is akira an anime

by Gabriella Rosenbaum 9 min read
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Akira held the record for most expensive anime film up until Otomo's Metropolis (2001). The teaser trailer for Akira was released in 1987. The film's main production was completed in 1987, with sound recording and mixing performed in early 1988.

Full Answer

Where to watch Akira free?

  • HBO Max – subscription ($14.99/month).
  • Kanopy – subscription (FREE with a public library card or university ID).
  • Buy – starting at $9.99
  • The Criterion Channel – subscription ($10.99/month)
  • Rent – starting at $2.99

What are some anime similar to Akira?

The 13 Best Anime Like Akira

  • Ghost In The Shell. From one anime masterpiece to another, the 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie might stand as the best recommendation for anyone who loved Akira.
  • Psycho-Pass. ...
  • Metropolis. ...
  • Freedom. ...
  • Serial Experiments Lain. ...
  • Steamboy. ...
  • Elfen Lied. ...
  • Memories. ...
  • Neo Tokyo. ...
  • Tekkonkinkreet. ...

More items...

How to watch Akira?

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What is the best Akira Kurosowa film?

  • Deruma-dera no doitsujin – A German at Daruma Temple
  • Shizukanari – All Is Quiet
  • Yuki – Snow
  • Mori no senichia – A Thousand and One Nights in the Forest
  • Jajauma monogatari – The Story of a Bad Horse
  • Dokkoi kono yari – The Lifted Spear
  • San Paguita no hana – The San Pajuito Flower
  • Utsukishiki koyomi – Beautiful Calendar
  • Daisan hatoba – The Third Harbor

See more

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Is Akira a movie or anime?

AKIRA (アキラ) is a 1988 Japanese animated sci-fi action film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, produced by TMS Entertainment and several partnered Japanese animation/tech companies all referred as The AKIRA Committee.

Does Akira have an anime?

Akira is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on Katsuhiro Otomo's seminal manga, Akira, published from 1982 to 1990. It was adapted into a 1988 anime film and two video games.

Is Akira good anime?

Overall: While, a live-action film adaptation version might or might come, one day to renew fans, for the most part, this movie will be best known for its sharp animation. Still, the confusing plot and downer feel of the movie, doesn't make it, a great watch. It's still one of the most memorable anime of all time.

Is Akira anime on Netflix?

'Akira' Is Now On Netflix, So You Should Probably Watch It.

What was the first anime?

Momotaro: Sacred SailorsThe first feature-length anime film was Momotaro: Sacred Sailors (1945), produced by Seo with a sponsorship from the Imperial Japanese Navy. The 1950s saw a proliferation of short, animated advertisements created for television.

Are there 2 versions of Akira?

The original 1990 South Korea release is heavily cut and is rated 'All' but was released in 2005 uncut with a 15 rating. The original Singapore release is cut and is rated PG but was later released with a NC-16 rating.

Is Akira R rated?

The movie is rated R for christ sake.

Is Akira a must watch?

The animation is some of the best you'll ever see. There's incredible, hand drawn backgrounds that only appear for seconds at a time and the lighting is just masterful. Also I loved how the character's faces moved with how they were talking instead of just having a blank slate with a mouth opening and closing.

Is Akira considered horror?

Tetsuo experiences body horror in Akira. Being a huge fan of horror films, I appreciated the large elements of horror that were contributed to the plot of this movie. Although it could be argued by another critic that Akira should labeled more as science fiction, than anything.

What is the top 20 anime of all time?

Top 25 Best Anime Series of All TimeFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.Cowboy Bebop. ... Monster. ... One Piece. ... Hajime no Ippo. ... Mob Psycho 100. ... Hunter x Hunter. ... Neon Genesis Evangelion. ... More items...•

Where can I see anime movies?

GoGoAnime.io. The most recommended site for animated movies is GoGOAnime. ... Crunchyroll.com. Crunchyroll is one of the best anime movie sites in the world. ... Netflix.com. ... Chia-anime.tv. ... AnimeFreak.tv. ... KissAnime.to. ... Funimation.com. ... AnimeUltima.me.More items...•

What anime movies does Netflix have?

