Akira (1988)

1988 • TMDB 7.9 • 2h 4m • Animation, Science Fiction, Action

Overview

Akira is the landmark that took anime global and rewrote what animation could do. In the year 2019, Neo-Tokyo — a sprawling megacity rebuilt after a mysterious explosion — simmers with gang violence, student protests, and government corruption. When biker gang member Tetsuo Shima crashes into a strange, childlike psychic, he awakens terrifying telekinetic powers that the military has been hiding for decades. As Tetsuo’s abilities spiral out of control, his best friend and gang leader Kaneda fights to save him, while resistance fighter Kei and the mysterious children known as the Espers race to stop a catastrophe tied to a boy named Akira. Director Katsuhiro Otomo’s hand-drawn animation remains staggering: neon-drenched streets, fluid motorcycle chases, and body horror that still shocks. Beneath the spectacle lies a sharp warning about unchecked power, militarism, and youth abandoned by adults. Akira is not just a great anime film — it is one of the most influential films ever made, full stop.

Director & Cast

• Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
• Mitsuo Iwata as Shotaro Kaneda (voice)
• Nozomu Sasaki as Tetsuo Shima (voice)
• Mami Koyama as Kei (voice)
• Taro Ishida as Colonel Shikishima (voice)
• Mizuho Suzuki as Doctor Onishi (voice)
• Tessyo Genda as Ryusaku (voice)
• Koichi Kitamura as Priestess Miyako (voice)
• Yuriko Fuchizaki as Kaori (voice)
• Masaaki Okura as Yamagata (voice)

Why Watch Akira?

Akira rewards every kind of viewer. Animation fans get hand-drawn craft at a scale rarely attempted since, sci-fi fans get a cyberpunk vision that predicted our anxieties about surveillance, protest, and runaway technology, and newcomers get a propulsive thriller anchored by the friendship — and rivalry — between Kaneda and Tetsuo. Its influence runs through The Matrix, Stranger Things, and countless music videos, yet nothing has quite matched its combination of beauty and dread. If you watch one classic anime film, make it this one.

Official Trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube: Akira | Official Trailer (Crunchyroll)

Where to Watch

In the US, Akira streams on Crunchyroll and the Crunchyroll Amazon Channel. It is available to rent in 4K for $4.99 on Apple TV Store, $5.66 on Amazon Video, and $5.99 on Fandango At Home, and to buy for $12.99 on Apple TV Store, $18.99 on Fandango At Home, and $19.99 on Amazon Video. Check current availability on JustWatch US.

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Poster: TMDB. Rating and runtime verified on TMDB. Streaming status checked on JustWatch US, October 29, 2026.