AKIRA (1988)
A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a teenage biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by his best friend. Released in 1988, Akira is one of the film gems that became an instant cult classic in 1988. The film was a clear source of inspiration for The Matrix (1999) and contributed to the global breakthrough of anime and manga such as Pokémon, Dragon Ball, Cowboy Bebop, and Ghost in the Shell.
We are partnering up with Chassé Theater and during Dutch Game Week you will get the chance to enjoy a special screening of the film’s 4K restored version, with an introduction by Steve Morris, lecturer in Production and Design at BUas.
In July 1988, World War III breaks out after a new weapon of mass destruction is deployed in Japan’s Kanto region. Thirty-one years later, in 2019, the city is gearing up for the Olympic Games, and traces of the former glory of the megalopolis Neo-Tokyo can still be seen here and there. Kaneda, leader of a motorcycle gang, races through the desolate streets of the city. One evening, gang member Tetsuo runs into a strange test subject from a government experiment.
Right before Kaneda and the gang’s eyes, Tetsuo and the mysterious boy are taken away to a military laboratory. Kaneda tries to break in to rescue Tetsuo and discovers that Tetsuo has developed supernatural powers. Meanwhile, one of the test subjects predicts the awakening of Akira. As Tetsuo tests his new powers, he penetrates the underworld where Akira lies dormant.
Directed by: Katsuhiro Ōtomo
Writers: Katsuhiro ŌtomoIzō Hashimoto
Stars: Mitsuo IwataNozomu SasakiMami Koyama
Country of origin: Japan
Language: Japanese
Year of release: 1988
Runtime: 2h 4 min
Akira‘s depiction of a crumbling, neon-lit Neo-Tokyo governed by corporate greed, secret government experiments, and military crackdowns established the visual and thematic blueprint for sci-fi video games.
The film’s iconic motorcycle slide has been recreated in numerous games—such as in Overwatch 2 for Tracer—while Kaneda’s futuristic motorcycle inspired vehicles like the “Kusanagi” in Cyberpunk 2077.
The anime’s exploration of psychic powers, hidden military agendas, and speculative sci-fi inspired characters like Psycho Mantis and The Sorrow in Metal Gear Solid, as well as elements in Snatcher and Death Stranding.
Plots featuring a powerful, unstable psychic or mutated human experiment hunted or manipulated by shadowy organizations—seen in titles like Final Fantasy VII and Shin Megami Tensei—draw heavily from the relationship between Tetsuo and Kaneda.
