Akira

[Shadow Master]

I remember first catching this way back in 1995 when it premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel when they used to air anime every weekend (I sure feel old remembering that). An absolutely classic anime film in my opinion that still stands the test of time and holds up. It's got a great story accompanied by some truly remarkable visuals and plenty of action. It also has a very haunting quality to it that stays with you long after you've seen it. The music is another high point. I've never read the original manga but am definitely seeking it out. No idea about the live-action adaptation which seems to be stuck in development Hell. Akira is a film that in the hands of the right director could be incredible done in live-action.

Also here's something of a blast from the past, remember this commercial back in the late 90s advertising the VHS (again, I feel old remembering there was a time VHS was the dominant home-viewing format):

 

[Darth Waller]

I was blown away the first time I saw Akira. It’s still one of my favorites.

 

[Khev]

I've always loved AKIRA and coincidentally enough got to experience the joy of catching it on the big screen with a packed house last summer. It totally still holds up.

 

[RIDDICK]

Outside of the f'd up visuals and mood, there's very little good about the anime adaptation.
They've tried to cram a lot of character development and story into one film and it didn't really work.
Yes, it was "groundbreaking" at the time but it didn't age that well.

 

[Otomofan]

Well, that's a huge load of crap.

It's probably the most groundbreaking animated film of all time, and it still holds up. Even if you watch it on mute, and have no interest in the characters or story, there's so much going on visually it's impossible to take it all in, even on multiple viewings.

 

[RIDDICK]

there's so much going on visually it's impossible to take it all in, even on multiple viewings.

 

[Otomofan]

Oh, OK. You're right. AKIRA is a Transformers movie. I feel so dumb now for not noticing before.

 

[RIDDICK]

Come on now.
You try to make a possitive point out of the fact that there's nothing good outside the visuals - you get ridiculed.

Fair is fair.

 

[Otomofan]

That's not at all what I said, and you know it. But I'm not in the mood to start a pissing contest with someone that clearly just wants to troll. You don't like it, that's fine. Art is subjective. Go watch Chronicles of Riddick again and leave AKIRA to the people that can appreciate it.

 

[Shadow Master]

Come on guys, no need for things to get this way.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

That's not at all what I said, and you know it. But I'm not in the mood to start a pissing contest with someone that clearly just wants to troll. You don't like it, that's fine. Art is subjective. Go watch Chronicles of Riddick again and leave AKIRA to the people that can appreciate it.

Consider the source

 

[spindrift]

Akira is a masterpiece- there is no other reason to think it's not

 

[Kamandi]

Akira is one of my very favorites. I bought these about 26 years ago, shortly after the film came out. Streamline Pictures was the initial US distributor and they published a comic format catalog "The Art of Akira" which was really a list of cells, art and backgrounds for sale. So here's a piece of the film that I own:

Context:

 

[Darth Waller]

Very cool, Kamandi!

 

[Ehollywood]

Big time Akira Fan!
A poster I did years ago

 

[Kamandi]

Very cool. Do you sell prints?

 

[Otomofan]

Consider the source

The **** is that supposed to mean?

 

[YoNoSe]

The **** is that supposed to mean?

He's referring to Riddick, who criticised your post.

Riddick is a big Victor Salva fan. So don't sweat it.

 

[Otomofan]

I don't know the posters that well here, and I don't know that anyone knows me, so I had no idea what that was referring to.

On topic, I don't think there's anything I can add about this movie that hasn't been written a million times but I still think it's one of the most impressive works of animation ever made. Certainly the most impressive hand drawn animation, in my opinion.

I've been lucky enough to see it on film several times. I own this movie on several different editions of VHS, laser disc, DVD, and bluray. Seeing it in high definition is insane. There's always new stuff to see.

I thought I knew everything but I still learn new stuff....for example, you know the scene where Tetsuo and the Clown break through that big pile of garbage and the chase continues into the next street? If you watch it frame by frame, you can see dismembered body parts and a head that someone killed and disposed of in the trash. I never noticed it the first eight million times I watched it.

 

[Jmek]

Big time Akira Fan!
A poster I did years ago

Sweet mother McCrae! That's beautiful. Hat's off to you sir