Cyber-punk anime in a neon light

Rating: 6/10 (1 December 1999)

Akira was hot wired directly into the sizzling, 'Bladerunner', William Gibson fueled cyber-punk movement of the 1980's and was rightfully the first Japanese anime to make an impact on Western audiences. The screen burns with the glowing neon of Neo-Tokyo, where giant advertising hoardings float over huge skyscrapers and bustling street markets while motorbikes paint streaks of light across the motorways. It's easy to be carried away with Akira's sheer style, it positively drips with light and colour, most notably in the films unforgettable opening ten minutes. Akira is the true spirit of cyber-punk, anarchic, intense, dark and virtually crackling with sheer energy. The plot is too complicated for it's own good, becoming somewhat entangled in the ideas it is juggling, with a few too many sub-plots and minor dramas too keep it's focus. Furthermore, the imagery occasionally goes just a bit too intense and mind-bending, making it easy for a less commited viewer to sneer and miss the film's more interesting subtlties. However, there are some great ideas swimming around in the pool of concepts behind this film, as well as some unusually complex characters for an anime, such as the brooding army officer in charge of guarding akira, whatever that might be. Most notable though is the film's hero, Kaneda, who embodies the spirit of the film, full of berserk energy and simmering rebelion. A flawed film, but a great one at that, it looks great, it's very exciting and that first sequence just can't be faulted.