Akira

Also, the manga has a great sense of impending doom for like the entire last half with the build-up to what happens with Tetsuo, unlike the movie where it's kinda like they sounded the everything go crazy(er) alarm in the last 15 minutes

the disco biscuits improvised a score to this on stage with it playing on a screen behind them on nye in 99. fucking epic night.

If anyone is going to redo the soundtrack, it should be Kenji Kawai. His work for anime is incredible, the two Ghost in the Shell films, Ranma, Patlabor movies...

  On 5/23/2012 at 2:02 AM, AdieuErsatzEnnui said:

The music was cool, but I think it could be done better by a modern electronic artist and match the more modern feel of a live-action sci-fi film.

I am definitely a much bigger fan of the soundtrack than the film, it's by far one of my favourite albums ever... so maybe I'm being a bit defensive here, but...

I really don't think you can compare modern electronic music to that stuff... the soundtrack tells half the story. It wouldn't be nearly as frightening with Aphex Twin or Luke Vibert or even Autechre (as mindblowing and terrifiying as their music is already), and my reason is this:

Technology is scary, but nature is scarier. We can have nuclear bombs ready, but before we get to use them nature could just say "nah fuck off" and kill us with tsunamis and volcanoes and earthquakes. Akira is about the evolution of man, and unlocking potential, and underneath all that technology is an almighty powerful force of nature. Yes, it was technology that turns Tetsuo into what he is, but that is why Geinoh Yamashirogumi's music is PERFECTLY suited to the film: They combine all the sounds of the mankind (as they research various different kinds of traditional music from around the world (primarily Asia and Africa) and mix it together with (relatively) modern technology like synthesizers and recording studios.

Their music sounds like Tetsuo turning into the monster at the end, it's got all the sounds of man and nature mixed with glossy fancy new technology.

Hmmm maybe. I kinda just made that up right now :P But I think that's why I like it.

  On 5/22/2012 at 11:37 PM, disparaissant said:

seriously, that soundtrack is incredible and perfect

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS6BEWE57Ak

seriously this song

you cannot replace this song with modern electronica, it needs that organic edge to it

Yes, the soundtrack is one of the amazing things about the film that really sets it apart from everything else of that time.

I had read some rumour or pseudo-fact that they actually created new colours when doing the film - anyone else hear or read that, and was it ever verified or debunked?

Oh, and the tracers on the motorbikes in the beginning was an epic effect - hadn't seen anything like it since that was done as well.

  On 5/23/2012 at 8:34 PM, Joyrex said:

Oh, and the tracers on the motorbikes in the beginning was an epic effect - hadn't seen anything like it since that was done as well.

it is etched in my mind.

  On 5/23/2012 at 8:34 PM, Joyrex said:

I had read some rumour or pseudo-fact that they actually created new colours when doing the film - anyone else hear or read that, and was it ever verified or debunked?

They talk about that on the DVD. It's true, because old animation like that was obviously coloured with real paints. They couldn't mix paints too much or you'd be in danger of colouring cels inconsistently. Usually this is what they did for night time scenes if they couldn't find an appropriate pre-mixed colour. However, night time scenes usually weren't that common, so this wasn't an issue. But Akira is filled with dark shots so they had to request a hole bunch of new colours be designed for the film.

I don't know if that only applies to Japanese studios, or if there was only one manufacturer for animation paint world wide. I got the impression it affected the entire world's animation but obviously the people on the DVD would have been a bit biased :P

I just looked to see how much Akira on Blu-Ray is... apparently it's out of print or something as Amazon and other sellers are letting it go for almost 200USD! I wonder what the story behind that is...

i taped it back when i was a wee cunt, still have the vhs. formative.

The bike fight is so epic, still get goosebumps. Also, I can't believe anyone would hate the soundtrack, there's an interesting making of on youtubes.

that video with transcribe audio and translate transcriptions is just

hilarious.

