Seeing Kaneda’s iconic red motorcycle in Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One served as a potent reminder of how long it had been since I last viewed Akira. As a longtime admirer of Japanese Anime, dating back to its early availability on VHS, I’ve encountered numerous titles such as Ray – The Animation Series, Starzinger, Robotech, Cobra, and many others. During that era, animation was often mistakenly perceived as solely for children, which allowed for the inclusion of more mature content like violence and nudity, bypassing certain censorship restrictions.
Akira marked the first time I truly appreciated Japanese animated feature films. The film resonated deeply, and even now, re-watching it evokes a strong physical response, with my body synchronizing with the soundtrack. Its impact has been more profound than initially realized.
The story is set in 2019 (!) in Neo-Tokyo, rebuilt after World War III devastated the original city. The metropolis is rife with conflict between rival gangs. Kaneda (Mitsuo Iwata) and Tetsuo (Nozomu Sasaki), close friends, find themselves caught in a pivotal event that irrevocably alters their lives, ultimately setting them on a collision course.
Director and screenwriter Katsuhiro Ôtomo also authored the manga upon which Akira is based. The film reflects his complete vision. The visual artistry is striking, especially considering its 1988 release, highlighting the innovation of Japanese animators at the time. The intricate details, combined with a compelling narrative, intense violence, and the memorable score, establish Akira as a significant cinematic achievement.
However, the lackluster Blu-ray release prevents a top rating. The disc lacks bonus content, despite ample storage space, and excludes the American dubs (both old and new). The sole advantage of this version is the upgrade to 1080p resolution from the lower-resolution DVD. The picture quality is as good as the source material allows, retaining the film’s original grain. The audio mix, however, presents an issue, with an unbalanced, rear-heavy sound. Effects in the rear speakers were often mixed louder than those in the front. Comparing it to my older DVD version, which features a compressed Dolby Digital track, this issue is absent. Furthermore, the bass response felt lacking.
Consequently, the unremarkable Blu-ray release downgrades the recommendation from a must-see to a conditional one. Despite the audio shortcomings, the film itself warrants experiencing in the best possible format, making this release a worthwhile investment.
