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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. Read critic reviews

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Akira videos, akira photos.

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 manifest. A final battle is fought in Tokyo Olympiad exposing the experiment's secrets.

Rating: R (Graphic Violence|Brief Nudity)

Genre: Sci-fi, Anime

Original Language: Japanese

Director: Katsuhiro Ohtomo

Producer: Shunzo Kato , Ryôhei Suzuki

Writer: Izou Hashimoto , Katsuhiro Ohtomo

Release Date (Theaters): Jan 1, 1988 wide

Rerelease Date (Theaters): Mar 30, 2001

Release Date (Streaming): Nov 12, 2013

Box Office (Gross USA): $390.0K

Runtime: 2h 4m

Distributor: Streamline Pictures

Production Co: Akira Committee Company, Ltd.

Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo

Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Cast & Crew

Mitsuo Iwata

Shôtarô Kaneda Voice

Nozomu Sasaki

Tetsuo Shima Voice

Mami Koyama

Tessho Genda

Ryûsaku Voice

Hiroshi Otake

Kôichi Kitamura

Priestess Miyako, Council A Voice

Yuriko Fuchizaki

Kaori Voice

Masaaki Ôkura

Yamagata Voice

Katsuhiro Ohtomo

Izou Hashimoto

Shunzo Kato

Ryôhei Suzuki

Sawako Noma

Executive Producer

Katsuji Misawa

Cinematographer

Takeshi Seyama

Film Editing

Shoji Yamashiro

Original Music

Kuzuo Ebisawa

Production Design

Yuji Ikehata

Toshiharu Mizutani

Art Director

News & Interviews for Akira

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Critic Reviews for Akira

Audience reviews for akira.

Original and dark film that will sit with you long after it concludes. Visually stunning film that leaves most films for dead. Cerebral filmmaking that is still one of the most interesting films ever created. I'm happy I found this and sad it took so long. This deserves all the recognition it garnered. I'm hoping an upcoming remake can recapture the ambition here, but I'm a little sceptical it can be done. 17/06/2019

Dazzling, frenetic, audacious and insane. This movie gave me at least half a dozen things I had never seen in my life. You feel kind of dazed and blinded when it's over. My partner tells me that the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion is even better and darker than Akira though... to which I replied "How the heck can it be darker than this?!"

I loved and enjoyed the manga. Looks iconic and inpressing.

"Akira" is a lot of fun, thanks to dazzling animation and some seriously entertaining attitude.

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Common sense media reviewers.

Extremely violent classic introduced anime to Westerners.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

This highly complex movie deals with many issues,

Since it's not always easy to tell who is doing th

This movie has incredible amounts of sci-fi violen

A young woman is shown topless in one sequence; it

Language is fairly strong, but tends to avoid "f--

The movie's most powerful and most coveted motorcy

Characters are seen smoking in the background.

Positive Messages

This highly complex movie deals with many issues, ranging from the concept that ideas and memories are saved and passed from being to being throughout the universe, to the idea of a messiah that could save (or destroy) everything and everyone. There's also a small argument as to whether to deal with things via violence or science, but movie's overwhelming violence tends to steamroll over any other potential themes.

Positive Role Models

Since it's not always easy to tell who is doing the right thing in this story, and since nearly every character reacts to nearly every situation with violence, it can be safely said that there are no clear role models.

Violence & Scariness

This movie has incredible amounts of sci-fi violence, ranging from spectacular, large-scale battles and explosions, to angry mobs, guns and shooting and motorcycle fights. Many characters are shot, and blood is on display. A major character loses an arm. Dogs are shot. A young woman is beat up in one sequence. The movie takes place after WWIII, and shows images of a nuclear explosion. As the movie progresses, the imagery becomes more and more nightmarish, unexplainable, and disturbing (it begins with giant stuffed animals attacking a young man).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A young woman is shown topless in one sequence; it's a scene of violence rather than sexuality. In an earlier scene, a man in the background of a bar is shown kissing and groping a woman.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language is fairly strong, but tends to avoid "f--k" and "s--t" too many times, concentrating instead on a plethora of "damn," "hell," "jerk," "loser," "idiot," "piss," "bitch" and "son of a bitch," "bastard," "sick mother," "Goddamn," "Jesus Christ," "ass," and "a--hole." The word "f--k" is never spoken, but can be seen written as graffiti in a few background shots.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

The movie's most powerful and most coveted motorcycle has a "Canon" sticker on it, shown often. A Coke can is visible in one shot.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Akira is a landmark of anime, a superproduction in Japan, and a cult classic in the United States; it introduced many Americans to the genre. It's available in an English-dubbed version as well as a Japanese version with English subtitles; this review references the English version. The violence is quite incredible, with numerous battles, fights, and shootouts, with blood, and escalating into nightmarish, disturbing imagery. Language is fairly constant, but rarely escalates to the "big" words, "s--t" and "f--k." "Damn" and "hell" are used regularly. There's one scene of female toplessness (in a moment of violence rather than intimacy), and a moment of sexual groping in the background of a scene. This is essential viewing for any serious teen fans of anime, though it's one of the most intense examples. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (9)
Kids say (30)

Based on 9 parent reviews

Too scary for kids

What's the story.

In Neo-Tokyo of 2019, post-WWIII, old friends Kaneda and Tetsuo are members of a violent motorcycle gang. During a fight with a rival gang, a strange, small boy with a wrinkled face enters the fray. Tetsuo is hospitalized, where a colonel and a doctor discover that Tetsuo has remarkable powers, recalling a mysterious entity known as AKIRA, that has lain dormant for 30 years. As the main characters navigate a complex plot filled with powerful beings, military, activists, and scientists, Tetsuo's powers grow stronger. Everything builds to an explosive, nightmarish showdown in which the future of the world hangs.

Is It Any Good?

Katsuhiro Otomo co-wrote the screenplay of Akira and directed this 1988 adaptation of his much-loved 1980s-era manga (comic book); it was a huge production that paid off enormously. When it arrived in America, it became a cult classic and introduced Western audiences to anime (Japanese animation), a genre that remains popular to this day.

Akira is extraordinarily dense and enormously complicated, and things like story and characters tend to go out the window in favor of cosmic ideas and mysteries, bizarre imagery, and astounding levels of violence. It takes full advantage of the animated medium with its sheer imagination and intensity. Indeed, to attempt these same images in a live-action setting would have been far too expensive and disturbing. Time has not yet dulled the sheer impact of the work, though, and the level of detail, movement, and fluidity is still highly impressive. It's still essential viewing for anyone interested in the genre.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the movie's violence . Does it seem to get stronger and more disturbing as it goes? How does watching super violent content make you feel?

What is the movie actually about? Who or what is Akira? Is the reappearance of Akira a good thing or a bad thing?

Is it possible that memories and knowledge are passed around throughout the universe? What are some of the movie's other themes?

When Tetsuo achieves his great powers, why does he immediately choose to use them for destructive behavior? What else could he have done?

What makes anime so popular? Why is Akira considered such a great example of the genre?

Movie Details

In theaters : July 16, 1988
On DVD or streaming : July 24, 2001
Cast : Barbara Goodson , Bob Bergen , Cam Clarke
Director : Katsuhiro Otomo
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Pioneer
Genre : Anime
Topics : Magic and Fantasy
Run time : 124 minutes
MPAA rating : R
MPAA explanation : graphic violence and brief nudity
Last updated : August 1, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Australia edition
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Akira – review

T here are certain science-fiction films, such as Blade Runner and Kubrick's 2001, that are so well realised that they can influence the genre for decades to come. Now Akira has been around for some 23 years (and is due for a Hollywood remake), we have seen how long a shadow it has cast not only over science fiction but also animation, it sits comfortably alongside those other lauded titles. Another thing it shares with them is how it always offers up something new or missed with every viewing. The plot, straightforward to some, impenetrable to others, concerns a futuristic neo-Tokyo biker gang whose lives are impacted on after an accidental collision with a secret government-run project dealing with telekinetic powers in children. Style and substance run neck and neck in this thrilling, bold landmark film that just refuses to become dated.

Animation in film
World cinema
Science fiction and fantasy films
Action and adventure films

Comments (…)

Akira (1988)

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Mitsuo iwata, shôtarô kaneda, nozomu sasaki, tetsuo shima, mami koyama, tesshô genda, hiroshi ôtake, kôichi kitamura, lady miyako, committee a, michihiro ikemizu, inspector, committee i, yuriko fuchizaki, masaaki ôkura, tarô arakawa, eiichi watanabe, army, committee g, takeshi kusao, kazumi tanaka, masayuki katô, engineer sakiyama, committee d, yôsuke akimoto, harukiya bartender, masato hirano, yûji takeyama, spy, terrorist, committee f, yukimasa kishino, mitsuru kuwata, assistant, shimazaki, committee b, terrorist, kazuhiro kandô, masaru (no. 27), tatsuhiko nakamura, takashi (no. 26), kiyoko (no. 25), issei futamata, additional voices, critic reviews.

