Hello this is jake winters for eye on the triangle this is snowverated and this week I will be taking a look at the film akira.

If you haven’t watched a lot of anime I think it is safe to say you are among a majority although the number of people that have seen one is always increasing. This also is assuming your definition of anime is a japanese produced cartoon. This isn’t always the case though as anime in jaoan just refers to anything that is animated or is a cartoon so they would call a show like family guy an anime where as I have never heard an American call it that. Well if you haven’t seen any anime and or if youre already a fan Akira is fantastic. It is based on a manga released starting in 1982 and continuing to 1990. Many anime films are based on manga which are essentially graphic novels in many cases. The actual film was released in 1988

The reason I bring up the viewership of anime is the fact that many dismiss it as being a childish form of entertainment. This is shifting as we see more animated films in the us geared at kids as well as adults, like inside out, but many people probably choose not to watch these films for similar reasons to not watching anime. Both kinds of movies are actually well fleshed out stories that grab the audience and pull them into worlds far different from our own. This is something that normal filming just cannot do as well. Everyone should give animated films a chance and Akira is a great way to get back into the genre as an adult as the film.

Akira is a fantastic movie and it tells such a strange story. The story starts in neo Tokyo post world war 3. The style of the city and animation inhabiting it is incredible from the start. The fading trails behind motorcycles and neon signs scattered across the city set the scene and mood of the movie. Technology rules in this world and people are starting to resent it. The story is probably the strongest element of this film and that is saying something because of how well everything is done. When I watched this film I found myself recognizing relationships archetypes that show up in many modern anime movies. The relationships of characters in this film is so well done that it made other movies attempts fade in comparison. This most likely comes from the fact that it is adapted straight from the manga which probably had a lot more time to develop the characters than the movie did. But even with limited time the creators did not use any crutches in making their characters full. There is no real hero and the main character is vague for the entire movie but we get to see so many different characters evolve over the course of the plot. This is similar to how game of thrones develops its characters by showing many different perspectives on the same events in a world.

The art and style of the movie is stunning and the fact that it was done in 1988 makes it all the more impressive. The cyber punk city the characters inhabit is in transition from war back to society and it is on the brink of collapse once again. They not only capture the state of functional disarray that is a revolting city but also the technology and drug centered culture that is cyber punk. The combination of these two styles is unique and the art stands out at every chance the movie allows it too. Something that many animated films tend to shy away from is blood. Anime never does and that is part of what makes some of the films so adult. This movie is animated but I would never watch it with a kid. The animation in this film is some of the most fluid I have seen and adds so much life to the film. The movements aren’t jumpy and the feel natural. It makes it easier to forget the movie is even animated at all and just treat it like a story. I think that is one of the things that throws many people off from animation. Sometimes it isn’t lifelike and it creates a distraction from the actual story which really will take from everything in the movie. If an animated film avoids attracting attention to its medium then the base of the movie is set. If the movie cannot even successfully make the illusion of reality it has not chance. Akira executes this perfectly and then builds on top of it with great art and style of animation.

I am going to give this movie a 9/10. I love the art and the time it took to create it is just as impressive. The story is captivating and unique and overall everything in the movie fits together well. I think that when watching an animated film it is important to consider it the same way you would consider any other type of movie. Look at its plot, character development and art style and forget that it is animated at all.

You can rent this movie on amazon video and I hope you give it a chance. This is jake winters for eye on the triangle thank you for listening to this weeks edition of snowverated and enjoy the rest of your evening.