Akira 4K Blu-ray Movie

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Akira 4K Blu-ray Movie United States

アキラ | Special Limited Edition / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
FUNimation Entertainment | 1988 | 124 min | Rated R | Dec 22, 2020

Akira 4K (Blu-ray Movie)

Price

List price: $59.98
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Buy Akira 4K on Blu-ray Movie

Movie rating

8.3
 / 10

Blu-ray rating

Users4.5 of 54.5
Reviewer4.0 of 54.0
Overall4.0 of 54.0

Overview

Akira 4K (1988)

On July 16, 1988, Tokyo was destroyed by what was believed to be a new type of bomb, triggering World War III. Thirty-one years later, in 2019, Neo-Tokyo has arisen from ashes under Japan's new political system; but the glittering city is built on foundations of poverty, ignorance and despair. Kaneda and his friends, a bunch of juvenile delinquents, rumble with a rival group of bikers. While the police attempt to disperse a riot with tear gas, the rumble continues. Tetsuo takes the lead and, after disposing of his opponents, nearly runs down what looks to be a 100-year-old baby. Tetsuo's bike suddenly explodes and he is taken prisoner by the top-secret Akira Project where he is subjected to a series of tests which unleash his latent psycho-kinetic powers. But he is really more powerful than anyone imagined and breaks out, creating a swathe of destruction across the city as he mutates into another life form.

Starring: Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Masaaki Ôkura, Yuriko Fuchizaki
Director: Katsuhiro Otomo

Foreign100%
Anime78%
Sci-Fi44%
Comic book24%
Action20%
Fantasy16%
Drama14%
ThrillerInsignificant

Specifications

  • Video

    Video codec: HEVC / H.265
    Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
    Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
    Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

  • Audio

    Japanese: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
    English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
    English: Dolby TrueHD 2.0

  • Subtitles

    English

  • Discs

    Blu-ray Disc
    Three-disc set (3 BDs)
    4K Ultra HD

  • Playback

    Region A (B untested)

Review

Rating summary

Movie5.0 of 55.0
Video4.0 of 54.0
Audio5.0 of 55.0
Extras4.0 of 54.0
Overall4.0 of 54.0

Akira 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

One of the most acclaimed anime films of all time receives a 4K UHD presentation.

Reviewed by Neil Lumbard May 18, 2021

One of the most acclaimed anime films of all time, Akira is a science-fiction masterpiece that has managed to withstand the test of time. A non-stop adrenaline-rush of frenetic energy, Akira is a must-see anime production on an epic scale. Produced by Shunzo Kato (Space Cobra, Cat's Eye) and Ryohei Suzuki (One Room, Maken-Ki! Battling Venus), Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira remains groundbreaking and complex.

Neo-Tokyo is a futuristic metropolis on the verge of tomorrow. Kaneda (Mitsuo Iwata), a bike gang leader on a mission, is tossed in to a dangerous world when his friend, Tetsuo (Nozomu Sasaki), is injured. After the injury, Tetsuo becomes a test subject experimented on in a government facility. Gaining unexpected telekinetic powers, Tetsuo becomes a force of evil to be reckoned with. Can Kaneda help Neo-Tokyo to survive?

The animation remains one of the biggest highlights of the production. The scope of the production is enormously massive and every frame has impeccable craftsmanship. The background art is thoroughly detailed throughout the production. The character designs are well-designed and complex. Akira has a unique visual style enhanced by the cinematography of Katsuji Misawa (Future Boy Conan, Five Star Stories). The efforts of the team of animators are outstanding and bring a sense of wonder to the entire experience.

An anime masterpiece.


Akira has a number of impressive components. Not only is Akira beautifully animated, the filmmaking benefits from the expert production design by Kazuo Ebisawa, Yuji Ikehata, and Koji Ono. Alongside art direction by Toshiharu Mizutani (Space Adventure Cobra, The Perfect World of Kai), Akira has numerous elements that demonstrate the collaborative nature of the production – and the way the components mesh together for an unforgettable epic.

At the heart of the epic production is the electrifying score composed by the great Shoji Yamashiro. The effort is brilliant and on a massive scale. Every sequence is heightened by the epic soundtrack composed by Yamashiro. The score crescendos and the epic journey of the film unfolds.