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Review by Brian Eggert November 17, 2013

Akira begins in 1988 with a shocking image. A massive, seemingly atomic explosion erupts in downtown Tokyo and ignites World War III. After the war is over thirty years later, Neo-Toyko has grown out of the rubble into a metropolis of bright lights and impossibly high skyscrapers. Political demonstrations fill the streets, and militaristic government forces resort to extreme violence to stop them. Youth biker gangs buzz the highways and engage in deathly road battles. And top-secret government experiments have resulted in strange, warped children with incredible powers. This is the frightening, thrilling cyberpunk world created by Katsuhiro Ohtomo, the manga artist and anime director whose vision would inspire countless other Japanese artists and Hollywood film directors in the years to come. His film, released in 1988 and still regarded as one of the most important anime pictures ever released, transcends the medium’s limitations through its incredible production value, substantial influence, unforgettable designs, and a lasting commentary on the state of Japanese cultural identity. Whereas anime has an unfortunate reputation of being more about style than substance, Akira stands as a rare exception.

Otomo first published his manga Akira in 1982 in the pages of Youth Magazine , a weekly source of manga in Japan, published by Kodansha. Grounded in the emerging cyberpunk subgenre, its roots most prevalent in the William Gibson book Neuromancer (1984), Otomo’s planned six-volume series would not be completed until 1990 after more than 2,000 published pages. However, as with many popular manga series, its author was eventually approached to translate his story into an anime completed before the manga was finished. (Another notable example of this trend can be found in Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind , the manga first published in 1982, the film released in 1984.) But Otomo’s vision was too great for any single production studio, and Otomo, who demanded creative control, would not accept any less than a complete realization of his vision. And so, The Akira Committee was formed, representing a conglomeration of Japanese companies—including Toho Co., Ltd., Bandai Co., Ltd., publisher Kodansha Ltd., and several others—determined to finance and co-produce Otomo’s manga into an unprecedented $11 million project, comprised of 160,000 cells of meticulously detailed animation, which made back eight-times its budget at the international box-office.

Tetsuo soon undergoes the same experiments under the supervision of Dr. Onishi and his military commander Colonel Shikishima, who attempt to replicate the indefinable power of one Esper named Akira, a boy whose powers were so great that they caused the explosion in Tokyo decades earlier. But Tetsuo’s natural abilities are unleashed by Dr. Onishi and quickly grow unstable and uncontrollable, transforming him into a violent, hallucinating, and power-hungry maniac determined to set Akira, who survives only as dissected organs contained in jars, free from his cryogenic underground prison. Meanwhile, Kaneda pines after Kei, a member of a rebel faction determined to destabilize the corrupt and irresponsible government. Kei and Kaneda soon realize that they’re both after the same thing, although not ideologically. When he discovers what’s become of Tetsuo, Kaneda joins the rebels if only to recover his best friend and stop him from destroying all of Neo-Tokyo.

In Japanese anime, realism and style have a strange interplay that remains its defining visual motif. With its roots in manga, the anime artist commands both elements and takes complete control. In the case of Akira , Otomo’s realism presents itself in the form of painterly images depicting the incredible iridescent cityscape of Neo-Tokyo, the images only slightly less fantastic than the futuristic vision of Ridley Scott for his Tokyo-inspired Los Angeles in Blade Runner (1982). On the other hand, Otomo employs a more comic-book stylization elsewhere, particularly in the less weighty and more actionized or comic relief scenes involving Kaneda. Anime often has these juxtapositions of style and tone, but few blend as well as Otomo’s approach in Akira .

His massive scope celebrates the glorious Neo-Tokyo, but his entertaining and thrillingly composed action sequences don’t betray, except in pitch, the other more grandiose visuals. With anime, sometimes the need for multiple artists working on a single film results in an inconsistency of style. Still, Otomo’s production spared no expense to bring uniformity to the screen. The result is awe-inspiring at times and completely immersive. At the same time, Otomo’s reach, given his unquestionably cinematic approach, becomes evident everywhere, from countless other Japanese anime films such as Ghost in the Shell (1995) to live-action works like The Matrix (1999) and The Fifth Element (1997). But the film is much more than attractive visuals, sci-fi concepts, and rousing motorbike action.

Beyond the technology, the individual undergoes a similar reconstruction in Otomo’s hands, specifically in Tetsuo. Kidnapped and subject to unknowable experimentation, Tetsuo hallucinates in dream imagery that would frighten Dali. In one gory sequence, his entrails spill out onto the ground in a pile, and he desperately tries to pull them back inside; another sequence shows a nightmarish dream where stuffed animal projections transform into towering monsters. Tetsuo’s head begins to expand. As he develops instantaneous telekinetic powers, he acts out in jaw-dropping displays of violence and destruction. He loses all sense of his history and devotion to his friends. Soon his body grows a strangely fleshy arm to replace a lost appendage, a formless and fluid thing that at once seems to reflect post-atomic radiation mutations, as well as the all-too-quick changes that Japanese youths were forced to endure. By the finale, Tetsuo’s arm grows into Akira’s enormous body, freed into a gob of flesh and machine that leaves one queasy. Tetsuo himself might be a metaphor for postwar Japan, growing out of control. In less graphic terms, Akira represents its youth as counter-culture rebels fighting either against the system or engaged in criminal gangs, either way, against authority in every form. This is the tragedy of Otomo’s future as it relates to his characters, presenting a cynical allegory for how postwar Japan has been unrecoverably influenced, body and soul.

After twenty-five years, Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira still inspires awe. As a seminal work of anime, cyberpunk or otherwise, it still has yet to be matched in its epic stature. Hollywood has tried for more than a decade to produce a live-action adaptation, resulting only in false starts. But no amount of expensive computer-animated special FX, star power (names involved have included Leonardo DiCaprio, Keanu Reeves, and Garrett Hedlund), or blockbuster production value could ever match the singular vision Otomo achieved in 1988. His limitless spectacle of a nuked world reborn into a frightening dystopian city—teeming with the subgenre’s usual range of cyberpunks, telekinetics, and authoritarian bad guys—may overshadow the emotional depth of his characters and their often overly expositional dialogue. But Otomo’s audience is so rapt by the proceedings that these criticisms hardly seem important. Akira remains so densely steeped in spectacle, out-there sci-fi ideas, and an overload of visual information that its social and cultural commentaries may go overlooked. Despite this unbalance, such an extraordinary achievement demands to be seen and seen again for re-evaluation into its deeper relevance—and to be appreciated as a landmark not just of anime but of international cinema.

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The Enduring Legacy of Akira: How the 1988 Film Has Influenced interesting Anime

1.1 Katsuhiro Otomo’s Masterpiece: From Manga to Live-Action
1.2 AKIRA’s Global Influence: Impact on Lucas and Spielberg
1.3 AKIRA: A Landmark in Anime Movies
1.4 AKIRA and the 2020 Summer Olympics: A Visionary Prediction
1.5 Interesting Facts and Impact of AKIRA
1.6 AKIRA: A Pioneering Force in Anime and Popular Culture
1.7.1 The Lasting Influence of AKIRA’s Soundtrack
1.8.1 AKIRA’s Continued Relevance and Future Adaptations
1.9.1 What makes AKIRA a significant film in the anime genre?
1.9.2 How did AKIRA influence other filmmakers and genres?
1.9.3 In what ways did AKIRA’s animation set new standards?
1.9.4 What is the significance of the live-action version of AKIRA?
1.9.5 How did AKIRA predict real-world events?

The Evolution of Animation: AKIRA Milestone in interesting Anime Film

In 1988, the anime world witnessed a groundbreaking phenomenon – the release of “AKIRA.” This film, directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, marked a pivotal moment in the history of anime films. It wasn’t just the awe-inspiring animation that set “AKIRA” apart; it was its unique storytelling, complex characters, and the portrayal of a dystopian Neo-Tokyo that captivated audiences worldwide.

The animation of “AKIRA” was revolutionary. It pushed the boundaries of what was possible in anime, both technically and artistically. With over 160,000 frames – a staggering number for its time – and a budget that dwarfed many of its contemporaries, “AKIRA” showcased a level of detail and fluidity in animation that was unprecedented. This film didn’t just raise the bar; it created a whole new standard for what animation could achieve.

“AKIRA’s” impact on Japanese animation cannot be overstated. It played a critical role in introducing anime to a global audience, demonstrating that these films could offer complex narratives and stunning visual experiences. It opened the door for future anime films and series to be taken seriously on the international stage, paving the way for the global phenomenon that anime has become today.

Katsuhiro Otomo’s Masterpiece: From Manga to Live-Action

Katsuhiro Otomo’s “AKIRA,” first introduced as a manga in the pages of Young Magazine, transcended the boundaries of its medium to become an animated film unlike any other. Released in 1988, this film was not only a visual marvel but also a narrative powerhouse, telling the story of Shōtarō Kaneda and his biker gang navigating a dystopian Tokyo. Otomo’s creative control over the project ensured that the film stayed true to the spirit of the manga, while also offering a fresh perspective.

