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I watched Akira for the first time and I dont get the love for it.

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Vampire On Titus

Vampire On Titus

Member
Just watched it again. It's been a while since I saw it & I opted for the Pioneer dub which was surprisingly decent. Loved the movie all over again. Kaneda & Tetsuo's rivalry is as choice as I remembered and the progression of Tetsuo's psychological break remains a stand-out. One of the best things they achieved with the movie was that even amidst all the grandiose & life threatening fights; it still comes across like Tetsuo is trying to prove himself to Kaneda rather than kill him. He's impulsive, massively insecure and takes it too far. Which was always his downfall right from the start where he chased after the clowns on his own to try and impress everyone. The tragedy of his character is really impactful. It hurts so bad when he finally lets his guard down and asks Kaneda for help but by then it's far too late.

Tetsuo's hot-cold attitude with Kaori is a particularly gut-wrenching just because it's so obvious how ashamed he is of constantly failing her. Compounding all his feelings of inadequacy and intensifying his jealousy & resentment of Kaneda. The best display of this when Tetsuo is beating up one of the clowns having just been saved by the other members of the capsule gang. His temper is already flared up but he only really starts to lose his mind after he sees what he let happen to Kaori. Which of course results in possibly the most memorable of Tetsuo's psychological breakdowns. The world falling down around him in total silence.

It's easy to categorize that kind of thing as just cool animation. But animated characters give performances too. Especially in a movie that's as expressive & detailed as Akira. That scene does a lot for Tetsuo's character outside of the dialogue.

I couldn't speak to the experience of watching this film for the first time. The first time I saw it I think I was like 12 or 13. But it had been at least a few years and the plot wasn't hard to follow. Everyone is either trying to use Tetsuo to solve the mystery of Akira's incredible psychic powers or stop him (/ the govt from using him) because they think he'll trigger another atomic event. With Mr. Nezu's motivation differing slightly. It seems like he ultimately wants to destroy Neo-Tokyo because it's become too degenerate in his view. Describing it as a "saturated over-ripe fruit."

In any case I think for the most part everything is adequately explained. In fact I could do without the scene where Kei & Kaneda are talking about how Akira's power could be the result of tapping into the genetic memories of all life forms. Just not neccesary imo.
 
Turbo Killer

Turbo Killer

Member
Ninja Scroll is not in any level close to Akira, not the same ballpark, not even the same planet and I liked Ninja Scroll. I don't get angry when people shit on things I like, but "overrated" has to be the stupidest fucking thing to describe anything. Akira is not overrated.
 
N

nachum00

Member
I love both the manga and the movie and this thread makes me sad.

People have bad taste. It's still one of the best sci-fi movies around.
 
L

Lasthope106

Member
lol OP

I just saw this thread. Did you consider that the movie is 30 years old? I saw it for the first time in the early 2000s and it blew my mind. I guess it must be at the point now where the movie has crossed into "it looks too old."

The themes that Akira tackles are pretty complex. Can you name an animated movie, or a movie up till that time that tried to tell a story with the same elements?

I don't think Akira is my favorite anime, but it sure ranks pretty high, and it is one of the fist many people saw as their introduction to anime.
 
4

4444244

Member
Akira has its main flaw, in that it is easy to lose the viewer when the film unravels towards the end.

Those not blessed with the nostalgia of seeing the film back in the day, may not be so easily forgiving.

That said, the animation medium in this film is of a quality almost unequaled in its time (or subsequently).

The music too, perhaps may not be everyone's bag, but it suits the film and is an important aspect of the overall content.

I was fortunate enough to see the film in a cinema last year and was very glad to have experienced that - and really wish I could have had that experience when I was younger (in the same way that I woulld have loved to see Laputa and Totoro as a child).

Has anyone posted the 'Why Akira matters' clip from YouTube yet? If not, here it is (shame that the clips have not been updated in HD);

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBAJdtPVnZc
 
Y

Yazuka

Member
Never understood what people saw in this movie, it is one of the most boring movies I've watched. I more or less hate it, there is nothing for me in it.
 
F

Forsaken82

Member
For me, It's just a matter of timing. When I first saw it like 20 years ago, it was a completely fresh experience for me (it wasn't my first Anime, I mean it was just a unique story for me) That's what I loved about it. 30 years later, I can see people watching for the first time and being like "What's so special about this... " mainly because they've probably been there and done that with some other type of movie that treads similar story beats. I personally think it is normal for people this late to the party.
 
woopWOOP

woopWOOP

Member
Never read the manga, I still don't really get some of the things happening around the end

But I love the artstyle and animation. I still check out scenes from the biker segments on youtube from time to time.
 
