Akira (1988)

Probable Score

Not Enough Info

Your Score

(0 - 100)

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. (imdb)

More Information and Actions

Cast and Information

Directed By: Katsuhiro Ôtomo

Written By: Katsuhiro Ôtomo, Izô Hashimoto

Starring: Tesshô Genda, Takeshi Kusao, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Mitsuo Iwata, Yuriko Fuchizaki, Michihiro Ikemizu, Kôichi Kitamura, Hiroshi Ôtake, Kazumi Tanaka, Tarô Arakawa, Masaaki Ôkura

Genres: Sci-fi, Suspense/Thriller, Action, Animation

Country: Japan

Stream it now

Invalid Trailer

Ratings

Collections

Stats

Loading...
loading

Akira belongs to 85 collections

1. 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (collaborative: moderated by kozan26 - 236 stars)

2. IMDB Top 250 (collaborative: moderated by ppinocchio - 123 stars)

3. Favorite Film of Every Criticker Member (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 97 stars)

4. Certified weird (collaborative: moderated by Dreamer - 47 stars)

5. Psychotronic Film and Video Guides (collaborative: moderated by Gregzilla - 40 stars)

6. Empire's 500 Greatest Movies Of All Time (public: Ross - 36 stars)

7. The Guardian's 1000 films to see before you die (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 31 stars)

8. Dystopia (collaborative: moderated by Nouilles - 29 stars)

9. Post Apocalyptic (collaborative: moderated by edkrak - 27 stars)

10. IMDb Top 250 Complete (collaborative: moderated by Jorg - 23 stars)

11. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2017 revision) (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 22 stars)

12. The 100 Greatest Sci-Fi Movies (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 18 stars)

13. List: Empire's 100 Best Films of World Cinema (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 17 stars)

14. Intellectual Sci-Fi (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 16 stars)

15. Edgar Wright 1000 Favorite Movies (Aug 2016) (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson - 16 stars)

16. 101 Sci-Fi Movies You Must See Before You Die (collaborative: moderated by von krogh - 14 stars)

17. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2020 revision) (public: djross - 14 stars)

18. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)

19. Future (collaborative: moderated by djross - 12 stars)

20. TimeOut's 1000 films to change your life (collaborative: moderated by ppinocchio - 11 stars)

21. Anime (collaborative: moderated by Nanera - 10 stars)

22. Best of criticker: Sci-fi (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 10 stars)

23. Cinema Discusso Yearly Consensus (2008) (public: PeaceAnarchy - 10 stars)

24. What Follows Inception? (collaborative: moderated by paulofilmo - 9 stars)

25. Best of criticker: Animation (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 9 stars)

26. Best of criticker: Suspense / Thriller (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 9 stars)

27. Based On Manga (collaborative: moderated by whatismyname - 7 stars)

28. Best by different standards (public: sesito71 - 6 stars)

29. Filmsite.org - Sex in the Movies, An Illustrated History (collaborative: moderated by afx237vi - 5 stars)

30. List: Empire's 301 Greatest Movies of All Time (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 5 stars)

31. Top 3000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 5 stars)

32. retroCRUSH 100 Scariest Movie Scenes (collaborative: moderated by somnivore - 4 stars)

33. Dream/Fantasy/Hallucination Sequence (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 4 stars)

34. Near future (collaborative: moderated by djross - 4 stars)

35. Cyberpunk (collaborative: moderated by PerryStroika - 4 stars)

36. Wikipedia's list of dystopian films (collaborative: moderated by ND Geek - 4 stars)

37. Graphic, Bloody Gore (collaborative - 3 stars)

38. Best of criticker: Action (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 3 stars)

39. The Best of Anime (collaborative: moderated by mattornot - 3 stars)

40. Movies based on Comics (collaborative: moderated by PerryStroika - 2 stars)

41. INFJ movies (collaborative: moderated by sboden - 2 stars)

42. Vaporwave aesthetics (collaborative: moderated by Ghalea - 2 stars)

43. Top 2000 movies with the most votes on IMDb (public: fanfic - 2 stars)

44. Cinemag's Best Sci-fi Films (collaborative: moderated by hristos - 1 star)

45. Tom & Bitches' Infinite Watchlist (collaborative - 1 star)

46. 4k Ultra HD discs owned (collaborative: moderated by dumbjaw - 1 star)

47. Filmspotting Ratings Project: Week 10 (public: PeaceAnarchy - 1 star)

48. Great soundtracks (public: Murray - 1 star)

49. Asian Cinema Experience: Styles, Spaces, Theory (public: ComradeSolar - 1 star)

50. Timeout 100 Best Sci-Fi Movies (public: Ozancan - 1 star)

51. DVD Collection (collaborative)

52. films with the film title in the script (collaborative: moderated by Jellysauce)

53. Favorite anime (collaborative: moderated by PerryStroika)

54. My Films (collaborative: moderated by Faggels)

55. Cinema Sewer (collaborative: moderated by mattburgess)

56. Sci-Fi Masterpiece (collaborative: moderated by danprice84)

57. Ratings (collaborative: moderated by cheapthrills)

58. NHK Top 100 Anime (collaborative: moderated by edsu)

59. Watching (collaborative: moderated by sampatt)

60. Darko DVD RC2 (public: Vandelay1)

61. My DVDs/Blu-rays, for better or worse (public: Actionberg)

62. Favorites of Each Year (public: Actionberg)

63. Favorite Scores (public: Castroph)

64. Foreign - Japanese (public: NhanLa)

65. Sci-fi worth watching (public: twisp)

66. My Blu-rays (public: Kavu)

67. zae's DVDs & Blurays (public: zae)