The journey of “AKIRA” from manga to its live-action version is a testament to its enduring appeal. With each re-release and adaptation, the story of Kaneda, Tetsuo, and their world continues to captivate audiences, both old and new. It’s a narrative that weaves together themes of friendship, power, and societal collapse, set against the backdrop of a city that’s as much a character as the bikers themselves.

AKIRA’s Global Influence: Impact on Lucas and Spielberg

“AKIRA” has left an indelible mark on filmmakers worldwide, including luminaries like George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Its influence extends beyond the field of animation, impacting the broader realms of film and storytelling. The cyberpunk aesthetic of “AKIRA,” combined with its deep and layered narrative, showed western audiences the potential of animated films to convey complex, adult-oriented stories.

The film’s ability to break the boundaries of traditional animation played a pivotal role in shaping the perspectives of these renowned directors. Its futuristic vision, coupled with a gripping narrative and groundbreaking animation techniques, showcased a new way of storytelling that was way ahead of its time.

AKIRA: A Landmark in Anime Movies

AKIRA is not just any anime movie; it’s a cultural phenomenon. Regarded as one of the best anime movies of all time, this 1988 film set a new standard for what an animated movie could be. Its blend of cyberpunk themes with a dystopian backdrop set in a future Tokyo was a revelation. The attention to detail by the animators, from the intricate single pictures to the dynamic action scenes, brought the world of AKIRA to life in a way that had never been seen before.

The influence of AKIRA on the genre of Japanese anime and anime series globally is profound. It broke ground as one of the first Japanese anime films to gain significant attention in the U.S., thanks in part to Streamline Pictures. The film’s narrative, taking place at night in a city filled with vibrant lights and shadow, creates a mood that has influenced countless films and anime since.

AKIRA and the 2020 Summer Olympics: A Visionary Prediction

One of the most iconic scenes in AKIRA is the depiction of the construction of a new Olympic stadium in Tokyo, a prediction made long before Tokyo was chosen to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. This scene, where Kaneda and his gang navigate through the streets of Neo-Tokyo, showcases Otomo’s visionary storytelling. The film was ahead of its time, not only in animation but also in its ability to foresee significant future events.

The AKIRA manga, spanning 738 pages, provided a rich narrative backdrop for the film. Differences between the manga and the animated movie exist, but both share the same core story and themes. This narrative foresight, coupled with stunning animation, cements AKIRA as a significant milestone in the field of animation and popular culture.

Interesting Facts and Impact of AKIRA

AKIRA is often considered a trailblazer in the world of anime and manga. This 1988 anime, set in a dystopian future, has not only stood the test of time but has also significantly influenced the landscape of animated movies. Here are some fascinating facts about AKIRA:

AKIRA was one of the first Japanese anime films to be presented with a new, fully synchronized English language dub for Western audiences, paving the way for future anime in the U.S.
The AKIRA Committee, a unique partnership of several major Japanese entertainment companies, was formed to produce the film, illustrating a new model for anime production and funding.
The film’s animation broke new ground with its detailed depiction of a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, using 327 different colors – a record at the time, with 50 of them created specifically for the film.
Notably, the music in AKIRA, which played a pivotal role in setting the film’s tone, was composed before the film’s completion. This meant that the animators had to match the characters’ movements to the already composed score, a reverse of the standard practice.

AKIRA: A Pioneering Force in Anime and Popular Culture

AKIRA is widely considered one of the greatest animated movies ever made. Its influence on the anime industry and popular culture is immense, transcending the boundaries of traditional animation. The film, an adaptation of the manga of the same name by creator Katsuhiro Otomo, showcases a narrative depth and artistic brilliance that has inspired countless creators and artists across various mediums.

Influence on Music Videos and Popular Media: The stylistic elements of AKIRA, particularly its vibrant cityscapes and kinetic action sequences, have been echoed in numerous music videos and films. Its aesthetic has become a visual shorthand for futuristic dystopia and cyberpunk themes.
The Riot Scene and its Cultural Echoes: One of the film’s most iconic sequences is the riot scene, a masterful blend of animation and storytelling that has been referenced in various other media. This scene captures the essence of AKIRA’s thematic exploration of chaos, power, and rebellion.

The Sound of AKIRA: A Revolutionary Soundtrack

The soundtrack of AKIRA stands as one of the most innovative and influential in the history of anime films. Its revolutionary approach to sound design and music composition has had a lasting impact on both the anime industry and beyond.

Innovative Composition Techniques: The soundtrack, composed by Shoji Yamashiro of the musical collective Geinoh Yamashirogumi, is a fusion of traditional Japanese instrumentation, choral arrangements, and electronic music. This eclectic mix not only complemented the film’s futuristic setting but also added a layer of emotional depth to its storytelling.
Setting New Standards in Sound Design: AKIRA’s sound design was ahead of its time. The film utilized a then-novel recording technique called “pre-scored” music, where the soundtrack was created and recorded before the film was animated. This allowed the animators to synchronize the animation with the music, creating a more cohesive and immersive experience.

The Lasting Influence of AKIRA’s Soundtrack

The influence of AKIRA’s soundtrack extends well beyond the realms of anime. Its unique sound has been sampled and referenced in various music genres, from hip-hop to electronic music, illustrating its wide-reaching impact.

A Cultural Touchstone in Music: The soundtrack’s iconic tracks, such as “Kaneda’s Theme,” have become synonymous with the film, capturing the essence of its cyberpunk aesthetic. The soundtrack’s experimental nature has inspired countless artists and musicians, cementing its place as a cultural touchstone.
Enhancing Narrative Through Music: The way AKIRA’s soundtrack intertwines with its narrative set a new benchmark for how music can enhance and drive a film’s story. Scenes like the riot and the final showdown are elevated by the soundtrack, making them some of the most memorable in animation history.

The soundtrack of AKIRA remains a testament to the film’s groundbreaking approach to storytelling and animation. It is not only a significant part of the film’s legacy but also a milestone in the history of film music.

Conclusion: AKIRA’s Enduring Legacy in Pop Culture

As we reflect on the enduring legacy of AKIRA, it is clear that this film is more than just an anime. It is a cultural phenomenon that has influenced not only the world of animation but also the broader landscape of popular culture.

A Benchmark in Animation and Storytelling: AKIRA is considered by many as one of the greatest animated movies of all time. Katsuhiro Otomo’s masterpiece has set a high benchmark in both animation quality and storytelling depth. Its innovative use of color and light, with 327 different hues used, many created specifically for the film, exemplifies its groundbreaking nature.
Influence Beyond the Anime Genre: The film has inspired a myriad of references in various forms of media, from other films to music videos. Its influence is evident in numerous Easter eggs and nods seen in contemporary cinema and television.

AKIRA’s Continued Relevance and Future Adaptations

Live-Action Adaptation and Beyond: The planned live-action adaptation of AKIRA is a testament to its continued relevance and appeal. This adaptation, much anticipated by fans and critics, stands as a tribute to Otomo’s vision and the film’s impact on the world of cinema.
Predictive Elements and Cultural Significance: AKIRA was visionary in its predictive elements, notably its reference to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which mirrored real-world events. This aspect of the film highlights its significant impact on popular culture and its role in forecasting future societal trends.

AKIRA remains a seminal work, not just in the anime genre but in the entire film industry. It has bridged cultural and geographical boundaries, captivating audiences worldwide and leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of popular culture. As we look back at AKIRA, from its initial release to its current status as a cultural icon, its legacy continues to influence and inspire, cementing its place as a timeless classic in the annals of cinema.

What makes AKIRA a significant film in the anime genre?

Answer: AKIRA is considered a groundbreaking film in anime due to its innovative animation, compelling storytelling, and its status as one of the first Japanese anime films to gain widespread international recognition. Its influence extends beyond anime, impacting global cinema and popular culture.

How did AKIRA influence other filmmakers and genres?

Answer: AKIRA has influenced a wide range of filmmakers, including George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Its cyberpunk aesthetic and narrative depth have also influenced various genres, pushing the boundaries of traditional animation and storytelling.

In what ways did AKIRA’s animation set new standards?

Answer: AKIRA’s animation was revolutionary for its time, using over 327 different colors, many of which were specially created for the film. The detailed animation and creative use of light and shadow set new standards in the field of animation.

What is the significance of the live-action version of AKIRA?

Answer: The live-action adaptation of AKIRA signifies the film’s enduring appeal and its cultural significance. It represents a new interpretation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s vision and is eagerly anticipated by fans and critics alike.

How did AKIRA predict real-world events?

Answer: Remarkably, AKIRA predicted the hosting of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, a fact that has added to its legacy as a visionary work. This foresight demonstrates the film’s relevance and its impact on popular culture.

