3 more reviews

1. ›[ENG-ESP] AKIRA (1988) Unforgettable cult animation@universoperdido1381d

   ^{[Poster](https://www.filmaffinity.com/es/filmimages.php?movie_id=144113)}

   

   

   

   E N G L I S H

   An environment of chaos inherent in a society where there seems to be no future, where people try to go on with their lives despite the destruction around them. I have read reviews where they name Akira as the anime film that revolutionized the style and art of animation par excellence, leaving the beginnings of a film world that relied on this type of art to shape their stories.

   The action, the scenery, the environments, the chaotic story and many more elements are the things that attract us and involve us in this film, knowing beyond the plot, what interests us and at the same time disturbs us is that future on the verge of collapse, where the most brilliant and powerful minds are in discord to preserve human life and at the same time become more powerful. There are many surprises in this animated film with a very raw atmosphere.

   E S P A Ñ O L

   Un entorno de caos inherente en una sociedad donde al parecer no hay futuro, donde las personas tratan de seguir con sus vidas a pesar de la destrucción instalada a sus alrededores. He leído reseñas donde nombran a Akira como la película anime que revolucionó el estilo y el arte de la animación por excelencia, dejando los principios de un mundo cinematográfico que se fio de este tipo de arte para darle forma a sus historias.

   La acción, las escenografías, los entornos, la caótica historia y muchos elementos más, son las cosas que nos atraen y envuelven de esta película, conociendo más allá de la trama, lo que nos interesa y a la vez nos perturba es ese futuro al borde del colapso, donde las mentes más brillantes y poderosas están en discordia para preservar la vida humana y al mismo tiempo hacerse más poderosos. Muchas sorpresas hallamos en este filme animado con un ambiente muy crudo.

   

   

   Technical Data

   Akira is based on the manga of the same name by Katsuhiro Ōtomo, who was also the director and screenwriter of the film, along with Izo Hashimoto, who only helped him co-write the script. The animation was elaborated based on the manga, although the story is a variation of the original. The art direction was carried out by Toshiharu Mizutani, along with Koji Ono in production design.

   The original dub features Mitsuo Iwata as Kaneda, Nozomu Sasaki as Tetsuo, Mami Koyama as Kei and Tesshô Genda as Ryu. The music was elaborated by Shoji Yamashiro, along with the sound by Tokuya Shimada. Editing was the work of Takeshi Seyama and cinematography by Katsuji Misawa. The film was considered one of the most expensive animated features of its time, grossing 50 million yen more than its original base budget.

   It was released in 1988 through the production companies Akira Committee Company Ltd. and Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS), with a running time of 124 minutes. It was so well received by the public that today it is considered one of the most important animated cult films in the history of cinema.

   Ficha Técnica

   Akira está basado en el manga homónimo de Katsuhiro Ōtomo, quien fue también el director y guionista de la película, junto con Izo Hashimoto, quien solo le ayudó a coescribir el guion. La animación fue elaborada basándose en el manga, aunque la historia es una variación de la original. La dirección artística fue llevada a cabo por Toshiharu Mizutani, junto con Koji Ono en el diseño de producción.

   En el doblaje original tenemos a Mitsuo Iwata como Kaneda, Nozomu Sasaki como Tetsuo, Mami Koyama como Kei y Tesshô Genda como Ryu. La música fue elaborada por Shoji Yamashiro, junto con el sonido de Tokuya Shimada. El montaje fue trabajo de Takeshi Seyama y la fotografía de Katsuji Misawa. La película fue considerada una de los largometrajes animados más caros de su época, llegando a recaudar 50 millones de yenes más de su presupuesto base original.

   Fue lanzada en el año 1988 a través de las productoras Akira Committee Company Ltd. y Tokyo Movie Shinsha (TMS), con una duración de 124 minutos. La aceptación por parte del público fue tan grande, que hoy en día es considerada como una de las películas de culto animadas más relevantes en la historia del cine.

