Review of Akira

I was recently asked a question that has been bugging me for over a week. What anime has been influential to anime today? Several came to mind, but after some serious debate I believe Akira is that great classic. It has cemented the imaginations of many illustrators and led to the growth of anime outside of Japan. Story: 8/10 In a post-apocalyptic community of Neo-Tokyo, wrecked with stagnation, anti-government, and gang violence sets the stage for Akira. The story essentially is an example of society tearing itself part at the seams and how this effects everyone including the characters. The story is action packed withgood pacing, so nothing ever feels rushed. Other than that, I don't really have any negative comments on the story. I could list off all the positive, but that would take forever.

Characters: 9/10
Unlike most animes or stories, the characters are neither good nor bad. Instead they are not painted simplistically and they all are surprisingly complex with various backgrounds. For example, Kaneda is a street thug, skirt chaser who is caught in the middle of a revolution. Tetsuo is a misguided youth suffering from an inferiority complex that manifests latent psychic abilities. Nobody is black or white, but vary in shades of grey.

Art 10/10 and Sound 9/10:
One of the movie's greatest aspects, is its powerful and graphic scenes. The animation quality is outstanding even trumping alot of modern day animation. The detailed, and unparalleled background art is inspiring. No background is ever used twice, be it from blinking street lights or a random person exiting a building. I have yet to find an anime with so much detail in everyday environment. The characters realistic and smooth motion is something I also noted with modern animation as still a problem, in which Akira delivers. The music is also something that stands out fitting each scene incredibly well. Along with detail in even the small things from a ceiling fan to revving an engine.

Akira has the best anime has to offer, and has a magnificent story that you will never forget. Akira is not for the squeamish and is a chilling vision of what the future may hold. Akira is a classic that should be remembered for decades to come.