Thirty years after the explosion of a terrible bomb on Tokyo and the ensuing Third World War, a menacing wind still blows over Japan, the wind of Akira. On board their roaring motorcycles, Kaneda, Tetsuo and their friends dart heedless of danger on the streets of Neo Tokyo, living the life of four boys in disarray, in a society uninterested in their future. Between turmoil and chaos, their future is bound to change when, during a protest, a man is killed, setting off the piercing cries of a old man with childlike features. The situation is thus destined to precipitate, with Tetsuo ending up in the hands of the army, which senses his mental abilities, including him in the Akira project. Meanwhile Kaneda, eager to save his friend, comes into contact with the resistance, which proudly opposes the current government. And, in the background, the danger of a new major explosion appears increasingly concrete. Years go by, but AKIRA he doesn’t seem to have any intention of getting old. To celebrate its thirty-fifth anniversary, the work of Katsuhiro Otomo she returned to the cinema on 14 and 15 March with the event AKIRA 35thoffering Italian audiences the possibility to choose between dubbing in Italian and the original language.
An unmissable event organized by Nexo Digital And Dinyt, which will most likely be re-proposed in five years, respecting a now ten-year tradition. For those who had therefore missed such a tempting opportunity, or more simply could not resist waiting for a rewatch, AKIRA is currently also available on Netflix and on home video on Amazon by following this link.
- Original title: アキラ (AKIRA)
- Italian title: AKIRA
- Japanese release: April 24, 2020
- Italian release: March 14 and 15, 2023 in theaters, January 4 on Blu-ray
- Platform: cinema, home video
- Type: action, drama, psychological, sci-fi
- Duration: 124 minutes
- animation studio: Akira Commitee
- Adapted from: manga by Katsuhiro Otomo
- Tongue: Italian, Japanese
We reviewed AKIRA thanks to the invitation to the press screening offered to us by Nexo Digital and Dynit.
A choral tale
Beating heart of the events of AKIRA is the intricate link between Kaneda And Tetsuo. If on the one hand to tie the two boys there is in fact a strong feeling of friendshipon the other emerges aobvious rivalry. Kaneda’s strength and security generate the envy of Tetsuo who, as soon as he acquires his powers esper, can only do everything possible to show itself stronger. Insert here the theme of power, capable of moving the threads of the entire system of characters. so much thearmywith his Akira projecthow much the resistence in fact, they pursue power, both revealing themselves to be corrupt. The group of motorcyclists led by Kaneda lives like this, from the first minutes, in a world without rules and valuescapable of embodying the contradictions of a city balanced between colorful signs and dark mysteries.
The only actor capable of escaping the game of power is, perhaps, the protagonist Kaneda, driven by the sincere desire to save Tetsuo, as well as by the interest he has for Kay, strong and determined girl, member of the anti-government resistance. Diametrically opposite the role of Nezu, parliamentarian secretly at the head of the resistancenot for ideals, but for money. The government mole, whose features, to tell the truth, resemble those of a rat, stands as an example, certainly negative, of the drift of a world based on personal interest. Countertendency would seem to go instead the Colonel Shikishimaeager for resources and power, but also devoted to his cause, as evidenced by the determined and resolute actions that he is willing to do.
Finally, how not to mention the esperas well as the elderly children secretly exploited by the government. In spite of their age they still maintain a childish appearance, which however does not hide wrinkled faces and fragile bodies. Number 25, Number 26 And Number 27or better Kiyoko, Takashi And Masaruare an essential link with Akira, entity whose identity remains hidden in the shadows for a long time, guilty of having caused the destruction of Tokyo and, therefore, the outbreak of the third world war. Among all the characters just mentioned, and not only that, a dense web of relationships is articulated, capable of making AKIRAespecially in its animated counterpart, victim of considerable cuts and modifications, aenigmatic and complex work.
