What was the cultural impact of Akira (1988), and why does it occupy a key place in the canon of anime greats?
Anime has become increasingly popular through its introduction in Western societies, however it has been a thriving genre in Japan for decades. Bond (2020) explains that anime in the Western part of the world is believed to be Japanese made animation, but in Japan, anime is referred to as any type of cartoon or animation whether or not it was created in Japan.
Among many anime films, there is one that stands out above the rest as being the most influential and important animes ever created. Akira is a cyberpunk manga/anime and was originally written as a manga by Katsuhiro Otomo in the year of 1988 (Chu, 218). The story is set in futuristic Tokyo, 31 years after an atomic bomb was dropped by the Japanese government due to failed ESP experiments on children. The story follows a bike gang, with leader Kaneda, trying to save one of his friends and members, Tetsuo, who is captured and experimented on as a secret government project. It is later discovered that Tetsuo has supernatural powers that the government is interested in, however Tetsuo struggles to contain them (Lindwasser, 2019).
Akira is labelled by many as one of the greatest anime films to ever grace the earth. It has also been known to have culturally impacted Western society, and it has successfully influenced not only Western television, but also books, and even music. According to Lindwasser (2019), Akira has made an impact on many famous Western music videos, television series, and movies such as The Matrix, Stranger Things, The Simpsons, and even Kanye West’s ‘Stronger’ music video. Chu (2018), explains that Akira’s deep rooted storyline and impressive painted and hand drawn landscapes has opened a window for a generation of new works. Without the film’s success, there would be a shortage in creativeness and there would not be as many inspired people willing to delve into controversial topics.
The film and manga series of Akira occupies a place in the canon of anime greats not only because of the influence it has had across cultures, but also because of the well told story it follows and the intricate artwork that is presented throughout. Akira also managed to create a whole new generation of fans. Because of the massive success that Akira gained, it also helped bring fans closer to other Japanese anime films which helped the popularity of anime grow. Without Akira’s success, many of these other significant anime films would not be as popular as they are now. Akira has earned its spot at the top as one of the most influential anime masterpieces to come out of Japan, and hopefully there are many more in the works.
References
Bond, J. M. (2020). Why Anime is More Popular Now Than Ever. Daily dot. https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/what-is-anime/
Chu, H. (2018). Why the pioneering Japanese anime ‘Akira’ is still relevant 30 years later. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Lindwasser, A. (2019). Ways That ‘Akira’ Is Far More Influential Than You Think. Ranker. https://www.ranker.com/list/all-the-things-influenced-by-akira/anna-lindwasser
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