An amazing film somehow dubbed as over-hyped when it is clearly under-rated

Rating: 10/10 (13 November 2002)

Akira is a tremendous achievement. Some anime purist may say it is over-rated but they are used to the traditional anime full of non-stop, violent action. These fans of traditional anime were bored by this film. This is a movie for serious film watchers, not for those who enjoy only anime. I have only enjoyed maybe a half dozen anime films and this is at the top of the list. Another thing that people may be critical about is the English dub that is of course no fault to the Japanese filmmakers themselves. There is a new dub now, yet any true fan of cinema or any person who respects the directors work, will watch a foreign film with subtitles. The movie is seen as complicated and hard to understand by some, whom I believe have a short attention span and never really gave the film a chance. These people in turn call the movie boring and over-hyped, this is because people call this the `Matrix Animated' or something silly like that. The story is more complicated than Matrix, since the Matrix is complete spoon-fed, cliché, fortune cookie philosophy. If you think The Matrix was original read a Philip K. Dick book and you will see it has all been done better, and 60 years earlier. The other opinion on Akira is that it is stupid, it ideas are bland, and it is way too easy to understand. This is an obvious attempt from pompous above-it-alls to show how smart they are and how the film couldn't possibly do anything for them, because the thoughts have already existed in their heads. Compensation, truth is neither of them understood it. It is not difficult and it doesn't hide anything from the audience, but it does take multiple viewings, but the first audience is too bored and the second too arrogant and frustrated to be open for another try. I do get upset when directors purposefully try and hide things from their audiences as a David Lynch does in his latest movies, his earlier films told a much clearer concise narrative, which made for better storytelling. This film is only complicated in that it does not spoon-feed, much like other films of the 80s. However since this is sci-fi you would expect an explanation, there is none given. I am happy for this because it makes it real, you watch the film as a spectator and you have to deduct what you are seeing. This film has a brilliant story, marvelous artwork and animation, and it is powerful. It is all a matter of taste I suppose, but I believe most of the critic of this film are reactionaries or ignorant. 10/10