68. Owned (BD) (public: bizarre_eye)

69. to watch [TG] (public: teckgecko)

70. My DVD Collection (public: balseiros)

71. My Home Video Library (public: joseywales)

72. Films I watched in 2010 (public: jal90)

73. Welcome to the Basement (public: donkeyjelly)

74. Animasyon Mucizeleri (public: Ozancan)

75. P. Watchlist (public: nnraiden)

76. animation (public: kbhrchris)

77. My Movie Collection (public: elhenzo)

78. Forrest Watch List (public: ForrestQ)

79. REWATCH (public: AFlickering)

80. Mr. Hallenbeck's Blu-Ray Wishlist (public: MrHallenbeck)

81. history of film (public: hyrras)

82. Anna BNW (public: Ceekay19)

83. Is it as great as I remember? Rewatch just in case (public: TrueAgus)

84. Anime-Film (public: BurakOzturk)

85. Christopher Nolan's Favorite Films (public: BeeDub)

Browse the full list of collections

Show:

All Ratings | With Reviews

Order by:

TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
8	Philip	70 _56th
The animations are good, and the first part of the movie with motorcycle gangs rampaging through a worn down city is both beautiful and promising. Sadly, the movie doesn't live up to those promises. After a while, it takes a turn for the worse with psychic kids and murderous toys. I suppose it's a mater of taste, but I didn't appreciate it. The final scene saves the movie from being just mediocre, but still... I suppose my expectations might have been to high, but I'm a bit disappointed.
8	Ocelot	90 _97th
I have read the manga and I don't give a fuck what other people think, this is better. Akira is what got me into both movies and animation, and I find it odd that after all these years I still see it as one of the greatest works of both. The narrative is gripping, the soundtrack is one of the best ever and the animation is absolutely jaw-dropping. According to Criticker, my PSI for this is 79. Fuck that. Akira is an absolute masterpiece. Now only if Otomo would make another movie...
8	Hawkins	83 _75th
A confusing yet immersive messiah tale exploring the psychic fallout of post-war Japan. It goes without saying that Neo-Tokyo is impressively detailed and vibrant, the gamelan soundtrack is unforgettable, and it's tough to overestimate the impact this had on animation (who else was imitating the camera like this - panning shots, tracking shots, lens flare?) but what I find most impressive is how consistently funny it is. If it weren't for all the apocalyptic body horror it'd almost be a comedy.
6	BeeDub	85 _63rd
Starts promisingly with several strong ideas, but quickly abandons them and becomes a confusing, overblown mess by the end. Pretty to look at, but somewhat disappointing.
5	ozymandius10	89 _97th
Much like films like Terminator 2, this movie is still impressive more than 20 years later. The animation is still very quality, the backgrounds are still glorious, and it hasn't lost any of it's impact over time. This is the film that put anime on the map in the US (for better or worse), and it's worthy of all of the praise it has received. It does differ mightily from the manga, but that really couldn't be helped with the time constraints. It still stands well on it's own.
5	DavidBlast	95 _96th
Absolutely spectacular. AKIRA is perhaps the most well known of the early animé movies to sweep over the western world, teaching awestruck teenagers that cartoons could be more than Disney. Technophobia and body horror, violence and a dystopian world with teen-angst at the heart of it. This is the spark that fired the MANGA craze - the film that more than so many others sent the message to the world, that animation film had grown up.
4	Alex Watkins	5 _91st
There's a lot to chew on here - technophobia, anti-capitalist/militarist themes, spirituality vs. science, nuclear fallout, et. al, wrapped in a rather out-there plot - but at its core, this is a creative, unique, and badass sci-fi/action hybrid with the most visionary and awe-inspiring setting this side of Blade Runner. Maybe in all of film.
4	willxcore	96 _97th
A story of completely epic proportion. It can only be portrayed by animation and to think that it achieved so much for the time it was created is incredible. The lush details of the city, characters and the events that unfold are all mind blowing. Truly a classic.
4	Leonardis	95 _85th
There are some more creative anime out there, but Akira is still pretty freakin' imaginative and the story is really good! Animation is pretty groundbreaking and the feel and heft of the movie was done really well. Good characters, good writing, good violence, good setting, good score, and a good movie. One of the best anime movies out there for sure.
4	bof	82 _88th
Oh, so THAT'S where [insert any sci-fi animation of the last 30 years] got that from.
4	hotsake	99 _99th
This movie just thrills and mesmerizes me, it's fun to watch no matter how many times I've seen it...12 times and counting
3	auritech	65 _55th
An epic and seminal film in anime history. It's not really my taste anymore, but I fully acknowledge its importance.
3	Nathan S	5 _93rd
A seminal work, at home in the pantheons of animation and science fiction. A detailed and visionary presentation, not only in its gorgeous urban futurescapes, but in the unique rendition of its thematic conceit: the postwar fallout ever present in Japanese psychology represented as a supervillain origin story, taking place in a state of political and social sedition, a tale of teenage angst as the end of the world. It's best described as real fucking cool.
3	nilkynarfy	95 _96th
The space where ultra-violence and transhumanism meet. If you're not up your own ass enough to be intrigued by that concept, no amount of beautiful cel animation will keep you interested. I, however, happen to like the smell of my own farts.
