Stunning animation, Japanese or otherwise

Rating: 8/10 (4 April 2001)

As a peripheral fan of Japanese animation, I somehow avoided seeing this movie until recently. Being disenchanted with the genre in general since it really blew up in the last couple of years, I was pleasantly surprised. This movie's reputation as a classic is well-deserved. I found myself wanting to watch it again the next day, something that really suprised me. The animation is so smooth and pleasurable to watch in some sequences, even when disgusting things are happening (there is some gore in this). I wonder how they acheived this technique. There's a more human story here than in Ghost in the Shell, and I liked this subtitled version of Akira better than the dubbed version of Ghost in the Shell.
The story here is not terribly important, but the characters are interesting, their faces are wonderfully expressive, and the images are unforgettable. The last 30 minutes or so will blow you away.
At least a couple very striking similarities to Blade Runner- the music (especially in the opening scenes), the golden buildings and the punks in the street. And I thought the "milk", or whatever it was, spewing out of the giant stuffed animals was inspired by the demise of Ash in Scott's Alien, as perhaps the "cloak" scene in Ghost in the Shell was inspired by Predator. To me, such touches aren't "rip-offs" but a sign of respect for the films and their creators. They're put to good effect in both movies.