AKIRA Changed Everything

[@DanielGreeneReviews]

AKIIIRRRRAAAAA!!!!!!!!

[@Haijo84]

KANEDAAAA!!!!!

[@supsup335]

If you like this, watch the ghost in the shfll movies and then Stand Alone Complex

[@KieranuReeves]

TETSUOOOO!!!!!!!

[@FMR------------------psst]

I think you did not have seen the Wicked City series then ^^

[@jonnywhite6541]

@@supsup335 ghost in the shell insanely good

[@caste1700]

"If you hold back, if you don't actually show how horrible things can be, that's disrespectful to how bad things have been." 🙌🏼 -hill Daniel Greene would die on

[@marioksoresalhillick299]

I totally agree with this, to the extent that I will watch and appreciate movies with more violence than I can handle. Animated & literary violence is totally okay with me.

[@TahoeNevada]

Sounds like a line a character might say in a book...

[@TahoeNevada]

Maybe a Wizard

[@Macapta]

Akira would make such a good show. The movie was made when the manga wasn’t finished so there’s plenty left to be explored.

[@saabirsaleh5924]

Yes! The movie is incredible but the full story of the manga is one of my favourite stories of all time, literary, film or TV

[@DragonwolfoftheSands]

Nah they shouldn't ever remake it. The impact on the genre can literally never be replicated by a remake, the body horror benefitted a ton from lower quality graphics, and the flaws that the movie does have are super easy reasons to not make it a show. Also imo there's no reason to spend more time in the various vignettes in the story bc they're short for a reason

[@kristinradams7109]

@@DragonwolfoftheSands I totally agree. This story is NOT something I want to see Effed with for any reason. Cheers!

[@techmoura8406]

Otomo is actually working with Studio Sunrise to create a series to adapt the entire manga

[@saabirsaleh5924]

@@techmoura8406 YES

[@crisnice1]

sometimes Daniel praises a movie/series/book and i'm like "oh ok, he liked it" but when he says "i ordered a poster and a tshirt" my interest instantly doubles

[@michaelcooper4245]

A Daniel 9.5 is enough to tell me that there is something special happening here regardless of taste/sensibility.

[@HarbingerOfMorningWood]

The movie is one of those films that only covers half the story and elevates the first half of the manga. The manga itself is brilliant and couldn’t be covered completely by the movie. It’s a masterclass in sequential art and I’d check it out if I were you.

[@asarishepard8171]

the manga is killer good

[@AscendantStoic]

We needed a trilogy of movies like LOTR to cover the story of the manga.

[@asarishepard8171]

@@AscendantStoic i wish someone could make that O_O

[@yashsolanki589]

I tried watching the movie just after reading the manga, and a lot of great sequences were cut out. I know Otomo wanted to fit it into a 2 hour runtime but still. The entire sequence where every single political faction wants to get their hands on Akira who has not yet awoken is a masterclass in how to do a rats and cheese sequence in a visual medium. And it culminates in such a magnificent way, pushing the storytelling into an entirely new direction.

[@asarishepard8171]

@@yashsolanki589 i wish there would be a second film made to go into the dystopian society after the huge crash at the end of the film, that was a big turning point in the manga showing tetsuo cultivating a faction where he grooms other pyschics.

[@ysjyoutube2599]

Daniel is becoming a weeb... I'm so proud of this community

[@cristiancaliata2579]

Next stop, evangelion

[@resir9807]

@@cristiancaliata2579 he would love and hate it at the same time

[@nicholasdalli6303]

@@cristiancaliata2579 omg yes

[@exosproudmamabear558]

@@resir9807 like us

[@Xob_Driesestig]

one of us! one of us!

[@benjaminmolina3456]

I miss the 80`s and 90`s anime that were hand drawn, they had a different feel to it.

[@DanielGreeneReviews]

I’m learning this now and you’re right. More me more... hesitant seeing Ghibli step into using computers.