3	frederic_g54	6 _35th
The animation is stunning to say the least - with Tetsuo's hallucinations/transformation emerging as the film's most indelible sequences - but too many forgettable characters and a cluttered storyline get in the way of any kind of emotional involvement. While I wasn't bored, I remained mostly indifferent to the proceedings.
3	Icarus	40 _8th
The filmmakers seem to revel in the ultra-violence, undermining any coherence regarding the clearly tragic circumstances of post-apocalyptic Tokyo. The detailed backgrounds often draw the eye, while the characters possess virtually no redeeming qualities and the story barely holds together. A bit more focus on compelling characters and a lot less delight in the darker sides of the human experience would make this a worthwhile experience . . . and a different movie altogether.
3	moraesfelipe	80 _85th
The storytelling might be chaotic and irregular, with some unnecessary ultraviolence all around, but the animation is unquestionably fascinating.
3	mrandersen10	80 _77th
Slightly overrated. Of course, the animation is fantastic, groundbreaking work, the soundtrack is solid and even the plot is decent. The issue is that--while the plot has great content and covers a wide variety of themes--the director fails at telling the story in a cohesive and suspenseful manner; scenes just don't flow smoothly from one to the next, so the pacing feels off. Add to that some rather forgettable characters, and I'm left respecting but not loving this anime.
3	antitype	93 _95th
Perhaps we could say this is the Blade Runner of anime, post-WWIII cyberpunk with no shortage of telekinetic ultraviolence and all the '80s angst and decadence you could ask for. There is no "information highway," just a rotting modern society; politicians are corrupt and drug-addicted biker gangs roam the streets of Neo-Tokyo; the military's psychic experiments threaten to make history repeat itself. Even now, Akira's animation is stunning and the soundtrack immense. Demands repeated views!
3	dunbar	96 _97th
Still all these years later the brutal outlay of the apocalpytic and dystopian future Akira presents grips me. The animation, well- I think most peoples feelings on this film usually throw in a breathless "the animation..." sentence, so enough said on that. The images capture you, but it's the feel of the story and its coldness that really sinks home.
3	Trooth	96 _99th
You aren't allowed to call yourself an anime fan if you don't like Akira. It's got pretty much every definitive anime theme. The teenage rebellion, ineptitude and harshness of authority, and that constant threat that the whole city might just evaporate at some point. It gets these themes across really deftly, sparing us all the bullshit that would come to plague anime of the 90s and the early 21st century.
2	TripleSH	90 _90th
I don't understand how this has a release date of 2001 when people were worshipping this movie when I was in high school. I'm not a big anime fan, per se, but Akira is the film that put the genre on the map.
2	whomperize	86 _92nd
Akira is an absolute joy to watch. It doesn't just progress, it unfolds and keeps you on the edge of your seat with its insane transitions and animation.
2	Actionberg	95 _97th
A furious film that gradually draws you into its madness. Probably the greatest effort in Japanese animation.
2	Moribunny	20 _9th
Animation pretty good - I guess that's what all the fuss is about. The actual movie is boring and profoundly stupid.
2	megladon8	85 _84th
Slightly overrated - definitely not the "vert best anime of all time" as many would have you believe. Action packed, smart and beautifully animated. Not for the easily disturbed.
2	Chujo	95 _99th
Cumulatively esoteric parable about a bullied amphetamine addict punk inheriting the powers of a god. Typically apocalyptic Japanese take on human evolution noodlings. Astonsihingly detailed animation and utterly convincing close-knit relationships too.
2	Dorkovsky	8 _90th
This definitely has it's problems, a lot of them actually, but the animation is still incredible over 20 years later.
2	irvinejump	85 _91st
No self respecting nerd would miss this one, but maybe not miss it several times to get all that's going on herem in the same way you should not miss Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" several times either
2	BattleToad	75 _48th
Much the reason anime is so popular in America today, this one was of the first animated films from Japan to make it to the states. The story is relentlessly confusing, but the animation is slick. Take it or leave it, Akira began a revolution in popular cartoons. Although, I personally don't like it that much, it's kind of an important film, and for that, I say it's... Pretty good!
2	Jherman89	88 _89th
For someone that is not a big fan of anime films to begin with, this film literally blew me away. Visually brilliant but intelligent enough so you can enjoy it. Immersive at even its lowest quality...a marvelous achievement.
2	Pickpocket	5 _44th
what the fuck was this
2	pilgermann	90 _94th
One of most exciting things I've watched in a while. Wonderful animation, cool story, and the soundtrack is ridiculously good.
2	Shmendrek	3 _61st
One of the only animes I've ever enjoyed. The last half hour gets a bit annoying with the constant repetition of names and the plot unwinds and goes straight to hell. It's about as sloppy and muddled as that giant blob man that takes over the stadium, ho ho. Really cool animation style though.
2	KasperL	90 _97th
Amazing and unforgettable.
2	Vesey	91 _92nd
