Akira

Rating:
Summary: As as DVD, it's great!
Review: The movie everybody knows then I'll review the DVD, not the movie. The transfer is very good, not a perfect one but it's very nice. The English track is not very good (since I'm Brazilian, we are used to watch dubbed movies then we know when is not very nice dubbed) but the japanese is great! The Extras are very very nice. The special about the soundtrack is a very nice one. The interview with Mr. Otomo is great and very complete. I liked the feature that translates the graffitis from japanese to english. The box is a neat one! The metal case just stands out in my DVD collection. Overall it is a must have to all animation fans.

Rating:
Summary: WHY CHANGE THE ORIGINAL AUDIO!?!?!?!
Review: Akira has been my all time favorite movie for years. I felt like a kid at Christmas when I saw it FINALLY came out on DVD. Then the unfathomable happened. I noticed that this classic movie's entire audio track had been redone with new dialogue and new voice actors. All I can say is that I am heartbroken by this awful decision. While the visuals have been greatly improved on this DVD, I will prefer the old VHS version until the original audio is brought to DVD.

Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece? Most definitely.
Review: What can I say about this movie? One thing is for sure, it's not for casual watching. Every single sentence in this movie is important, you have to pay complete attention to understand it, and even then you wont understand it first time. The first time I watched it, I had no idea what it all meant, but it was still hauntingly beautiful. It left me with curiousity, I watched again and understood a little more. I asked questions and watched another time, and it took three viewings of this movie for it all to come together. This movie has enough plots for 5 movies, it's an amazing film animated or otherwise. If you want questions answered go to a search engine and type in "akira FAQ" It might help out a bit.

The music in this movie is so unique, it's a blend between ethnic and futuristic, but it really fits the mood of the movie. This has to be one of my top 10 movies because everything in this movie has a reason. It may not seem that way upon first viewing. But keep watching it comes all together.

Example: Tetsuo has a dream about him and Kaneda playing when they're young. He sees the building in front of him collapse, and then he himself physically collapses, but Kaneda isn't harmed.

This wasn't stuck in the movie just to capture the attention of the viewers. The meaning of the dream is that Tetsuo would destroy the city, and then himself, but his love for Kaneda would keep Kaneda alive. This is one example of hidden meanings lying within this movie.

As for the dub, yes the first dub was better, but even if it was on the dvd. I'd still choose the Japanese, it honestly does the best job of portraying the characters emotions. So don't complain about the dub, watch the Japanese, it's better then both.

The animation is top notch, and it is very vivid. It amazes me to think this film was made in 1988.

Akira will frustrate those who are not willing to spend some time thinking about a movie. But for the rest of us, it's a film we can actually think about, it's not a movie that shoves everything in your face, you will come to your own conclusions, and that's what makes it so beautiful.

Rating:
Summary: Words cannot describe AKIRA...
Review: But I'll try anyway.

I'm just now seriously getting into anime, thanks to my roommate. Of course, even people who haven't watched a piece of anime in their lives have heard of AKIRA. It seems to be considered by many *the* definitive anime.

So when I heard that a new, more faithful dub would be released on DVD--with a second disc full of extras--I considered this a great opportunity to leap into it with both feet.

I just finished watching the English dub, and let me say I was totally blown away. First away, this was the best dub of an anime I've ever seen. The VAs were very good, and my roommate told me that this was much more accurate than the old English dub, which I haven't seen.

Pioneer's remastering of the video was well worth it. The animation looks as if it could have been drawn yesterday, but this film is more than a decade old. The audio remix was nice as well. And the "capsule option" that explained all the Japanese signs and such was very helpful.

The disc full of extras was astounding. The sheer mass of stills was mindblowing, nearly 5000! Add to that an interview with the creator/writer/director, a behind-the-scenes look at the music and the remastering, and original Japanese trailers...WOW!

As for AKIRA itself, I can't say much without ruining it; much of the enjoyment comes from having things revealed. I'll just say that it involves Kaneda and Tetsuo, two members of a motorcycle gang, and what happens when they encounter a fugitive on the run from the military.

Overall--Highest possible recommendation! Buy now!

Rating:
Summary: This was once a fantastic film....
Review: But alas it is now naught but not good. They totally destroyed one of my favorite productions, as well as a great memory of my youth. The voice acting is horrible, and the whole plot was dulled for a general audience of us "stupid Americans." If you want this movie, try looking around for an older VHS copy. I just can't believe that they took out "Bitchin'. I feel like I could take on the world today!" and replaced it with something stupid like "I have new amazing mental powers. Let me use them to mind wrastle with these blue childern who also have powers." Okay, maybe not that bad, but pretty close.

