C&C - Akira [12/20]

[Daikun]

Toonami's 2014 Month of Movies continues with an encore presentation of Akira, one of the greatest anime films of all time.

The film takes place 31 years after World War III in a dystopian Neo-Tokyo where a power struggle ravages the city. A child involved in a top-secret conspiracy project breaks free from his captors and accidentally brings a motorcycle gang with him. One of the gang members, Tetsuo, is captured and has his mind imbued with psychic powers, which he then uses to wage a war against the city.

Enjoy the movie tonight at 1.5AM. Only Toonami.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Again here's the old Talkback for historical purposes.

 

[Dudley]

Ah Akira. I remember when I first watched it back around 2000/2001. It was the first R rated animated anything I've ever watched. And I couldn't sleep after watching it.
One hand, the animation is fantastic, and it truly is one the greatest animated films ever made.
On the other hand, I don't like it. It's a little dark for my taste.

 

[Nobodyman]

The first time I saw Akira was way back in middle school, (also around 2001) when I watched it at a friend's house (the same friend who was responsible for helping me really get into anime and manga). I thought it was pretty confusing and the art style was kind of off-putting (it is a very gritty style) on my first viewing, but I've read the manga and rewatched the film once or twice since then and, yeah, it's a pretty solid movie with superb animation. Tonight, as with any rewatch, I'll see how it holds up now that I'm older and more experienced.

 

[ShadowGUN]

First time I saw Akira was at friend of my mom house when I was 8 years old . Her teenage daughter rent it and put it for me to watch while our mother talk. Surprising I enjoy the movie even at that age and to this day I don't remenber much of the violence but the beautiful animation and soundtrack. Later when I was in college I bought the DVD and it still as awesome as I remenber.

 

[macattack]

The soundtrack is one of the most unique in anime history. While on paper it sounds a lot like Naruto's score (traditional Japanese drumming, electric guitars and power drums, lots of electronics and Japanese chanting), the execution is much, much different than Naruto's. It's really hard to describe, but it's also quite beautiful and unquestionably Akira.

I am glad the 2001 dub is the one being run as well. Both dubs have their issues but the 2001 dub does a much better job of keeping the intent of the original version intact and also manages to keep the dialogue synced to the lip movements for the most part. The 2001 dub also has much better acting: Joshua Seth, Johnny Yong Bosch, and Wendee Lee do a good job of sounding age-appropriate and sound more "real" than the actors in the 1989 dub.

The real treat is in the visuals. Everyone is in for a feast for the eyes tonight. Few animated films on either side of the Pacific match Akira in raw fluidity, whether it is an explosion or a simple walking motion. Very, very few cut corners are present here.

 

[WickedChild]

I remember when the first Blu-Ray came out, I was blown away by the remastered audio on the Japanese track. The English track sounded the same as the old DVD and didn't sound nearly as good. Does the new Blu-Ray have the remastered audio for the English dub as well and will that be what we hear tonight?

I still wish we would get the Streamline dub tonight. I cringe every time I hear "AH-kee-lah" or "KAH-ne-dah" from someone with an American accent.

Does anyone have any experience with the Marvel released colorized issues of the Manga from the early 90s? I've read a part of the B&W omnibus, but I'm seriously considering Ebay-ing the colorized issues if I can find them. I've heard the color job was outstanding, but I'm worried, since it was so long ago before manga had more popular support here, that Marvel may have censored things or tried to kiddify it or at least tone it down some. I can't seem to get a straight answer on that.

 

[Megumi]

Hesitant to stay up until 3 just for Akira. Saturday nights are the only time of the week I log in though. I'll see how I feel at showtime I suppose.

 

[zoombie]

Okay this movie is not for the faint of heart, there will be gore tonight. The most gore we have seen here since Deadman Wonderland.

 

[ShamarDJ]

I wonder when was the last time that this film has been on the air..

 

[The Talon]

I'll be honest, outside of a couple of Youtube clips I saw around the time that Chronicle was in theaters, I've never actually seen this movie fully. I guess I'm in for a wild ride.

 

[veemonjosh]

I wonder when was the last time that this film has been on the air..

It aired at least once on the Sci-Fi Channel during the 90's. Interestingly enough, I actually found the promo from that airing (billed as the "American Television Premiere"):

[video=youtube;Obp20OjFIrc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obp20OjFIrc[/video]

It presumably hasn't aired on US television since then. And since that had to have been the Streamline dub, this is the first time the Pioneer dub has aired on television.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

No one will be seated during

Spoiler

the terrifying stuffed animal sequence.

 

[animePWNS]

Neo Tokyo is about to explode! (Someone had to say it here)

 

[Nobodyman]

"Dear viewers, you're regularly scheduled Toonami has been preempted for a month of kickass anime movies. We at Toonami are confident that you will understand."

And we open with an a-bomb explosion. Because Japan is still riding that scooter.

 

[animePWNS]

Ooh, subtitles. Thanks.

Capsule coat. I wonder if this inspired the pill in The Matrix.

Joshua Seth, how I miss you.

 

[Kitschensyngk]

Well, last week, Bleach didn't interest me much, Naruto aired on Cartoon Network for the final time, I don't really comment on One Piece, Soul Eater was getting interesting, Sword Art Online made me uncomfortable, and FLCL ended.
Tonight, the movie that would see to it that we would hear of these shows today.

Anime to world: "Hi."

I SAW AN UNFROSTED F-WORD!

 

[Nobodyman]

Your Kaneda and Tetsuo for this evening will be played by Ichigo and Tai.

Nothin' like good ol' acts of random street violence. On Motorcycles!

 

[Kitschensyngk]

Damn kids with their bikes and their Molotov cocktails and their Sony Walkmans! WHY AREN'T YOU IN SCHOOL?

And to think while they were making this we Americans just had ponies, Smurfs and gummy bears.

There's the infamous bike-braking moment.

 

[zoombie]

If you are going to miss you weakly dose of Bleach, you have some Johnny Yong Bosh tonight. Plus see Tai be a duchbag all night. Enjoy the show.