   

   

   

   

   

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   Plot and opinion

   We will find ourselves in a post-apocalyptic environment in 2019 Japan, where we will find elements similar to Blade Runner 2049. Thirty-one years ago, an explosion wiped out the city of Tokyo, triggering World War III. The survivors moved on and rebuilt the city, renaming it "Neo-Tokyo". In this new period, we will find a place dominated by anarchism. Strong protests, terrorism and vandalism seem to be the daily life of the inhabitants of Neo-Tokyo.

   Throughout the film we can observe the decadent environment, and at the same time the high technologies of a futuristic society; typical of 'cyberpunk' societies. The protagonist of this story: Kaneda, is a young man who leads a gang of motorcycle gangs, which in turn are at odds with another gang called the Clowns. Kaneda, along with his best friend Tetsuo, try to stop their enemies and prevent them from getting into their territories, but the unrest and nonconformity that reigns in the city, will make them confront an important situation that will change their lives and that of Neo-Tokyo.

   The film lasts more than two hours and I felt already in the middle that I still could not understand it, even after finishing it I was left with many doubts, things that I had to conclude by myself or find out through third party opinions. I think the story you are exposed to in the movie should be complemented with the manga, otherwise you will be quite confused at the end.

   Gradually, the movie focuses on Akira, who was a government experiment to study the ultimate degree of human evolution. Some see Akira as a god, for others he is the cause of the destruction of ancient Tokyo, and others see him as simply an urban legend. His presence in the city is very important, causing such an impact that, in the end, we will realize some things.

   Here we are not going to find a detailed history of the characters, except for Tetsuo, since he is one of the most important characters because of the things he does. Although that factor many will believe that it should not matter so much, to dispel the doubts it does, because the film beyond its visual spectacle, leaves you with holes in your head regarding the story.

   However, I can't deny that the art and animation are spectacular, every detail is so well crafted and I didn't find it boring at all. Its style and fine details clearly seem to have inspired other later animated films, such as Ghost in the Shell (1995), Perfect Blue (1997) and Paprika (2006), for their similarity to decadent environments or situations of human social reality. Even in the animation art form, the angles and detailed approaches, which suggestively depict the chaotic emotions of people.

   To keep a positive follow up, you have to pay close attention, as the film slowly reveals the background of the story. In it we will find characters like 'The Numbers', which are children with psychic abilities confined in a government facility for tests and studies, something similar to Stranger Things, although I didn't find it strange at all coming from the era in which it unfolds.

   Let's remember that, in the 80s, there was a lot of rumor that the governments of the great powers, such as the United States and Japan, had secret projects where they experimented with supposed individuals who possessed psychic abilities; such as telekinesis or telepathy. As we see in both works, such abilities were rooted in children, but the difference with Akira's children is that they had a different appearance; they had gray and wrinkled skin and white hair, like old people, perhaps because of the constant experiments and medications that have been done with them. Akira was part of them, until he could not control his powers and the children witnessed that event.

   The story of The Numbers would be very interesting to dig into, of what their lives were like in the lab before the destruction of the ancient city, but I think that part is reserved for the manga, since in the film we will only focus on the cyberpunk future about to collapse.

   Trama y opinión

   Nos hallaremos en un entorno post-apocalíptico en el Japón del año 2019, donde encontraremos elementos parecidos a Blade Runner 2049. Hace 31 años, una explosión acabó con la ciudad de Tokio, provocando así la Tercera Guerra Mundial. Los sobrevivientes siguieron adelante y reconstruyeron la ciudad rebautizándola como “Neo-Tokio”. En este nuevo periodo, encontraremos un sitio dominado por el anarquismo. Fuertes protestas, terrorismos y vandalismos parecen ser el día a día de los habitantes de Neo-Tokio.

   Durante toda la película podremos observar lo decadente del entorno, y al mismo tiempo las altas tecnologías de una sociedad futurista; típico de las sociedades ‘cyberpunks’. El protagonista de esta historia: Kaneda, es un joven que dirige una banda de motociclistas pandilleros, que a su vez están en enemistad con otra banda llamada Los Payasos. Kaneda, junto con su mejor amigo Tetsuo, intentan detener a sus enemigos y evitar que se metan en sus territorios, pero el desconcierto y la inconformidad que reina en la ciudad, los hará confrontarse a una situación importante que cambiará sus vidas y la de Neo-Tokio.

