Retro Post

Took the van to work today so I could gas it up as gas is much cheaper up the road than it is here in town. One of the benefits to doing this is that the van includes a DVD player. So I throw something in for listening purposes on those rare instances that I find myself behind the wheel. Today I popped in the recent update of Akira.

Akira is considered one of the milestone pieces of anime. And rightfully so. When it came out over here the timing was such that the existing anime fans rejoiced at something new and a whole new generation of anime fans came into being. It's a little funny that you can somewhat date anime fans much like layers in rock by what they consider their introductory show.

Anyway, Akira is a stunning piece of work. One of the things that I always find amusing about the show is the fact that I forget just how violent it is in between viewings. For me Akira isn't about violence. It's about power and change and what happens to people when they receive power they aren't ready for. The original version of the show that came out over here in the 80s (I think) is, admittedly, something of an enigma. The dub wasn't the greatest (in terms of clarity) and the show itself was pretty long (for the time) - back then I'm not sure I'd ever seen a movie that clocked in over 2 hours, let alone an animated movie. But despite the murk that makes up the plot, it was something different. Something interesting.

The recent update that Pioneer released really allows Akira to shine. Sure, it's still a 2,000 page graphic novel condensed into a 2 hour movie, but the new script really does clear up some of the confusion as to what's going on. You get a little more of the motivations behind what's happening and things start to click. Plus it got a great graphical and aural update (minus the fact that they turned Kaneda's bike orange - it's red! RED you fools!)

If you're a fan of the show and you haven't tracked down the original comics, do yourself a favor and grab the recent Dark Horse re-release. You get the whole thing in six large collections. It's a great set and you'll gain a greater appreciation for the story. Characters that were relegated to cameos or ignored are fleshed out, people you thought were "bad guys" turn out to be far more human and the whole story takes on an even greater weight as political intrigue and personal strengths and weaknesses join the stage with the aforementioned study of power and evolution. It's a great example of what science fiction can show the world about itself.

So that's some of what makes Akira special. I do need to point out that the anime is actually rather violent. There are probably those of you out there wondering just how I can forget that fact when I haven't watched it in a while. To you I say, "eh..." To the rest of you, you probably understand.