Starring Lara Cody,
Barbara Goodson,
Taro Ishida,
Mitsuo Iwara,
Mami Koyama,
Tony Pope,
Nozomu Sasaki,
Yasuko Ohno,
Drew Thomas,
Jan Rabson,
Cameron Clarke,
Yosuke Akimoto,
Takeshi Kusao,
Yuriko Fuchizaki,
Masaaki Ohkura
One of the most influential examples of anime, Akira is based on the manga (comic book) by Katsuhiro Otomo. The story is set in the post-apocalyptic community of Neo-Tokyo. Tetsuo is a fiercely individualistic member of a scroungy motorcycle gang. The despotic authorities, the robot-like police, and even the cycle gang pursue Tetsuo when he's bombarded with a new, insidious energy source that has rendered him telekinetic. Budgeted at eight million dollars, Akira has become a cult favorite in the States thanks to generous midnight-movie exposure and its availibilty on video and cable TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide