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AKIRA
A film review by Clark Parkhurst
Copyright 1994 Clark Parkhurst
Directed and created by: Katsuhiro Otomo Released by: Streamline Pictures (USA) English adaptation by: Michael Haller Music by: Shoji Yamashiro Produced by: Ryohei Suzuki RUNNING TIME: 124 minutes
AKIRA may be the best and most well told example of Japanese animation ever. AKIRA, based on the graphic novel and comic book series by Katsuhiro Otomo has all the elements of great story and is at or should be at the top of its film genre.
Tetsuo is a young man whom is just trying to be one of the guys. But, thirty years in the future, after a global nuclear war is what the earth has suffered. And as a result: Tokyo blown to smithereens by a powerful psychic force known as Akira. Now, Tokyo has been rebuilt and renamed Neo-Tokyo. Two rival biker gangs control the city and Tetsuo just happens to be on the winning team until he runs into a child on his motorcycle and he turns into a Tetsuo-on-a-stick.
Suddenly, Tetsuo and his buddies are surrounded by lights, sirens, and the military. The strange boy, along with Tetsuo, are taken away to a special hospital where they are trying to find the secrets to this Akira force.
Meanwhile, Tetsuo's fellow gang members have been arrested and are being interrogated by the police and military who have joined forces to battle against the rebellion of the citizens of Neo-Tokyo.
Back at the hospital, it seems that Tetsuo is showing the same patterns as the Akira patterns, and that could spell the destruction of Neo-Tokyo if these 'patterns' are not kept under control. Tetsuo soon escapes from the hospital and steals his friend's, Kanada, bike, only to be met up with the rival gang, The Clowns.
Tetsuo's girlfriend is raped and beaten while Tetsuo is about to watch Kanada's bike go up in flames, which ironically compares Tetsuo's friend's bike to his girlfriend. The outcome: a Tim the Tool Man Taylor 'machines are better then women' quote that leads to Kanada and the rest of the gang coming to the rescue. The scene soon fades to a violent beating of one of the clowns by Tetsuo and then the Akira patterns kicking in with Tetsuo having delusions. Soon, the military comes and frisks Tetsuo away to the hospital for a second time.
Well, a lot of side tracking goes on and on ... and on, but mark my words: "Every cel of animation in this film is important." It *is* the most detailed and thought out script of Japanese animation ever made. It joins the ranks of such greats as RANMA 1/2, DOMINION, the "Bubblegum" series and the American HEAVY METAL animated feature film.
Now, back to the story. Tetsuo soon finds himself with amazing powers. He also finds that he is not the only one that possesses these extraterrestrial powers. It seems that the boy he hit with his motorcycle is part of the family that he is joining quickly. Tetsuo must make a decision. One that is imperative to the survival of Neo-Tokyo: Will he join the family and tame his powers or will he be a cocky half-assed twit and defiantly destroy Neo-Tokyo? I think that Tetsuo has death, Destruction, and not to mention revenge on his mind.
Everyone in Neo-Tokyo is in either panic or glorification. Some know of Tetsuo's powers and abilities. Others think that Tetsuo is "the Great" Akira. One question lingers in his head: What is this Akira? The other psychics are pushing him to the edge, pounding his brain with challenges the Akira still has more power. And, as a power hungry bastard, Tetsuo goes to find the one that is more powerful. Tetsuo loses it, and all is surrounded by a blinding white light. You know the rest.
Not very often does a motion picture, animated or not touch you in a way that you gape at every movement, or word that comes from this. AKIRA grips you, and takes you, literally, thirty years in the future and shows you that like the medieval stories of wizards and warriors, dragons and knights still is there. Its LAWNMOWER MAN times 10.
One of the best things about this that other movies in the comic genre failed to do was have the person who knows the story, characters, and other tid bits behind the cameras. BATMAN and THE CROW (not that THE CROW was bad) could have been more fluent with their present and complete storylines if the creator and illustrator of the comic books and graphic novels were behind it. Think what it would be like if Bob Kane, directed the BATMAN motion picture? Sleep on it.
----- Clark Parkhurst Internet: entity@valinor.mythical.com uucp: netcomsv!valinor!entity
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