We Finally Understand The Ending Of Akira

There has likely been no film more influential for the cyberpunk genre than Katsuhiro Otomo's iconic 1988 science-fiction anime "Akira." Yet, after more than three decades, the film's philosophical finale still has viewers questioning what all of the chaos and destruction means. It's a visually frightening bloodbath with an equally frightening yet relatively open-to-interpretation message.

Set in a post-war futuristic 2019, Neo-Tokyo is a self-imploding city laden with street gangs, terrorist attacks, and violent protests. The government is corrupt and refuses to inform its citizens what is going on, which has led to the formation of resistance groups and fanatical cults. Amidst this, biker gang leader Shōtaro Kaneda's childhood friend Tetsuo Shima is involved in an accident that awakens a troubling power within him. The government realizes that the power Tetsuo has is nearly identical to that of Akira, a telepath who was responsible for the destruction of the original Tokyo in 1988.

It's a race against divine power, government corruption, and of course, the clock as everyone struggles to stop the impending collapse of their city yet again. The action builds to an unforgettable climax, but what does the ending actually mean?

The morality of nuclear weapons and secret operations

Cautionary tales about political violence don't usually culminate with a grotesque, crawling mass that absorbs an entire city. However, "Akira" uses said all-consuming, flesh-like being as a way to illustrate how becoming too powerful too quickly can be dangerous. Tetsuo is destroyed from the inside-out by this growing mass as he becomes increasingly out of control, and nothing can prevent this from happening because it's a side effect of previous wrongdoings.

It isn't a coincidence that both the singularity event and the Big Bang that follow resemble the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagaski . As outlined by writer Joe Marcynzki at Little White Lies , the film explores the morality of nuclear weapons through the lens of the children that are secretly being subjected to parapsychological tests by Tokyo's government. One way to view the parallels: the children themselves are the atomic bombs, Akira was the inciting incident, and Tetsuo can be viewed as Japan itself, struggling with whether or not to continue the cycle of violence — a government responding to a horrific attack by committing atrocities of its own.

Is it morally acceptable to hide the existence of warheads from public knowledge? Should the public be alerted to rampant, often cruel testing that is going on behind the scenes? How does a governing body reconcile with the damage that has been done by its own hand in the name of survival? "Akira" doesn't outright answer those questions, but rather leaves it up to viewers to debate the morality of such horrors.

'Big people' cannot play God

Tetsuo's inability to reckon with the divine powers is his downfall, as humans are not equipped to play God because they will only act in their self-interest. Tetsuo, an insecure, impulsive young man, almost immediately uses his power to lash out at anyone who challenges his newfound skills.

Kiyoko, one of the few children to survive the government's secret testing, expresses to Tetsuo that "big people" shouldn't possess such powerful abilities because they are impure and will only act out of self-interest. Tetsuo, unable to control the powers he has unwillingly received, sets off on a violent rampage. He denounces the existence of Akira, whom he initially sought out, and becomes drunk with power until it overtakes him. In the final moments, his former insecurity returns along with his blatant terror.

The prophetic, religious elements of the story are complex, but the battle between childlike innocence and adult selfishness is constantly at play. Children shouldn't have to grapple with the notion of playing God, either, but their purity prevents them from abusing power the way adults would be inclined to.

Tetsuo's self-realization

As the decaying remains of Neo-Tokyo crumble under Tetsuo's epic destruction, water fills in the ruins as though the city never stood there. The impurity has been washed away and replaced by something clean. And Tetsuo is ... gone?

After being pulled into a separate dimension, both Tetsuo and Kaneda undergo what could be considered spiritual transformations. Kaneda, who is rescued by the espers, experiences each of their childhoods and sees the testing, as well as his friendship with Tetsuo. He re-enters reality back in Neo-Tokyo, where he mourns his friend and leaves the city.

Tetsuo, on the other hand, is saved by Akira himself. He reemerges in a new universe, where Akira will guide him on how to control these telekinetic abilities. His closing declaration of "I am Tetsuo" implies that he now understands the extent of his godlike powers. He has transcended into a new existence; with the right guidance, perhaps his power will no longer perpetuate the cycle of destruction that began with Akira. Or maybe it will go on to destroy another society.

There is much to grapple with in the ending of "Akira," and the discussion will likely carry on until the years-in-the-making live-action remake is finally released.

Akira Ending Explained: The Search For Power Always Leads To Destruction

The sheer scope of director Katsuhiro Otomo's masterpiece anime "Akira" is mind-boggling. While the film only takes place over several days, the spiritual and philosophical density of its myth extends far beyond that timeframe, into both the past and future. The movie begins with an apocalyptic explosion, unsubtly reminiscent of Hiroshima , which has for decades continued to be a point for reference for Japanese science-fiction. The origin of that explosion is the namesake Akira, a psychic child (also called an ESPer) who ascended to the level of a God and whose power kickstarted a singularity that destroyed the world and created a new one. Akira exists in the film as both a metaphysical entity — a stand-in for various deities — but also exists in a physical form, deep beneath the surface of Neo-Tokyo. Neo-Tokyo is the setting of "Akira," and it's a post-apocalyptic hellscape of flashing lights, conspiracy cultists, military raids, and biker gangs. Navigating their way through this tumultuous city are two best friends Kaneda and Tetsuo.

Kaneda and Tetsuo's divergent paths in the film are foreshadowed early on during the biker war between two gangs known as the Clowns and Capsules. Kaneda and Tetsuo are both members of the Capsules, but Kaneda is the leader. He chides Tetsuo's bike inexperience before the battle, saying "my bike is too wild, you wouldn't be able to handle it." Tetsuo goes out to prove himself with his own bike, but inadvertently crashes into a child named Takashi on the highway. Takashi, one of three known ESPers in the government's custody (the other two are Kyoko and Masaru), passes on some of his powers to Tetsuo. Tetsuo starts to have horrific audial and visual hallucinations of Akira, and they begin to consume him.

A Power to Great for Us to Understand

In the end of the film, when Tetsuo comes into the presence of Akira's true power, he transforms into a horrific amorphous giant of flesh, cells, and organs, marking that his human form is being usurped by the galactic force of Akira. He yells "My body isn't doing what I tell it to, it's acting on its own!" The three ESPer children are awed by the presence of Akira and begin praying to him, understanding that the birthing of a new world is inevitable and that Tetsuo will ultimately be released from his mortal form. They end up helping Kaneda and Tetsuo's girlfriend Kairo, who came to rescue Tetsuo, return to safety but most of Neo-Tokyo is yet again destroyed in a mass explosion.

Tetsuo's ultimate and perhaps pre-ordained conjoining with Akira comes from his desire to be thought of as powerful and important . Throughout the movie, Tetsuo is considered a side-kick or novice to Kaneda and the combination of his inferiority complex with his newly attained powers proves to be lethal. At first Tetsuo is terrified of his abilities, but he begins to harness them and his ego takes over. Tetsuo asks Kaneda in their final confrontation inside of the stadium "Why do you always have to save me? Yeah, I admit I've gotten beaten before, but I won't always be on the receiving end you hear?" This search and ultimate attainment of power is not only about proving his own self-worth, but of revenge against those who doubted him.

Fending For Ourselves

The human desire of control and retaliation that leads to the calamitous ending is present in many characters throughout the film, which Otomo fleshes out as a political allegory of end-times. We see military intervention and a General Patton-like brute confidence by Colonel Shikishima. He orders a coup d'etat and a forceful military attack to stop Tetsuo's powerful ascent at all costs. He exudes an arrogant anthropocentric outlook that comes into conflict with the supernatural and galactic forces he is reckoning with. On the opposite side of the spectrum are cultists who worship the coming of Akira like a Biblical rapture and openly embrace in the destruction of this world and the creation of the next. But even they are naïvely anthropocentric, believing narcissistically that Akira's resurrection is for the benefit of humanity. The cult is also led by a single man who is carried on a giant throne across the city. It's one of several ways Otomo critiques the hypocrisy of individual self-importance even in the face of collective catastrophe.

A Chance to Break the Cycle

The animation in Akira toes the line between the beautiful and bleak. The frames are filled with dark orange, black, and red hues that paint Neo-Tokyo are menacing and perfectly characterize a city that seems to exist in perpetual violence. The people who populate the city are nearly always angry, worried, and suspicious. It embodies the feelings of a fractured society that leaves everyone feeling alone. This emptiness is exemplified in the climactic impact of the ending — a series of flashing panels, a massive explosion, and the pitch black of space — is both spectacular and deadening. Its finality leaves a crater in its wake.

Yet, in the final moments where Tetsuo and Kaneda are together, engulfed by a blinding light and force of Akira, they see flashbacks to different points in their friendship. The sequences highlight the ways in which Tetsuo's superhuman mental abilities were there from the start, but his shy nature and weak physicality relegated him to have to be protected under the wing of the bolder Kaneda. In all the film's tragedy, these nostalgic moments in the face of Akira suggest a chance to learn in what is left behind. After the explosions, after the destruction, rays of light shine down on the rubble of Neo-Tokyo, a mixed signal in the wake of despair. The question in the end becomes, can people learn to not repeat the cycle? After Akira, Tetsuo's insatiable need for power led to another cataclysmic event, but this time, as Kaneda and the rest of humanity picks up the pieces, perhaps they can make sure it's the last time.

