8.1/10
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444 user 161 critic

Akira (1988)

A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath that only two teenagers and a group of psychics can stop.

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(screenplay), (screenplay) | 1 more credit »
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2,443 ( 207)
Top Rated Movies #249 | 1 win. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
Kaneda (voice)
...
Tetsuo (voice)
...
Kei (voice)
...
Ryu (voice)
Hiroshi Ôtake ...
Nezu (voice)
Kôichi Kitamura ...
Miyako / Council 1 (voice)
Michihiro Ikemizu ...
Inspector / Council 8 (voice)
Yuriko Fuchizaki ...
Kaori (voice)
Masaaki Ôkura ...
Yamagata (voice)
Tarô Arakawa ...
Army / Committee G / Eiichi Watanabe (voice)
...
Kai (voice)
Kazumi Tanaka ...
Army (voice)
Masayuki Katô ...
Sakiyama / Council 4 (voice)
Yôsuke Akimoto ...
Masato Hirano ...
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Storyline

Kaneda is a bike gang leader whose close friend Tetsuo gets involved in a government secret project known as Akira. On his way to save Tetsuo, Kaneda runs into a group of anti-government activists, greedy politicians, irresponsible scientists and a powerful military leader. The confrontation sparks off Tetsuo's supernatural power leading to bloody death, a coup attempt and the final battle in Tokyo Olympiad where Akira's secrets were buried 30 years ago. Written by Tzung-I Lin <[email protected]>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Neo-Tokyo is about to E.X.P.L.O.D.E. See more »


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic violence and brief nudity | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

16 July 1988 (Japan)  »

Also Known As:

Akira  »

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Box Office

Budget:

JPY 1,100,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$553,171
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(70 mm prints)| (re-release)| (35 mm prints)| (2001 re-issue)| (Dolby TrueHD 5.1)

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1 (VHS version)
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The music for the film was completed before any of the composers saw a frame of film or read the script. The music did have to be edited to fit some scenes though. See more »

Goofs

When the MPAA gave the film an R rating in 2001 for "graphic violence and brief nudity", they forgot about the profanity in the English dub. See more »

Quotes

Tetsuo: [Flying out of the Hospital Skyscraper] Ahhh! What's happening?
See more »

Crazy Credits

Credits roll with Big Bang-like footage of stars and galaxies, in the background. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Rôjin Z (1991) See more »

Soundtracks

Requiem
Performed by Geinoh Yamashirogumi
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

 
Every Anime fan have to start from a certain place.
22 December 2005 | by See all my reviews

I was probably around 8, when I first saw Akira. It was my step dad who asked me if I was interested in watching this Japanese cartoon. I expected something like, my favorite children movies like The Lion King or The Land before Time.

Akira however, was something else. At the time I was to young to understand English, since it was a second language for me. But I remember what kind of an affect it had on me. It was brutal, it was hard, it was edgy. The drums and Neo Tokyo lights flew through my little body as butter, as I witnessed death, gore and sadistic killings. Something my pure and innocent eyes had never seen before. And yet I was strangely excited. I was never tough as a kid. I was a afraid of the dark and often had nightmares about all kinds of things. But Akira, despite it's mature nature, just had me in awe. When I finally re-saw it many years later, when I was an old teenager, I was still in awe.

Akira is simply a wonderful and entertaining sci-fi movie. It was what introduced me to anime, and innovation in a hole new way. If you want to start watching anime or see, what all the fuss is about, then Akira is a good place to start. Even though it's over 17 years old today, it is still a fantastic and visually stunning animation. Even if you don't appreciate animation you owe it to yourself, to check it out. It has spectacular action, motorcycle-chase-sequences, mad scientists and tons of blood and shooting.

8/10


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