10 Best Anime Movies Not Made By Studio Ghibli

If someone put a gun to your head and told you to list the most influential anime movies of all time, you'd probably be safe if you mentioned Akira. This formative movie from the late stages of the 80s anime boom is a flick that is unlike anything you'll ever see again. It blends sci-fi, religion, superpowers and good old fashion motorbike chases into a one flavourful dish.

Akira follows a young biker called Kaneda as he becomes engulfed by a secret military operation's experiments into creating psychics. His childhood friend Tetsuo falls victim to this plot and uses his newfound powers to go on a psychotic rampage that threatens all of Neo-Tokyo, and it's up to Kaneda to stop him.

You get the total package with Akira as the convoluted plot elements make it a real challenge to sit through but also incredibly rewarding. It's not a simple story about an experiment gone wrong; it's an all-encompassing philosophical exploration of life, power and creation itself.

Plus, the animation is sublime as the sheer amount of detail in every frame is mind-blowing. You can feel the animator's blood, sweat and tears in shots that last barely more than a few seconds, which makes every moment full of passion.