More overrated than Shrek...?

Rating: Null/10 (18 August 2002)

I didn't think it was possible, but this movie really is more hyped and exalted than Shrek. Now, I will be the first to admit that the Japanese are more intelligent (on the whole.) than Americans are. They have a strong work ethic and are logical, scientific thinkers who are better educated, and for some reason the adults in their society actually education, unlike Americans. If you don't believe me, go into any American chatroom and comment on how it seems that very few people know how to string a sentence together or even use their own, English language properly, and just see how harshly you get flamed. Tell them how much the school systems have obviously deteriorated, to the point where most kids who leave high school these days can barely communicate if they have to do it through writing. And just watch as everyone in that chatroom gets angry with you and tries to rationalize, explain, excuse, etc- the poor usage of their language - and they will all tell you how idiotic you are to suggest that people ought to be able to read and write proficiently. Because they just don't realize that other countries at the United States and think most of us are fat, ignorant and uneducated. And the sad thing is, they're basically correct.
***Given this, it stands to reason that Japanese animation is a lot more complicated and intricate than the animated films produced by the United States. And herein lies the problem (I think.): A movie like Akira is just TOO difficult to understand. All you have to do is read the Plot Summary: "A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psionic psychopath that only two kids and a group of psionics can stop." And you're already lost. And it only gets worse when you watch the movie. The plot is just tangled and confusing, and it is really, really long. The animation is beautiful, but that grace does nothing to help explain the movie or answer all the questions that come up in the viewer's mind.. And that is why Akira will never be as popular as any Disney movie. It's just too confusing... you have to be an Anime buff, or Japanese, to understand it. So this select offshoot of society (These Anime buffs.) will tell you how wonderful it is, how it's the best animated movie in the world- how it changed their lives, etc. So people read these accolades and rent the movie, and they're totally lost and bored and disappointed by it - So it's the Shrek Effect, just translated into Anime. What people need to say is that you have to have a real grasp for anime and understand how the stories are told, and be able to follow eleventeen different plots and characterizations at once, if you want to really enjoy this movie. Just like you need to be pretty immature and find bodily emissions and other childish things funny and not be bothered by stiff-faced CGI if you're going to enjoy Shrek. Both films are very similar in that they have these certain "prerequisites.".... "Akira" I could take or leave. I would score it 9 in Japan, but 3 here in the US, because it will be a confusing letdown to most people.