Review of Akira

Akira is a difficult movie to rate/review. I first watched this movie a while ago as my first anime movie, and absolutely loved it. It felt so raw, engaging, and powerful at the time, with both a story and atmosphere that was completely unlike anything I had ever experienced before. But as I got further into anime, doubt began to creep back in about Akira's true value as a movie. I started thinking to myself, 'Well the story is a bit confusing, and to be honest the animation's amazing but it's by far not the best that I've seen in a movie'. Then, I re-watchedAkira again a year ago. I was absolutely floored by the pure enjoyment that I got out of the movie, and how easily I was able to get into it. This is a cycle that continues every time I watch Akira, until I just don't doubt how good it is. The themes presented in the story feel more accurate and relatable than ever in the current generation, and the characters have only become more understandable with time. Sure, the story may be a bit choppy in the second half, but everything still flows smoothly without question, and Akira is still undisputatiously one of the greatest anime movies of all time. I think that if you truly do want a one of a kind story, you should read the manga, but Akira as a movie is an entirely separate beast. It's a movie that I know will only ever get more important with time, and who's reaches will be felt in the generations of anime to come.