[@Zetamen7]

Some studios are using shaders and what not (I'm illiterate in digital art tools) to get that feel going. The most outstanding one right now being MegaloBox (because second season is coming out)

[@yashsolanki589]

​@@DanielGreeneReviews Ghibli's 3D looks so goddamn lifeless to me.

[@benjaminmolina3456]

@@DanielGreeneReviews Dude, you should try Cowboy Bebop and the movie. The soundtrack to the series is god tier, the composer Yoko Kanno is a goddess amongst humanity. Also try, Terror in Resonance/ Zankyō no Terror for some amazing directing. One last one for its creativity and originality [C]: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control, will blow your mind.

[@mascotwithadinosaur9353]

@@yashsolanki589 The new movie that was full 3D, yeah, not that good imo, but Ghibli sometimes puts CGI in mainly 2D movies and imo that's when it works

[@Nasser851000]

Daniel starting to become an anime fan ;)

[@Zetamen7]

My dude, you gotta explore Satoshi Kon's movies now, they're the inspiration for like Inception and Black Swan

[@Severian1]

His manga Opus floored me. I really wish that he'd been able to complete it.

[@yashsolanki589]

Paprika and Perfect Blue are in a genre by themselves. The paranoia of Perfect Blue is just hypnotizing and the movie only becomes much more relevant today and Paprika is just an acid trip into Kon's mind. I really love his other works like Paranoia Agent, Tokyo Godfathers, Millennial Actress, but those two just happen to be my favorites.

[@MasoomRana]

Absolutely. While Paprika and Perfect Blue are very famous, it's his other works where I think he shines. Millennium Actress has to be, hands down, one of the greatest exploration of tragedy in anime. Paranoia Agent, Opus, Seraphim, Tokyo Godfathers. Man was an absolute beast. Also, he trained under Otomo and was an uncredited assistant on Akira.

[@kingjelly52]

Yes! Satoshi Kon and Mamoru Hosoda and Masaaki Yuasa!

[@anthonycrayne2835]

Don't forget his show paranoia agent.

[@symonheiloguu]

Funny that the Manga of Akira came out at the same year and month as Blade Runner, but just a few days earlier.

[@sertaki]

There was something in the air.

[@ThePsycoDolphin]

I believe Neuromancer did as well. It was definitely a trend.

[@cenawik]

Good to see Daniel's stepping out of the Ghibli universe, next steps : Perfect Blue, Paprika and Summer Wars !!

[@paniklewe]

Ah yeah, summer wars!

[@Alec-xk4th]

@@paniklewe perfect blue 😍

[@bothard5107]

maybe school days next

[@cenawik]

@@bothard5107 Let's not go there, he'd drop the whole genre after that

[@kriplaniankit774]

Thanks for the recommendations mate.

[@idajosefino]

oh my how glorious it is to experience daniel's discreet yet unavoidable descent into becoming a weeb. he had no chance, the poor fellow. welcome to the community daniel! enjoy!

[@reiii69]

Man once you are into anime...you just cant stop. Love to see others getting into it as well.

[@CapturedInWords]

Oh man I first watched Akira when I was like 7 years old, which was probably too young since I remember the violence burning itself into my young eyes, but I've watched it numerous times since and it's one of my absolute favorite anime movies. I definitely plan on reading the manga some time as I hear it's even better and this movie only covers the first half of it.

[@zemphis7149]

Love to see him broadening his horizons Edit: also if you liked this, you may also like Monster, especially regarding tone and use of themes

[@SwedishDuckey]

An interesting thing about Akira is that the movie was made before the Manga was complete. The first two volumes was made before the movie, the middle two was made during the movies production and the last two was made after the movie came out. The volumes are real thicc bois so it took a while for them to be complete. If you have enough interest you should read the Manga. It expands further on the world and the characters. Side note: there's also a thing called Bartkira which takes the characters from Simpsons and uses them to tell the story of the Akira manga. It works surprisingly well. Edit: I forgot to mention but the Bartkira manga was drawn by like over 500 different artists

[@z5jahn]

Bartkira is great. A buddy of mine bought it for my birthday a few years back. Definitely a favorite piece in my Akira collection.

