Akira Review
What do Jordan Peele’s Nope, Nisemonogatari, and Batman: The Animated Series have in common? Beyond all being great pieces of cinematic media, they each feature a homage to the signature bike slide from the 1988 anime classic Akira. Countless other works have referenced this iconic moment as well, from Gargoyles and Teen Titans to Detective Conan. But Akira’s influence goes far beyond the bike slide. It remains one of the most impactful anime films ever released, shaping everything from The Matrix to Stranger Things. Akira truly is a seminal piece of work, and until recently, I never fully understood its appeal.
The first time I saw the film was on July 9th 2018, nearly eight years ago, when I watched it for £1.20 as part of the Edinburgh Filmhouse’s 50-year celebration. To pivot slightly, it’s a common misconception that our taste buds change every seven years. While that isn’t strictly true, I do believe our palate can evolve. Foods we disliked when we were younger can become familiar, even beloved. Back in 2018, I would have refused a burger with pickles on it; now I love them. To loop back into Akira, the same applies to film taste. The more you watch, the more you learn to appreciate new genres, styles, and forms of presentation. So now, roughly eight years later, I’ve fallen in love with Akira, and it feels as though I was experiencing this wonder for the very first time.
Written and directed by Akira’s mangaka Katsuhiro Otomo, the film takes place in 2019, years after World War Three left Tokyo in ruins. Rebuilt from the ashes of that conflict, the neon sprawl of Neo-Tokyo looms large as corruption and lawlessness run rampant, with anti-government protests erupting across the city. We follow teenagers Kaneda (Mitsuo Iwata) and Tetsuo (Nozomu Sasaki), members of a biker gang, who literally crash into a secret government project. This encounter leads to Tetsuo being subjected to dangerous experiments and sets the stage for the possible reawakening of a mysterious figure known as Akira.
Right from the outset, what stands out is how visually striking and timeless the animation is. The film utilised 160,000 hand‑drawn animation cels, and every frame feels like a visual marvel. From the light trails streaking behind the bikes as they tear through Neo‑Tokyo, to the breathtaking background art, to the fluidity of the character animation, the craftsmanship is astonishing. It still blows my mind that the entire film was animated in just over three years. Despite being almost 40 years old, nothing about Akira feels dated; if anything, it feels ahead of its time. While it’s understandable, from a production standpoint, a film like this would be nearly impossible to replicate today, I can’t help but wish we could see more works that look and feel like this.
Where Akira may lose some viewers is in its narrative density. It’s a film where most, if not every, line of dialogue matters, and your attention needs to be at 100%; otherwise, it’s easy to feel lost or overwhelmed. It might be a slightly controversial take, but some viewers may even find the dubbed version easier to follow than the subtitled one, simply because you’re not processing the thematic weight while also reading every line. Tackling anti‑capitalism, government corruption, and the dangers of unchecked technology and power, Akira is packed with commentary and layered ideas. It’s not a film you can half‑watch, its themes only reveal themselves fully when you give it your complete attention.
The voice acting in both the original Japanese version and the 2001 English dub is excellent, allowing you to be fully invested in the magic and wonder of this world. Another standout is the soundtrack. The score is absolutely spellbinding, composed by the collective Geinoh Yamashirogumi in what appears to be their only film score. It’s a true masterpiece of sound, a one‑of‑a‑kind auditory experience. My only real criticism of the film is its pacing. The first hour moves at what feels like 100 mph, and while the final hour doesn’t exactly slow down, you do start to feel the film’s length. It’s a minor issue in the grand scheme, but it’s the one area where the film’s momentum wavers.
Akira is a truly mesmerising, one‑of‑a‑kind film. No other anime quite matches what this has achieved, and even nearly 40 years later, it remains a timeless work of art. In a rare turn for me, I’m glad to have been proven wrong, to have come back to this film and finally understood and appreciated its brilliance. If you haven’t seen Akira, watch it on the biggest screen you can. Let the visuals envelop you, let the sound transport you, and experience this wonder of animation in all its power.
★★★★ 1/2
In UK Cinemas from April 17th / Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Tarō Ishida, Tesshō Genda / Dir: Katsuhiro Otomo / Anime Limited / 15
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