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Akira ( Japanese : アキラ ) is a 1988 Japanese adult animated cyberpunk action film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo , produced by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto , based on Otomo's 1982 manga of the same name . Set in a dystopian 2019, it tells the story of Shōtarō Kaneda, a leader of a biker gang whose childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, acquires incredible telekinetic abilities after a motorcycle accident, eventually threatening an entire military complex amid chaos and rebellion in the sprawling futuristic metropolis of Neo-Tokyo.

While most of the character designs and settings were adapted from the manga, the plot differs considerably and does not include much of the last half of the manga, which continued publication for two years after the film's release. The soundtrack, which draws heavily from traditional Indonesian gamelan as well as Japanese noh music, was composed by Shōji Yamashiro and performed by Geinoh Yamashirogumi .

In 2019, following a world war triggered by the sudden destruction of Tokyo on July 16, 1988, Neo-Tokyo is plagued by corruption, anti-government protests, terrorism, and gang violence. During a violent rally, the hot-headed Shōtarō Kaneda leads his vigilante bōsōzoku gang, the Capsules, against the rival Clown gang. Kaneda's best friend, Tetsuo Shima, inadvertently crashes his motorcycle into Takashi, an esper who escaped from a government laboratory with the aid of a resistance organization. Assisted by fellow esper Masaru, Japan Self-Defense Forces Colonel Shikishima recaptures Takashi, has Tetsuo hospitalized, and arrests the Capsules. While being interrogated by the police, Kaneda meets Kei, an activist within the resistance movement, and tricks the authorities into releasing her with his gang.

At a secret government facility, Shikishima and his head of research, Doctor Ōnishi, discover that Tetsuo possesses powerful psychic abilities similar to Akira, the esper responsible for Tokyo's 1988 destruction. Esper Kiyoko forewarns Shikishima of Neo-Tokyo's impending destruction, but the city's parliament dismisses Shikishima's concerns, leading him to consider killing Tetsuo to prevent another cataclysm. Meanwhile, Tetsuo escapes from the hospital, steals Kaneda's motorcycle, and tries fleeing Neo-Tokyo with his girlfriend Kaori, but the Clowns ambush them. The Capsules rescue Tetsuo and Kaori, but Tetsuo suffers intense headaches and hallucinations and is re-hospitalized.

Overhearing their plan to rescue Tetsuo and the other espers, Kaneda joins Kei's resistance cell. At the hospital, the espers try killing Tetsuo via hallucinations, but the attempt is thwarted. A frustrated Tetsuo searches for them, killing any orderlies and militiamen blocking his path. The resistance group infiltrates the hospital, and Kiyoko draws Kei and Kaneda into Shikishima and the espers' futile attempts to stop Tetsuo. Kiyoko tells Tetsuo that Akira, located in cryonic storage beneath the Olympic Stadium's construction site, could help Tetsuo with his powers. After rejecting everyone around him, especially Kaneda, Tetsuo flees the hospital to hunt for Akira.

Using Kei as a medium to stop Tetsuo, Kiyoko breaks her and Kaneda out of military custody. Shikishima stages a coup d'état against Neo-Tokyo's government and directs its military forces to destroy Tetsuo at any cost. At the Capsules' former hangout Harukiya Bar, Tetsuo confronts gangmates Yamagata and Kai over Kaneda's bike and kills Yamagata after his protest. Kai relays the news to Kaneda, who vows to avenge his friend, while Takashi brings Kei away. Mistaken for Akira by cultists, Tetsuo rampages through Neo-Tokyo, arriving at Akira's cryogenic storage dewar under the stadium. Kei fights Tetsuo, but he defeats her and exhumes Akira, only to find his remains sealed in jars for scientific research.

Kaneda fights Tetsuo with a laser rifle, and Shikishima fires an orbital weapon at him. While the latter destroys his arm, neither is able to stop him. Shikishima and Kaori approach the stadium, where Tetsuo, now with a robotic arm, is in great pain and losing control over his powers. Kaori tries restraining Tetsuo while Shikishima unsuccessfully offers to heal his injuries and help control his abilities. Kaneda again fights Tetsuo, who, weakened from the missing arm, mutates into a gigantic mass of flesh, engulfing Kaneda and killing Kaori. The espers revive Akira to stop the growing mass. Reuniting with his friends, Akira creates a singularity , drawing Tetsuo and Kaneda into another dimension. The espers teleport Shikishima to a safe distance as the singularity destroys Neo-Tokyo in a mirror of Tokyo's previous destruction, and they agree to rescue Kaneda, knowing they will not return to this dimension as a result.

In the singularity, Kaneda experiences Tetsuo and the espers' childhoods, including his and Tetsuo's friendship and the espers' psychic training before Tokyo's destruction. The espers return Kaneda to Neo-Tokyo, informing him that Akira will take Tetsuo to safety and that Kei is developing psychic powers. Ōnishi witnesses the birth of a universe but is killed in his lab's destruction. After consuming most of Neo-Tokyo, the singularity disappears, and water floods the crater left in its place. Mourning Tetsuo's loss, Kaneda discovers that Kei and Kai have survived, and they ride off into the ruins while Shikishima watches the sunrise. At an unspecified plane of reality, Tetsuo introduces himself and triggers the creation of a universe, finally transcending the limitations of human existence.

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The Cursed History of the Live-Action Akira Movie

Warner Bros. has spent so much time and energy trying to nail a live-action 'Akira' remake, but it's always gone down in flames.

The Big Picture

Warner Bros. has spent years trying to make a live-action American Akira movie, but has faced numerous challenges.
Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were rumored to star in the film, but the casting choices were criticized for white-washing.
Taika Waititi was later attached as the director, but his plans fell through, leaving the project in limbo once again.

Warner Bros. can never let Akira go. This movie studio has been through countless regime changes in the last 15+ years, the priorities of this company have dramatically evolved, and entire franchises have risen and fallen in that period. However, no matter the year, Warner Bros. brass remains convinced that a live-action American Akira movie is something the world needs. This proposed Akira remake would've been based on the 1988 animated Japanese film of the same name. That project, helmed by Katsuhiro Otomo, was based on the director's anime from years earlier. Widely acclaimed and influential on global pop culture (just look at how many properties have paid tribute to the " Akira slide ), Warner Bros. brass have seen a potential goldmine in bringing Akira to the silver screen as a live-action blockbuster.

Over the years, Warner Bros. has managed to get several tormented blockbusters that went through endless creative teams out into theaters in some finished form, namely King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and The Legend of Tarzan . But Akira has been one nut that Warner Bros. can’t crack , with the studio instead settling for referencing it extensively in Warner Bros. tentpoles like Ready Player One . Not that the studio hasn’t tried. Oh God, has Warner Bros. tried. If we’re to examine the cursed existence of this live-action Akira movie, we must take a cue from one of the first hit songs by Dan+Shay and go back to “where it all began.”

A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by a teenager, his gang of biker friends and a group of psychics.

Leonardo DiCaprio First Picked Up The 'Akira' Film Rights

Leonardo DiCaprio has a lot of sway in the film industry, and his producing credits through his production company, Appian Way, have been erratic and bizarre. He’s got a producing credit on the 2018 Robin Hood movie, for example, and DiCaprio was a key creative figure on the first iteration of the American Akira movie . This actor united with Warner Bros. Pictures to produce a remake that somebody out there was demanding. Oscar-nominated short film director Ruairi Robinson was set to make his feature-length directorial debut on Akira , which was poised to launch as soon as summer 2009.

In a March 2008 interview, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt responded to rumors that he and DiCaprio would be playing the two lead roles of Akira in a coy fashion, noting that the script wasn't finished for Akira . However, if that screenplay turned out to be any good, he'd be curious to anchor the movie considering he loved the original Akira . DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt headlining a live-action Akira movie is as quintessentially a piece of 2008 casting as the notion of Jay Leno and Pat Morita anchoring a cop movie is quintessential late 1980s casting. This rumored casting also sparked an unfortunate default norm for this remake: white casting for the lead characters.

Despite being a property hailing from Japan, Warner Bros. was angling to get the whitest artists possible to make and star in this new Akira . This troublesome approach is emblematic of decades of whitewashing in Hollywood, with American movie studios all too happy to utilize visuals and locations specific to Asian culture, but rarely offering actors of Asian descent a chance to anchor major motion pictures. This egregious act of white-washing (or at least this iteration of it) never got realized, though, as this incarnation of Akira was dead by June 2009 . That seemed to be the end of things until September 2009, when a report broke that screenwriters Mark Fergus and Hawk Otsby were toiling away on a new draft of the feature. The world wasn’t spared a live-action American Akira movie just yet.