[@SoupLagoon]

Watched this movie a few months ago for the first time. I agree with everything you said. It is an incredible movie that belongs in the discussion of not only greatest animated movies of all time, but also greatest movies in general.

[@Ultr4l0f]

* Puts on nerd glasses * You should read the manga. No. Seriously. The manga is so beatifuly drawn, and goes even deeper down in The theme and setting. Ofc with 2000 pages it has the time and space to do so, where one single movie cant.

[@z5jahn]

I second this. It is an incredible piece of work. Absolutely stunning imagery throughout. Characters get fleshed out to such a greater degree than the movie could allow.

[@lorenzoc.b.9809]

The anime actually covers only like half of the manga.

[@anthonycrayne2835]

Put your grasses on

[@Ultr4l0f]

@@anthonycrayne2835 nothing will be wong

[@Ultr4l0f]

@@lorenzoc.b.9809 That too. It like watching Nasuicaä, and then reading it. Both are good. But one just has more space and thus more story and a better chance to go deep

[@moytta122]

i don't know how i haven't seen anyone recommending Monster or any of Urasawa's works yet but you should definetely check it out, it's a manga classic and for good reason.

[@DL-idk]

They hand-drew the whole thing is the most mind blowing fact to me. I mean they hand drew the millions of light on the buildings. It is insane

[@Struggler12349]

Kind of like Ste studio Ghibli movies. Princess mononoke, Howl's moving Castle, spirited away... This are also all hand drawn. It's insane

[@theoneandonlygod]

I love Akira, and my favorite anime movie is Redline. I think you should watch Ghost in the Shell and Serial Experiments Lain, because I'll say this 3 are the pick of old scifi anime.

[@Aust51989]

Yeah it’s visuals was revolutionary back in the day.

[@z5jahn]

Let's not forget the soundtrack. Some of the most haunting/beautiful music I've ever been exposed to. It really serves as a major backbone for the tone of this story. Requiem is a journey in and of itself.

[@neilselgi8581]

I would recommend you to check out the manga. It develops the world even further and is one of the best that I have read. The movie is also one of my all time favourites.

[@techmoura8406]

This. As I read the manga first I was actually shocked on how much they cut from the manga.

[@yashsolanki589]

@@techmoura8406 Actually the author Otomo himself did the cuts and that's why the movie ended up being as good as it is. I couldn't imagine it being nearly as good as it is if a production committee made the cuts.

[@techmoura8406]

@@yashsolanki589 thanks, I did not know this

[@mmrios9]

Wow. Daniel is leaning hard into anime. I love it.😂💖

[@bradeye1133]

YESSS! FINALLY! YES! THIS IS A FUCKING MASTERPIECE!

[@kristinradams7109]

Amen! I still get super emotional about this one.

[@oursblanc1319]

Welcome to the club. My AP english teacher had this on his 50 movies to see before you die list, back in 2002. Glad to see you covering some anime and manga content and love the channel.

[@athinyamani9211]

oooo you're on your anime film arc. There's always a part in an anime fan's life where they're just obsessed with anime films. I recommend A Silent Voice, any Satoshi Kon movie (R.I.P to a legend), Children of the Sea, Maquia, Ride your Wave, In This Corner of the World, and any Mamoru Hosoda movie.

[@Nightshade_goblin]

A good recommendation for you might be the anime "Made in Abyss", especially with the movie taking place after the first season, "Dawn of the deep soul". Best Villain Ive seen in media in a while.

[@brunobucciarati7278]

Not related to the video (except for your shirt ig) but really proud of you for coming out on Twitter earlier today 🤧

[@understorymainchannel8326]

Wait is he trans?

