Having only ever heard and read great things about this film, it is safe to say that my expectations were high. However, I had somehow managed to stay away from any spoilers. Indeed, going in, I had no idea what Akira was about. Certainly, I assumed that motorcycles would play some part in it, as the now-iconic red motorcycle has become inseparable from any material associated with this film. But apart from that, I had no idea what to expect. As such, to say that this movie lived up to my fairly high expectations would be both correct, and incorrect. As far as the quality of Akira is concerned, I couldn't have asked for more. But when considering the story and the message of it, the expectations that I had built, couldn't have been more wrong.
There were some moments that seemed to support the picture I had painted in my head about what this film was about. Indeed, Akira began with a tone that, while still often full of surprises, felt somewhat expected. In fact, this first part, which I would consider as the first of three distinctively different acts, proposed an idea and setting that still stays relevant today. While a sense of mystery was introduced early on, for the most part, it remained hidden and veiled, out of the view. This first act not only introduced us to the main characters, it also built the world where the upcoming events would take place. And while the characters it introduced were interesting and fun in their own unique ways, it was the world of Neo Tokyo, that absolutely blew me away. A world literally built from the ashes of a nuclear bombed Tokyo. A world so full of detail, that I would've happily spent the entire film just seeing what it held within it. Neo Tokyo, that, without a doubt, has acted as an inspiration for any and all cyberpunk worlds that have come after it. But, perhaps even more importantly, the first act introduced one of the central themes of Akira. The fight between those in power, and those not. The fight between corruption and justice. The fight between brutality and control, and freedom. Themes that, incredibly enough, thirty years later, are as relevant as ever. Indeed, these themes were so strongly presented, that had it not been for the hints of something else going on in the background, I would've thought that this film was an exploration of these issues, set in a world so dystopian, that everyone watching, would hope to never see it.
Yet, there was that hint of mystery, constantly reminding us of itself. And it was that mystery, and it becoming the main focus, that launched the second act. As the film first began rolling, I never would've dared to expect what this second part brought with it. Long gone was the simplicity of fighting the power through riots and living on the outskirts of law as a part of a motorcycle gang. The focus rapidly shifted into something beyond our understanding. With an introduction to new, peculiar and unexplainable beings, the film took a shift towards something bigger than humanity. Yet, in it, was also closely tied the strengths and shortcomings of the human race. As one of the main characters unwillingly learns that he wields a power much greater than himself, he must cope with the idea of godly strength. What to do with it, and how to use it. While the themes of the fight between the weak and the powerful never disappeared, they were overtaken by the examination of the ability of human nature to deal with extraordinary power. As this is a Japanese film, it isn't much of a stretch to imagine this being a metaphor for the power of the nuclear bomb. And as this theme is explored, it becomes evidently clear just how easily corruptible the human mind is.
And it's ultimately this corruption that brings with it the third and final act. An act of truly biblical proportions. In a lot of ways, it is the most straightforward of the three, as it is a barrage of non-stop action and adrenaline. Yet, the more I kept thinking about it, the more evident it became, that the theme being shouted the loudest and clearest, was that of hope. The second act, as well as the first one, were destructive in their nature. Indeed, they presented a picture and world, where hope was hard to come by. But by the end of it, as the sun shone through the dissipating clouds, there was a sense of hope that was hard to push aside. Replacing the never-ending destruction, was a sense of excitement for what was to come. A chance to start anew. A chance to build something better. Of course, in addition to the hopeful tone, the third act also had a strong sense of comradery. The main characters, despite their differences, ultimately reached for each other, when they most needed it. This too, speaks to the sense of a new beginning. The sense that no matter the past, the future can always be brighter. These themes are especially relevant in a country like Japan, where the memory of the nuclear bombings still remains. But the true power of Akira is in its ability to reflect these themes to anyone, anywhere.
Despite writing a fair amount, there is still so much more to unpack. And while I would love to do so, I simply don't have the time, nor the ability, as I'm certain that I didn't understand even half of everything that I saw. Akira is, without a doubt, a film that deserves to be seen multiple times, and one that can hardly be appreciated on a first viewing. That isn't to say that seeing it without any prior knowledge wasn't a powerful experience, I'm merely implying that so much of my capacity was used to follow the story, that I most certainly missed a lot of the less obvious tones and themes. However, that is hardly a problem, as this is a film that I will happily revisit in the future. It is quite astonishing just how relevant this movie still is today, and as much as it saddens me to say it, the themes presented here, won't be going away any time soon. Yet, while Akira is a grim reminder of the injustices of the world in which we live in, it is also a reminder of the good things. And perhaps most importantly, it is a reminder that there is always hope.
