Akira (1988)

Akira (1988) is a landmark cyberpunk anime set in a rebuilt Neo-Tokyo in 2019. When biker gang leader Shotaro Kaneda tries to save his friend Tetsuo after a traumatic accident, he discovers Tetsuo has been taken into a secret government program and awakened terrifying telekinetic powers. As Tetsuo’s abilities grow — mirroring the mysterious force that obliterated Tokyo decades earlier, known as Akira — the city spirals toward chaos. Kaneda, a band of rebels and a small group of underground psychics confront corrupt politicians, reckless scientists and the military in a violent, hallucinatory race to stop another cataclysm. Watching Akira is an intense sensory experience: fluid, highly detailed hand-drawn animation, frenetic motorcycle chases, surreal psychic transformations and a dense, driving soundtrack combine to create a bleak, immersive atmosphere. The film shifts rapidly from kinetic action to moments of quiet dread and unsettling spectacle; its pacing and images are deliberately overwhelming at times, mirroring the breakdown of bodies, institutions and identities onscreen. Thematically, Akira explores power and corruption, adolescence and alienation, the consequences of unchecked scientific ambition, and the fragility of urban civilization. It’s both a visceral action film and a thought-provoking, often disturbing meditation on how trauma and authority can warp people and society. Recommended for viewers who appreciate mature, visually ambitious animation, dystopian sci-fi and complex, sometimes ambiguous storytelling. Content warnings: intense violence, body horror, large-scale destruction and disturbing imagery.

Actors: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama

Director: Katsuhiro Ôtomo

Runtime: 124 min

Genres: Action, Animation, Drama

7.6 /10 68 /100 8.0 /10 7.5 /10