[@brunobucciarati7278]

@@understorymainchannel8326 nah he came out as bi lol

[@understorymainchannel8326]

@@brunobucciarati7278 oh ok

[@kidu9443]

So happy to see you dive more into anime, and discover that masterpiece. I don't know about its impact in the States but in France it was the first anime film ever projected in theater. It wasn't a blockbuster, but it made more and more people reconsider the genre, and envision that it could have as much artistic value and purpose than cinema. While in the topic of masterpieces and punches to the gut I encourage you to broaden your Ghibli experience, and dive into the second founder of the studio, i.e. Isao TAKAHATA. More precisely to watch HIS masterpiece, Grave of the fireflies. Its based on a semi-autobiographical short story of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka, and one of the most moving recounting of war experience I've seen. Also I know you said you're not a big manga reader, but in the same spirit I'd recommend Barefoot Gen by Keiji Nakazawa. It's freely based on the author's experience of WWII in and around of Hiroshima, and does not shy away from violence or hard hitting subjects. And in my opinion is something EVERYONE should read. (There were several anime and live action adaptations, but I don't know them, so I stick to the original...)

[@Topher0523]

One thing that is awesome and still blows my mind is that the director/screenwriter was also the manga writer/artist. It’s so dope that the author has two very different ways to tell his story and get his message across and both are classics. I can think of any other examples, maybe if I stretch Princess Bride?

[@magnusskallagrimsson6707]

For my 22nd birthday we had a Japanese film day (yes, day). All great films (though we couldn't get a few that I really wanted like Yojimbo and Sanjuro), but the one that elicited the most discussion and required us to break and go for dinner to hash out what we had just watched was AKIRA. I love this film, and it demands multiple viewings. The soundtrack is also phenomenal.

[@akeemalleyne5890]

Good choice, Daniel! I would recommend some more recent sci-fi name series for you to watch - Akudama Drive (the 1st episode is very, very fast paced), Deca-Dance, Vivy Fluorite Eye's Song, and Eighty-Six. You'll love them - especially Vivy.

[@GremlinBones]

The funny thing is, when I first watched Akira, I couldn't even process what I watched. I knew what I saw, but I couldn't understand it. I still haven't rematched from years ago but I'm almost constantly thinking about it. And I just get excited when someone mentions it. That is a sign of a monumental film.

[@Halfsight666]

You should check out the Vampire Hunter D movies and Lensmen (all here on KZbin). Both are from around this time period and are based on Books series that have influenced others works in the same way Akira has. Late 80s/90s are the golden age for anime.

[@felipesiravegna979]

Your background is one of the bests if not the best in booktube.

[@wheelchazeal8089]

Akiiiira! First anime movie I ever watched (probably waaay too young). Blew my damn mind. It messed me up for months.

[@joelestrada6795]

Same!! I was like 8 when I saw this. My older cousin bought it and we watched. Blew my mind!! It was amazing!!

[@kristinradams7109]

Me too! I still consider it in my top 5 of every category ever! I get chills every time I think about it.

[@halfway2hell33383]

Loved this growing up one of my fav. Along side Armitage, about a cop and he's cyborg partner, its in the same style, love ur vids keep it up and thanks for all the reviews, info and funny clip vids.

[@tona14113]

I think Daniel and I got into Anime around the same time and our parallel progression through the media is awesome and I'm watching Akira now.

[@epoch_workshop]

That was an awesome review! I watched Akira for the first time at 5 years old. Mom didn't know it wasn't for kids. This movie stayed with me so long after I've watched it, even though I had no idea what the story was. I rewatched it in my teens and it instantly became a classic in my head. Related note, I can't wait to see if you'll review Cowboy Bebop someday!

[@josephperry3700]

So happy to hear what you think about one of my favorite movies ever. This movie was my go to movie for years and hearing it holds up to new fans makes my heart super happy.

