Summary:
In the distant future of 2019, warring biker gangs in Tokyo get mixed up in powers far beyond their understanding.
My Thoughts:
I don’t own/read a ton of comics/manga, but I’ve read Akira through twice now, and I’ve seen this movie more than a half a dozen times. I think the Akira manga is one of the most epic stories I’ve ever read, right up there with JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, Frank Herbert’s Dune, and Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. I think this movie, which was actually directed by the creator of the manga, Katsuhiro Otomo, is a very decent adaptation, though we do loose about a third to half of the overall story.
Why, if we’re missing a large chunk of the story, do I think that this is a decent adaptation? Well, Akira is a very complex story. I honestly think that as it is, most people who are completely unfamiliar with the story of Akira will have a hard time fully grasping all the nuances that flow through this story. The story is just so big, and the world is so complex. As I’ve already mentioned, I’m a huge fan of this work and I’m pretty familiar with the way the story moves, but even as I went back and watched this movie again last night, I found there were half a dozen things I hadn’t noticed before, whether it be little details in the animation, or hints at subplots that never really made it to screen this movie does its best to bring the world of the manga to screen. While this movie might not capture the magnificence of the six-volume manga, it tells the story in a way that captures the manga’s spirit and provides a satisfying experience.
For years now, the idea of a live action remake of Akira has been kicked around Hollywood, but up until recently, I don’t know if the technology has been around for us to make a satisfying Akira film. We might have the tech to pull off some of the visuals now, but as a story, I almost think Akira would work better as a TV show or miniseries. As it stands, this version of Akira is the only cinematic version we have, and though it might not tell the whole story, for what it is, it’s still pretty great.
“The future is not a straight line. It is filled with many crossroads. There must be a future we can choose for ourselves.”
Thirty-one years after an explosion destroys much of Tokyo, the streets of the metropolis are rife with violence, drugs, and gangs. After a biker battle, a few of the bikers, including Kaneda (Mitsuo Iwata, “Paprika”) and Tetsuo (Nozomu Sasaki, “Yu Yu Hakusho”) wander into a restricted section of Tokyo, where they come in contact with military forces chasing what looks to be a young boy. After the bikers are arrested, Tetsuo, who came in direct contact with the boy, is put through a number of tests in a secret facility, and soon begins developing powers that are beyond his understanding.
I know I’ve already touched briefly on how the story was compressed, but let me delve a little bit deeper into why I think this massive compression works for me; after all, it’s rare that a movie can cut out 1/3 of a book and fans will still sing praises. I think the reason I’m alright with a lot of the book being cut out is that Otomo still does his best to at least hint at some of the subplots that are cut out.
For example, we don’t really get to know Lady Miyako, nor do we visit her temple in Neo-Tokyo. In the manga series, Miyako is a pivotal character; she’s the reason Kei understands how the powers work as much as she does, and if I remember right she’s the reason Kei ends up at the Olympic stadium at the end. Miyako lets Kei know she’s a medium, and thus can work as a conduit for all of the childrens’ powers. In this movie, Miyako only makes a brief appearance on a bridge before Tetsuo kills her. Even though Miyako was one of my favorite characters in the manga, I understand that her character is there basically to make things easier for us to comprehend. In this movie, we don’t have time to explain the different types of power that work in this story, so we’re just forced to accept it.
For the most part, this kind of storytelling works. I feel like viewers unfamiliar with the storyline will have a difficult time understanding all of the nuances the first time through, but with repeat viewings it gets easier. There are some storylines that I’m not sure why they even bothered to include, as they are only touched on so briefly that, more than anything else it just confuses the plot. Why, for example, do we touch on the businessman who ends up dying in the streets? I honestly can’t even remember the part that he played in the manga, though I recognize his face… Overall, the story does work, even if it is a bit complex.
The animation is the other massive thing that makes this movie work. The world of Akira is richly detailed and incredibly gorgeous. Even the most grotesque things in this film, and there are quite a few grotesque things, are beautiful to behold. There are parts of this movie that delve into the realm of psychedelics. As our characters develop powers and fall pray to psychic attacks, things get… weird… and that’s the best part. This movie has some freaking bizarre images; I mean how many movies do know of that have a giant teddy bear melt into an aged child. Beyond the weird psychic and psychedelic stuff though, there’s also a lot of Cronenbergian body horror stuff after Tetsuo comes in contact with the ultimate power.
It’s pretty disturbing, and also pretty great.
Verdict:
This is a very solid adaptation of a manga masterpiece. I withhold calling this movie itself a masterpiece because I think it’s just too dense, but I do think that it comes pretty close.
Review Written By: