Most critics are agreed: fifteen of sixteen reviews are positive, and the praise clusters almost entirely on the animation. The hand-drawn artwork, the detail in each frame of Neo-Tokyo, the colour and the scale of the destruction are named again and again, along with the sound and score. Several reviews treat the film as a turning point for animation and a model for much that followed. The themes are noted too: nuclear anxiety, distrust of government, a lost generation.
The reservations are about the story. Even admiring reviews call the plot crowded, rushed or overcomplicated, with too many characters and supporting players who matter less than the spectacle; the English dub and some stiffness in human movement also get a mention. The one dissent comes from the Los Angeles Times, which finds the film a jumble of clichés and thinks viewers without knowledge of the source comics will be lost. Otherwise the spread is narrow, running from warm to rapturous.
E
Empire
1 January 2000 · Kim Newman
90*
The critic describes Otomo's film as an ingenious cyber-punk epic beginning and ending with devastation, obsessed with power, rebellion and a changing friendship. It singles out the scintillating hand-drawn animated visuals as unmatched, declaring the film vitally important to cinema.
The critic hails Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 anime as his finest achievement, a brilliantly drawn extravaganza now restored in high definition. It singles out the film's aesthetic passion, visual flair and underlying philosophy amid its anarchic violence as what elevates it among the greatest animated features.
The critic calls 'Akira' a phenomenal work of animation with the hallmarks of an instant cult classic. She singles out the intricate, detailed artwork and vibrant color palette for praise.
The astonishing 1988 animation is essential viewing that you cannot write the story of popular culture without. Its hand-drawn artistry is impeccable and the visuals, cityscapes and action have endured as ideologically bleak, incessantly violent and astonishing.
31 December 1987 · festival review · Variety Staff
90*
The review describes the film as a lavish animation extravaganza and a remarkable technical achievement in design and sound. It notes a minor drawback in the slight stiffness of human movement animation.
The piece celebrates Akira as one of the most vivid and technically accomplished animation films ever made. It singles out the unprecedented use of 160,000 cels for fluid detail and the innovative pre-scoring of dialogue, crediting it with elevating animation for a sophisticated global audience and inspiring later filmmakers.
The critic explores how Akira mirrors the trauma of Hiroshima and Nagasaki through its themes of government distrust, military failure and apocalyptic destruction. It highlights the film's portrayal of a lost generation and ends on a note of cautious hope amid the ruins of Neo-Tokyo.
The 1988 cyberpunk animation re-emerges as a deeply strange nightmare about destruction and rebirth. It delivers a startling post- and pre-apocalyptic nuclear-age parable of anxiety, with a thanatonic rapture in its vision of a world ending and being reborn.
The review praises the film's towering achievement of imagination and the miraculous detail in each frame as a miracle of film artistry. It notes that Otomo favours spectacle above all else, so supporting players feel less integral to the story.
The critic finds the 1988 film a landmark animated production whose script is crowded and rushed but whose imagery is incomparable, with post-apocalyptic Tokyo vividly realized in both intimate action scenes and large-scale destruction. Otomo's use of sound and a restored version's visuals are singled out for praise.
The critic dismisses 'Akira' as a compendium of the worst clichés of Japanese animation and a jumble of high-tech visuals. He complains that the convoluted story will leave most viewers lost without prior knowledge of the source comics.
The critic finds the 1988 film still a quintessential cyberpunk experience that effectively discusses the dangers of scientific knowledge without moral guidance. The hand-drawn animation remains eye-popping and technically groundbreaking more than three decades later.
The critic praises Akira as one of the most important and influential animated features, highlighting its technical brilliance, kinetic animation, and human story beneath the violence and intrigue. They single out the exhilarating motorcycle scene and the film's distinctive design and score for praise.
The critic calls Akira a classic and a step change in animation, praising its stunning visuals, attention to detail, and bold imagery as a spectacular watch. Minor complaints include an overcomplicated plot, too many characters, and a clumsy English dub.
The critic celebrates Akira as an essential, landmark sci-fi and gateway anime that introduced the genre to Western audiences and influenced countless films. They single out its imaginative, dense, and high-bar-setting animation and storytelling as standing the test of time.
The review lauds Akira as a visually stunning and kinetically energetic anime classic that remains relevant, praising its detailed animation and dark parable on societal breakdown. It singles out the stunning design and prescient themes for praise while noting the violence may not suit everyone.
Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate
