Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

[highwind]

I'm just wondering if anyone knows why Otomo condensed his epic Akira story into one movie instead of making each book in the series its own movie. Was it just a matter of lack of funding?

I love the movie and all but so much great stuff is lost from the books.

Actually, just about everything is lost from the books and turned into a mashed up alternate version of the story.


Sidenote: I wanted this poster!!!

[Magus]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?



Man, I was just talking about this with a friend. We agreed Otomo's friggin' awesome and his books are impeccable but as a director he sure... leaves a lot out. Like that pesky characterization and specifically in Akira's case about 2/3's of the plot!!

The Akira books are genius but damn, the movie absolutely pales. Still fun to watch though, the animation's still pretty stellar and it is a fun, bizarre ride. The original dub is something to be heard. "HOW do AMEOBAS have THAT type of POWERRRR?"

[Riotsword]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

Man, Akira was cool before cool existed.

I remember watching it as a kid and being totally, you know, "whoa".

I still haven't read the books, and based on what you guys are saying, I think I'm going to go out and grab them.

[Nixon]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

It's a 2,000 page epic, difficult if not impossible to sum up within the time frame of an animated movie.

They did an excellent job, but the books are just too good.

You mentioned the funding issue, and that's probably the case. Back then, animated series were still mostly aimed at younger audiences, and the anime boom hadn't hit yet, so to consider making a television series out of the books would've meant financial disaster for whatever company picked it up.

Oh, and I have one of the Otomo print/posters (like the Akira image you posted), but it's this one:


I snagged it from a comic shop for around $5.00 before they went under.

[Caciss]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

I want the books, because the movie just confused me.

[Nixon]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

The books explain it all. I recommend getting all the reprints, even if it takes you a while to find/afford them all. It's my favorite comic series.

[highwind]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

Yeah, that poster is amazing too. That's awesome that you got it for $5. I'm leaning towards the Akira one simply because he's the all-powerful being and I'm a sucker for ultimate power.

I REALLY wish they made 6 movies instead of one, though.

He should do that instead of frikkin' Steamboy.

[Nixon]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

Oh yeah, if you all like AKIRA, and want to pick up something Otomo did that's in a similar vein (and just as messed up), try DOMU. Dark Horse reprinted it in three mini-graphic novels, and it's excellent. You can kind of see some of his inspiration for AKIRA with this book. It's not terribly long, but it's an intense and interesting story. I like it almost as much as AKIRA despite the fact that it's a much much shorter story.

[Magus]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

Akira Vol. 3 is perhaps the greatest chase scene ever concieved.

Otomo knows his chase scenes!

[highwind]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

Does anyone have the Akira Soundtrack or the Akira Symphonic Suite??

Would you reccomend them?

[Nixon]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

I have the symphonic soundtrack. I got it from Best Buy around 96-97. Honestly, I only listen to a few songs from it. I like Kaneda, Winds over Neo-Tokyo, Dolls Polyphony, and Exodus from the underground fortress. Mutation is interesting, but too screamy. If you want to hear some tracks just let me know.

[John Mora]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

Honestly, I think there's at least one more factor that lead to the condensing of the entire manga series into one movie. In order to keep the animation level consistent with what he presented in the first movie, each movie would have to take at least as long as Akira did to produce. I don't know if Highwind realizes this, but extremely excellent anime movies like Akira can take four or five years, or more, to produce. Katsuhiro Otomo would've spend most of his adult life making Akira. To put it in perspective, he spent eight years on Steamboy.

[highwind]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

Yeah, ok. But who cares? He could've had 4 Akira movies out by now. The Akira movies would've been monumental. Who really gives a crap about Steamboy?

[Magus]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

I do. I wanna see Steamboy.

[John Mora]

Re: Akira: The Movie. Why not more?

Yeah, ok. But who cares?

...

I'm glad to see we could have a rational conversation about this.

And I saw Steamboy. It was incredible. I eagerly await the sequel already in production.

Oh, and I own the Akira Symphonic Suite. I was listening to it just yesterday. It's an excellent soundtrack, if you enjoy a more traditional Japanese sound. It reminds me a lot of traditional taiko drumming.