Adapting his own manga, Katsuhiro Otomo (Steamboy, Memories) directs Akira.and co-wrote the screenplay alongside Izo Hashimoto (Fuja, The West Tako Cheerleaders). The film has a unique stylistic approach that is unlike anything else ever produced in anime. The direction is absorbing, compelling, and energetic: showcasing the visual finesse of Otomo. Edited to perfection by Takeshi Seyama (Tokyo Godfathers, Princess Mononoke), Akira is a rare anime gem that never seems to lose any steam. An epic production that can be a great entry point for the anime medium, Akira is one of cinema's most compelling masterpieces. Don't miss it.




Akira 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality  4.0 of 5

Arriving on 4K UHD from Funimation Entertainment, Akira is presented in HEVC / H.265 in 2160p in native 4K. The presentation benefits somewhat from the 4K resolution bump. Although the release has unnecessary DNR on the image, the scan still looks remarkably clean and dynamic. The encoding was sufficient and never struggled with presenting the action scenes. The disc is flawed, though: Akira has no HDR (high dynamic range) on the presentation (despite being available on the English-friendly 4K UHD edition released in Japan).

Funimation noted in a press release that replacement discs would be offered to buyers wanting the HDR version of the 4K presentation. The replacement discs were expected to be shipped in February, 2021. Yet several months later, the replacement discs have yet to be shipped to many buyers – and a HDR disc was unable to be obtained for the review. Buyers should consider this to be a significant caveat to an otherwise decent release.


Akira 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality  5.0 of 5

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD (2001 dub), English 2.0 Dolby TrueHD (1988), and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (24 bit). The release has impressive dynamics. The audio clarity impresses throughout the entire 4K presentation.

The music score is robust sounding and dynamic (though the track is not as impressive as the superb 24 bit, 96 khz "Hypersonic mix" previously released on the Blu-ray format). The surrounds are actively engaged and the experience is significantly enhanced by the impressive sound mixing.

English subtitles are provided.


Akira 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras  4.0 of 5

40 page booklet featuring essays on Akira and interviews with cast & crew involved in the production of the feature-film.

Blu-ray:

Akira Sound Clip (1988): By Geinoh Yamashiro Gumi

(With optional English narration.)

Music for Akira (SD, 1:46)

Kaneda's Theme (SD, 2:59)

Exodus (SD, 2:33)

Ethnic Meets Hi-Tech (SD, 2:02)

Awakening (SD, 1:21)

Mutation (SD, 2:52)

Requiem (SD, 5:46)

Director Interview (SD, 29:11) features a discussion with Akira filmmaker Katsuhiro Otomo. The interview was conducted following the completion of the film and was previously released on the original Akira LaserDisc.

Storyboard Collection (HD, 30:58)

The Writing on the Wall is a click-through slide-show gallery of English translations for Japanese writing featured throughout the feature- film.

Original Trailers (HD, 3:11)

Original Commercials (HD, 1:22)

Restoring Akira (SD, 11:01) is divided into three segments: picture (SD, 4:02), English voice-over (SD, 3:13), and English 5.1 audio mix (SD, 3:25).

Glossary is a text-based glossary of terms.

U.S. Trailer (2013) (HD, 00:55)

Trailers are provided for Aquarion Evol (HD, 1:27), Eureka Seven AO (HD, 00:43), Michiko & Hatchin (HD, 2:05), Lupin the Third: The World Called Fujiko Mine (HD, 1:25), The Future Diary (SD, 00:35), Appleseed XIII (HD, 2:02), Wolf Children (HD, 2:27), and Funimation.com (HD, 00:32).

Bonus Disc:

Akira Sound Making 2019 (HD, 39:57)

Akira Sound Clip by Geinoh Yamashirogumi (HD, 19:07)

End Credits (From The Original 1988 Theatrical Release) (HD, 4:03)

Storyboard Collection is a click-through gallery of the original storyboards for Akira.

Theatrical Preview – Trailer Collection (HD, 5:10)


Akira 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation  4.0 of 5

Akira is an anime masterpiece. The sci-fi spectacle has outstanding animation, breathtaking visuals, and an electrifying music score. Katsuhiro Otomo made an anime essential (adapting the work he created with his original manga). The 4K UHD release features a decent presentation but the release doesn't include HDR and replacement discs containing HDR have been poorly distributed by Funimation Entertainment. The set comes loaded with supplements. With caveats noted, the release comes recommended.


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