Rating:
Summary: The Best of the Best
Review: This movie first got me started in anime and manga. This work of art is a masterpeice. Akira is a story of Psycic Powers, motercycle gangs, corrupt government and the horrific vision of Neo-Tokyo. In it's release on July 16th 1988 (in Japan), It was a hit, state of the art sound, picture, and animation made it No. 1 box office hit the day it was released. For the US it came out in 1989 from a company called Streamline Pictures which introduced Akira and other Animes into the US. US Critics think the anime industry began on July 16th 1988 because anime was never very popular until Akira's release. The Akira I'm talking about though is the version im rating right now. It's Digitally remasterd through a film cleaning proscess which removes all unwanted dirt and scratches. The sound is remasterd through THX and Dolby Digital 5.1. This is a masterpeice and I think that if your an Anime fan or sombody not afraid to try somthing new, you sohuld take a look into AKIRA

Rating:
Summary: The Sweetest Case Ever
Review: I had never seen it before, but ordered it off legend alone and was not disappointed, the sound was excellent, and the extras were sensational, but the sweetest thing about it is the crispy metal case it comes in!

Rating:
Summary: Akira revisted.
Review: When I was around ten years old, I thought "Akira" was one of the greatest things ever created. I saw it so many times that I knew it frame-by-frame, could tell you every little guy who gets squashed by Tetsuo's powers, and could speak along with the character's dialogue. I even bought every original Marvel comic of "Akira," the soundtrack, "making of" documentary, cards and had a poster of "Akira" on the wall in my room for a long time. It prompted me to rent every Anime I could get a hold on for a long time. Nothing I've seen yet in Anime has been able to beat "Akira." However, I much neglected this classic for a long time and forget all about it until this DVD came out. I was so excited to see that "Akira" was being restored and given DVD treatment that it deserved. Well, when I finally saw it I was both stunned and horrified. The new remastered picture quality of "Akira" without any complaint is spectacular and breathtaking. This alone is the reason you should see the new "Akira." A lot of extra detail that is hard to spot in the original is in full focus here. It's so clear that sometimes night seems like day. However the new "Akira" Unfortunately has two errors that made me sadly give it four stars. Those two errors are the vocals and new dialogue! I know the first speakers in the original English version of "Akira" sounded like Americans but the new speakers are just laughable. Keneda sounds like a seven year old boy and the Akira kids made mew laugh the first time I heard them. In the original version of "Akira," at points they made me chill with fear (Sorry for sounding so cheesy.) I could not take any of the characters seriously when hearing the new speakers. The old speakers in the original version spoke with the right timing and dramatic skills. The new speakers sound like it's a read through. The new script is also horrible. All of the great one liners are butchered and filled a lot of irrelevant swearing and comments. It's so bad that I feel like the new "Akira" is at the same level as the original. Now that I told you my criticism. Let me say that "Akira" is still the greatest Anime ever and is still amazing by today standards. It has everything a great film should have. The themes are everything from politics to spirituality to an analysis of the human condition and the role of science playing God. And if you don't get the dramatic themes, it's just amazing to watch for the graphics. So while the new "Akira" is worth getting, I'll still keep my video copy of "Akira."

Rating:
Summary: Akira is one of the best sci-fi movies ever:animated or live
Review: The old version of this film was ground breaking. Animation and story were above and beyond for its time. Now to put it to the test. Digitally remastered and LOADED with special features the special edtion of AKIRA has gone mainstream! Entertainment magazines and critics from everywhere are giving their praises to the clasic in animation and adventure. And this isn't with out good reason, after the color and sound restoration, AKIRA is still a contender in the top notch animation categorie! The sound is beautiful as well! Voice acting really suffered on the translation but new-comers will never notice. And besides all the praise for its awesome action, animation, and features, AKIRA has a great story to boot! Kaneda and his friends belong to a bike gang in Neo-Toykyo (a rebuilt Toykyo, after a massive explosion created by "him" destroys the old city). Their fight for turf dominance leads them into something far greater! Kaneda is set out to find and rescue his friend Tetsuo, who has recieved massive psycic potential. Now Tetsuo wants to meet "him" and what happens could trigger the end....of everything.

Rating:
Summary: cool, but....YUCK!
Review: this is a really kewl anime movie. it has great animation and music. the violence gets a little over board and so does the language. still, the movie is very enjoyable untill the last 20 minutes. it completly freaked me out! i personaly dont like movies when people change into things painfully and oh does that happen here! its a scene when the charater Tetsuo changes into this huge mix of flesh and wires and its just soo wierd! and to add to that the ending makes no sense! i have to watch this a few more times to help understand it better but i wish that one scene wasnt so powerful and disturbing. if you can handle mature and violent scenes easily go ahead, but if you dont like body transformations like me, you may not want to watch that part.