AnimeExplore moreOne Piece Film: Strong World.The Seven Deadly Sins: Cursed by Light.Kuroko's Basketball: Last Game.Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow.Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I - The Egg of the King.The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.Naruto Shippuden: The Movie.More items...

When was Akira manga made?

Manga. Main article: Akira (manga) Akira was originally published from 1982 to 1990 in Japan's Young Magazine, ending with over 2000 pages of Otomo's art. It was published serially in the United States Epic Comics, an imprint of Marvel Comics, colorizing the black and white manga.

When was Akira released?

Main article: Akira (video game) A companion video game to the film was developed by TOSE and distributed by Taito Corporation for personal computers, and released in Japan on 24 December 1988.

How many volumes of Akira are there?

The choice to colorize the work helped to popularize Akira in the Western world. Six volumes of collected works were published from 2000 to 2002 by Dark Horse Comics, and in the UK by Titan Books, with the license later transferring to Kodansha Comics .

Where does Akira take place?

Akira takes place in futurist, cyberpunk "Neo-Tokyo", some decades following the destruction of Tokyo years prior by a massive explosion. A city struggling to prevent crime amid political corruption, the story focuses on Kaneda, the leader of a motorcycle gang, and his friend and fellow member Tetsuo, who is mentally unstable.

Is Akira live action?

Warner Bros. acquired the rights to a live-action Akira film in 2002, but since then has had difficulty in getting a project started, remaining in development hell. At least five different directors and ten different writers have been attached at various times. While Otomo had given scriptwriters the freedom to modify the plot of Akira as necessary to fit a live-action film, fears remains over whitewashing or racebending in the film's casting as well as trying to relocate the film outside of Japan due to story's ties with Japan's history.

Is there a new anime series based on the manga?

Anime television series. As early as January 2016, a potential television series had been in the planning stages with Otomo's involvement. At the 2019 Anime Expo, Otomo announced that he was working with Sunrise to create a new anime television series based on the manga.

Is Akira a manga?

Akira is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on Katsuhiro Otomo 's seminal manga, Akira, published from 1982 to 1990. It was adapted into a 1988 anime film and two video games. A live-action feature film has also been in development since 2000, and a new anime television series by Otomo was also announced in 2019.

Is Neo Tokyo a social disintegration?

Rather than alien invaders or malfunctioning supercomputers, Neo-Tokyo suffers from good old-fashioned social disintegration; the city is a place where violent demonstrations and wannabe messiahs sprout like weeds, and all the while the authorities are struggling to hold onto power.

Is Kei the terrorist a female?

On the one hand, the character designs are simplistic; Kei the terrorist, for example, is difficult to recognise as a female at first because of her rather androgynous design, and, apart from a couple of too-short trousers, the clothes could belong to any futuristic era.

What is the name of the anime that Akira is based on?

Akira ( Japanese: アキラ) is a 1988 Japanese animated post-apocalyptic cyberpunk action film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, produced by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, based on Otomo 's 1982 manga of the same name. The film had a production budget of ¥ 700 million ( $ 5.5 million ), ...

How did Akira influence anime?

Akira is regarded by many critics as a landmark anime film, one that influenced much of the art in the anime world that followed its release with many illustrators in the manga industry citing the film as an important influence. Manga author Masashi Kishimoto, for example, recalls becoming fascinated with the way the poster was made and wished to imitate the series' creator Katsuhiro Otomo's style. The film had a significant impact on popular culture worldwide. The film led the way for the growth in popularity of anime outside Japan as well as Japanese popular culture in the Western world. Akira is considered a forerunner of the second wave of anime fandom that began in the early 1990s and has gained a massive cult following since then. It is credited with setting the scene for anime franchises such as Pokémon, Dragon Ball and Naruto to become global cultural phenomena. According to The Guardian, the "cult 1988 anime taught western film-makers new ideas in storytelling, and helped cartoons grow up".

