crowning achievement.
Like Snow White before it, Akira was a step change in what animation could show.
Un film qui plaira autant aux fans du genre manga qu'à ses détracteurs.
Rightfully considered one of the greatest accomplishments in sci-fi storytelling.
Simply put, no Akira, no Matrix. It's that important.
Still one of the best techno science fiction thrillers of all time
There is a moral here about mankind's lust for power, but it never clearly emerges from the spectacle of destruction and violence.
Audience Reviews for Akira
Super Reviewer
still better in comic
Super Reviewer
Movies Like Akira
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- Tetsuo (Japanese Version): Kaneda!
- Kaneda (Japanese Version): That's Mr. Kaneda to you, punk!
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- Tetsuo (Japanese Version): I am Tetsuo.
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- Kai (Japanese Version): WAAAAAAAAH?! KANADAAAAAAA! YOUR'RE ALIVE! I thought you were there, I thought your're in there for sure.
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- Yamagata (Japanese Version): Yeah Right! Drink your dog piss?
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- Tetsuo (Japanese Version): A fish out of water dies, huh.
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- Tetsuo (Japanese Version): A fish out of water dies, huh.
Discussion Forum
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| David Kehr and Charles Solomon | 16 days ago | 1 |
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Foreign Titles
- Akira (CA)
- Akira (FR)



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