[@lelandvaughan4429]

Ah you hit the nail on the head my friend. I had the great honor of seeing this in theaters last year. It was glorious. One amazing fact about it; they actually shone light through the panels to make EVERY light, which gives it such an amazing and individual experience. Now go watch some stuff by Satoshi Kon (he worked on Akira before directing himself). My recommendation is for Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, and Paprika in that order. Also Summer Wars, because it's beautiful, human, and makes me love the world every time I see it.

[@daballachick345]

The new setup with the natural light is so amazing, I can't even focus on what you're saying sometimes as I get lost in the background haha

[@jnbfilm56]

I would love to see Daniel's opinions on classical novels. Maybe some Víctor Hugo, Dostoievski, Garcia Marquez, maybe even Javier Marías

[@ivansmoll4818]

I'm loving the lighting in your new setup. Of course, great video too.

[@blaaaaaaaaaaaaargh]

You know what makes this movie so special to me, the amount of work put into the backgrounds. Every scene makes you feel like you're watching just a tiny story happening in this huge city that feels alive, even in the most simplest scenes like where two people are walking along a road in the foreground while through gaps in between big skyscrapers in the background you see the flashing neon lights and small hints of the city's brimming nightlife. It's not often you get to see anime that pays attention to detail like that.

[@Peikkomies]

Akira was and is a cultural cornerstone. So many works have borrowed this anime classic. Also there propably wouldn't even be worldwide intrest in anime without this movie's infuence on general movie theater audience in the late 80s and early 90s.

[@jbeegs27]

Dude, get out of my head. I was just thinking about this moving last night! Thanks for the great review!

[@michaelholloway5646]

The 80s were a special time for anime. It wasn't just Akira, though it was the high water mark of technical achievement. It was this time frame of the hand drawn animators coming into true mastery of their craft, coupled with the money people not really understanding what they were green lighting so long as it turned a profit. The same year Akira came out there was Grave of the Fireflies, a serious exanimation of the horrors of war, and that movie is scaring. My Neighbor Totoro, Ghibli's best film for me. Appleseed, war and government corruption. Legend of the Galactic Heroes started it's run... which is still the most intricate scifi narrative put to film. Patlabor started it's run, which is about the misuse of technology and police forces having to militarize to keep up with crime using that technology... we're having that conversation now.. Japan had a show about it in the 80s. Gunbuster was a take on the realities of fighting a war across relativistic distances. A lot of it went away not long after 90. Part of it was economic, Japan's economy was cratering and couldn't afford lavish art projects about niche ideas and themes that just happened to interest the creators. A few got made each year for writers/directors/producers that had a proven track record. But nothing like in the 80s. The other thing that happened in 1988 Japan was The Otaku Killer. Japan backlashed HARD on the especially violent anime of the 80s after a serial killer popped up. Anime got cleaned up in a hurry. Even to this day nothing in anime is explicitly as gory as the things that came out in the 80s. It hints instead of shows the worst parts.

[@kristinradams7109]

Daniel, would you do a video discussing Macross plus? I literally cried with joy just reading this title. Thanks so much!!

[@johnyarbrough2798]

Macross Plus? you mean the best entry in the Macross series and one of the best anime period? Macross Plus featuring music from Yoko Kanno? Macross Plus whose English dub has Bryan Cranston voicing Isamu? Yea, Maybe Daniel could take a look at it.

[@saber620]

My first anime experience was this movie and I was blown away with the beauty of the animation style and the complexity of the story themes. Hooked me hard and I have never left manga and anime since.

[@kristinradams7109]

Akira was my first real introduction to the world of anime, and I still find it to be so powerful. I would LOVE to see a full series of this, but only if it is done correctly. Like Ghost in the Shell. Otherwise, forget it. Thanks, Daniel 😄😄😄 EDIT: THE ORIGINAL GHOST IN THE SHELL.

