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Akira

Play trailer 0:55 Poster for Akira R 1989 2h 4m Sci-Fi Anime Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 103 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
In 1988 the Japanese government drops an atomic bomb on Tokyo after ESP experiments on children go awry. In 2019, 31 years after nuking the city, Kaneda, a bike gang leader, tries to save his friend Tetsuo from a secret government project. He battles against anti-government activists, greedy politicians, irresponsible scientists and a powerful military leader until Tetsuo's supernatural power suddenly manifests. A final battle is fought in Tokyo Olympiad exposing the experiment's secrets.
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Akira

Akira

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Critics Consensus

Akira is strikingly bloody and violent, but its phenomenal animation and sheer kinetic energy helped set the standard for modern anime.

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Critics Reviews

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Hugo Davenport Daily Telegraph (UK) Sep 4, 2026
Most strikingly of all, the film is bathed in the harsh brilliance of a post-Einsteinian consciousness -- an awareness of both the horrors and the wonders of the uncharted worlds beyond the atom. Go to Full Review Robert Garrett Boston Globe Sep 4, 2026
The hard-edged animation style is crudely inventive in the way of a fast-paced video game, but it's also very repetitive and boring. Like junk food, a little bit of it goes a long way. Go to Full Review Steven Rea Philadelphia Inquirer Sep 4, 2026
2.5/4
It's a vision of the future that is at once startlingly imaginative and frighteningly like urban life as we know it today, poised on a new millenium. Go to Full Review Chuck Waters News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) Sep 4, 2026
3.5/4
If you could take crystallized essences of Heavy Metal, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Speed Racer and Tron, encase them in a kaleidoscope, focus and gaze, maybe you'd get some idea of Akira's brilliance. Go to Full Review Russell Stamets Tampa Bay Times Sep 4, 2026
4/5
Katsuhiro Otomo's futuristic morality-action epic Akira brings the animated feature to a new level of seriousness comparable to the best of live-action films. Go to Full Review Gary Susman Boston Phoenix Sep 4, 2026
The film's overkill adds up to an overwhelming visual experience at the service of a compelling tale. Akira tells a profoundly human story. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Eli R 2 days ago Really a masterpiece See more Cesar D 3 days ago Great animation mature themes and story in a post war future about how having powers of a good can go bad and turning children into weapons is a terrible idea. See more Adam W 6 days ago Truely every bit of classic anime its porported to be See more Santiago Sep 9, 2026 Great animation style, you could tell they were showing off and really getting into flow state with the art. Message was awesome and communicated well. Music and ambiance was very deep. See more Roman Sep 7, 2026 My all-time favorite anime movie and animated film with some of the animation ever put to film and one of my favorite films in general See more Brandon Sep 7, 2026 One of the grand baddies of anime, a must-see for all generations See more Read all reviews
Akira

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Cast & Crew

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Katsuhiro Ohtomo

Director

Mitsuo Iwata

Shôtarô Kaneda

Nozomu Sasaki

Tetsuo Shima

Mami Koyama

Kei

Tessho Genda

Ryûsaku

Hiroshi Otake

Nezu

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Akira

Akira: Trailer 1 Akira: Trailer 1 0:55 Now Playing View more videos
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Akira

Akira (1988) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In 1988 the Japanese government drops an atomic bomb on Tokyo after ESP experiments on children go awry. In 2019, 31 years after nuking the city, Kaneda, a bike gang leader, tries to save his friend Tetsuo from a secret government project. He battles against anti-government activists, greedy politicians, irresponsible scientists and a powerful military leader until Tetsuo's supernatural power suddenly manifests. A final battle is fought in Tokyo Olympiad exposing the experiment's secrets.
Director
Katsuhiro Ohtomo
Producer
Shunzo Kato, Ryôhei Suzuki
Screenwriter
Izou Hashimoto, Katsuhiro Ohtomo
Distributor
Streamline Pictures
Production Co
Akira Committee Company, Ltd.
Rating
R (Graphic Violence|Brief Nudity)
Genre
Sci-Fi, Anime
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 25, 1989, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Sep 4, 2026
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 12, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.3M
Runtime
2h 4m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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