In Japan in the 80s
AKIRA it’s a’work viscerally linked to the socio-economic context where she was born. Japan of the 80s it experienced exponential economic growth, finally combined with political stability. The student protests, against the rapprochement of the country to the USA, could be considered an experience now concluded and the economy of the Land of the Rising Sun appeared as the most dynamic in the world. Certainly there were many contradictions, first of all the rampant phenomenon bosozokuone mismanagement of wealth by the ruling classes and a speculative bubble bound to burst. Masterfully Katsuhiro Otomomangaka and director of the adventures of Kaneda and Tetsuo at the same time, managed to condense the spirit of an era, bringing to the eyes of today’s viewer reflections revealed prophetic. Ironic indeed to think as just one year after the release of AKIRA in Japan, in the autumn of 1989, the second Japanese economic miracle sadly came to an end: after years of bets and gambles, the speculative bubble had burst.
Thirty years earlier, however, the Japanese conscience had already been hit hard by a much more devastating and terrible explosion, that of the atomic bomb. At 8:15 on August 6, 1945 Little Boy razed Hiroshima to the ground; three days later it would be Nagasaki’s turn. The use of nuclear weapons thus concluded the bloodiest and most brutal experience in human history, but it also ushered in an era of great tension and fear: the Cold War. The fear of a new world conflict will cross the decades, also finding space in the manga, and therefore in the feature film, of AKIRA. The goal of all characters operating in Neo Tokyo is to avoid the advent of Akira, prevent at all costs a new explosion and a new conflict.
The test of time
Since I was a child Katuhiro Otomo he dreamed of becoming a director. It should come as no surprise then that, as soon as such an opportunity finally presented itself, the author of AKIRA did everything possible to make a blockbuster timeless. The animations were not handled by a single animation studio, but by a specially founded company, theAkira Commiteeunder the watchful eye of which ten of the major film companies of the time cooperated, among which Kodansha, Mainichi Hosho, Bandai, Toho, Laser Disc Corporation And Tokyo Movie Shinsha. The budget, initially set at five hundred million yen, thus exceeded the quota of one billion yen.
Even today, Otomo’s work proves to be able to perfectly withstand the weight of the years, making the envy of many modern productions. The technical sector indeed it turns out perfectly cared for, not lacking in detail either in the foregrounds or in the backgrounds. The lights and colors of Neo Tokyo take on hypnotic characters, presenting a city that is a symbol of corruption and social differences as extremely fascinating. Technology was also used for the first time in the history of Japanese animation CGI, perfectly integrated and never invasive in the representation of powers esper by Tetsuo. Last but not least, the soundtrack. The excellent compositions of Shoji Yamashiro they infuse character and personality to the film, alternating expertly the music to silencewhile the original language dubbing enhances each character, also shining for the perfect synchronization thanks to the pre-recording. Following the same technique already used at home Walt Disneythe vocal tracks were in fact recorded before the final animations, thus allowing the animators to synchronize sound and visual compartment.
Who do we recommend AKIRA to?
Katshuhiro Otomo’s film marked a before and after in the history of Japanese animation. Great technical innovations and a perfectly embroidered thematic canvas have projected Kaneda and Tetsuo into the Olympus of cinema, paving the way for works such as Ghost in the Shell And Neon Genesis Evangelion. If you also love the seventh artwhether it’s the first time or the umpteenth time, it’s always a good time to watch AKIRA.
- Masterpiece and cult, capable of revolutionizing the history of Japanese animation
- Technically hypnotic with an excellent soundtrack perfectly integrated with the animations
- Very articulated script and full of food for thought
- Live and believable characters, immersed in an incredibly immersive world
- If you have read the manga, several plot cuts and changes may disappoint you
AKIRA
The anniversary of a colossal work
For Japanese animation AKIRA it was a journey of no return, a colossal work that entered the history of cinema by right. The relationship between Kaneda and Tetsuo is above all a story of friendship, between brotherhood and rivalry, inserted in a bright, fascinating and corrupt city. The work’s visceral link with its time, the years of the Cold War, is undeniable. The tension of destruction moves the threads of the army as well as the rebels, even creeping into clashes between gangs of young bikers. Katsuhiro Otomo thus looks to the past by rewriting the future. More than one detail of the manga is changed, fate also touched the then not yet concluded final, but the atmosphere of wonder and destruction of Neo Tokyo remains unchanged. Twenty-five years later the world has changed, but not the quality of this complex animated film, a must for fans and non-fans alike.
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