Japanese animated classic Akira blasts onto Cineworld screens this October, and for the first time ever screens in IMAX. Scroll down to find out more.
What is the story of Akira?
This hugely influential Japanese manga animation is adapted by Katsuhiro Otomo from his manga series of the same name. The movie plunges us into a dark future where the divide between man and machine has become increasingly blurred, and where loyalty exists on a knife's edge.
Set in neo-Toyko, the story centres on Tetsuo Shima who acquires telekinetic abilities after a motorbike accident. This puts him conflict with bike gang leader and childhood friend Shōtarō Kaneda.
At the time when Akira was made, it was the second-most expensive anime film of all time, budgeted at $5.5. million. It was released in 1988 to critical acclaim, and left a lasting impact on our perception of the future.
What films has Akira influenced?
Pretty much every science-fiction film from the 1990s onwards owes a debt to Akira. From Ridley Scott's Black Rain to fellow animation Ghost in the Shell and the Wachowskis' The Matrix, the paranoid atmosphere and bleak, dystopian future of Akira has exerted a powerful spell.
Is Akira showing in IMAX?
It is, and this is the first time the cyberpunk classic has ever been screened in the format, gloriously remastered in 4K. Check out the new poster.
"Akira is the film that made Manga Entertainment – and so we’re honoured to be able to bring it back to UK and Irish screens in this gorgeous new version remastered in stunning 4K. It’s an absolute delight, and an unmissable experience for anime and film fans alike." – Darcy Giles, PR & Social Media Manager at Manga Entertainment
When is Akira showing in Cineworld?
Akira previews on the 7th and 8th of October before its wide release on 9th October.
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