US BEEF IMPORTS ONLY IN FUZHOU INITIALLY THINKING OF ONLY MAKING THE WIND

50 Cent?!!??! HE WAS IN GEINOH?

my dvd copy has info that pops up when watching the movie so you can learn more about what's going on. i downloaded the manga a while ago so i'm going to have to read that soon i think...

  On 5/23/2012 at 11:33 PM, Joyrex said:

I just looked to see how much Akira on Blu-Ray is... apparently it's out of print or something as Amazon and other sellers are letting it go for almost 200USD! I wonder what the story behind that is...

Just discovered this this week when trying to buy it here in Canada. What a pain!

Makes me wonder if they intend to release an even more elaborate disc, charge more for it, and make it the only available version. In the meantime they're missing out on my $40 or whatever I would be willing to pay for this fuckin' sweet gem.

I managed to get a 1080P MKV file of the movie (the 1988 dub) and watched it. Not as great as I remembered it, and the transfer to Blu-Ray wasn't that good. I also dug out all 8 volumes of the Manga and may start reading that on the iPad.

  On 6/5/2012 at 12:01 AM, Joyrex said:

I managed to get a 1080P MKV file of the movie (the 1988 dub) and watched it. Not as great as I remembered it, and the transfer to Blu-Ray wasn't that good. I also dug out all 8 volumes of the Manga and may start reading that on the iPad.

that's because you watched the dubbed version.

I watched it on Youtube a few years back and liked it more because I am actually old enough to understand it now. When I was 10 and saw it for the first time a lot stuff went over my head.

I got the movie on dvd recently for 3(!!!)euro in the videostore, and i'v watched it like 4 times since this thread by Adieu

this masterpiece rules, fuck the lion king, fuck hollywood and lol fuck anyone who doesn't watch it in japanese audio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b9BuP8rkTE&feature=player_detailpage

  On 6/5/2012 at 12:11 AM, oscillik said:

  On 6/5/2012 at 12:01 AM, Joyrex said:

I managed to get a 1080P MKV file of the movie (the 1988 dub) and watched it. Not as great as I remembered it, and the transfer to Blu-Ray wasn't that good. I also dug out all 8 volumes of the Manga and may start reading that on the iPad.

 

that's because you watched the dubbed version.

Yes, but understand I had the 1988 VHS Streamline Pictures dub, and didn't see the Japanese version until many years later - however, when I first saw it I didn't think too much of the poor dubbing other than the mis-match on the mouths versus what they were saying. I haven't seen or heard the 2000's era re-dub that was done, so I can't attest to that being any better or worse.

I strongly recommend anyone seeing this the first time to watch it with subtitles, and not any dubbed languages.

  On 6/5/2012 at 10:09 PM, Ivan Ooze said:

I got the movie on dvd recently for 3(!!!)euro in the videostore, and i'v watched it like 4 times since this thread by Adieu

this masterpiece rules, fuck the lion king, fuck hollywood and lol fuck anyone who doesn't watch it in japanese audio

[media=]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b9BuP8rkTE&feature=player_detailpage[/media]

I'm glad that my drunken post lead to something positive.

  On 6/5/2012 at 10:22 PM, Joyrex said:

  On 6/5/2012 at 12:11 AM, oscillik said:

  On 6/5/2012 at 12:01 AM, Joyrex said:

I managed to get a 1080P MKV file of the movie (the 1988 dub) and watched it. Not as great as I remembered it, and the transfer to Blu-Ray wasn't that good. I also dug out all 8 volumes of the Manga and may start reading that on the iPad.

 

that's because you watched the dubbed version.

 

Yes, but understand I had the 1988 VHS Streamline Pictures dub, and didn't see the Japanese version until many years later - however, when I first saw it I didn't think too much of the poor dubbing other than the mis-match on the mouths versus what they were saying. I haven't seen or heard the 2000's era re-dub that was done, so I can't attest to that being any better or worse.

 

I strongly recommend anyone seeing this the first time to watch it with subtitles, and not any dubbed languages.

Is the dialogue a lot better?

the voice acting, most likely.

hmmmm

  On 5/14/2014 at 11:36 PM, Ivan Ooze said:

hmmmm

 

Looks awesome!