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[Oldschool]

Was looking for something like Deus Ex/Blade Runner and them saw this blu-ray really cheap.
Went to watch without any hype and my god, my mind was blown away. I was expecting some gang street bikers all over the movie, not that deep philosophy.

The soundtrack is really good too: Kaneda's Theme.

And I'm not even a anime fan. Anyone saw this movie at some point too? And what others anime movies are like this?

 

[Miggytronz]

AKIRA blew my mind the first time i saw it too. I need to get it on Bluray myself too.

 

[TheContact]

Was the first anime I watched. I was young, but it really got me into anime and Japanese culture. AKKKIIRRRAaaaa!!

 

[Burger]

They don't make animated films like this any more. The art style coupled with hand drawn 24fps cels makes for amazing visuals.

 

[TommyT]

Yeah I saw this in theater's the other week. Really convenient that everyone had cameras and whatnot.














But seriously, I've watched it and thought it was pretty cool. Not really my thing though anime wise. However, I do appreciate what it's about and what it portrays.

 

[ChiTownBuffalo]

Why is this mofo $99 on Amazon?

 

[Dreams-Visions]

I thought it was cool, but my mind wasn't blown. Maybe I had too much anticipation.

 

[Omegasquash]

I need to pick that up. I think Akira is one of the gateways into anime. It certainly was for me (minus Robotech).

 

[ezekial45]

If you love the movie, then I highly, highly recommend you read the manga. While the movie is still great in its own right, the original material is much detailed and extensive.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

The comic kicks ass too in a different way.

 

[Askani]

I think I saw this for the first time in 1992 or so. I was about 15. Akira and The Guyver was about the only anime the local Blockbuster had. I didn't have any friends into anime at the time, but me and a high school buddy wanted to check out some anime stuff and rented it. It was obviously pretty great.

Coincidentally, I just watched this Sunday with some friends. Still holds up so well.

 

[SteveWinwood]

I really enjoyed reading the comics of it (or manga or whatever you nerds). I thought they were great. Different than the movie, not worse or better, just... different.

Also the movie is so so so so great.

 

[Dresden]

Redline, prolly. I wasn't the biggest fan but if you liked Akira I think you'd enjoy this too.

 

[lethial]

I still remember when this came out in North America. My dad took me to it for my birthday and man it was awesome. Can't believe it's over 20 years ago.

 

[Salvor.Hardin]

The first time I saw this movie was during an anime marathon on some television channel to bring in the new millenium. So yes, the clock hit midnight on New Years 2000 while I was watching Akira for the first time.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

I wish Otomo made more films.

The attention to detail in AKIRA (and even Steamboy) is absolute insanity.



I wish the Bluray version had an option to watch with the Steamline Pictures dub (I know, I know, different companies etc.)
Granted, the newer dub is more 'professional', but the Steamline dub has more charm. Same with the Streamline dub of The Castle of Cagliostro.


"PEAbrain!"

 

[Suairyu]

The only anime made with Disney-quality animation. Absolute visual delight, backed by one of the greatest original soundtracks ever made. All in all, I think it was probably better to the manga, as well. It's clear that Otomo never had an "end game" in sight for Akira, so I like the ending he used in the movie.

It still holds up as a film, too. I think this and the two Ghost In The Shell films are the high water-mark of sci-fi anime. Dat cyberpunk.

 

[Nappuccino]

Where did you find this for cheap?

tell me now

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

I wish Otomo made more films.

The attention to detail in AKIRA (and even Steamboy) is absolute insanity.



I wish the Bluray version had an option to watch with the Steamline Pictures dub (I know, I know, different companies etc.)
Granted, the newer dub is more 'professional', but the Steamline dub has more charm. Same with the Streamline dub of The Castle of Cagliostro.


"PEAbrain!"

There's a copy of the BR version floating around out there that has the Streamline audio. Of course, it's not 'official', so...

 

[TheJollyCorner]

There's a copy of the BR version floating around out there that has the Streamline audio. Of course, it's not 'official', so...

:O

 

[bjork]

State of the art Japanese animation.

Still love the original dub quite a bit, awesome soundtrack too.

[edit - Also, as far as cheap blu-rays go, there are bootlegs. My old boss had a big batch of Oldboy BR copies that were identical to the Tartan release.]

 

[Suairyu]

Where did you find this for cheap?

tell me now

Dude it's been £10 pretty much everywhere for ages now. You could buy the Steelbook for £12 in HMV not so long ago.

 

[Whelan]

Where did you find this for cheap?

tell me now

£8.99 on Amazon, babes.

 

[Fireye]

Why is this mofo $99 on Amazon?

It's out of print, sadly. I really, really hope I actually bought this, because it's a requisite part of any anime lover's collection.

Edit: Amusingly enough, it's cheaper to import it from Japan : http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=GNXA-1005

 

[tycoonheart]

I thought it was cool, but my mind wasn't blown. Maybe I had too much anticipation.