'Akira' Almost Got Realized With Some Odd Actor Choices

The next major update for Akira would arrive in February 2010, when the Hughes Brothers were announced to be helming the feature . This came just a few weeks after the directorial duo’s The Book of Eli had turned into a smash hit for Warner Bros. Pictures. The studio was clearly pleased with this pair of directors and wanted them to crack the code on this Akira adaptation. By the start of 2011, Steve Kloves , a screenwriting veteran of the Harry Potter movies , was now penning the script for Akira . Warner Bros. seemed to be hoping the combination of all these figures associated with then-recent Warner Bros. hits (Kloves, Hughes, DiCaprio) could somehow magically spawn a hit Akira movie. Throw enough darts at the board, you'll get something lucrative…right?

Right after this news dropped, the first casting wishlist for Akira broke , which also confirmed that this American film would be keeping character names like Tetsuo and Kaneda. The list reads like a cacophony of Caucasian chaos, with Robert Pattinson , Andrew Garfield , and James McAvoy being eyeballed for Tetsuo while a slew of names (including Garrett Hedlund , Justin Timberlake , and the most in-demand early 2010s blockbuster leading man, Michael Fassbender ) were attached to Kaneda. Timberlake had been getting into acting full-time at the start of the 2010s with The Social Network and Friends with Benefits . Playing a man named Kaneda was a possible next step for the actor's burgeoning leading man career.

'Akira' Review: A Still-Relevant Story About the Destructive Power of Science

In hindsight, what’s especially darkly amusing about this tone-deaf collection of possible casting choices is that it’s not just all white people, it’s the whitest folks imaginable . McAvoy and Fassbender are European actors who are so darn white that they play physical embodiments of white power structures in films like The Book of Clarence and 12 Years a Slave . This endlessly troublesome casting had to be put on pause when Albert Hughes left the production. Now without a director, Akira would secure Jaume Collet-Serra just a few weeks later as its new filmmaker. This maneuver (which put a director most well-known at the time for Unknown and Orphan ) into the driver's seat of a massive tentpole preceded Collet-Serra's jump to blockbusters like Jungle Cruise and Black Adam by roughly a decade.

This version of Akira was picking up steam, with Garrett Hedlund in talks to secure the part of Kaneda by the end of the year (an interesting reversal of how he was initially being looked at for the role of Tetsuo). Hedlund left moviegoers all over the world going "who is this boring guy?" when he headlined Tron: Legacy just a year earlier, so naturally, it was time to hand him more blockbuster movie roles. Kristen Stewart was signed on to play Kei by the end of 2011, which meant Akira was now set to be one of her first big post- Twilight roles, while actors like Toby Kebbell , Paul Dano , and future Oscar-winner Rami Malek were testing for the role of Tetsuo. This iteration of Akira seemed temporarily unstoppable, but in January 2012, just weeks before shooting would’ve begun, Warner Bros. shut down Akira to try and get its budget reduced . The studio had been putting other blockbusters (like Arthur & Lancelot ) on ice around this time, meaning this version of Akira was a victim of much larger studio politics.

Not Even Taika Waititi Could Salvage the 'Akira' Remake

In February 2014, two years after Akira had fallen apart, Collet-Serra expressed hope that maybe Akira could be his next directorial effort, though just one year later, he revealed that the project had been shelved again . Akira seemed to be endlessly cursed, though that wasn’t stopping Warner Bros. from trying to secure Get Out director Jordan Peele to helm the movie in May 2017. Being courted for this job led to Peele publicly revealing that he was not only not interested in helming Akira , but that he’d be focusing on original directorial efforts for the foreseeable future. Even with this directorial pursuit not panning out, Warner Bros. still wanted to make this remake a reality, and by September 2017, the studio had secured Taika Waititi to helm Akira .

Getting the job just before Thor: Ragnarok hit theaters, Waititi’s presence gave Akira a hot new filmmaker steering the ship creatively. Waititi also explained in a subsequent interview about Akira that he was planning to incorporate a racially diverse cast for the film and would be taking cues from the Akira manga rather than the 1988 anime feature. By May 2019, it looked like this tormented project was finally happening thanks to the feature securing permission to film in California and a high-profile May 2021 release date . Then, once again, Akira was struck down, this time by Waititi's plans to direct Thor: Love and Thunder . By February 2020, Waititi cast doubt on him ever directing Akira, while in November 2023 he revealed that he didn't have any interest in returning to the world of big-budget studio movies. Needless to say, this is yet another incarnation of the movie that’s gone the way of the dodo.

There have been no real updates on Akira in the 2020s, an unsurprising development given that COVID-19 upended the entertainment landscape and Warner Bros. has gone through so many corporate overhauls in the last few years. Still, the smash success of something like One Piece for Netflix means it's only a matter of time before Warner Bros. tries its hand at adapting this material again. The only question is…why? Warner Bros. executives have been weirdly paradoxical in their approach to this property. Akira is supposedly a can’t-miss brand name with so much power and ubiquity that it simply must be made into an American movie. Also, it’s too “risky” of a property to spend too much money on (reports from 2012 indicated that WB didn’t want the film to cost more than $60 million) and there are clearly endless problems with translating this material to the world of American cinema.

Why not just spend all this development money on something new and original? Countless high-profile people (from producer DiCaprio to Waititi to The Hughes Brothers) have been tasked with trying to make Akira work when their efforts could’ve been spent on bringing something fresh into the world. The most cynical interpretation of Warner Bros. spending so much time and energy on an Akira remake is that this conglomerate wants to automatically have “ownership” of iconic imagery associated with Akira . Even if this studio didn’t make those characters, a live-action version could give the studio behind The Dark Knight some “claim” to them. With such creepy potential corporate motivations behind this endeavor, it’s really for the best Akira has never made it to the silver screen despite endless attempts to make this cursed adaptation a reality.

Akira is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

Watch on Hulu

Screen Rant

Akira toriyama's new anime, sand land, gets new trailer ahead of disney+ release.

One of Akira Toriyama's lesser-known works is receiving an anime it deserves, and a new trailer has been released as the release date gets closer.

Sand Land receives its final trailer ahead of its spring 2024 release on Disney+.
The anime will adapt more of the source material than the successful movie adaptation released last year.
Episodes 1-7 will be released simultaneously, focusing on the Demon Prince arc, followed by weekly releases.

SAND LAND has just received its final trailer ahead of its spring 2024 release, giving an in-depth look into how the Disney+ exclusive series will look. This manga series the anime is adapting is an underrated work by the late Akira Toriyama, and hopefully the anime will show that the great mangaka has other amazing works besides Dragon Ball .

The SAND LAND manga received a movie adaptation last year that was quite successful. Given the movie's success and the impending release of the SAND LAND game, it only makes sense that a TV anime would be in the works. Studio Sunrise will be adapting more of the source material, with a 13-episode anime set to come out soon.

As per the official website of the project, SAND LAND will air on March 20, 2024, exclusively on Disney+ . The first 7 episodes will be released simultaneously, and the rest will follow the typical weekly schedule.

Akira Toriyama's Legacy Shaped Our World Beyond Dragon Ball

Another toriyama manga comes to life.

The reason behind the simultaneous release of the first 7 episodes of the upcoming anime series is that the initial six episodes have been adapted straight from the movie, with the inclusion of some new scenes. Subsequently, episodes 8 to 13 will be released week to week, starting from Wednesday, March 27th at 16:00 Japanese Standard Time, and will concentrate on the Angel Hero arc.

SAND LAND has an upcoming RPG game this April.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by war, SAND LAND is set in a world where humans and demons coexist, and where water is very expensive and hoarded by a greedy king. The upstanding Sheriff Rao asks the Demon King for help in finding a lost lake, and the king agrees to send his son Beelzebub and his assistant Thief to accompany Rao.

Sand Land Review - Move Over Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama's New Movie is His Opus

Sand land is on its way to becoming toriyama's next big franchise, with a movie, show, and game, its clear great effort is going into making sand land huge.

Although CGI has been heavily used in the making of the series, Studio Sunrise managed to pull it off and produced a gorgeous-looking and dynamic series that looks as good as other 2-D animated series. This series has everything to love about Dragon Ball : the humor, unique character design, lots of action, and cool-looking vehicles. However, it also has aspects that Toriyama's biggest series doesn't have, differentiating itself from it and making it a must-watch when it airs soon.

Given the big push SAND LAND is getting with its movie, video game, and now series, it's clear that Studio Sunrise is hoping the series has the potential to be a franchise. The fact that the anime is adapting out the story beyond the manga is a hopeful sign that these characters and their world have potential beyond their original appearance. SAND LAND's rise to prominence and its forthcoming Disney+ release should excite any fan of Akira Toriyama and his distinct work.

Source: Disney+ Japan , Official website of SAND LAND .

Don't miss SAND LAND when it airs on March 20, only on Disney+ .

Toonami Pays Tribute to Dragon Ball Creator Akira Toriyama Ahead of Anime Marathon

Tom and sara shared a few words..