Creates a striking atmosphere that pulls you in and gives you some scenes that continue you to make you feel bad-ass no matter how many times you watch or how old you get. To me the biggest issues are the pacing as the movie does lose it's momentum at times.
2	BillyShears	80 _77th
I think I know what was going on! The animation in this is stunning and don’t worry it’s not one of those gross anime movies that rightfully get you shunned from society.
2	Neonman	95 _97th
Totally bonkers from start to finish, this film is a hell of a hallucinatory ride with a very strong and clear, but well-delivered message about the military, technology, power, and their combined effects. This is an animated masterpiece and stellar proof that 2-D animation kicks ass
2	Optimus_mike	90 _90th
Without reading the manga it is a excellent movie, but when familiar with the far superior printed version this movie tends to disappoint. But with beautiful animation and one of the most unique and fitting soundtracks you can not but help love this movie.
2	janus	90 _94th
I'm not overly fond of anime or cyberpunk, but damn if this isn't one of the coolest movies I've ever seen.
2	moviesinhell	75 _54th
The film most responsible for popularizing the anime genre in the West. The animation is so complexly cinematic, incorporating more than 2,000 individual shots, that it's easy at times for you to forget you're not watching a live-action movie. Like many Japanese films, ranging from _Godzilla_ to _Akira Kurosawa's Dreams_, this is another attempt -- albeit in a high-tech, rocknroll, comic-book format -- to grapple with the atomic destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
2	fenixdown	100 _99th
The top-notch animation and soundtrack are a great complement to one of the most twisted apocalypse plots ever devised.
2	Coheed	100 _97th
Still one of the best anime films to be made. In terms of its visuals, animation, music and imagination, it makes most of the anime I've seen from this last decade look like garage in comparison. It was a task for the director to adapt his mammoth manga series into this 2 hour film, but he did an admirable job.
2	Parallax	84 _75th
Akira in 5 words: 1. Motorcycles 2. Neo Tokyo 3. Explosions 4. "KANEDA!" 6. "TETSUO!"
2	FancyMike	5 _90th
Well that sure was a whole lot of everything. Almost too much to fully take in
2	Rufam	50 _14th
Set in a conventionally conceived if stylishly realized dystopian Tokyo, "Akira" is a post-apocalyptic tale that's told with some visual razzle-dazzle and some energy but without much weight or -to me, at least- entertainment value. Stock characters, a convoluted, dull plot, a clichéd run-through of the themes of oppression, apocalypse and tortured childhood and a near-ridiculously overwrought tone: the film, derivative just as it is influential, failed to engage or move me.
2	matGuy3	6 _51st
Some of the sickest animation I've ever seen. Truly a landmark for the medium.
2	VengefulKBM	70 _51st
This is such a difficult one to rank. I love the universe it's set in, which the filmmakers obviously took great care to represent onscreen, but the script doesn't do nearly enough to properly establish it. The visuals are striking and unforgettable, but sometimes excessively over-the-top and unpleasant. The story (when it's intelligible) manages to suck you in... and promptly drops the ball whenever it's asked to progress naturally. Overall, a weird movie, but I can't say I didn't enjoy it.
2	moonsmilk	10 _95th
The part where Tetsuo transforms is literally one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Holy SHIT.
2	Groovy_Souls	95 _97th
A Fantastic film with an ending meant to be interpreted. The characters are easy to relate to and understandable, and the story may get a little crazy, but never to the point that makes it a bad movie. Most importantly, this 2 hour film is animated at 60 Frames per second. One must appreciate how well an already almost perfect film can look.
2	Boxcars	8 _71st
Groundbreaking and quintessential Science-fiction--animated or otherwise--"Akira" is intricately animated and detailed; features thrilling action; an awesome, almost tribal score; and does this all while exploring themes and consequences of a post-nuclear world.
1	bobmatnyc	90 _92nd
Love that motorcycle
1	mrmofo	92 _60th
One of the best anime's I've seen. Good plot that will require repeated viewing to fully digest.
1	svicciarelli	85 _50th
Cool stuff.
1	ServantDagon	79 _45th
It was pretty exciting.
1	DMCrimson	75 _27th
Great soundtrack and visual detail, but everything else is such a mess in execution despite some decent themes and ideas.
1	Gareth Watkins (FilmRot.com)	87 _87th
Absolutly stunning adaptation by Otomo of his own long running manga. If you like manga and you have never seen this then you are missing one of the best movie's of the genre.
1	SpiderCrusoe	58 _38th
Starts out well enough, but then gets boring.
1	Kerrek	61 _36th
Overrated by fans of anime.
1	StVeSa	95 _91st
Classic anime.
1	fungi	100 _99th
Amazing animation and complex plot. Constant action and intrigue to keep the most cynical anime critics interested. If you're going to see any Japanese animation in your lifetime, see this one.
1	Kavu	83 _79th
Animation ranges from crude to stunning, the score is brilliant and if the ending made a bit more sense, the story would be great too.
1	TheDiceman	65 _73rd
Manga excellence.
1	aus_hab_fan	80 _80th
TETSUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
1	Ytadel	7 _83rd
The animation is sensational, and the whole movie is dark and cyberpunk as all hell. It transcends anime and just becomes a really entertaining apocalyptic sci-fi thriller, and the whole weird transformation thing at the end is scary as hell.
