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"Akira", created by Mitsuo Iwara, could probably be defined as an "Anime Classic". It isn't exactly the most charming story, but it has still managed to grab the attention of most of the Anime world.

"Akira" is a movie based on manga (surprise, surprise), and I must say that I liked the manga a whole lot better. It goes a whole lot further into the story, and the characters are developed much better. Unfortunately, it does lack the special effects of the movie, which is a shame. Though I do not particularly care for Iwara's style (to me, it hardly compares to other artists such as Miyazaki and Amano.), the effort put into making "Akira" can't be beat. The mouths match the words almost perfectly (if you're watching the subbed version - I don't know about dubbed, though. Dubbing is evil, so it probably doesn't match up at all.) and the attention that was paid to detail in each frame is very evident.

Our story technically starts in 1988, on July 16. A new type of bomb is dropped on Tokyo. Over the course of the next 35 years or so, a new city (Neo-Tokyo) is built around the crater that was once Tokyo. In this new age, the streets are all but ruled by biker gangs. One such gang is led by a boy named Kaneda, a juvenile deliquent that thinks the ladies love him.

Terrorists kidnap a child from a government facility, and one of them is shot to death while carrying the kid. The child screams, and a nearby building collapses. Terrorists Ryu and Kei are just a little freaked out, but continue with their mission.

As his gang is fighting with a rival gang, ("The Clowns", I believe) Kaneda's friend Tetsuo nearly runs over the small child (who looks like a wrinkled old man, only three feet tall) that has just been kidnapped. The child (Takashi) causes Tetsuo's bike to explode through his psychic abilities and his strong fear. The army arrives with another child like Takashi, named Masaru, and take Takashi and Tetsuo to the hospital, while arresting the rest of the gang (who show up soon after the bike explodes).

The next day at school, Kaneda and his gang (minus Tetsuo) are disciplined by the gym teacher and are forced to thank him for beating the snot out of them. It is almost funny to hear them say "Thank you, sir!" after being punched, but at the same time, it kind of...isn't.

I am going to go shopping with my mom now, so for a more complete synopsis, please go here. I promise to finish this later.

Look, all! We're making PROGRESS!

StoneD