   La película dura más de dos horas y sentía ya por la mitad que todavía no podía entenderla, incluso después de terminarla quedé con muchas dudas, cosas que tuve que concluir por mí mismo o averiguarlo a través de opiniones de terceros. Creo que la historia que te exponen en la película debe ser complementada con el manga, de no ser así, quedarás bastante confundido al final.

   Paulatinamente, la película se va centrando en Akira, quien fue un experimento del gobierno para estudiar el último grado de la evolución humana. Algunos ven a Akira como un dios, para otros es la causa de la destrucción de la antigua Tokio, y otros lo ven como una simple leyenda urbana. Su presencia en la ciudad es muy importante, causando tal impacto que, al final, nos daremos cuenta de algunas cosas.

   Aquí no vamos a encontrar una historia detallada de los personajes, salvo de Tetsuo, pues es uno de los más importantes por las cosas que hace. Aunque ese factor muchos creerán que no debe importar tanto, para lograr disipar las dudas sí que lo es, pues la película más allá de su espectáculo visual, te deja con huecos en tu cabeza referentes a la historia.

   Sin embargo, no puedo negar que el arte y la animación son espectaculares, cada detalle está tan bien trabajado y no me pareció para nada aburrida. Su estilo y finos detalles claramente parecen haber inspirados a otros filmes animados posteriores, como Ghost in the Shell (1995), Perfect Blue (1997) y Paprika (2006), por su similitud a entornos o situaciones decadentes de la realidad social humana. Incluso en la forma artística de animación, los ángulos y detallados enfoques, que sugestivamente representan las emociones caóticas de las personas.

   Para mantener un seguimiento positivo hay que prestar mucha atención, pues el filme va revelando lentamente el trasfondo de la historia. En ella encontraremos a personajes como ‘Los Números’, los cuales son niños con habilidades psíquicas confinados en una instalación del gobierno para pruebas y estudios, algo parecido a Stranger Things, aunque no me pareció nada extraño viniendo de la época en que se desenvuelve.

   Recordemos que, en la década de los 80s, se espació mucho el rumor de que los gobiernos de las grandes potencias, como Estados Unidos y Japón, poseían proyectos secretos donde experimentaban con supuestos individuos que poseían habilidades psíquicas; como telequinesia o telepatía. Como vemos en ambas obras, tales habilidades radicaban en los niños, pero la diferencia con los niños de Akira, es que estos tenían un aspecto diferente; poseían la piel gris y arrugada y el cabello blanco, como ancianos, quizás por los constantes experimentos y medicaciones que se han hecho con ellos. Akira fue parte de ellos, hasta que no pudo controlar sus poderes y los niños presenciaron ese acontecimiento.

   La historia de Los Números sería muy interesante de indagar, de cómo eran sus vidas en el laboratorio antes de la destrucción de la antigua ciudad, pero creo que esa parte está reservada para el manga, ya que en el filme solo nos concentraremos en el futuro cyberpunk a punto de caer en colapso.

   

   

   

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   Conclusions

   We can't talk about Akira without mentioning its influence as one of the most important cult animated films. Yes, its artistic part leaves you satisfied, coupled with a series of situations that leave you hooked afterwards, but the story leaves you with many unknowns to answer, which, when you try to answer them by yourself, leaves you with even more doubts, so I think this should be complemented with the original manga, to fill those gaps left by the film. However, leaving aside the obvious, I really liked it. It's been a while since I've seen an anime-style film, and less so this year in particular. It was satisfying to my perception, plus I really enjoy cyberpunk dystopian science fiction films. It is more than recommended for those who like animation with an unconventional and quite strong theme.