1	easydiff	59 _58th
TETSUOOOOOO! KANEEEEEDAAAAA! TETSUOOOOOO! KANEEEEEDAAAAA!
1	angrypierre	80 _73rd
Still don't really get it, but I think that adds something to it. Loose ends are rare in modern cinema, which is a shame. But even still, 'wuh?!'
1	PeaceAnarchy	69 _23rd
OK, I guess. I don't see what the big deal is. The interesting parts cover themes that have been done better countless times and the rest is a mess. It was a pretty and interesting mess, though so it's not all bad.
1	HalfJapanese	85 _76th
A classic anime film. Perhaps the best starting point to introduce newcomers to anime, as it's more entrancing than Ghost in the Shell and light years more mature and coherent than Ninja Scroll.
1	magnumt	70 _30th
Beautifully animated, even if it's like a 30 minute adaptation of Lord of the Rings - ultimately the manga has much more.
1	jenks101	75 _34th
This was the first anime movie I had ever seen.
1	kubricksucks	85 _80th
visceral nonsense
1	Stain	60 _47th
OK it's different but there's not much of a story here, and it's not what you'd consider "beautiful" either
1	MonsterGear	75 _42nd
Strange and stylish and altogether crazy-as-hell.
1	martryn	91 _94th
Classic anime. Incredibly dated, now. Must see for any anime fan, but you're better served with something a bit more modern for people new to the genre.
1	JooJoo	4 _55th
I must find the special glasses that makes this animation look exceptional.
1	mistersplice	80 _86th
- highly recommended
1	juice	75 _79th
Great flick.
1	WoozyB	90 _86th
So good the animation stands up even to todays standards.
1	Zephonith	70 _57th
An anime classic. A bit too angry teen boy for me, but visually and aurally spectacular, and a very imaginative and immersive SF setting.
1	Matthias99	90 _66th
A great anime flick, though it gets pretty weird near the end.
1	dsaos	84 _61st
A monumental stylistic achievement...that doesn't quite live up to the test of time.
1	Prisoner	69 _48th
Pretty good anime. Visually it is very exciting. The dubbed version I have is kind of hard to follow sometimes.
1	fart	100 _99th
YES! This movie is perfect. Great story, great sound, amazing animation, and great music.
1	kewlito	70 _56th
I'm not into anime, but the animation here is a must see.
1	gellner	65 _60th
Great animation, but it's your typical anime weirdness tentacle nightmare.
1	Yerameyahu	60 _24th
A classic, but really not a terribly good one. Lots of loose threads and plot holes leave you unsatisfied.
1	blakout	90 _81st
Great animation awesome characters and story
1	msprague	79 _81st
Lovely animation. Worth a look.
1	nandorizzi	50 _36th
I recognize the quality and respect for those who like anime, especially this one. But just not my style, not like.
1	rp2dasea	87 _72nd
This is one of my favorite manga films - the artwork is exceptional, and the story isn't half bad. I especially love the scenes where the characters are riding their motorcycles, and of course the scenes where Tetsuo uses his newfound powers to wreak havoc.
1	muutanet	81 _85th
My manga/anime exploration brought me back to the roots. It's some fifteen to twenty years I've seen this flick last time. Absolutely stunning sound track, imaginary like hell story and generally very, very good and time after time excellent animation. The story leaves so much to tell till the very end of the film that the grande finale is a bit too extented. Recommended to watch.
1	Jay Mac	90 _52nd
One of Mangas classic films... this movie broke the mold and pushes the cartoon genre to its limits... for its day and age it is a master piece
1	bowerbird	90 _96th
possibly the greatest anime ever (though i prefer unico and spirited away) massively composed visuals hiding a tender and difficult metaphor for personal and societal adolescence
1	Cubal	79 _67th
Symbolic anime movie. Although the art style isn't quite as crisp as the newer animated flicks, the story and cultural impact can't be denied.
1	muzicaddict	80 _82nd
Groundbreaking anime still amazes after 19 years.
1	Der_Barney	82 _62nd
Disturbing, trippy, artful.
1	chicofireman	100 _90th
Masterpiece of animation.
1	whatismyname	70 _77th
Been putting off watching this for years, not sure why. Still ceases to amaze me older anime that are still beautifully animated even to today's standards.
1	Vandelay1	88 _96th
Very Nice
1	jameskey	85 _80th
Excellent animation and an interesting story that manages to entertain. perhaps overly long. The only thing that marks it as from the 1980s is the score.
1	Obdurate	95 _97th
A classic anime, with great animation and an interesting plot. It was also able to gross me out at times.
1	Shadrik	66 _37th
Quite a disappointment. Started out great with the impressive motercycle chase scene and I'm always up for some post apocalyptic fiction. The story goes on and gets pretty strange (but nothing impressive, just in an unpleasant way) and the characters stay the same obnoxious brats. Too bad, but there was nothing for me here.
1	NathanDarko	85 _61st
Akira is a great Anime about a dark future prophecy. It's nice to watch the story grabs you if you like Science Fiction and the Japanese style of course.
1	McKimson	75 _48th
Hot blooded action anime of old time.
1	xiska	100 _92nd
Must-watch animation.
1	Cordell	80 _46th
Anime-classic.
1	Castroph	9 _96th
An animated masterpiece.
1	Omicron91	95 _87th
I'm sorry, I love this movie.
1	watchdog	83 _15th
awsome then
1	wccarroll	80 _79th
Landmark anime. One of the few you could show someone who's not a fan of the genre. Maybe.
1	JohnnyDrama	80 _88th
Favourite anime film. Stands time.
1	Ragnarokin	81 _27th
Classic anime.
1	eric-jan	90 _98th
Tetsuoooooooooooooooo!!!
1	begoniabol	64 _52nd
