There are sci-fi films that have a myriad of mediocre copycats. And then there are examples like Akira: a unique, iconic gem of the genre that influenced Michael Jackson music videos as well as Matrix and its unjustly scolded sequels. The groundbreaking cyberpunk anime is now on Netflix.
- The manga template for the Akira anime is available to buy on Amazon *
Motorcycle gangs and sci-fi mutants: that’s what Akira is about on Netflix
The story itself is reminiscent of many later imitators: The gigantic skyscraper canyons of the future Neo-Tokyo will be terrorized by brutal motorcycle gangs, to which the young Tetsuo (German voice: Gerrit Schmidt-Foss) and his great role model Kaneda (Julien Haggége) belong.
Check out the Akira trailer here:
Akira – Trailer HD
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When Tetsuo collides with a mysterious child in an accident, he develops frightening psychological powers that could drag the entire city into the abyss. While the military is trying to brutally control the situation, a dark secret comes to light: Tetsuo’s fate resembles that of a child named Akira, whose godlike powers almost nearly caused the apocalypse before.
Akira created the sci-fi blueprint for Matrix, Inception, and 1000 other films
Creator Katsuhiro Ôtomo implemented his vision for the look of the film so captivating and atmospheric that he for many later milestones of the sci-fi genre as a model became: Inceptions dream worlds and the infernal big city chaos of Godzilla make use of Akira as well as the ultra gloomy look of Dark City or Looper’s telekinetic child. Even the iconic Bullet Time from Matrix is inspired by the sci-fi anime, like IndieWire writes.
In Japan, the film kicked off a wave of cyberpunk films, the best-known example of which is probably Ghost in the Shell. Series like Stranger Things and the iconic Half-Life games refer to Akira. The film is even picked up in music videos by Michael Jackson and Kanye West.
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And that’s not surprising either. Akira creates the oppressive and disturbing atmosphere of a lawless and cold future like only a few films before. In the shadows of thousand-story skyscrapers An unscrupulous military turns children into psychokinetic weapons of destruction, the dreams of youth die between the wheels of their motorcycles. Protest against the state is brutally stifled.
And at the same time, this vision of the future is stylishly composed: the unique one The design of the motorcycles or Kaneda’s leather jacket became cult objects almost immediately raised. In terms of richness, precision and fluidity, the animations are unparalleled even more than 30 years after the film was released.
Anime for adults | Flood of facts
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In addition to Netflix: When will the Akira real film come to the cinema?
So maybe it’s just preventative, instead of producing a new version of Akira straight away, directed by Thor 3 creator Taika Waititi. However, due to the complexity of the project and the corona crisis, its publication has been massively delayed: Originally planned for May 21, 2021. At the moment, Waititi only asserts that the film will continue to be worked on (via Wired ).
So fans shouldn’t hold their breath and instead let the original loop on Netflix. It is finally one of the most beautiful sci-fi gold pieces, that pop culture ever produced.
Sci-Fi Action: The 10 Best Streaming Movies in 2021 on Amazon, Disney +, and Apple TV +
In the latest edition of our Moviepilot podcast, Stream Flurry, we take a look at the best films to date that have been released this year on Amazon Prime, Disney + and Apple TV +.
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We have 10 special film tips for you: From a sci-fi action cracker to touching animation adventures to an unusual concert film, everything is included.
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