   Conclusiones

   No podemos hablar de Akira, sin mencionar su influencia como una las películas animadas de culto más importantes. Sí, su parte artística te deja satisfecho, aunada con una serie de situaciones que te dejan enganchado posteriormente, pero la historia te deja con muchas incógnitas por responder, que, al intentar responderlas por ti mismo, te deja con aún más dudas, por lo que yo creo que esto se debe complementar con el manga original, para tapar esos huecos que te deja el filme. Sin embargo, dejando a un lado lo evidente, de verdad que me gustó. Hacía tiempo que no veía una película estilo anime y menos de este año en particular. Ha sido satisfactorio para mi percepción, además de que disfruto mucho los filmes de ciencia ficción distópica al puro estilo cyberpunk. Está más que recomendada para aquellos que les gusta la animación con un tema poco convencional y bastante fuerte.

   

   

   ^{Poster 2}

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   Written by @universoperdido. September 16, 2022

   Escrito por @universoperdido. 16 de septiembre del 2022

   

   Other publications of my authorship | Otras publicaciones de mi autoría

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   My visit to Colonia Tovar, Venezuela

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   [ENG-ESP] FALL (2022) A film not suitable for acrophobes

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   [ESP-ENG] PROSA POÉTICA / PERDIDA

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2. ›A review of "Akira" - the animated movie that made history (rating: 10/10)@aurzeq1407d

   

   Source

   Trailer

   Plot

   An enormous explosion, that appears to have been caused by an atomic bomb, occurs in the heart of Tokyo in the opening scene of the movie, destroying everything and setting off a third world war. Neo Tokyo is reborn from the ruins in 2019 (30 years after the war's end) and is turned into a metropolis of dazzling lights and enormous buildings. But the situation is far from calm. Due to the terrible economic, political, and social circumstances, the nation is currently experiencing a serious crisis. The commander of the army, Colonel Shikishima, is concerned about the potential for a bloody rebellion. Additionally, several groups of religious extremists wander the streets stirring up trouble and proclaiming the return of "Akira the Saviour," prompting the aggressive government armed forces to take drastic steps to put an end to them. The streets of Neo Tokyo are filled with numerous biker gangs, among which we find our characters, battling it out to the death and seeking for vengeance. Children have been transformed into bizarre, unnatural Espers with amazing abilities thanks to top-secret government experiments. fusions of spirit and matter.

   

   Source

   Why you should watch it?

   The significance of Akira in the global pop scene is, to to put it mildly, enormous. In addition to significantly raising the status quo of Japanese animated cinema outside the Land of the Rising Sun, its dystopian and gloomy portrayal of the near future, exquisitely cyberpunk aesthetics, and writing excellence have made it a true milestone in the field of science fiction. Many other works, including far more contemporary but no less acclaimed creations, have been chosen by public and reviewers as the founding fathers of the science-fiction genre in the light of Akira. Unquestionably, the movie has had a significant impact on literature across the nation, from works by authors who were Katsuhiro Otomo's contemporaries, including the great Akira Toriyama and his Dragon Ball, to more current works by Masashi Kishimoto and Naruto. In the West, Otomo's masterpiece has left its mark on the new-generation Star Wars chapters and its later incarnations, as well as on the various Matrix films up to Stranger Things, in which one can even recognize some narrative elements in common.

   

   Source

   Akira covers a wide range of topics from the social to the scientific from various angles: it criticizes powerful people, depicts social unrest and class conflict, explores the ongoing conflict between ethics and science, and explores the conflict between god and man, with the latter attempting to become superman by inventing an object that works against him. It is a cauldron of themes, circumstances, and meanings that finds in the film adaptation a synthesis with a very broad scope, which may not fully restore all the weight that emerges from the manga, but which unquestionably condenses everything into a hybrid that walks on its own two feet with a giant's stance, enhanced and embellished by an unprecedented technical realization. This is the case, for instance, with Tetsuo's grotesque hallucinations and transformations, which translate the words of the esper Kyoko into visual material. In one exquisitely body-horror scene that still holds its power thirty years after its release, the human in Tetsuo eventually succumbs to the semi-divine energy that lives inside him and transforms into a monstrosity of flesh and metal. The usage of computer visuals is also remarkable, particularly in the instances where Tetsuo and the esper children's magical abilities are displayed.

