How Akira Shaped the Global Perception of Anime
As a huge fan of anime, I’m excited to share my very first article on one of the greatest anime films ever made, Akira (1988). When Akira hit theaters, it not only changed the landscape of Japanese animation but also introduced anime to the Western world. With its stunning visuals, complex narrative, and mature themes, Akira helped pave the way for the anime boom that followed, transforming a niche art form into a celebrated global phenomenon.
Released in the late 1980s, the film was adapted from Katsuhiro Otomo’s manga of the same name, which depicted a post apocalyptic Tokyo grappling with the aftermath of a devastating war. The story follows Kaneda, the leader of a biker gang, and his friend Tetsuo. After Tetsuo becomes involved in a government experiment following a motorcycle accident, he develops dangerous psychic powers that threaten the city’s existence.
Akira played a crucial role in popularizing the cyberpunk genre. Its depiction of a dystopian future, coupled with themes of technological advancement was way ahead of its time. Everything was hand drawn at that time if you watch the movie you can see it clearly . Every sequence has expressive colors which was painstakingly drawn by hand. There’s 327 different color shades in the film, 50 of which were invented for it. These colors symbolize different themes and emotions. For example red meaning a sense of urgency and intensity. Green represents that are unnatural or artificial or scenes with mysterious elements of technology. Akira pushed the boundaries of traditional animation, introducing groundbreaking techniques that amazed viewers.
Akira was one of the first anime to gain popularity outside of Japan. The legacy of Akira is evident in its lasting influence on both creators and audiences. Films like Midnight Special, Looper, The Matrix, Chronicle, Inception, and even the TV show Stranger Things, all borrowed thematically and stylistically from Akira. The film’s success laid the groundwork for the anime boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s. It opened doors for future anime classics like Ghost in the Shell and Spirited Away, demonstrating that anime could tell stories that resonate across cultures.
The “Akira slide” is regarded as one of the most iconic anime scenes of all time. It refers to a scene where Kaneda slides into view on his motorbike, using a sideways slide to bring the bike to a halt, while it gives off a trail of smoke and electric sparks caused by the slide. The Akira slide appears in films like X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Sonic the Hedgehog, and many other animated films as well.
As a viewer, you can feel its world on a visceral level. The towering megastructures, neon-lit streets, and gritty cyberpunk aesthetic immerse you in a dystopian future that feels both alien and familiar. The film doesn’t just show a city on the brink of chaos it pulls you into its heartbeat, with every detail of Neo-Tokyo making the city feel alive, blurring the lines between what is organic and what is mechanical. This powerful sense of immersion, combined with deep philosophical themes and groundbreaking animation, is what has made Akira a cultural phenomenon.