There were some moments that seemed to support the picture I had painted in my head about what this film was about. Indeed, Akira began with a tone that, while still often full of surprises, felt somewhat expected. In fact, this first part, which I would consider as the first of three distinctively different acts, proposed an idea and setting that still stays relevant today. While a sense of mystery was introduced early on, for the most part, it remained hidden and veiled, out of the view. This first act not only introduced us to the main characters, it also built the world where the upcoming events would take place. And while the characters it introduced were interesting and fun in their own unique ways, it was the world of Neo Tokyo, that absolutely blew me away. A world literally built from the ashes of a nuclear bombed Tokyo. A world so full of detail, that I would've happily spent the entire film just seeing what it held within it. Neo Tokyo, that, without a doubt, has acted as an inspiration for any and all cyberpunk worlds that have come after it. But, perhaps even more importantly, the first act introduced one of the central themes of Akira. The fight between those in power, and those not. The fight between corruption and justice. The fight between brutality and control, and freedom. Themes that, incredibly enough, thirty years later, are as relevant as ever. Indeed, these themes were so strongly presented, that had it not been for the hints of something else going on in the background, I would've thought that this film was an exploration of these issues, set in a world so dystopian, that everyone watching, would hope to never see it.
Yet, there was that hint of mystery, constantly reminding us of itself. And it was that mystery, and it becoming the main focus, that launched the second act. As the film first began rolling, I never would've dared to expect what this second part brought with it. Long gone was the simplicity of fighting the power through riots and living on the outskirts of law as a part of a motorcycle gang. The focus rapidly shifted into something beyond our understanding. With an introduction to new, peculiar and unexplainable beings, the film took a shift towards something bigger than humanity. Yet, in it, was also closely tied the strengths and shortcomings of the human race. As one of the main characters unwillingly learns that he wields a power much greater than himself, he must cope with the idea of godly strength. What to do with it, and how to use it. While the themes of the fight between the weak and the powerful never disappeared, they were overtaken by the examination of the ability of human nature to deal with extraordinary power. As this is a Japanese film, it isn't much of a stretch to imagine this being a metaphor for the power of the nuclear bomb. And as this theme is explored, it becomes evidently clear just how easily corruptible the human mind is.
And it's ultimately this corruption that brings with it the third and final act. An act of truly biblical proportions. In a lot of ways, it is the most straightforward of the three, as it is a barrage of non-stop action and adrenaline. Yet, the more I kept thinking about it, the more evident it became, that the theme being shouted the loudest and clearest, was that of hope. The second act, as well as the first one, were destructive in their nature. Indeed, they presented a picture and world, where hope was hard to come by. But by the end of it, as the sun shone through the dissipating clouds, there was a sense of hope that was hard to push aside. Replacing the never-ending destruction, was a sense of excitement for what was to come. A chance to start anew. A chance to build something better. Of course, in addition to the hopeful tone, the third act also had a strong sense of comradery. The main characters, despite their differences, ultimately reached for each other, when they most needed it. This too, speaks to the sense of a new beginning. The sense that no matter the past, the future can always be brighter. These themes are especially relevant in a country like Japan, where the memory of the nuclear bombings still remains. But the true power of Akira is in its ability to reflect these themes to anyone, anywhere.
Despite writing a fair amount, there is still so much more to unpack. And while I would love to do so, I simply don't have the time, nor the ability, as I'm certain that I didn't understand even half of everything that I saw. Akira is, without a doubt, a film that deserves to be seen multiple times, and one that can hardly be appreciated on a first viewing. That isn't to say that seeing it without any prior knowledge wasn't a powerful experience, I'm merely implying that so much of my capacity was used to follow the story, that I most certainly missed a lot of the less obvious tones and themes. However, that is hardly a problem, as this is a film that I will happily revisit in the future. It is quite astonishing just how relevant this movie still is today, and as much as it saddens me to say it, the themes presented here, won't be going away any time soon. Yet, while Akira is a grim reminder of the injustices of the world in which we live in, it is also a reminder of the good things. And perhaps most importantly, it is a reminder that there is always hope.