Same here. I think I let the hype get to me before I watched it.

 

[ChiTownBuffalo]

I first saw this on 3rd gen dub on VHS in 1989

 

[sn00zer]

"Chronicles" is about the closest we'll ever get to a decent live action Akira

 

[Mr Swine]

Ugh this anime movie still gives me nightmares

 

[Nappuccino]

Dude it's been £10 pretty much everywhere for ages now. You could buy the Steelbook for £12 in HMV not so long ago.

I've never seen it for under 35... and it is 99 bucks on amazon.

 

[Suairyu]

True story: I made a girlfriend watch Akira and she cried.

I've never seen it for under 35... and it is 99 bucks on amazon.

Oh American? Sorry can't help you there.

 

[Always-honest]

I thought it was cool, but my mind wasn't blown. Maybe I had too much anticipation.

ofcourse there is a timeframe issue here. You should have seen it in 1988 for full effect.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

Ugh this anime movie still gives me nightmares

the giant bear that pukes up milk!

 

[Nappuccino]

the giant bear that pukes up milk!

"milk"

 

[Krabardaf]

Had the same reaction with the book.It's truly a masterpiece as far as I am concerned. I haven't seen the anime yet, I'll probably check it later.

 

[akira28]

I'm a big fan...

 

[Risette]

They don't make animated films like this any more. The art style coupled with hand drawn 24fps cels makes for amazing visuals.

Akira wasn't on 1s, afaik.

OP: Watch Ghost in the Shell (the movie/s directed by Mamoru Oshii, not SAC)

 

[Moaradin]

Just saw it for the first time a couple moths ago and it's probably in my top 3 anime of all time, and definitely #1 as far movies go. Both English dubs were good as well, but I found the newest one(bluray dub) to be much better.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

is there a particular reason why Otomo is like the Terrence Malick of anime?

What's he done, like 2 feature length films in 30 years? :/

 

[Skiptastic]

I wish the Bluray version had an option to watch with the Steamline Pictures dub (I know, I know, different companies etc.)
Granted, the newer dub is more 'professional', but the Steamline dub has more charm. Same with the Streamline dub of The Castle of Cagliostro.

I'm assuming Streamline was the dub Orion used? With Cam Clarke as Kaneda? That dub was pretty amazing.

 

[eagledare]

Redline is the reincarnation of Akira's excellence for this generation.

 

[Nappuccino]

is there a particular reason why Otomo is like the Terrence Malick of anime?

What's he done, like 2 feature length films in 30 years? :/

Well, his second feature was essentially Steampunk Akira so its more like 1.5 movies.

edit: mostly, I think Akira was an incredibly time consuming project and he said pretty much everything he had to say with it.

 

[freenudemacusers]

Symphonic suite Akira is essential IMO.

 

[Suairyu]

Akira wasn't on 1s, afaik.

Probably not quite 1s, but definitely much higher than the anime standard. It seriously looks like a high-budget Western animation like Disney.

 

[pappe]

Am I the only 1 who thought of the Pornstar after reading the title? :s

 

[Gully State]

oops

 

[Sinatar]

Am I the only 1 who thought of the Pornstar after reading the title? :s

Yes.

 

[Risette]

Probably not quite 1s, but definitely much higher than the anime standard. It seriously looks like a high-budget Western animation like Disney.

No it doesn't. It's not stylistically whitewashed enough to look like a Disney movie. :>

And I don't think it has a higher cel count than the average high budget theatrical anime -- it's the detail of the frames that makes it stand out.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

I'm assuming Streamline was the dub Orion used? With Cam Clarke as Kaneda? That dub was pretty amazing.

exactly. If I recall correctly Orion absorbed Streamline in like '96 or something, then Orion collapsed in the late '90s, maybe?

Some of the original anime dubs from Streamline/Orion (like Windaria, Vampire Hunter D, The Professional: Golgo 13) were just carried over to whatever studio picked them up. Others, like AKIRA and The Castle of Cagliostro, were completely redone.

AKIRA is debatable (I'm sure most of my love for it is 97% nostalgia), but Cagliostro's original dub is so superior to the Manga/Disney/whoever dub it's ridiculous. Hell, I think Cagliostro was the one Miyazaki movie that Disney didn't bother to give an all-star cast redub. :/

 

[BGBW]

How does it look in HD? I have the two disc DVD version that has both the original and remastered version already.

 

[Suairyu]

No it doesn't. It's not stylistically whitewashed enough to look like a Disney movie. :>

You're a goddamn troll yet I love you.

But you get what I mean. Anime doesn't normally have decent animation quality, even the best stuff out of places like Ghibli. It's all about the art. Akira had both the art and the framerate to go with it.

How does it look in HD? I have the two disc DVD version that has both the original and remastered version already.

Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Goes toe-to-toe with the Disney releases, except in Akira they preserved the grain so it has that wonderful film veneer.