N

nachum00

Member
Forsaken82 said:
For me, It's just a matter of timing. When I first saw it like 20 years ago, it was a completely fresh experience for me (it wasn't my first Anime, I mean it was just a unique story for me) That's what I loved about it. 30 years later, I can see people watching for the first time and being like "What's so special about this... " mainly because they've probably been there and done that with some other type of movie that treads similar story beats. I personally think it is normal for people this late to the party.
Click to expand...
What movies are similar in plot to Akira?
 
S

SomTervo

Member
I think it's got a bit of the 'Kubrick effect' where it's all execution and style, and while there's substance there it's not really the point.

It's a cinematic exercise and a masterwork for that - watch it for the plot or characters alone and it doesn't stand up much.

In the cinema it's pretty damn rad.

nachum00 said:
What movies are similar in plot to Akira?
Click to expand...

There have been quite a few, but outside the realm of movies, I think (pretty big TV show spoiler)
Stranger Things
and (mahooosive popular indie game spoiler)
INSIDE
have some massive similarities to Akira.
 
C

CadetMahoney

Member
I searched Ninja Scroll in this thread and almost all posts are slamming it.

FfEyQi6.gif


The story isn't as bad as people think, it might not be great but it's not trash tier. The Akira story is meh.

Bulbasaur said:
As others have said, it's the production values that make it a spectacle.

Ninja Scroll, I think, is greatest Japanese animation of the late 80's/90's
Click to expand...

Akira was 1988.

Ninja Scroll was released 1993 (in Japan), but was western released in 1995.
 
N

nachum00

Member
SomTervo said:
There have been quite a few, but outside the realm of movies, I think (pretty big TV show spoiler)
Stranger Things
and (mahooosive popular indie game spoiler)
INSIDE
have some massive similarities to Akira.
Click to expand...
So anything that features ESP is similar?
 
Lynd7

Lynd7

Member
Ok, this thread has inspired me to finally buy Akira on Blu. I'm in Australia, doesn't seem like it has much in the way of extras, whats the release like in the States or elsewhere?
 
J

Jaeger

Member
See, arguments in an attempt to slam said generation defining masterpiece are always the same. They morph and change as they are challenged. The thread is titled ".... I don't get the love for it." So how does OP not understand how an anime aimed at adults in a place no one ever saw anime film with an incredible visual fidelity and score was such a beloved piece? In 1988/early 90's of all times?

Makes zero sense and just comes off as a late-to-the-party snob. That guy that missed out on something, everyone talks about how much fun they had and he says "...I've been there, it's nothing special."
 
D

DiipuSurotu

Banned
I always thought Akira (the character) and Tetsuo looked fucking gross. Large parts of the movie are just repulsive to look at IMO.
 
H

Hydrus

Member
Jaeger said:
See, arguments in an attempt to slam said generation defining masterpiece are always the same. They morph and change as they are challenged. The thread is titled ".... I don't get the love for it." So how does OP not understand how an anime aimed at adults in a place no one ever saw anime film with an incredible visual fidelity and score was such a beloved piece? In 1988/early 90's of all times?

Makes zero sense and just comes off as a late-to-the-party snob. That guy that missed out on something, everyone talks about how much fun they had and he says "...I've been there, it's nothing special."
Click to expand...

Nah, your response comes off like the whinny snob that cant accept something isn't as great as you remembered it, and instead throw out the "you had to be there!!!" bit. If you bothered to read the rest of my op, instead of just the title, you would see I also ask why Hollywood would consider making this into a live action film. The movie has great animation, so what? How's is that gonna translate into a great live action film? Story? Characters? "The animation was awesome, so who cares about everything else right?!!". Outside of the animation, what makes this considered one of the best anime/ scifi films ever? That is why I mainly made this thread for was to discuss this, and most of the positive responses have only been about praising the animation and that's about it.You call this a "generation defining masterpiece". That's cool, but when I watched this, I didn't just look at the pretty animation. I expected a great story and iconic fleshed out characters for a movie that is considered a "masterpiece". I feel like it had neither. As I've said already, I thought the movie was OK. Take away the great animation and would this be considered a masterpiece? Would it be remembered and loved like it is? I don't think it would.
 
H

HotHamBoy

Member
Two Words said:
That is a stupid way to interpret my argument. Even the main dude behind Akira admitted that he sucks at drawing women.
Click to expand...

There's nothing wrong with how the women are drawn, IRL women don't have different eyes like they do in anime. That's just how Otomo draws human beings.

Regardless, that has absolutely nothing to do with production values, it's a stylistic choice.

CadetMahoney said:
I searched Ninja Scroll in this thread and almost all posts are slamming it.

FfEyQi6.gif


The story isn't as bad as people think, it might not be great but it's not trash tier. The Akira story is meh.



Akira was 1988.

Ninja Scroll was released 1993 (in Japan), but was western released in 1995.
Click to expand...

