Just finished watching Akira. This movie is considered to be one of the classics, a must have for any collector. It had come out in 1988 to give you a time frame. My bro gave me this movie as part of my Christmas present, but I have been eyeing it for some time. I had first seen this movie a few years ago when he had gotten it and it was probably one of the first things to actually draw me to the Anime genre of entertainment. "Wow, animation that's not for kids!" Detailed animation, decent dub and dialogue, and a story that flows consistently through to the end with no gaps (at least none that I could notice). Now after watching much more anime and re-watching Akira I recognize some of the big names that took part in this movie. Wendee Lee as Kei the student rebel, Johnny Yong Bosch as Kaneda the leader of a biker gang, and Joshua Seth as Tetsuo a close friend and member of Kaneda's biker gang. Lee, Bosch, and Seth are again working together in Wolf's Rain (Lee = Jagura, Bosch = Kiba, and Seth = Hige). Anyway, Basically this movie takes place thirty-one years after an apocalyptic world war III. Biker gangs rule the streets where people are rebeling against the government. When Kaneda's group are chasing down an opposing gang Tetsuo comes across (and is nearly blown up) a strange kid. Soon the military come and take both the kid and Tetsuo away to Kaneda's shock. Kaneda hooks up with Kei and her rebel group to track down the government hospital that Tetsuo was taken to, through violent means. Tetsuo in the mean time, comes back to conciousness in the hospital to realize he has tremendous psionic powers. Now what do you think happens to a teenager, who was abandoned by his parents, raised in an orphanage, and then the brought to the streets and gangs. He was always picked on by others and Kaneda always though the had to come and rescue him. He thought of himself as weak but no more. He pretty much goes crazy, drunk on the power and the need to assert his will. After discovering Akira, the power becomes too much for him and it consumes him. The other test subjects then come and rescue Kaneda. After this it is difficult to say what exactly happens except that major damage to Neo-Tokyo. Tetsuo and the test subject kids then disappear, one of the children promise though that someday when they are strong enough they will return. Over all I enjoyed this movie. I like the detailed animation and the story that flows and makes you think. 5 out of 5 stars.
Next on the block Angel Sanctuary . . .
Boma at 10:23 PM
