Aria MacFall

Professor Menon

12/17/18

LVIS-234-001

Throughout its runtime, Akira utilizes stunning visuals and a realistic, minimalist

sound design to deliver a tale which both warns of the dangers of technology, and criticizes

post World War 2 Japan. The opening scenes of the film evoke the destruction of Hiroshima

and Nagasaki at the hands of the United States. Neo-Tokyo exemplifies many characteristics of

a cyberpunk city, namely the huge buildings, authoritarian police force, neon lights, and overall

excess. However, even without the themes and messages, Akira is a memorable, visceral visual

experience.

Japanization can be found all throughout the film. For example, the heavy

outlines are are similar to the woodcuts of the Edo period. The way faces are drawn is also

very Japanese, especially the simple noses, which evoke the hook noses of ukiyo-e paintings.

Every frame of Akira is like a painting. Rather than straight lines, Akira uses slanted lines and

angles. Each shot is animated with an excruciating attention to even the smallest detail.

Movement in the film is very gesticulate and feels very real, which calls to mind the dramatic,

physical otoko-e paintings. Not every shot in the film shows action, however, and there are

plenty of scenes which demonstrate elements of the yamato-e paintings. For example, when
the military resorts to using a weaponized satellite in an attempt to stop Tetsuo, there is a

moment right before it fires where everything is still. This moment is in effect the film

equivalent of the mono no aware.

The composition of shots can be thought of as having multiple layers. This gives

scenes a sense of scale and distance. Most shots which show neo-Tokyo show the massive

buildings in the background at various distances. For example, when Tetsuo attempts to leave

neo-Tokyo on Kaneda’s motorcycle, the layered composition of the shot creates a parallax,

which gives a sense of depth. Similarly, many shots are structured vertically, rather than

horizontally. This is another common detail in Japanese art.

Akira uses another technique to give scale to its world: the bird’s eye view. This

can be seen when Tetsuo is making his way towards the stadium to confront Akira and is

opposed by the military. This is reminiscent of the Rakuchu Rakugai Zu which like the film, use

a bird’s eye view while showing an urban setting.

One of the aspects for which Akira is remembered is the graphic body horror.

When Tetsuo starts to lose control of his power, and his body starts to grow and devour

everything around him, the viscera is shown with extreme detail and realism, again reminding

one of the works Edo period, especially the woodcuts.