Ninja Scroll is a trash film with an extremely problematic & disturbing portrayal of women.
 
S

sonicmj1

Member
Hydrus said:
Nah, your response comes off like the whinny snob that cant accept something isn't as great as you remembered it, and instead throw out the "you had to be there!!!" bit. If you bothered to read the rest of my op, instead of just the title, you would see I also ask why Hollywood would consider making this into a live action film. The movie has great animation, so what? How's is that gonna translate into a great live action film? Story? Characters? "The animation was awesome, so who cares about everything else right?!!". Outside of the animation, what makes this considered one of the best anime/ scifi films ever? That is why I mainly made this thread for was to discuss this, and most of the positive responses have only been about praising the animation and that's about it.You call this a "generation defining masterpiece". That's cool, but when I watched this, I didn't just look at the pretty animation. I expected a great story and iconic fleshed out characters for a movie that is considered a "masterpiece". I feel like it had neither. As I've said already, I thought the movie was OK. Take away the great animation and would this be considered a masterpiece? Would it be remembered and loved like it is? I don't think it would.
Click to expand...

It feels like your expectations were out of whack. You went in trying to figure out why this deserves a Hollywood remake, but it's not really a Hollywood movie (no more than Oshii's Ghost in the Shell is). The characters in Akira are great for what the movie is trying to do, but they aren't defined far beyond their archetypes. I don't think they have to be for the film to be excellent.

It's weird to talk about what Akira would be without the great animation. Films are a visual medium. The movie is animation, every frame a product of intent designed to deliver a larger artistic idea. There's nothing wrong with that, just as there's nothing wrong with a movie that succeeds through its cinematography more than its acting or dialogue. Images, and their juxtaposition, can be incredibly powerful on their own.

To go back to the question that drew you to watch the film, I think you're right; Akira is a hard movie to adapt because so much of what makes it special would be incredibly expensive and difficult to replicate in live action. The project lives on because of the movie's cultural imprint (or maybe some producer out there really loves the original), but without that it's really not a natural fit for a Hollywood remake.

I don't think anyone can build from it without taking some real liberties. For example, I've seen a number of people hold up Chronicle as a kind of American Akira, a story about an alienated teen getting psychic powers and using them to take revenge on the world.
 
T

TheJollyCorner

Member
Hero Prinny said:
THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUU!! the movie is straight up trash, i honestly don't get why people go so hard for it. the plot is a fucking mess and theres not a single likable character. the only nice thing about it is its animation and the second you make it live action it loses the only nice thing about it.
Click to expand...

This new era of people using 'trash' to describe something they don't like is fucking annoying.
AKIRA was a groundbreaking animated film that, almost 30 years later, still looks and sounds amazing. Not liking it is fine, but calling it trash just makes you look ignorant.
 
S

ShowDog

Member
Watch the bluray on a properly set up display and it's pretty damn amazing. I'd expect a significant amount of people in 2017 are catching this on a phone during random downtime.

Not to say you'll definitely enjoy it even under ideal viewing circumstances, but it certainly caters to the strengths of the movie.
 
J

Jaeger

Member
TheJollyCorner said:
This new era of people using 'trash' to describe something they don't like is fucking annoying.
AKIRA was a groundbreaking animated film that, almost 30 years later, still looks and sounds amazing. Not liking it is fine, but calling it trash just makes you look ignorant.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Hydrus said:
Nah, your response comes off like the whinny snob that cant accept something isn't as great as you remembered it, and instead throw out the "you had to be there!!!" bit. If you bothered to read the rest of my op, instead of just the title, you would see I also ask why Hollywood would consider making this into a live action film. The movie has great animation, so what? How's is that gonna translate into a great live action film? Story? Characters? "The animation was awesome, so who cares about everything else right?!!". Outside of the animation, what makes this considered one of the best anime/ scifi films ever? That is why I mainly made this thread for was to discuss this, and most of the positive responses have only been about praising the animation and that's about it.You call this a "generation defining masterpiece". That's cool, but when I watched this, I didn't just look at the pretty animation. I expected a great story and iconic fleshed out characters for a movie that is considered a "masterpiece". I feel like it had neither. As I've said already, I thought the movie was OK. Take away the great animation and would this be considered a masterpiece? Would it be remembered and loved like it is? I don't think it would.
Click to expand...

It's ok to have differing opinions on what you think makes an animated film "good". I just think your opinion is in poor taste.
 
H

Hero Prinny

Member
TheJollyCorner said:
This new era of people using 'trash' to describe something they don't like is fucking annoying.
AKIRA was a groundbreaking animated film that, almost 30 years later, still looks and sounds amazing. Not liking it is fine, but calling it trash just makes you look ignorant.
Click to expand...