What is Akira's influence on Star Wars?

Akira has also been credited with influencing the Star Wars franchise, including the prequel film trilogy and the Clone Wars film and television series. Todd McFarlane cited Akira as an influence on HBO animated television series Spawn.

What did Akira teach?

According to The Guardian, the "cult 1988 anime taught western film-makers new ideas in storytelling, and helped cartoons grow up". Akira has influenced numerous works in animation, comics, film, music, television and video games.

What award did Akira win?

Awards. In 1992, Akira won the Silver Scream Award at the Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival. Akira was one of the four nominees for the 2007 American Anime Awards ' "Best Anime Feature" award, but it lost to Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children .

What was the first animated movie?

The release is notable in that Akira is the first animated film to be released by Criterion and for more than twenty years their sole animated film to be released until their 2014 Blu-ray /DVD release of Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009).

How much did Akira grosse?

Streamline became the film's distributor, with Carl Macek leading the distribution. Upon its initial limited US release, Akira grossed about $1 million in the United States. In the United Kingdom, Akira was theatrically released by Island Visual Arts on January 25, 1991.

What is the Akira movie?

Enjoyment. 3. Akira is a film adapted from the manga series of the same name by Katsuhiro Otomo. The film was a huge success, even outside its native Japan, and is often heralded as one of the all-time greatest anime ever produced.

When did Akira win the Silver Scream Award?

Akira won the Silver Scream Award, the audience award of the Amsterdam-based Imagine Film Festival, in 1992 and was nominated for the American Anime Awards' Best Anime Feature award in 2007.

Is Akira's facial variety Otomo's strongest suit?

But if I were to name an actual problem with Akira's designs in particular, it's that facial variety isn't Otomo's strongest suit, leading to a lot of similarity between characters' faces across Akira's cast as well as Otomo's other works. Then again, the same could be said about Hayao Miyazaki.

Did Akira lip sync?

Also of note is the fact that Akira pioneered lip-syncing character dialogue —typically characters are animated first; then voices are recorded, which often results in audiovisual incongruity. But Otomo was intent on using the high budget he was provided with to do things right even if it broke the industry conventions.

What is the manga Akira about?

The manga follows the lives of other characters living in Neo-Tokyo. Even though Kaneda is an important character, other members of his gang fight for control of the city against the police. There was a lot to explore in Akira, but the film only focused on Kaneda with its limited runtime.

What is the drug addiction in Akira?

4 The Manga Heavily Depicts The Characters’ Drug Use. In Akira, the characters had an apparent drug addiction as they are shown popping pills into their bodies. The film showed the drugs but it was only implied that the characters were using them.

What is the relationship between Kaori and Tetsuo?

Kaori and Tetsuo’s relationship in the manga was really dark, especially the way she gets killed. When she learns that someone plans on betraying Tetsuo, Kaori runs to warn him but ends up getting shot by that person. Once Tetsuo finds out about her death, he kills everyone who conspired against him. He even went to great lengths to revive her with his psychic abilities, but it just never worked.

What is the main premise of Akira?

The anime version uses the main premise of the manga to cover the majority of the story. While the anime focuses on the main story, the Akira manga takes a longer approach to tell a rich narrative filled with intrigue leading up to the devastating conclusion.

Is Tetsuo toxic to Kaori?

Tetsuo’s relationship with Kaori was more toxic than how the anime displayed it, showing just how sadistic he was in the original source material. This was a version we never got to see, which made Tatsuo more of a tragic villain than what was shown in the manga.

Did Akira appear in the original story?

5 Akira Appeared In The Original Story. With a film named after the powerful psychic child, it’s weird that we never got to see him at all in the anime. Other than visions, what’s left of Akira’s remains were stored underground and frozen by the scientists to study his capabilities.

Is Akira an anime?

1988's Akira is rightfully hailed as an anime classic, but the cyberpunk masterpiece left out quite a few important things from Katsuhiro Otomo's manga. By Mufsin Mahbub Published Nov 27, 2019. Share. Share.

What happens to Kaneda in the anime?

