Who says animated movies are just for kids? Unfortunately, too many people have this perspective. Those people assume just because something is a “cartoon” it must be specifically made for children. Those people have never seen Grave of the Fireflies or Heavy Metal then. Animation is not even a genre (which is how most people see it). Animation is a medium in which so many stories can come to life in ways that they could not in live-action. The ability to experiment and try new things is an important part of the artistic process and animation gives so many artists the ability to realize their imagination. Would Spirited Away work the same in live-action? How about The Secret of Kells? The freedom in animation is awe-inspiring. Animation has a long history of some of the greatest fantasy films of all time. How many live-action fantasy films are great? Most of the best are in animation. Even science fiction has amazing entries like Ghost in the Shell. But the long and the short of it is that animated films can be just as great as live-action ones.
But what are the best of the best that animation has to offer?
Some films are surprisingly realistic…like The Grave of the Fireflies (maybe a little too realistic). Even shows like King of the Hill are just sitcoms but hand-drawn instead of performed live by actors. You might even be lucky to find a western of two like Nickelodeon’s Rango (another one that would NOT work in live-action the way it does in animation). I spoke plenty about fantasy already, but it is worth reiterating that most animated films turn out to be animated. There are other genres like thrillers and action films that get highlighted a lot in anime. But science fiction just might be the coolest translation into animation. Ghost in the Shell is intense and action-packed. Wall-e is introspective and beautiful in its silence for most of the runtime. Cowboy Bebop is a great space western and there are plenty of other anime films and shows that use giant robots for tons of fun and action.
Where will you find the most variety and bold choices in animation?
Japan and its extensive and successful collection of anime just might be the most robust and interesting. My brother is a huge fan of anime and he got me into watching them as well. I have gotten the opportunity to see modern classics like Your Name and Weathering with You on the big screen. I also loved enjoying Studio Ghibli Fest through Fathom Events each year. Ponyo, Porco Rosso, and The Cat Returns are just a few that I got to see in their theatrical glory. I have seen much other anime from the comfort of my own home. But one film that I would have loved to see upon release in theaters here in America is Akira (1988) movie. What was the problem? It was released 30 years ago in the US (my birthday year of 1991). But I have gotten the glorious opportunity to enjoy this one a few times and want to share with all of you why it is so great.
But what makes Akira (1988) movie so lasting even over 30 years?
This is a science fiction anime that is equal parts Blade Runner and Mad Max before it dives headlong into a work of mutants and incredible powers. You can see the cyberpunk influences everywhere which was popularized in Ridley Scott’s classic Blade Runner. Akira (1988) movie is even built upon this influence and may have even influenced the sequel to Scott’s film (Blade Runner 2049) in the process. Then you get plenty of exciting and impactful motorcycle gang chases which can be seen ripped out of the Wasteland and the world of Mad Max. You might even notice influences from X-Men in how these mutant powers are feared and can lead to catastrophic results. Akira did its own influence because the film Chronicle feels like it owes quite a bit to the friendships stressed and challenged by the introduction of powers that are hard to control.
But what is Akira? Or a better question might be…who is Akira?
This is one of the most influential anime in history. Let us paint a picture. Imagine it…the cyberpunk world of Blade Runner but transplanted in Japan.
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What if you take the crazy and violent biker gangs and lawlessness of The Road Warrior? What a combination? THEN you throw in some mutants that would make the X-Men jealous. Yeah…this is a crazy film. But it all works so well together and creates one of the most fully realized worlds put on film. The visuals are pitch-perfect with every frame filled with a breath-taking world that not only feels revolutionary and futuristic but also feels lived in. The grime of the city is so believable and engrossing. Then you take things to high-speed highways with action set pieces that would make The Fast and the Furious blush. Have you seen Chronicle? Well…Josh Trank has obviously seen Akira because the superpower corruption of this finale is a huge influence on Trank’s feature debut. Heck, even Blade Runner 2049 takes some cues from the world of Neo-Tokyo (coming full circle with the influences of the original film). Whether it is bringing classics into a new world or influencing films of the future, Akira is a cultural icon.
But what makes Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira such a classic?
First off, the animation in the film is incredible, to say the least. The use of light is unbelievable with heavily used spotlights and holograms. The city of Neo Tokyo is truly livingly because of Otomo’s vision of this light-filled city of the future. Then you have some impressive shots of spotlights shining down on desolate lands outside the city. The way the action is rendered is incredibly well done. Many hoped for this film to get the live-action treatment but honestly, the action works better than most action films today. With a series of exhilarating motorcycle chases and physic power fight scenes, the two-hour runtime feels brisk compared to many without falling into hyperactive kid pace territory. The hand-drawn pictures are so impressive that it makes it hard to believe that this film was created back in the 1980s. Then you have the third act…wow. This finale is one of the strangest, boldest, and shocking of conflicts with designs so grotesque that they are awe-inspiring.
Have I sold you yet on Akira? Action. Science fiction. Thriller. This film will leave you in awe.
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All in beautifully rendered animation. You will be pushed to the limits with its depiction of violence (both sexual and physical). It works so well as an action thrill ride yet delivers on its deeply thematic story as well. Audiences will be whisked away to Neo Tokyo and get lost in the beauty…and the chaos. Is this, the future we fear to confront? You will have to check Akira (1988) movie out to find out.