   

   Source

   The film's primary accomplishment is its ability to transform such a complicated narrative into images that are sufficiently expressive to sum up the confusing array of ideas and topics it attempts to convey. The silent explosion over Tokyo signals the start of a movie that uses pictures as a crucial component of its screenplay, enhancing each scene with an evocative, if occasionally unsettling, backdrop.

   In general, it could be said that Akira takes to the extreme the reflection imposed by the atomic bomb and very common among Japanese science-fiction authors, questioning them through the lens of a fantastic and potently metaphorical tale while also dragging along with it the dramatic consequences. The complex conflicts and historical social ills that cyclically mark Japan are reflected and magnified in Neo Tokyo, a doppelganger of current Tokyo that has not had the strength to recover from the apocalypse that struck it. The city has been ripped apart by revolutionary uprisings and ferocious repressions, as well as by biker gangs, terrorists, and scam artists. It is also a target for charlatans and terrorists. Cults and superstitions have developed as a result of the lack of a central authority to provide direction for the populace, and they are now waiting for the coming of a Messiah to set off the Neo Tokyo population's built-up explosive charge.

   

   Source

   And then, inevitably, the Messiah shows up. Tetsuo's persona encapsulates the fear and fascination that the Japanese had with man-machine hybrids and experiments that attempted to transcend human nature by blasphemously brushing up against divine nature, embracing science fiction and mysticism to a degree that was never again attained. Tetsuo is the result of a science without morals playing with forces it cannot control or comprehend, awakening ancient mysteries beyond the comprehension of an immature mankind. Man must not grant himself the authority to push himself too far beyond his capabilities. Just as an amoeba cannot use a man's power, a man cannot play with God's power without causing uncontrollable consequences that could even lead to the destruction of his entire world. Or maybe not—because in the climax, Tetsuo's propensity for destroying everything transforms into a force for creation, and after razing Neo Tokyo to the ground, he creates a brand-new Universe, restoring the potential nature of the energy he controls by showing that only man is accountable for its use.

   

   Source

   Conclusion

   Akira, which was produced more than 30 years ago, using resources and labor similar to those of an authentic colossal, has grown to become a genuine cult favorite thanks to its voluminous and incredibly deep plot as well as the stunning animations that brought Otomo's tale to life. It is able to combine cyberpunk settings with an emotional examination of societal fears and a precise analysis of the mechanisms of power. This is a movie that every anime fan must see, and even if you are not a fan of anime but you like cinema and good movies than you also must watch it!!!

   Rating

   My personal vote (taking also into consideration the importance and impact of this animation movie in the cinematographic world), is:

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   10/10

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3. ›Akira (1988) by Katsuhiro Otomo Review@namiks3136d

   

   Thirty years after its 1988 release, Katsuhiro Otomo's animated adaptation of Akira remains one of film industry's most influential entries within science-fiction, and most deservedly, its fluid animation and themes were far beyond its time.

   Composed of a record-breaking 2,212 unique shots, 160,000 frames, and 327 different colours, Akira ignored the established methods of animation by pushing for detail and realism. Animating a large portion of the film in a nighttime setting, which enforced the use of additional colours for lighting, shadows, and general detail. This extra step in ensuring the quality of visuals may very well be the best thing about Akira; its cityscape shots of neon are adored famously.

   

   Akira contributed to the dystopia of the cyberpunk genre, displaying themes of high technology, peak capitalism in the form of beautiful and colourful cityscapes, and the familiar setting of poverty among many of the city's inhabitants. Riots are a frequent occurrence, and tensions between citizens and the government are tight. Neo Tokyo is the outcome of a nuclear war, that previously destroyed Old Tokyo.

   Akira's narrative isn't quite on the same level of realism, however, with its story riddled with a strange child only referred to as 'Akira' that holds an unyielding destructive power, which is channeled into the psychic Tetsuo. Tetsuo is a troubled teenager, cooped up in gang violence, poverty, and anger. He is unfit to control the power of Akira, as it begins to consume him.

   The story can be considered a slow burner, with its build up detailing Tetsuo's slow descent into madness--this does allow the viewer to sit back and admire the beauty within the animation, but will appear a little boring for some.

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