Pretty dissapointed by this movie. The animation is stunning though; the eye for detail is incredible. Though the story really let me down, I was really confused by it and had no idea what the hell was going on. I do have to say that some killings were cool, and the mutation of Tetsuo was awesome
1	Melvin Smif	70 _79th
I'm still a little fuzzy on everything that was suppose to be happening here, but dammit if that confusing narrative wasn't done well.
1	Pepsi-Man	3 _74th
Still the best hand-drawn animation I've ever seen. Incredibly cinematic.
1	RottenTomato	88 _72nd
Akira is distractingly bloody and violent, but its phenomenal animation and sheer kinetic energy helped set the standard for modern anime.
1	omgfridge	11 _99th
This isn't just a great anime film or even a great animated film. Its one of the best films out there. It should be watched and judged by its own merit. Though from saying that, the animation will most likely win you over as it is stunning.
1	Calexico	75 _51st
Pretty cool stuff. Didn't really explore it's religious undertones that much, for better or for worse. It has aged better than I would expect.
1	Kusanagi	85 _86th
Still an impressive piece of animation
1	ABUNCHOFCATS	87 _75th
Very good sci-fi film.
1	kittonni	98 _99th
Truly an Anime masterpiece. The ultra-violence and the critique to extremist groups throughout the movie make it a good movie to be watched by not only Anime fans but good story fans alike.
1	Lolocaust	91 _88th
After reading the 2000 pages of the manga, I started to understand the story...
1	eyemo	86 _64th
Classic
1	burnmp3s	93 _97th
The visuals still hold up after over 20 years as some of the best animated action sequences of all time. The early riot and chase scenes alone are worth watching, and the story that unfolds afterwards is compelling in its own right.
1	TheWhaler	95 _95th
Such a stunning evolution for the animated genre. An incredibly powerful story that is sure to make at least a section of your brain implode. An artistic treasure.
1	balmung	100 _85th
a timeless anime classic
1	hatecr0w	90 _72nd
One of my first experiences with anime films. Still one of my top suggestions for people wanting to know about anime.
1	SirStuckey	80 _78th
This is the first anime movie that I've really liked a lot. It's not that I don't like the animation itself, it's just I've only been exposed to a small bit of it and haven't really been interested in much. This was pretty awesome though. Was well worth waiting the months and months and months until I managed to sneak it in from the "Very Long Wait" in my Netflix queue.
1	Okkervil	78 _79th
Seminal Japanese animation. Only the messy narrative holds it back from true animated greatness.
1	psim	70 _29th
The overall presentation of this film in terms of animation and sound is still great, and even more impressive considering that it is 30 years old now. However, despite the intriguing worldbuilding, the story and characters mostly fell flat, and the film's pacing was all over the place.
1	Bown	83 _67th
Gorgeous animation, exquisite music, and some truly fantastic, arresting visuals. Story-wise.....it’s alright??? Definitely feels like a cliff notes version of a larger story at times and the character development isn’t much. But it’s a freaking masterpiece of craft.
1	otakat	98 _98th
One of the best animes ever, Akira has something for everyone. Great animation, a thrilling storyline, gripping action, and a quirky style are only a few of the aspects that make this movie a bar-setter; I have yet to seen another anime that has taken my breath away quite like this one.
1	_Pierre_	90 _85th
Awesome! A pivotal moment in animation.
1	kitchen867	5 _6th
Great animated adventure. Wonderful vision of a future distopian society on the brink of collapse. Great design, brutal violence, amazing animation. Powerful story about friendship.
1	mwgerb	77 _93rd
The beginning is one of the most fantastic amalgams of future dystopias put on screen, and the very last few scenes are nothing short of beautiful. Even if it doesn't have quite enough connective tissue to take the entire thing to the same masterpiece level, it's still a wonderful film.
1	filmfreak88	55 _34th
Visually outstanding but also a convoluted mess.
1	yeyawankenob	90 _93rd
I really enjoy this movie.
1	FrankHowley	80 _80th
Very cool. I can understand why it's so extremely influential.
1	yamabushi	83 _90th
One of legendary anime produtions and many times used as an influence these days. As the animation is simple and low in frames frequency it is a still top class anime, an icon that no one should miss. Beside the GITS it's my favourite vip-anime I use to recommend to any fan of Japanese drawn animation.
1	ahamel7896	7 _54th
Visually stunning, but the story leaves a little to be desired.
1	shongfromrp	100 _97th
Just when I thought Japanese anime was all about pokemon and akazukin cha cha, I saw this. I've been a anime fan ever since.
1	Hashi	90 _82nd
Very good.
1	johnny geo	91 _96th
will always be AMAZING!!!!!
1	kelly909	98 _85th
one of the best anime's ever made. the plot is amazing. very surreal. highly recommend it
1	adamkane	100 _84th
Original.
1	silvio	100 _94th
Stupendous. Brilliant. A tidal-wave of metaphor for the anxieties of the 21st century Schizoid Man. The soundtrack can deservedly be called genius for its own reasons, too.
1	kingofjew	82 _89th
Epic manga. If your a fan, you gotta see this one. Critically acclaimed as one of the best.
1	glumpy_99	76 _49th
Murky, confusing storytelling can't quite dampen the stunning animation on display here, creating a vivid and tactile feel for its dystopian world unlike any other animated effort (and though it misses Nostradaming the COVID crisis, it does forsee the 2020 Tokyo Olympics!) Would likely improve on a rewatch where plot points might become clearer, but shortfalls and all most definitely deserves its reputation as an "adult animation" landmark.