For instance, in the anime, Kaneda seems ready to fight (and scream) for the soul of his friend Tetsuo to the bitter end. In the manga, however, Kaneda pretty much gives up on any hopes he had for Tetsuo the second Tetsuo decides to start killing the members of Kaneda’s biker gang in order to try to establish his dominance over Kaneda. From the moment Testuo murders Yamagata, the gloves come off and Kaneda is ready to take Tetsuo out, no matter the cost. The manga also allows Kaneda to flesh out his relationship with Kei a bit more, even leading to a kiss shared between the young pair.

What happens after Tetsuo frees him from deep inside a government facility designed to keep Akira

After Tetsuo frees him from deep inside a government facility designed to keep Akira in a deep stasis, Akira awakens, sending a blinding destructive white light throughout Neo Tokyo. From the rubble, Tetsuo, in an apprentice like position begins amassing power and people on behalf of “Lord Akira”.

Is Akira live action?

With a new live-action Akira in the works, we look at the changes the original animated movie made to the manga. It’s been quite a while since we’ve seen an adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira, but with Taika Waititi ’s recent attachment to a new live-action film based on the original manga , now seems like a perfect time to dive into some ...

Is Akira in the anime?

In the anime, viewers may have noticed a very distinct lack of Akira. Other than his name being mentioned a few times, and his disembodied organs seen in sealed container, Akira was nowhere to be found. In the manga, while Akira doesn’t talk much, he plays a much bigger role.

Does Kei have psychic abilities?

The short of it is that Kei, much like Tetsuo, has developed psychic psionic abilities throughout the events of the manga. In fact, as I mentioned earlier when we were talking about Lady Miyako, Kei is later training as a sort of antithesis to Tetsuo.

A Fever Dream Rabbit Hole To Hell

Akira is a seinen (18+) manga that ran from 1982-1990, set in the fictional city of Neo-Tokyo in 2019 where, 37 years previously, a mysterious explosion destroyed the original Tokyo, leading to an alternate history in which World War III occurred in the 1980s.

An Apocalyptic Post-Apocalypse

At core to understanding Akira is appreciating the apocalyptic undercurrent of Japanese culture leading up to the manga’s 1982 debut, perhaps no more prevalent than in the manga’s persistent imagery of mass explosions and toppled buildings reminiscent of the 1945 nuclear bomb attacks that ended World War II.

The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of

Akira arrived at the height of the cyberpunk movement in international science fiction, with the manga debuting alongside films like Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior and Blade Runner along with seminal literature such as William Gibson’s Neuromancer.

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Overview

Akira is a Japanese cyberpunk media franchise based on Katsuhiro Otomo's seminal manga, Akira, published from 1982 to 1990. It was adapted into a 1988 anime film and two video games. A live-action feature film has also been in development since 2000, and a new anime television series by Otomo was also announced in 2019.

Plot

Production

Releases

Reception

Soundtrack

Akira (Japanese: アキラ) is a 1988 Japanese animated cyberpunk action film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, produced by Ryōhei Suzuki and Shunzō Katō, and written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, based on Otomo's 1982 manga of the same name. The film had a production budget of ¥700 million ($5.5 million), with its combined production and advertising budget reaching ¥1.1 billion ($9 millio…

Adaptations

On July 16, 1988, the third world war was triggered by the sudden destruction of Tokyo. The metropolis has been rebuilt as Neo-Tokyo on artificial islands in Tokyo Bay. In 2019, the city is plagued by corruption, anti-government protests, terrorism, and gang violence, causing martial law to try and uphold the peace. During a violent protest, the hot-headed Shōtarō Kaneda leads his vigilante bōs…

Legacy

While working on the Akira manga, Katsuhiro Otomo did not intend to adapt the series; however, he became "very intrigued" when the offer to develop his work for the screen was put before him. He agreed to an anime film adaptation of the series on the grounds that he retained creative control of the project — this insistence was based on his experiences working on Harmagedon. The Akira Committee was the name given to a partnership of several major Japanese entertainment comp…