Review of Akira (1988) by Ollie W — 29 Jun 2011

Beginning with a Hiroshima-like nuclear explosion and ending with one of the most over-wrought, never ending endings of all time, Katsuhiro Otomo's superb 80's Anime is one of the most influential, uncontested sci-fi masterpieces of all time.

Deftly combining a nuclear soaked world of paranoia and intrigue with a modernistic tale of motor bike gangs and shady scientific organisations, Otomo beautifully hand-crafts his multi-dimensional characters and landscapes into a visceral, explosive adventure that explores both the necessity for youthful rebellion and the importance (and tragedy) of childhood friendship. All scored to perfection and with an utterly staggering sound design that engulfs the audience with moments of pure silence, followed by damagingly explosive walls of futuristic sound. Indeed, just about everything Otomo achieves with this wonderfully innovative effort has been borrowed and homage-d endlessly by subsequent generations of film-makers, from the much celebrated Matrix franchise through to Cult British Television success Spaced and not to mention the dozens of hit Computer games that were spawned in the interim. An utterly astonishing piece of hand drawn art that will blow your mind. An absolute must see.