1	B-Dawk20	90 _75th
Enjoyability 21/25 Visuals 14/15 Audio 8/10 Acting 6/10 Story/Plot 20/25 Production Values 9/10 Intuitiveness/Ambitiousness 5/5 Bonus 7/10
1	OrangeAmel	77 _66th
As a 10 year old watching Akira I understood almost nothing but considered it to be very complicated and gross. Turns out it isn't, but it touches important aspects of humanity and government's operations. I especially like psychedelic & memorable scenes with the kids and "toys".This prototype of "Fast & Furious" has motorcycles of the future (very "Tron" - like). It's also easy to forget lightpainting was already explored in the photography these days.The ending wasn't exactly what I expected.
1	damil	75 _81st
The animation is fantastic, with lots of little details and beautiful backgrounds. The dystopian future setting is pretty cool, too. The narrative is a little hard to follow, and the characters aren't terribly three-dimensional. I also thought there were some issues with the editing and music. But overall, it's great. It creates a dark and atmospheric world, and contains some fascinating imagery. I definitely recommend it to any anime fan that hasn't already seen it.
1	Andyviews	85 _75th
A visual handjob. It gets kinda weird at the end but give the guy a break the movie was only like the first two chapters of the manga IIRC and the manga is freakin' huge. My only real problems are that some characters act stupid (hey tetsuo, just use your mind powers to smash his bike bro) and the motivation for Tetsuo gets shown to be total shit at the end (hey dude we are totally equals lets start a gang) oh and Kei looks to much like a man to me but yeah a good movie in my opinion.
1	normalchaos	80 _76th
This has beautiful and detailed animation, and a great soundtrack. The story was engaging, but confusing at times. I suspect the manga would fill in some of the gaps.
1	pustota	75 _76th
Did this come out before or after Dragon Balls? Anyway, it's animation at it"s best despite flawed story
1	Orkran Drow	76 _55th
Gerrof, Testuo, You Knobbler!
1	ReadySteady	50 _12th
Set the pop cultural significance aside, and you've got an animation showcase. In that respect, it still retains its power to amaze even a quarter of a century later. But the plot, adapted from a long-running graphic novel series that wasn't even halfway over at the time, is a mess full of more holes than Blackburn, Lancanshire, and doesn't "end" so much as it just gets up and leaves. A must-see for anyone with an interest in the art form; everyone else, just move along.
1	ericalyea	94 _93rd
Depends on the translation. Sub>Pioneer>Sreamline
1	fletch_lives	92 _98th
The movie to create anime as a stand alone genre in the world of cinema. Its faced pased action and amazing detail make it a movie not to be missed. to compare it against anime of today i still think its detail and effects are amongst the best i have seen. Katsuhiro Otomo did an excellent job fitting such a large amount of story from the graphic novels into such a short movie.
1	Dumptruk4Lif	90 _75th
Has 6x as many explosions as a Michael Bay film, with animation smoother than real life. I love the look of the film, like an ultraviolent dystopian 80's Disney movie (think Oliver and Company mixed with The Terminator). I don't think it's been surpassed yet in terms of quality and the shitload of stuff on screen at once. FUCK YEAH
1	Ryan Lueders (ReelRyan)	80 _57th
Akira didn't blow me away as far as the storyline goes but its animation for when it came out was very nice looking. This is one of the oldest anime films I can remember watching, I think I saw this the first time on V/H/S. The main character Kaneda (seems to be pronounced at times as "Canada") is pretty goofy for the hero. His rival Tetsuo becomes quite powerful due to an accident and he has to bring his frienemy down. Some of the voice acting ranges from amazing to downright silly... [Full Review]
1	Paxton	88 _96th
I cannot watch this without screaming "Tetsuo" at every opportunity for several days after.
1	beebeedeedop	100 _91st
A revolutionary anime movie, with an original plot, original visuals, and the best soundtrack ever created by man.
1	jnsoneji	95 _84th
A very internesting tale of childeren, youth and the divine.
1	gizmoguy	82 _67th
For many in the west, this is the film that introduced them to anime and to the possibility that a foreign animation could possibly be more intelligent than almost all of the sci-fi that Hollywood offers up. Now more than 20 years later, this still remains true and this film is still the perfect trial for those who are just testing a possible interest in anime.
1	mattorama12	73 _71st
Certainly one of the best of the (few) animes I've seen. Takes a little while for the central stakes and emotional conflict to really crystalize, likely because there's just so much going on to try to cram into a single movie. At about the halfway point, it really starts to pick up and it's a lot of fun from there. I'm not big on the animation style, but the body horror elements were very creative and visually interesting.
1	jaybrooks	100 _62nd
Loved the film. Akira was my first anime film, and opened my eyes to an incredible genre of film.
1	Merv_Taylor	99 _96th
WHAT
1	cpreview	8 _73rd
Many consider Akira to be the start of modern Japanese anime. In comparing Akira with Appleseed (also from 1988), I tend to agree. Appleseed represents high quality earlier anime, whereas Akira is truly something different both in tone and style. Akira definitely strays to the "punk" side of cyberpunk, but has full clashes with the corporate control element and technology run amok.
