Akira - The Ultimate Collection (DVD)

AN EXPLOSION TO NOTICE Mention the genre of anime to anybody and I'd say nine out of ten would instantly think of Akira. At a time when animation to the large populus of people meant either the fluffy family affair of Disney, the slapstick comedy of Bugs Bunny & co. and the child friendly productions of Hanna/Barbera, Akira suddenly entered the public consciousness by presenting animation that was extremely violent, had many adult oriented themes, featured more believable characters than the Flintstones and showed the world outside of Japan that animation does not automatically equal kiddies fare. The film's writer and director Katsuhiro Otomo originally ...  Read the complete review

If you asked a member of the public to name a single film they would most associate with the anime genre, then chances are it would be Akira. Animatrix has come and gone, Spirited Away has won itself a well-deserved Oscar, but its unlikely there will ever be another anime that will match the global impact of Akira – a film that remains religiously popular amongst the anime community almost twenty years on thanks to its unique style and ability to break the general prejudice outside of Japan that animation is merely a child’s pursuit; its only a shame that subsequent releases haven’t built upon it more. In 1987, Katsuhiro Ôtomo completed the film adaptation of ...  Read the complete review

Every once in a while, a cinematic event will occur that forever shapes our cultural landscape and becomes part of our shared heritage. 'Akira' is one of those said events. Based on Katsuhiro Ôtomo's gargantuan manga serial turned six part graphic novel apocalyptic epic, 'Akira' is a heavyweight in anime circles, a cornerstone of the industry and because of its popularity (particularly in the west) it serves as the archetypal image when one thinks of Japanese animation. Most people have heard of 'Akira', even those who are not acquainted with anime and for those who wish to get acquainted, it's usually one of the first ports of call. It's also partly the reason why anime ...  Read the complete review

Synopsis: A grim look into a futuristic society in neo-tokyo. Otomo's animated masterpiece remains to this day as a pincale standing point for Japanese science fiction and it is not hard to see why. With its influence spreading all over cinema and into all genres, most notably among these being The Matrix which took the idea of the imense psychotic power in a apocalyptic world and devised its own plot. Akira's main themes lie in the relationship between the teenagers and the surrondings, it can be seen that their emotions reflect the apoclyptic environment that Japan has become - their frustration and anger seems to stem and fuel societies downfall, especially ...  Read the complete review

I distinctly remember this has been one of the first Manga films I ever saw. It is set in the the future, Tokyo has been destroyed and rebuilt as Neo-Tokyo. This bleak city is the main backdrop for the story. Neo-Tokyo is a dark, oppressive city governed by corrupt military officials and the nights are ruled by young adolescent bikers that often race the streets picking fights with rival gangs, quite a simple premise you may well think but it does get complicated. The film starts with a young biker named Kaneda and his gang of friends, they are chasing after a rival gang through the streets of Neo-Tokyo like they do most nights. A spy is running through a ...  Read the complete review