Movie: Akira

Genre: Sci-fi

Rating: None, merits R for graphic violence, peril, and language

Running Time: 2 hours, 4 minutes

Distributors: Geneon, available in both dubbed and subtitled version.

Creator: Katsuhiro Otomo

Summary: This is set in a probable future in the city of Neo-Tokyo. A boy named Tetsuo lives with a motorcycle gang led by another boy named Kaneda. Tetsuo was given genetic manipulation by the government, which has unearthed telekinetic abilities. The strain caused by the abilities and his mutations makes him go insane. He goes on a destructive rampage.

The Good: The animation is very well done, even for something this dated. It’s one of the most famous anime pieces ever made.

The Bad: The violence and confusing plot make it difficult to watch. Offensive Material: Where to start? There’s a lot of violence and bad language. No one is very admirable, and there’s a good amount of anti-Christian themes.

Overall: This is not a good movie to watch. If you do ignore my advice, don’t watch it before watching any other anime. It might distance you from anime. Don’t let it.

My Review (out of 4): 2.0 (I’m being generous. I’ve talked with people who like this movie because it’s a social commentary. If it weren’t for its intellectual value, I’d give it 1.5)

Note: This movie is based on a manga that was created by the director. I hear it’s somewhat different from the source material. Otomo has also created Roujin Z. He also contributed to the anthology video Robot Carnival and directed Metropolis.