Today’s quick review: Akira. Tetsuo, a member of a bike gang in Neo-Tokyo, gets caught up in a battle between a psychic and the police. The incident causes Tetsuo to manifest harmful psychic powers of his own, and he is taken into government custody for treatment and study. Kaneda, the leader of the gang, sets out to find him, only to find himself allied with a group of rebels against the secret government program that has taken Testuo.
Akira is a Japanese animated science fiction movie with horror elements. It chronicles the tragic and unpredictable series of events surrounding the awakening of Tetsuo’s psychic powers. The powers are accompanied by severe migraines, hallucinations, and the rapid breakdown of Tetuo’s psyche, turning him into a dangerous threat to himself and others. Kaneda quickly finds himself in over his head, with only his loyalty to Tetsuo keeping him involved in a conflict well beyond his abilities.
Akira is a well-executed but confusing movie. The animation quality is fairly high, and the plot and setting show a great deal of thought. But the film’s many mysterious, conflicting factions, and unpredictable plot make it difficult to follow without advance knowledge of the plot. Akira’s horrific content also makes it an unsettling watch, as Tetsuo’s mind and reality begin to come apart around him.
Watch Akira if you are into anime and the stranger side of sci-fi. Akira is considered a classic by some, and while its confusing story and dark content can be a turn-off, the right viewer will certainly find Akira to be an intense and well-crafted film. However, most viewers should steer clear; venture in only if you are a devoted fan of sci-fi and horror.
8.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for an ambitious plot held back by unclear writing and a bizarre ending.