1	Skitchima	100 _97th
101.
1	Calactus	100 _85th
Let me start by saying that the animation is absolutely wonderful. A Glorious 27 hand-painted frames per second. While the material can get rather gruesome at times, it's nothing that bothers me. The music adds a lot of weight to the scenes, and is full of all the crazed chanting and gamelan-banging you could ever want. Overall, I love it.
1	QtheAlmighty	85 _75th
Bizarre but excellent sci-fi dystopian film. The soundtrack by Geinoh Yamashirogumi perfectly complements the madness and mayhem of a society amidst stagnating reconstruction facing power beyond control and imagination, the voice cast gives strong performances that add punch to the terrifying events. Beautifully animated and well-mixed with potent doses of destruction, action, gory violence, social commentary, light comedy, and intense emotion, I see why this is so highly lauded everywhere.
1	glm01	85 _83rd
85.000
1	capodelnulla	50 _22nd
not my cup of tea
1	Nepeta	85 _80th
Awesome. The visual imagination and quality of the animation are both excellent, I love the use of sound, the atmosphere of the film, how well-crafted the world is. The first time through I struggled to keep up with the plot towards the end, but it made a lot more sense second time round.
1	hisblob	90 _91st
Really strange; amazing music
1	bellafilm	85 _63rd
really really loved this film
1	DyanneThorne	85 _89th
Stunning and groundbreaking. Also loud and confusing, bordering on incomprehensible.
1	karamazov.	63 _84th
A mess, yes. Fuck, I adore this though.
1	DaxV	96 _97th
This is so visually satisfying to watch, I adore the animation. This is incredible on so many levels, lives up to it's reputation. I was really engrossed in the story which I found fascinating. This is really invigorating overall would recommend it to practically anyone who's a sci-fi fan or any form of animation.
1	lisa-	7 _92nd
a giant crescendo.
1	Chronicler	98 _71st
Akira is a mind bending sci-fi film that shows just how great traditional cell drawn anime can look. Akira Is still one of the best looking anime feature films some 27 years after it was first release back in 1988. Some of the visuals are really striking like when Tetsuo is hallucinating or seeing the cityscape of Neo Tokyo.The visuals more than make up for the relative weak plot. If you're an anime fan or enjoy cool sci-fi films, Akira is worth taking a look at.
1	rttntomatoes	87 _69th
Akira is distractingly bloody and violent, but its phenomenal animation and sheer kinetic energy helped set the standard for modern anime.
1	Pigwickle	100 _97th
Visually Stunning. Amazingly creative. I am blown away by everything about this movie! Instant classic!
1	Faggels	100 _77th
I could type anything here and it would not do this film any justice.
1	RollBones67	99 _89th
The greatest thing that ever came out of anime! Now I'm not to hot about anime, but this film blew my mind. I think I watched it like, five times just to understand it? The animation is beautiful (although at time's, disgusting.), the story is complex and well made, it's just a great piece of animation!
1	Fuchu	97 _82nd
their friendship is as compelling as the incredible world they live in
1	RYM	77 _90th
3.84/5
1	judicaret	69 _63rd
While I'm not into dystopias, with enchanting music like this and oldschool anime art which looks rather warm from today's point of view, mysteriousness of the plot and not holding back with characters' fates, how could I not enjoy it a tad?
1	Wicklebee	36 _29th
A movie with such a large universe and really doesn't give enough to each part.
1	rosenritter	9 _95th
Saw it on a big-ish screen at an independent cinema. Total sensory overload in the best way possible. Symphony of screeching metal, exploding viscera and burgeoning tetsuosterone steadily escalating into incomprehensible, blood-churning pandemonium. 20 minutes in I started hemorrhaging blood out of my nose and ears and when I got home I went online and ordered 14 motorcycles.
1	igormachete	96 _97th
Probably the best soundtrack ever
1	emmariko	8 _54th
Visually a very stunning movie. If anyone says they completely understand this film though, they're probably lying.
1	BlakeEngel	9 _71st
The third act devolves into less story-driven but still fun chaos, but the first two acts are so fascinating and fun. It's cool that an apocalyptic telekinesis story is told through the eyes of a biker gang. Such a cool set of protagonists. The horror and violence of this are equally fascinating. A fun movie to rewatch in the dark, like a midnight movie.
1	bjoernts	100 _99th
There is nothing wrong with this movie at all. Nothing.
1	arcticricard	85 _92nd
nearly 30 years later and still a masterpiece of Japanese Animation.
1	begbeg	100 _97th
Maybe not the goriest manga but still give it a thought before watching it unless you are a manga lover.
1	Nyctalope	93 _98th
Deep characters, story, and absolutely breathtaking animation. Akira is a staple in Japanese animation for a reason. Plus, that bike is so damn cool.
1	Nolan69420	87 _95th
Rewatched this film after smoking weed with my buddies. We muted the movie and played hip hop music. Holy shit what a visually beautiful film. It works so unbelievably well as a 90min music video. Genuinely, it's insane. (OG first viewing review) - Filled with metaphor, and an ending I can’t quite wrap my head around. Clearly influential on the sci-fi genre. It’ll leave you feeling confused, but satisfied. You’ll continue pondering it well after the credits roll.

Displaying 1 to 250 of 295 total ratings: Prev | Next

Average Percentile 66.17% from 6654 Ratings