Toonami shared a touching tribute to honor the legacy of Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama over the weekend, with a special message before its anime marathon.

Toonami aired eight episodes of Dragon Ball Z Kai on March 16 to celebrate the life and work of Toriyama following his tragic death . The intro to the late-night programming block featured Toonami hosts TOM and SARA exchanging a few words about the legendary creator and his impact on the manga and anime industry.

Check out TOM and SARA's tribute to Akira Toriyama during tonight's #Toonami intro! pic.twitter.com/L3LC7yHg2k — Swimpedia (@swimpedia) March 17, 2024

"Man, losing one of the greatest manga creators of all time really sucks," TOM says in the clip, with SARA then adding: "But Akira Toriyama's monumental influence on the medium will live on forever."

"Back in '98, Dragon Ball Z put Toonami on the map," TOM continues during his moment of reflection, as SARA chimes in: "And the Dragon Ball franchise has been our rock ever since."

"So tonight, with heavy hearts, we're paying tribute to Toriyama-san," TOM concludes, leaving SARA to share the marathon details as the screen displays a tribute card for Toriyama.

Dragon Ball Z Kai premiered in 2009 and is a recut version of the anime series Dragon Ball Z released to commemorate the anime's 20th anniversary. Alongside recutting the original series, Dragon Ball Z Kai also served as a remaster that improved the visuals and animation and included re-recorded dialogue.

Toriyama died earlier this month at the age of 68 due to an acute subdural hematoma. While Dragon Ball Z was not Toriyama's first project, it is arguably one of his most beloved creations, as Dragon Ball Z (and by extension, the greater Dragon Ball franchise) played an influential role in the anime and gaming industries.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter @AdeleAnkers.

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News Train to the End of the World Anime Reveals Character Video for Nadeshiko Hoshi

Kadokawa revealed the fourth character promotional video for Girls und Panzer and Shirobako director Tsutomu Mizushima 's original anime Shūmatsu Train Doko e Iku? on Monday. The video features Nadeshiko Hoshi, nicknamed Nadeko. She has a gentle and calm personality, and does not like conflicts. She often acts as the group's mediator. She knows archery, and is good at using projectile weapons. Azumi Waki voices the character.

The anime's story is set in a town in a not-so-ordinary countryside, where a big and strange occurrence is happening to its residents. But a young girl named Shizuru Chikura has a strong desire to see her lost friend again. Shizuru and three other girls board an abandoned train, and they set out to the outside world, where survival is not certain. What awaits them at the last stop of the "Doomsday Train?"

The anime stars:

Azumi Waki as Nadeshiko Hoshi, nicknamed Nadeko
Erisa Kuon as Reimi Kuga
Hina Kino as Akira Shinonome
Chika Anzai as Shizuru Chikura
Nao Tōyama as Yōka Nakatomi
Kazuyuki Okitsu as Zenjirō

The anime also has a voiceless character named Pochisan.

Tsutomu Mizushima ( Girls und Panzer , Shirobako ) is directing the anime at EMT Squared . Michiko Yokote ( Shirobako , Prison School , Cowboy Bebop , Rurouni Kenshin ) is overseeing the series scripts, and Asako Nishida ( Land of the Lustrous , Love Live! School idol project ) is designing the characters based on namo 's original designs, and serving as chief animation director. Miho Tsujibayashi is composing the music.

Rei Nakashima performs the opening theme song "GA-TAN GO-TON," and Rokudenashi performs the ending theme song "Eureka."

Manga artist Torimura will start serializing a manga adaptation, told from Akira's perspective, on the free manga website KadoComi on March 25.

Kadokawa announced the anime in commemoration of Railway Day, the 150th anniversary of Japan's first railway, in October 2022.

Source: Press release

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'Tales of' RPG Series Artist Mutsumi Inomata Dies

Disney+ to stream nearly all macross anime worldwide in 2024, the blue wolves of mibu volume 1 manga review, how oshi no ko got its extra-long premiere, is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon novels 17-18 review, bocchi the rock anime series blu-ray disc review, this week in games - the gaming world says good-bye to akira toriyama, the spring 2024 anime trailer watch party will be live from japan, a returner's magic should be special volumes 1-3 manhwa review, sex work, kink, and consent: here's how the anime community can be better with adult content and its creators.

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Revamped warner bros animation sets ‘cat in the hat’ with bill hader, quinta brunson, bowen yang & more; eyes spring 2026 release.

‘Shōgun’s Takehiro Hira And Akira Emoto Join Brendan Fraser’s ‘Rental Family’ At Searchlight

By Anthony D'Alessandro

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Brendan Fraser Finds His First Major Role After Oscar Win With Searchlight’s ‘Rental Family’

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“It’s an absolute dream to bring Rental Family to the world,” said Hikari. “I am truly so thankful for my collaboration with my partners at Searchlight and Sight Unseen and for their never-ending support, our wonderful cast and crew for their hard work and dedication putting this film together, and foremost, the multi-talented, incredibly caring and soulful Brendan Fraser for willfulness to be our hero on this journey.”

“This is such an exciting project for us, and one that we know will resonate widely,” said Matthew Greenfield, President of Searchlight Pictures. “With Hikari, we’ve assembled the perfect cast and production team, and we cannot wait for everyone to see this film.”

The comedic drama is produced by Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedev of Sight Unseen (Film Independent Spirit Awards winner A Thousand and One; Bad Education ), Hikari and Shin Yamaguchi ( 37 Seconds ). The script is written by Hikari and Stephen Blahut ( 37 Seconds ).

EPs are Blahut, Tomo Koizumi, Jennifer Semler, Oren Moverman and Leonid Lebedev.

He also has a prolific career in his native Japan, appearing in several films including Takashi Miike’s Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, Ace Attorney, Aku No Kyōten , and the Japanese blockbuster The Floating Castle.

Emoto formed the theater company Tokyo Battery in 1976, for which he served as chairman of the troupe. He went on to win the 22 nd Japan Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Dr. Akagi. Since then, he has won awards including the Medal with Purple Ribbon , the 41 st Hoso Bunka Foundation Award for Best Performance in the program category, and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.

Hira is represented by CAA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample & Klein. Emoto is repped by Knockout.

SVP Production Taylor Friedman and Manager of Creative Affairs Daniel Yu are overseeing Rental Family for Searchlight, reporting to Heads of Production and Development Katie Goodson-Thomas and DanTram Nguyen.

On Hikari’s production team are DP Blahut, production designer Norihiro Isoda ( The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi ), editor Thomas A. Krueger ( Shōgun , 37 Seconds ), costume designer Meg Mochizuki ( 37 Seconds ), and hair and makeup artist Hiromi Momose ( Like Father, Like Son ).

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‘Dragon Ball’ creator Akira Toriyama dies at 68

Akira Toriyama is pictured in 1982. Toriyama, the creator of one of Japan’s best-selling “Dragon Ball” and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics, has died, his studio said Friday, March 8, 2024. He was 68. (Kyodo News via AP)

FILE - Dragon Ball Z booth is seen during New York Comic Con at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. Akira Toriyama, the creator of one of Japan’s best-selling “Dragon Ball” and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics, has died, his studio said Friday, March 8, 2024. He was 68. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

This image provided by ©Bird Studio／SHUEISHA shows the cover of “Dragon Ball”. Akira Toriyama, the creator of one of Japan’s best-selling “Dragon Ball” and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics, has died, his studio said Friday, March 8, 2024. He was 68.(©Bird Studio／SHUEISHA via AP)

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TOKYO (AP) — Akira Toriyama, the creator of the best-selling Dragon Ball and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics, has died, his studio said Friday. He was 68.

Toriyama’s Dragon Ball manga series, which started in 1984, has sold millions of copies globally and was adapted into hugely popular animated TV shows, video games and films.

Toriyama died March 1 of a blood clot in his brain, Bird Studio said in a statement.

“He was working enthusiastically on many projects, and there was still much he was looking forward to accomplishing,” the studio wrote.

FILE - Dragon Ball Z booth is seen during New York Comic Con at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. Akira Toriyama, the creator of one of Japan's best-selling “Dragon Ball” and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics, has died, his studio said Friday, March 8, 2024. He was 68. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Dragon Ball Z booth is seen during New York Comic Con at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

A new TV adaptation of Toriyama’s “Sand Land,” a desert adventure story released in 2000 and later adapted into a 2023 anime movie, is due to be released on Disney+ in the spring.

Messages of condolences and grief from fellow creators and fans filled social media.

Eiichiro Oda, creator of the blockbuster manga “One Piece,” said Toriyama’s presence was like a “big tree” to younger artists.

“He showed us all these things manga can do, a dream of going to another world,” Oda said in a statement. His death leaves “a hole too big to fill,” Oda added.

Bird Studio thanked fans for more than 40 years of support. “We hope that Akira Toriyama’s unique world of creation continues to be loved by everyone for a long time to come.”