[@arenkai]

I felt that edit through my soul... XD

[@Cam_Wolfe]

I remember my mum bought Akira for me as a kid, because she knew I liked Dragon Ball Z, but she had no idea how violent and graphic it is hahaha It definitely has a special place in my heart as far as anime goes, and become a bit of a gateway for me to horror anime, manga (Junji Ito) etc. the list goes on

[@rodrigomendes4474]

YESS OUR GOBLIN IS BECOMING A WEEB Hi Daniel, I'm glad you're finding more and more anime stuff you enjoy! There's an anime called Monster, super dark and grounded in reality (and doesn't have any of that anime humor that you love so much)

[@hannzopie]

This made me really want to rewatch Akira!! I don't think I was old enough to really understand it back when I watched it, but even then I thought it was great! Hopefully it'll be even better now!

[@andykehoe4339]

Awesome to see you becoming an anime fan! If I may suggest another anime movie, Ghost in the Shell is one of the best movies out there, and it's pretty reminiscent and close to Blade Runner if you're into that. It's flavor of cyberpunk is one of the best out there as well, along with the themes of keeping your humanity with a ton of cybernetic enhancements that can go as far as to have you being essentially a brain in a metal shell (or a ghost in a shell). Plus the music is god tier so it's almost watching just for that.

[@littlewashu88]

I am SO happy you watched this movie! I saw this for the first time as a little child and have rewatched it repeatedly over the course of my life. It's such a meaningful piece of media in my life. Hope you'll consider reading the manga because it adds so much more depth to the narrative and I think you might enjoy it :)

[@ssenkcalb]

TET . . . SU . . .O . . . . KAN . . . NE . . . A . . . so much love for this movie. Glad you liked it too. And for all the right reasons.

[@hereisdamm]

The way they did light in a hand-drawn movie is incredible, never been done better before or after.

[@anicealien]

I watched the movie for this video. It had been on my watchlist for far too long, so thanks Daniel for giving me the push to finally watch this amazing classic.

[@10packspyscho11]

Will u do the Berserk updated video , pls ?🙏

[@soulrebel808]

I watched this back in the mid 90s and was blown away. I watched again a few years ago and was blown away. The anime that pushed the limits of what anime can be.

[@kacpersuchora2254]

If you're into cyber punk I highly recommend an anime series called "Psycho-Pass". I just finished watching it and was blown away. Another title to consider: "Ergo Proxy". This one also has strong post-apo vibes. Also really really solid one

[@thedarkonestaint6105]

So glad you're getting into animation

[@Abundy]

Whenever you review anime I want to recommend Shinsekai Yori, it's a fantasy dystopia that tells a brilliant story and I find has been really overlooked. (It's got a solid 8.3 rating on MAL, but I feel few people have seen it)

[@asarishepard8171]

this movie is so good its in my personal top three of anyhting animated of all time :P ITS SO GOOD. the mangas even better!

[@skywriter9532]

If you enjoyed this film I would highly recommend the manga! The man who directed the film wrote the manga, which is actually much longer and more in-depth. He wrote it while working on the film and the movie ended up coming out first, so in a way the manga is the final draft of the movie. The film is basically the beginning and the end of the manga, with some light connections to make sure everything flows. Great review!

[@rambler209]

I remember first watching this movie with my 17 year old brother when I was 12. That was probably not the best choice. But I will say that this is probably my favorite anime ever, even beating out the series I watched. I still watch it about once per year.

[@psianyde1567]

I love the revisit of a classic - and really loved the perspective. Speaking of Ghibli - Grave of the Fireflies would be fun to get a take on. Another one of those films that punches you in the feels.

[@sarahreffstrupjrgensen7772]

I don't read a lot of Manga anymore, but I still want to own my own copies of Akira one day, because that series is amazing 😱 Hard recommendations!

[@Viksbelle]

Wow at the memory this review triggered! While I'd never heard of this anime, I remember a conversation with a guy who worked with me at the college radio station back in the mid 80s. He had this ultraviolet street gang story idea which sounded very similar to this. I did a couple of illustrations for him based on the imagery he described which included garish colors and lots of gore. I no longer have the art, but it was vividly violent.

