6. Akira (1988)
Anyone who continues to lament that “cartoons are for kids” definitely hasn’t seen Akira. The Japanese cyberpunk film serves as an adaptation of the manga of the same name, condensing several years’ worth of story into just one film. Though that sounds almost blasphemous, Akira somehow made it work.
Akira follows Shōtarō, a leader of a biker gang whose friend, Tetsuo, develops telekinetic abilities after a motorcycle accident. Set in the sprawling futuristic metropolis of Neo-Tokyo, Akira brings its story to life in a way that few animated films have ever achieved. It’s breathtakingly gorgeous – that is until it takes a turn into the realms of visceral body horror.
It would take far too long to chronicle the many ways in which Akira has influenced modern cinema. To put it as simply as possible: it’s an incredible film. Few movie worlds feel as tangible as Akira‘s, and few stories are as engaging. It’s a sci-fi masterpiece, and it also just happened to be release in the ’80s.