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Akira Re-Released
Greg Lee writes "Pioneer Entertainment has re-released Akira! Originally released in 1988, this film is still cutting edge 13 years later. Two versions of the film have been re-released on DVD: One is a regular version, and the other is a special edition in a metal case with a second DVD filled with goodies. (Mine also came with a free animation cell from the movie!) Pioneer's website has not yet been updated to reflect the release." The deluxe DVD looks great - THX certed, Dolby 5.1, remastering script.
For those of you who may be wondering what Akira is about, it's a movie where Neo-Tokyo has risen from the ashes of World War III to become a dark and dangerous megalopolis infested with gangs and terrorists. The government seethes with corruption and only maintains a token control over the powerful military that prevents total chaos and hides the secrets of the past. Childhood friends Tetsuo and Kaneda plunge into Neo-Tokyo's darkest secret when their motorcycle gang encounters a military operation to retrieve an escaped experimental subject. Tetsuo, captured by the military, is subjected to experiments that make him a powerful psychic, but unfortunately for Neo-Tokyo, Testuo's powers rage out of control and he lashes out at the world that has oppressed him. Nothing can stop the destructive forces that Tetsuo wields except possibly the last boy to destroy Tokyo.
I rented Akira from Blockbuster a few years ago, and both my wife and I thought that it made absolutely no sense whatsoever. A big, confusing, muddled bore.
Later I found out that Blockbuster had removed all of the "drug-related" scenes.
It also appears that the music timing is different. For example, the first fight with the clowns: the contrasting music of Kaneda vs. the clown boss -- when they're playing chicken -- isn't as dramatic as I remember it. In the older version, switching between shots of each charachter also switched music... and it was a very powerful contrast. In this new version, the music is, well, 'smoothed out' -- it's more consistant, but you lose a bit of the drama.
I got my copy last night from my local mom-n-pop anime & rollplaying shop -- heck, the 2-disc set was $2 cheaper than Best Buy! ($25.99 vs. $27.99) I like the metal case, but there was no cel in it... I guess Greg Lee got a different version. Also, mine is black & silver, not metallic blue & silver (like Microlith's / comment #27) How many versions are there???
The in-depth look at the music of Akira is a nice plus, too (it's on Disc 2). Geinoh Yamashiro Gumi actually made the music before the movie... I did not know that. The bamboo instruments, the ability of (at the time) new tuning abilities of MIDI instruments & sampling... all kinds of things we now take for granted that were bleeding edge in the 80s...
DAMN.
Been waiting for this ever since last November!
You did remember to support your local merchant instead of a megacorp, didn't you? Even Amazon is more expensive than Best Buy!
"...America's great minds of today, teaching America's great minds of tomorrow. Poor bastards." -- A Beautiful Min
The restoration is incredible, especially when compared to the video in the extras Pioneer got for the second disc.
The second disc is excellent as well. Tons of extras, including 2 documentaries made back in '88 on the making of Akira. Both in Japanese, they have subtitles and a voiceover read the onscreen text.
The case itself, at least the tin one, is beautiful. A slight metallic blue, both sides hinge off a silver center, with the disc mounts attached to the inside of each panel. A beautiful case, but it won't fit in a standard DVD holder.
For those who are cheaper, they're releasing the movie in a standard keepcase sans the extras disc. And those who missed/don't want the tin, they'll be releasing a plastic-cased "special edition" set with both discs.
Although I ignored the dub (which I hear is pretty good this time around), I finally got to hear the Japanese track. With the new translation, the story MAKES SENSE NOW. All you have to do is pay attention. It also helps to read the first few books of the manga, which'll introduce you to all of the characters (though their roles are changed significantly).
A great release, best of the year so far. Pioneer spent the money and made good on their promises.
Akira is the exact same way. Very confusing with no explaination, and not just that you have to sit through the whole thing to get it explained at the end. The *entire* thing is pretty much left unresolved; not just the various subplots. It makes a very poor introduction to anime in general, unless you just get hooked on the very well done art and the entire idea of animation for serious adult consumption.
To prevent anyone from thinking I'm totally bashing it, let me say that I'm not. It's just that IMHO it was made for a specific audience, ie: the people who knew the story already, just like Dune. Now that I've thought about it, Akira was like the dark version of Blue Seed, a series that did explain itself as the story progressed.
Wow, a story about a guy still in prison for voliating the dmca right below this story about the latest DVD movies!
...and to top if off the comments here in favor of buying the dvd's are by the same authors as thoughs who just critized the dmca in the previous story. Boy, you all sure showed hollywood that the consumer is king. I assume they are shaking in their pants right now. No, they won't continue with other lobbied laws that take away consumer freedom. Like excessive international trade laws that make the DMCA global. After all, you showed them you won't take that kind of abusive crap. Right?
Keep up the good work and thank you for lining the pockets of the lawyers for the MPAA in the 2600 vs MPAA case.
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