Born in Aichi prefecture in central Japan in 1955, Toriyama made his manga debut in 1978 with the adventure comic “Wonder Island,” published in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. His Dr. Slump series, which started in 1980, was his first major hit.

It made him a celebrity, but Toriyama avoided the spotlight. In 1982, he told Japanese public broadcast NHK: “I just want to keep writing manga.”

This image provided by Crunchyroll shows a still from “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero”, which topped the charts in its first weekend in theaters, with $20.1 million in ticket sales according to studio estimates on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022. (Crunchyroll via AP)

Dragon Ball, the story of a boy named Son Goku and his quest for seven magical balls that can make wishes come true, has sold 260 million copies altogether, according to the studio.

Toriyama also designed characters for the video game series Dragon Quest. He received awards in the manga industry and beyond, including France’s Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters.

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She was also prolific in anime, having worked on Cyber Formula as well as the fan favorite Windaria . However, my personal favorite work involving her character designs were the amazing Weathering Continent novels.

Inomata also famously worked on Brain Powerd , something that Yutaka Izubuchi talked about when I interviewed him, and that both her and Mamoru Nagano were avid gaming buddies.

Her love of gaming was also well known due to her doing excellent Dragon Quest artwork (shown above), something that was eventually compiled in a lovely artbook.

Again, it’s sad to lose another great artist so soon after Akira Toriyama passed away , but her work in anime and games will certainly live.

Follow me on Twitter , Facebook and YouTube . I also manage Mecha Damashii and do toy reviews over at hobbylink.tv .

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Akira
Akira. 1988, Sci-fi/Anime, 2h 4m. 54 Reviews 100,000+ Ratings ... Audience Reviews for Akira. Jul 02, 2019. Original and dark film that will sit with you long after it concludes. Visually stunning ...
Akira review
Movies. This article is more than 3 years old. Review. Akira review - apocalyptic anime's startling message of global annihilation. ... Akira, released in 1988, is the cult Japanese cyberpunk ...
Akira Movie Review
Violence & Scariness. This movie has incredible amounts of sci-fi violen. Sex, Romance & Nudity. A young woman is shown topless in one sequence; it. Language. Language is fairly strong, but tends to avoid "f--. Products & Purchases. The movie's most powerful and most coveted motorcy. Drinking, Drugs & Smoking.
Akira (1988 film)
Akira (Japanese: アキラ) is a 1988 Japanese animated cyberpunk action film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, produced by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, based on Otomo's 1982 manga of the same name.Set in a dystopian 2019, it tells the story of Shōtarō Kaneda, the leader of a biker gang whose childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, acquires incredible ...
'Akira' Review: A Still-Relevant Take on the Destructive ...
In Akira, the large static panels that compose Neo Tokyo's background are filled with detail, bringing the cyberpunk city to life. In addition, the action in the film's main layer is filled ...
Akira
Set in a dystopian Neo-Tokyo, Akira is a landmark of Japanese animation that explores themes of power, corruption and identity. This review by Phelim O'Neill praises the film's bold and brilliant ...
Akira (1988)
608 Reviews. Hide Spoilers. Sort by: Filter by Rating: 9/10. Landmark Japanese animation that opens boundaries and minds. jpt27 29 March 2005. 'Akira' is an astonishingly influential film, easily as much so as cinema's touchstones Citizen Kane and Pulp Fiction. Its impact is made more difficult to judge, though, given that it was made more than ...
Akira
Akira - Metacritic. Summary Based on Katsuhiro Otomo's 2,000 page manga, Akira begins on July 16, 1988, when what was believed to be an atomic bomb was dropped on Tokyo, completely destroying the city and marking the beginning of WWIII. Animation. Action. Drama.
Akira (1988)
Otomo first published his manga Akira in 1982 in the pages of Youth Magazine, a weekly source of manga in Japan, published by Kodansha. Grounded in the emerging cyberpunk subgenre, its roots most prevalent in the William Gibson book Neuromancer (1984), Otomo's planned six-volume series would not be completed until 1990 after more than 2,000 ...
Akira
Akira is a classic anime film that depicts a dystopian future of Neo-Tokyo, where a young boy with psychic powers unleashes a cataclysmic event that changes the world. Join MyAnimeList, the largest online anime and manga community, to discover more about this masterpiece of animation, its characters, themes, and influence.
The Enduring Legacy of Akira: How the 1988 Film Has Influenced
Contents. 1 The Evolution of Animation: AKIRA Milestone in interesting Anime Film. 1.1 Katsuhiro Otomo's Masterpiece: From Manga to Live-Action; 1.2 AKIRA's Global Influence: Impact on Lucas and Spielberg; 1.3 AKIRA: A Landmark in Anime Movies; 1.4 AKIRA and the 2020 Summer Olympics: A Visionary Prediction; 1.5 Interesting Facts and Impact of AKIRA; 1.6 AKIRA: A Pioneering Force in Anime ...
We Finally Understand The Ending Of Akira
EXCLUSIVES MOVIES TV STREAMING COMICS REVIEWS NEWS FEATURES. ... has likely been no film more influential for the cyberpunk genre than Katsuhiro Otomo's iconic 1988 science-fiction anime "Akira ...
Akira Ending Explained: The Search For Power Always Leads To
The origin of that explosion is the namesake Akira, a psychic child (also called an ESPer) who ascended to the level of a God and whose power kickstarted a singularity that destroyed the world and ...
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Akira (1988)
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thejimmycage Subscribe: http://bit.ly/JimmyCage-Subscribe Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheJimmyCage Instagram: https://...
Anime Movie Review: "Akira" (1988)
The fact that the animation still looks good to this day is a testament to hand-drawn animation. It still holds up today and it shows the talents of the animators. Akira also set the bar for anime films when it was first released and it's still an important movie, both to movie buffs and anime fans alike. The animation for Akira is amazing.
Akira : Katsuhiro Otomo : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming
1988-07-16. Topics. Anime, Movie, Cyberpunk. Akira ( Japanese: アキラ) is a 1988 Japanese adult animated cyberpunk action film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, produced by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, based on Otomo's 1982 manga of the same name. Set in a dystopian 2019, it tells the story of ...
10 Reasons Akira's Live-Action Movie Is So Hard To Make
The live-action Akira movie has been in different stages of development for more than two decades, which shows just how difficult adapting Akira is. The 1988 Akira anime movie was based on Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira manga and is widely considered one of the best-animated movies ever made.Akira was one of the first anime properties to become a worldwide phenomenon, paving the way for series such ...
The Cursed History of the Live-Action Akira Movie
R. Anime. Action. Drama. A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by a teenager, his gang of ...
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Akira is legendary.The anime film has inspired many stories since its release in 1988, and the manga has had its own tremendous impact.It is considered a pioneer of the cyberpunk genre in Japan, predating even William Gibson's 1984 novel Neuromancer, which is one of the earliest works in the cyberpunk genre.This year is the fortieth anniversary of the manga, so let's see if it holds up today.
Akira Toriyama's New Anime, SAND LAND, Gets New Trailer Ahead Of
SAND LAND has just received its final trailer ahead of its spring 2024 release, giving an in-depth look into how the Disney+ exclusive series will look. This manga series the anime is adapting is an underrated work by the late Akira Toriyama, and hopefully the anime will show that the great mangaka has other amazing works besides Dragon Ball.. The SAND LAND manga received a movie adaptation ...
Toonami Pays Tribute to Dragon Ball Creator Akira Toriyama Ahead ...
Toonami shared a touching tribute to honor the legacy of Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama over the weekend, with a special message before its anime marathon. Toonami aired eight episodes of ...
Dragon Ball Super Chapter 103 Title Pay Tribute to Akira Toriyama
Dragon Ball Super is on the cusp of a new chapter. This month will welcome chapter 103 to shelves as V-Jump is eyeing the big release. Of course, all eyes are on the new chapter given the tragic ...
Train to the End of the World Anime Reveals Character Video for
The anime will premiere on the AT-X channel on April 1 at 9:00 p.m. (8:00 a.m. EDT). It will also run on Tokyo MX, KBS Kyoto, Sun TV, and BS11. Crunchyroll will stream the anime as it airs under ...
Brendan Fraser 'Rental Family' Movie Adds Shogun's Takehiro Hira
Emoto formed the theater company, "Tokyo Battery" in 1976, for which he served as the chairman of the troupe. He went on to win the 22 nd Japan Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor ...
'Dragon Ball' creator Akira Toriyama dies at 68
FILE - Dragon Ball Z booth is seen during New York Comic Con at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Oct. 12, 2023, in New York. Akira Toriyama, the creator of one of Japan's best-selling "Dragon Ball" and other popular anime who influenced Japanese comics, has died, his studio said Friday, March 8, 2024.
Renowned Anime And Game Artist Mutsumi Inomata Has Died
In further sad news, the remarkably talented anime and game artist Mutsumi Inomata has died. According to her official Twitter/X account (shown below), Inomata died on March 10 and her family held ...

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