Subject: RETROSPECTIVE: AKIRA (1987)

From: [email-masked] (Chad Polenz)
Date: 20 May 1997 01:11:32 GMT

AKIRA
                       A film review by Chad Polenz
                        Copyright 1997 Chad Polenz

*** (out of 4 = good)
1987, not rated, 124 minutes [2 hours, 4 minutes]
[animated - science fiction]
Starring the voices of: Jimmy Flanders (Tetsuo), Drew Thomas (Kenada),
Barbara Larsen (Kaye), produced by Ryohei Suzuki, Shunzo Kato, written by
Katsuhiro Otomo, Izo Hashimoto, directed by Katsuhiro Otomo.

The Japanese probably have the wildest imaginations and the greatest spirit
for action and adventure. They see animation in a much different manner than
we do, and "Akira" is proof positive of that.
The story takes place in the far future, in post-Apocolyptic "Neo-Tokyo."
Stories that take place in these settings tend to have the same atmosphere:
crime out of control; corrupt government; revolutions: and/or science and
technology worshipped as gods. This film takes a bit of all of these aspects
and mixes them together so we get a good sense of an abstract reality and an
intense reality.
We meet our main characters, a motorcycle gang of high school-aged boys, but
they are not villains, in fact, they are quite likable. Immediately the film
jumps into a high speed action sequence, which is probably the best scene in
the movie. The animators pull no punches in depicting the graphic violence
that takes place, such as: decapitation; a man being shot by hundreds of
rounds; blood and gore; and total mass destruction. Perhaps what's most
fascinating is the graphicness to it, because we don't get to see this stuff
in America.
The first half is a mad romp through Neo-Tokyo, defining the setting and
introducing the main characters. Kenada (Thomas), the leader of the gang, is
a wisecracking delinquent but is adorable. He and his gang are searching for
their friend Tetsuo (Flanders) who was taken away by the military in a
previous scene.
The story drops hints of some kind of background, through a military Colonel
and a scientist (who looks like Albert Einstein), who bicker with politicians
over the violent society they live in and why it came to be like this. There
is some sort of secret government project called Akira that could change the
world and give tremendous power to its beholder, and this element will later
play a key role. 
Meanwhile, Tetsuo realizes he has special powers, and is told by other
"gifted children" who they are and where they came from. Eastern ideology
plays a major role in defining these powers, we might consider it pure
fantasy but I'm sure the Japanese hold some validity to the concept.
There's really no single plot driving the film, it's basically a dizzying
journey through many characters and storylines that are loosely connected.
The film is story oriented, but it is the characterization and the
spectacular action sequences that make it good.
Still, "Akira" is interesting because we never know what's going to happen
next. Just watching the animation and the fact that it has a pretty
intricate, detailed story makes it all worthwhile.