"I'm annoyed someone insulted something I like"

Akira is trash, nothing you say will change my opinion on that
 
M

marrec

Banned
blame space said:
You gotta be an idiot not to like Akira.
Click to expand...

I mean, I'm not blame space so I can't drop a hot take cake like this but I kinda sorta agree?

Like, we all get that the story isn't fucking Dostoyevsky, but it's still an entertaining as heck movie and if you don't like it maybe you brought too much shit into the viewing and you need to reflect on how you watch popular media?
 
M

Matty77

Member
Just watched it again.

As a kid in the eighties who belongs in the familiar with Disney and Hasbro serials designed to sell toys camp it blew me away seeing it when it first became available in the U.S.

All these years later I still love it and Akira is probably why every now and than I will try Anime but not stick with it. So there is some rose colored glasses but I still love it and lots of things I liked as a kid and teen are trash to me as an adult and I happily admit it so there must be a reason I can enjoy it just as much.

As for the story it's not bad it's condensed. Like really condensed. And not just because the manga wasn't finished it's the same creator and he ended the movie pretty close to the books ending. It pretty much did most the first volume and the end.

It all makes sense it's just the beginning arc and the end. They tie together perfect they are just missing four and a half volumes of manga exposition between it. Story's fine it's just really shortened so it leans on the art to try and blend the two parts. One of the movies failures is it fails and it's noticeable, one success is that the story is still complete though you can tell it's missing the middle of the story.

Don't know how others feel but I'll still back it as a classic.
 
C

crooked spin

Member
I watched Akira for the first time tonight (partially because I read this thread yesterday) and I thought it was pretty fucking good. The narrative got wonky in maybe the last 10 minutes but otherwise it seemed pretty straightforward. Trying to find a legit way to listen to the soundtrack now...
 
M

MacAttack

Member
I have a Tetsuo figure on my desk at work, a framed Kaneda on a throne in my closet (I dont have a good spot for it right now), a set of the English manga books and usually watch parts of the movie once a year.

Needless to say, this was a very influential movie for me. I had no idea what the story was when I first watched it as an adolescent watching it on cable (HBO? maybe) in the 90's, but the visuals blew my mind and still do today. Take or leave the story (I think it was decent for an anime) but you cant fuck with the artwork.
 
Rest

Rest

All these years later I still chuckle at what a fucking moron that guy is.
Never seen it. I'm okay with its existence though, since it gave us this exchange:

Meesh said:
To me, Akira is only about the struggle to survive in impossible situations, the need for identity, our detrimental relation to everything we touch, and our spiritual position in the universe.
Click to expand...

Freshmaker said:
That was the first GitS movie. Akira's about a jerk turning into a blob.
Click to expand...

Meesh said:
It suuuuuuuuuure is, and they did that well. Name any other jerk/blob animated works that have been given so much praise. :)
Click to expand...

Freshmaker said:
200px-Nutty_professor_ver1.jpg


Dunno if sporadic CG counts tho.
Click to expand...
 
D

DieNgamers

Member
DiipuSurotu said:
I always thought Akira (the character) and Tetsuo looked fucking gross. Large parts of the movie are just repulsive to look at IMO.
Click to expand...

I'm not the one to avatar-quote but...Well. ;D

I'lll take anything in Akira over the inbred style of today's anime. When it comes to character design I hold Ghibli movies in high regard for the same reasons. These characters are not supposed to look beautiful but expressive instead.
 
Mohonky

Mohonky

Member
I watched it in the early 90's, found it a struggle to get through.

Good animation and loved the music, but the story I had no idea what was going on, just lots of Tetsuoo Kanedaaaaaa!
 
F

FuturusX

Member
Akira is a masterpiece, but as is the often the case with all great works of art, it will not move everyone.

It's ok to not get Akira.
 
D

Diamond

Member
I'd say story is not the strongest point but it's okay. I remember trying to show it to my friends in middle-school and they couldn't get into it, whereas I was completely in awe when I first saw it, without understanding everything either. So it's probably not for everyone.
As a sensorial experience it's an exceptional work, a little bit like Ghost in the Shell. The atmosphere, the visuals, the audio, the uneasyness that rises as the film advances... Love it.
 
V

Via Purifico

Banned
Before my time and is as old as me but I totally see why people rave about it and while it's not my favorite film you can't deny its cultural impact.

Someone already put it that the animation is part of its storytelling so you can't really take it out of the equation.

I bought the Blu-Ray for it just because of the animation.
 
P

PjotrStroganov

Member
I suspect it's the lack of exposition and the introduction of quite some outlandish phenomenons that prevents some viewers to suspend their disbelief. It's a movie that throws you in the deep end and doesn't often pause to explain itself. And when it does, the explanation 1ups the weirdness once again.

My mind was blown the first time I saw Akira but it took a few views to grasp the plot.
 
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