[@surajdwivedi2218]

Daniel I am really excited for you to check out Perfect blue after this as well as Satoshi Kon's other works!!!

[@muhammadhashir6136]

Will check it out! I just finished my first manga in years -Uzumaki, and it was awesome in the sense that it traumatised me 👍 I am really getting into mangas and animes this year

[@ZamWeazle]

Saw Uzumaki on dvd 20 years ago! That was one messed up movie!! 😳 lol

[@muhammadhashir6136]

@@ZamWeazle it has a movie? I didn’t know that, I have heard there is an upcoming anime of it.

[@ZamWeazle]

@@muhammadhashir6136 Yeah it came out on DVD, on back of Asian horror movies like Ringu, The Grudge, Audition etc..that were huge at the time!. Its amazing but somewhat disturbing. Certainly not a fan of washing machines after watching that movie!! 😳😱😆

[@birdee9119]

I first watched Akira at university, and it was my gateway into Japanese culture, hence why I am sitting in Japan at the moment as I type this. I think your review is fantastic, as well, great points made.

[@fonzomatic2]

So part of the reason the animation is so different is because of the frame count. I believe there are around 24 drawings per second. I highly recommend watching Super Eyepatch wolf's video on Akira he goes more indepth. I'm glad you like this though Daniel, a lot of anime is the same thing but there's some absolute masterpieces within the genre.

[@Eku_Sas]

If you like steampunk maybe watch Steamboy or if you feel daring read its manga which is a steampunk gem.

[@acereporter73]

The influence this movie had on animation is very long-lasting. Iconic scenes are emulated many years later (there are compilations on KZbin showing this). The manga naturally has more space to breathe but this is a must-have for any anime collection.

[@MrMatchstick]

Checking out what you enjoyed in Akira, Berserk would be a good choice as your next anime pick. Its a Dark Fantasy series with some of the best writen Characters, brutal combat and world.

[@Msoulwing]

Big caveat: Read the manga or you'll get one heck of a cliffhanger ending (also don't watch the newer series if you value the friendship of your eyes).

[@matthewjoy475]

I remember watching Akira as one of my first pieces of Anime and I thought it was okay, but I wasn't blown away. Now that I've explored the medium more in the time since I want to check out Akira again through a more mature perspective.

[@tuckerjohnston1844]

The animation of this film is so beautiful!

[@Bogrin]

It’s been years since I’ve watched this! Gonna have to watch again now for sure! One of my favs for sure

[@ijones81]

Totally going to suggest you read the manga, there are tons of deeper themes and story elements cut in the film that is in the manga. Its one of those situations where after reading the manga you'll gain more and appreciate the Film more

[@parcaleste]

Back in the day a neighbor of mine gave me this video tape with Akira and Fist of the North Star movie on it. As a 10-11 years old kid, I was way more impressed by all the exploding heads and sliced bodies in the later movie (plus that "Heart of Madness" track for the battle between Rei and Raoh which you can check in its full (non spoiler) glory on KZbin... OMG, still gives me chills till today), but as I grew older I started finding the undertones of Akira and to comprehend its story more and more, not to say the animation which is an magnum opus in itself. I still watch Akira every few years and it is always a great experience. A must see movie if you want to get into anime. Pretty much at the top of the list.

