Bring together angsty motorbike gangs, street warfare and huge explosions, and somehow you get an unforgettable animated epic. As you'd expect from this level of insanity, Akira is based on a manga series of the same name and the movie has found critical acclaim across the board as well as establishing a dedicated cult following. Akira is set in Neo-Tokyo circa 2019, following the exploits of Tetsuo Shima as he attempts to develop his psychic powers and release the eponymous character from government captivity. To accomplish this he must fight his way through rival espers (psychics), the military and even his own gang who are trying to prevent the release of Akiras city-levelling mind powers. Theres a certain romantic ideology to his quest for power, even if it does end up corrupting and mutating him into a fleshy, bionic mass of gross. It just goes to show that there is such a thing as too much power. In terms of writing, Akira manages to sympathetically portray a large roster of characters and expertly maintain multiple parallel plot threads effectively. Its visuals are still regarded as highly impressive, a kinetic thrill-fest of vibrant colours and neon drenched cityscapes. This setting is a perfect backdrop for the violent action that permeates the films narrative; its a real treat for gore-hounds with enough blood spilled to fill a large swimming pool.
A pop culture mad writer from the North East who loves films, television and debating them with whoever will listen.
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