Akira - 4K & Blu-ray [4K UHD]

Love that this finally was available in 4k. The remastered version is super clear. Really enjoyed this version of this classic anime.

There's nothing to be said about the film itself. It's a classic in animation with art like no other. You can really appreciate the artist work that went into drawing every scene. The price, watch out. Amazon doing amazon things. I purchased for thirteen a month ago, now the "black friday deal" has it for eighteen.

Awesome Anime!

The 2-disc DVD set of AKIRA surpasses in many ways even the excellent Criterion's laserdisc edition from 1992. The brand-new video transfer is noticeably better: colors, especially the primary reds and greens, look more brilliant, flesh tones are more realistic, and there is a bit MORE picture at the bottom (in particular, the shot at time 1:16:23 reveals part of Kaneda's crouching body that was not seen on old transfers). The 5.1 English track, though not state of the art, is highly active and satisfying. The new English dub and subtitles are better written and spoken, making the characterizations more real and the story more comprehensible. In the scene where the colonel meets the senator (Chapter 8), the old English dub had the senator sounding concerned and supportive. On the new dub, he sounds cold and indifferent, in keeping with his subsequent body gesture of fiddling with his plants. The new dub also has characters speaking in correct pitches -- Kei's voice is now lower, and Masaru no longer sounds like an old man, but like a child, just like on the Japanese track. Also welcomed are the correct pronunciations of Japanese names: AH-kee-ra, KAH-nee-dah, KAH-oh-ri. Last but not least, the new dub makes more frequent uses of strong language to enhance reality. The DVD supplements include interviews of the voice actors for the new dub, who certainly deserve to be mentioned. Here is one thing that this DVD pales in comparison to the Criterion LD. The LD included still-frames of the entire first issue of the original Akira comic novel. It is a shame that this DVD does not include even one screen shot of the actual comic strips that inspired this movie (it does include shots of the COVERS of the comic novels) just to benefit those who have never seen them or do not own the LD. Other DVD supplements include an excellent 48-minute making-of documentary (the Criterion LD had excerpts of it). It has plenty of behind-the-scenes footage: artists drawing pencil tests, actors recording their lines, musicians composing a score with wood xylophones, photographers taking shots of finished "cels". We are told that it was not the norm in Japanese animation films to record the dialogs before drawing the pictures, as it was done for AKIRA. The youthful director Katsuhiro Otomo appears in his own 30-minute interview segment (not on the LD), where he recalls various processes of making the Akira comics and the Akira movie, and speculates on what he will do next. Yet another half-hour segment, "Akira Sound Clips", explains how the movie's score was conceptualized and recorded. The most prized supplement on the DVD is perhaps the mammoth collection of the film's storyboards, character designs, and background designs. The storyboards, done by Otomo himself, are the most meticulously designed ones I've ever seen; each of them is denoted with Scene/Cut number (under "S" and "C" on the left), notes, dialogs, and time of duration of the shot. To help locating a storyboard among the 4500 of them, the printed chapter index is cross-referenced with Scene/Cut numbers of its corresponding storyboards. Rather disappointing is a short featurette that tersely describes the new video transfer of the DVD with only interviews of 3 technicians and no demonstration of the restoration by way of before-and-after comparisons. There is also an interesting feature called "capsule option". When it is enabled, a capsule icon pops up on the screen from time to time while the movie is playing, and when you activate the icon, the screen pauses and shows you English text translation of the Japanese words on the screen -- traffic signs, graffitis, postings, etc.

Great movie!

Anime has never been something I felt drawn to, yet there are many titles to which aficionados of the genre/style will always point you and which have achieved a sort of name recognition among those who wouldn't necessarily consider themselves fans. AKIRA is one of those films, and it happens to be the first anime film I've ever seen. The setting is 2019 in Neo-Tokyo, so named because of an apocalyptic event which took place 31 years earlier. The rebuilt city isn't too different from what you might find in a post-apocalyptic/dystopian sci-fi story. What stood out most to me, and the most recognizable elements of this type of story, was the portrayal of a fascist police state where government and those in authority abuse their power and the citizens fight against them. Not only do they show this violence, but there is also a lot of graffiti which provides subtext and context to the overall situation. Some of it went over my head because it's probably specific to Japanese society when this film (and the source graphic novel) were made, but the broad strokes of oppressive regimes, the military-industrial complex and populist uprisings should resonate with most viewers. All of this, and I haven't even gotten to what makes this story unique. At the center of this story is a biker gang, and one of the members, Tetsuo, is captured by a secret military group that studies people with psychic abilities. There is also another group of people who prophecy about the return of some mystical Akira, who will either bring balance or destruction. To be honest, I don't completely understand all of the plot intricacies, but most of the time I was being blown away by the stunning hand-drawn animation. I've never completely warmed up to computer animation, but animated films such as this one have an artistry to them that is second to none (when done right). One minor complaint I have is that the English dub (and I don't really like dubs) was a bit iffy in places. What I mean by that is some of the voice acting was a bit over-the-top. Still, it wasn't too distracting like it might be in a live-action film. My other minor complaint has to do with the length of the film. The third act was perhaps a little bit too protracted and it messed with the overall pacing. Still, I ended up liking this film a lot and look forward to delving into more anime in the future.

🏍️ Akira 4K SteelBook Edition – A Cyberpunk Masterpiece Reimagined Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira is a landmark in animation and science fiction, and the 4K SteelBook release elevates this classic to a whole new level. Whether you're revisiting Neo-Tokyo or experiencing it for the first time, this edition delivers a stunning audiovisual experience wrapped in collector-grade packaging. --- 🎥 Video Quality: Native 4K Brilliance - Format: 2160p UHD with HDR10 - Remaster: Native 4K scan from original film elements The remaster is jaw-dropping. The hand-drawn animation bursts with detail, and the neon-soaked cityscapes of Neo-Tokyo look sharper and more vibrant than ever. The HDR grading enhances contrast and color depth, especially in scenes like the iconic motorcycle chase and Tetsuo’s psychic rampage. --- 🔊 Audio: Immersive Soundscapes - Audio Tracks: Japanese and English 5.1 surround - The sound design is immersive, with the haunting score and explosive action sequences filling the room. While some fans still cringe at the English dub’s dated delivery, the Japanese track remains the definitive experience. --- 📦 Packaging & Extras - SteelBook Design: Sleek, minimalist artwork with embossed details - Bonus Features: Includes interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and a retrospective on Akira’s cultural impact - The SteelBook itself is a collector’s dream—sturdy, stylish, and worthy of display. --- 🧠 Final Verdict Akira 4K SteelBook Edition is a definitive release of one of the greatest anime films ever made. The remaster is pristine, the packaging is premium, and the film’s themes of power, identity, and dystopia remain as relevant as ever.

Awesome movie! A classic! A must-see if you like the genre.