Word of the Day: Akira

I've seen this film twice now. I still do not understand the ending. And when both me and my friend Anthony immediately said the end was dumb, our friend Cody (who was making us watch it) got really mad and said "What? It's so deep." Okay, what's it mean? He failed to provide anything resembling an explanation.

I've got the US-import manga compilations, some in the colorized '90s version, and some in the original black and white.  It's a very long story that doesn't condense well into 2 hours.

If you're going to go down a car-related anime direction, might I suggest 2010's Redline, from Studio Madhouse? 

It's, uh, really something. And I mean that in a good way. 

Wallens, if you haven't already, check out a guy named Joe peacock. (seriously). He curated the single largest collection of Akira stuff anywhere for a good long time. Gave talks, travelled the country, etc. Recently donated it to the Oscars museum and got the movie honored there. Cool stuff. 

Even after reading the phone books (the Manga is that long) the ending still isn't that clear. Regardless,  the animation,  especially the bike chace, still hold up. It is a film by which all other animation will be measured. To be an Otaku back then was difficult and expensive,  with mail order and oddball comic shops the only way to get our fix. Seeing it in 1990, it blew my mind, and things were never the same. 

In reply to NickD :

As mentioned, there is a lot of it that's cut out.  However the gist is that within Tetsuo and everyone else is the dormant power of a god.  Akira was brought back by the spooky-kids and helped Tetsuo get himself in check before he destroyed the world.  The little glowing thingie at the end that Kaneda touches is the real Tetsuo, not the physical remains that the govt carts off.

I could see it being seen as deep

TETSUO!

I remember seeing it back in the day. (Early 90s) One of my gamer buddies was big on anime and passed a copy around. Yeah, got sucked in to the otaku life of fan subs and tape trades then it was conventions and cosplay girls. It did motivate me to learn how the use a computer and the internet. 

Somehow through that 15 year period I managed to keep autocrossing and maintain a shred of non-geek life.

Duke said:

I just threw up in my mouth. The world doesn't need this kind of blasphemy; some people need to step away from the kool aid...