The Sci-Fi Masterpiece, Akira Will Explode Onto 300+ Screens Next Month!
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Carl Roberts 
Witness the masterpiece that redefined science fiction, Akira, as it explodes onto cinema and IMAX screens in April. Get the details here.
Relive one of the most influential Sci-Fi stories ever told, 35 years after it introduced UK audiences to the cinematic spectacle and powerful stories of anime. Anime Limited are excited to announce that Katsuhiro Otomo’s landmark cyberpunk epic AKIRA is exploding back onto cinema screens. Moreover, it will be featured on IMAX from Friday, 17th April.
Rebuilt from the ashes of World War III, Neo-Tokyo is a breathtaking, neon-lit metropolis where lawlessness and corruption run rampant. Racing through its streets are Kaneda and Tetsuo, two delinquents and members of a biker gang. When they stumble upon a secret government plot and Tetsuo undergoes experimentation, the outcome is an explosive, mesmerizing masterpiece of animation that transforms cinema forever.
THE PREMISE
Iconic and game-changing, AKIRA is the definitive anime masterpiece! Katsuhiro Otomo’s landmark cyberpunk classic obliterated the boundaries of Japanese animation and forced the world to look into the future. In fact, AKIRA‘s arrival shattered traditional thinking. This created space for future generations of ground-breaking movies.
July, 1988— World War III breaks loose. Then, in 2019, in megalopolis Tokyo…
As the leader of a group of young robust delinquents, Kaneda spent his nights tearing through the urban wastes, racing his motorbike against rival groups. One night, while riding with his gang, Tetsuo encounters a strange boy—an outcome of human experimentation. During the chaos that ensues, he gets injured in the subsequent crash. Shortly thereafter, a military squadron appears on the scene to take the boy and Tetsuo away to an army research facility. Kaneda is determined to free Tetsuo from capture, so he sneaks into the army research lab. However, a regimen of extreme experimental procedures has awakened a new power in his friend. Now Tetsuo is consumed by madness…
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
Premiering in Japan in 1988, AKIRA made its way to global audiences in the following years. It reached the UK and Ireland in 1991. The film was a cultural moment that introduced audiences around the world to anime. The Washington Post declared AKIRA “a visceral example of the future of animation” – an assessment proven true by anime’s rise as a global box office force. Now anime rivals even Hollywood blockbusters.
AKIRA has endured as one of the most influential films ever made, from homages recreating iconic scenes and imagery across pop culture, to the film’s celebrated place as “a vital cornerstone of the cyberpunk genre” (British Film Institute). In addition, renowned film critic Robbie Collin acknowledged “plenty of superb recent blockbusters, including The Matrix, The Dark Knight, Minority Report, Dark City and Inception, are all in its debt”.
★★★★★ Total Film
★★★★★ The Guardian
★★★★★ News of the World
“The gold standard of anime feature films” Polygon
“Simply put, no AKIRA, no Matrix. It’s that important” EMPIRE
ANIME LIMITED
Founded in Glasgow in 2012, Anime Limited are honoured to continue their mission of celebrating unique and original cinema by bringing the film that started it all back to the big screen – including the explosive spectacle of IMAX. Whether you’ve enjoyed AKIRA over the years or are discovering this classic for the very first time, there’s no better way to experience it than on the biggest screen possible, as originally intended. Sign up for updates at AkiraFilm.co.uk to find a screening near you.
AKIRA releases in IMAX and cinemas in both Japanese with English subtitles, and English dubbed versions, from Friday, 17th April.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