[@TJWehse]

Here’s a fantasy recommendation, Made in Abyss is a fantastic fantasy adventure that every fantasy junkie needs to experience. It’s great to see Daniel getting more into anime slowly but surely

[@mumfordhobbes5455]

You should do a review of the Akira manga, completely different and beautiful experience without detracting from what made the movie so good

[@taejaskudva2543]

Akira has meant a ton to me ever since the first time I had my mind blown by it as a high school kid with a bootleg VHS cassette and nothing for context other than Robotech. I like too many things to call it my favorite, but on any given day it will be at the top of my list of things that shaped my tastes. I haven't ever name dropped other KZbin videos in comments before, but I'm big into anything that grows my love of a thing. beyond reading the manga as people have already suggested, Certain Starting Place Movies's animation breakdown of the biker gang fight "Akira - Animation the Hard Way" and Super Eyepatch Wolf's video essay "The Impact of Akira: The Film That Changed Everything" really helped me gain even more appreciation for something I already loved but couldn't really articulate why it amazed me. Edit: Oh, and Bonsai Pop has a nice video summary where he makes (his interpretation of) the philosophy and metaphors of these movie explicit. Also quite good.

[@Nemo37K]

I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed Akira. The Manga is an incredible read. It's a lot more of a labyrinth but of all the manga I've read, Otomo's panel work is the most exquisitely cinematic. He knows how to lead the eye to create stunning sequential art. Tetsuo, Kaneda, and the rest of the group get so much more development, and the story gets balls deep into themes that the movie only scratches the surface of. That said, the film was game changer for my young weeb ass, and I'm glad you finally got to experience it in all its sakuga glory.

[@diffidentknight9219]

I'm happy to see you enjoy my favourite dystopian sci-fi anime. Now I have only to ask you to look into another fantastic work which is called Wonderful Days. It's Korean and it's so incredibly good and up there with the best in the genre. For all of you who don't know it, do yourself the favour of checking it out.

[@sheyslibrary]

Great review! (and love your shirt)

[@Aa-dn1oq]

You should read the manga as well. The movie was made in between volumes 3 and 4, meaning a lot was either cut or went unrepresented. It's really worth the read, and Katsuhiro Otomo's art is incredible. Pick up the recent 35th anniversary edition if you can, as it has the original panel layout. Most other editions have the Americanized left to right layout, causing a lot of people to end up left handed due to the panels being mirrored.

[@mikkaelmansbridge5154]

Now he needs to watch Redline. It's style over substance, but god damn does it have style.

[@wildfire160]

Agreed...i have both Redline and Akira(plus a sh*t loads more)and love them

[@aderemiporsche]

Redline's style IS its substance. Think Persona 5, another example of style becoming substance. Digibro, regardless of how you may think of him, hit the nail on the head when he spoke about aesthetics sometimes becoming the plot. Redline would not be Redline with its style. Same goes for Persona 5.

[@multi-purposedesign9822]

You GOTTA read the manga!! It is one of my absolute favorites!! Also!! Check out his other work too!! (Katsuhiro Otomo) Metropolis is SO beautifully animated!!

[@OxyGamingMacro]

You make me want to try to watch it again. I tried once but it was pretty different from the manga that I own.

[@fredrik2008]

Better late then never, watched this as a teenager and loved it, got me into anime.

[@simple5606]

daniel please review invincible. it's unbelievably good

[@PhoenixCrown]

HARD AGREE. This move is incredible. It was so intense that it took me multiple sittings just to stomach and process what was going on. It asked more questions than it answered until the very end, and yet it progress so naturally... until the very end. I'm a huge fan of stories that address the most basic human struggles in a creative way, and this did such a good job of that, from the character insecurity level up to the meaning of the universe. Laugh and tear-a, thank you Akira.

[@aidansoe5502]

I am so happy to see Daniel enjoy this so much. I think that if Daniel likes this more brutal type of story he should read berserk. It's so good (also he should start from the start of golden age, book 3 page 185)

[@Kikilang60]

Thanks Daniel. Been a while sine I seen Akira. Might give it a peek see, and stop dumpster diving with my viewing habits.

[@amirsharif6003]

I find it interesting how many things you have pick-up from watching Akira. It's a masterpiece to be sure. But I watched it when I was truly young and my reactions is very much similar to watching Evangelion. I goes "whoa..." and "huh?!" in terms of making sense of the overall story and where it takes you.