History YMMV / Akira

* GenreTurningPoint: In America and the English-speaking world in general, the film pretty much launched the anime boom of the 1990s that would pave the way for it to become the cultural juggernaut that it is today. Ironically, its financial failure in its home country of Japan meant that it was not only almost a GenreKiller, but alongside ''Anime/RoyalSpaceForceTheWingsOfHonneamise''-- which saw a similar notorious failure to live up to box office expectations [[AcclaimedFlop despite being hugely acclaimed by critics]]-- it even threatened to put the entire future of anime production in serious jeopardy.

* GenreTurningPoint: In America, the film kicked off interest in anime for adults. Ironically, its financial failure in its home country of Japan meant that it was not only almost a GenreKiller, but alongside ''Anime/RoyalSpaceForceTheWingsOfHonneamise''-- which saw a similar notorious failure to live up to box office expectations [[AcclaimedFlop despite being hugely acclaimed by critics]]-- it even threatened to put the entire future of anime production in serious jeopardy.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny:
** The 1989 dub, which was well regarded when it first came out, is disliked by newer fans who are used to hearing the 2001 dub or original Japanese audio. Likewise, older fans who are used to the 1989 dub dislike the 2001 dub.
** The movie overall also falls into this, with newer viewers finding that the movie is a beautifully animated but standard cyberpunk film that has little going for it outside of its notorious BodyHorror scenes.
** For North American viewers in particular, where anime is now understood to cover a wide base of age demographics, it may be difficult to appreciate how the film aided in breaking down the AnimationAgeGhetto for animated imports.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: There is some debate about whether Tetuso or Kaneda is the protagonist of the story, considering that Tetsuo receives far more development as a character than Kaneda.

* FountainOfExpies: Tetsuo. At least half the psychotic, supernaturally powered youngsters in [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia anime]], [[Franchise/TheKingOfFighters video games]] and even [[Film/{{Chronicle}} movies]] of the last 30-odd years owe something to the lovable little freak.

* ToughActToFollow: ''AKIRA'' was such an influential and massively successful piece that Creator/KatsuhiroOtomo never rose to the same level again afterward. To wit, ''Manga/TheLegendOfMotherSarah'' which he wrote and completed afterward was also popular and took much longer to complete (16 years) but was always overshadowed by its predecessor, despite its high-brow and intricate plot. Likewise, his first major manga ''Manga/{{Domu}}'' is also not as known despite its quality. It even caused some HypeBacklash with regards to ''Anime/{{Steamboy}}''.

** ''"Leave me alone!''"[[labelnote:Explanation]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d-WI_BvV0U The flashback scene]] has also been making rounds on [=TikTok=] and other sites in 2023, replacing the images with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d-WI_BvV0U something else]].[[/labelnote]]

* MemeticMutation: Any scenes of [[BodyHorror horrific]], [[SuperpowerMeltdown uncontrolled]] mutation (especially if there's [[ShapeshifterBaggage a lot of biomass generated]]) in any other media are usually referred to as "going Tetsuo".
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d-WI_BvV0U The flashback scene]] has also been making rounds on [=TikTok=] and other sites in 2023, replacing the images with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d-WI_BvV0U something else]].

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The 1989 dub, which was well regarded when it first came out, is disliked by newer fans who are used to hearing the 2001 dub or original Japanese audio. Likewise, older fans who are used to the 1989 dub dislike the 2001 dub.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Many fans of the manga have this complaint because the film tries to cram the first third of the manga into a single movie (many for the first two acts it has plotlines following three to four characters at a time) and doesn't use the rest due to a divergence in plot.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/MatthewMercer, who would become better known in the 2010s, appeared in the 2001 dub.

* IAmNotShazam: Akira is not the name of the main character of the manga, he's named Kaneda. His best friend who gains superpowers and goes insane also is not Akira, he's called Tetsuo. The strange creepy child that gives Tetsuo the superpowers? No, he's Takashi. In fact, Akira doesn't show up during the entire first volume and is more like a living MacGuffin. In the movie, he [[spoiler:doesn't even show up in the flesh at all, because he's been ''dead for 31 years''.]]

* AdaptationDisplacement: The movie is undoubtedly more well-known than the original manga, in part because the source material had a really screwed up release. Creator/MarvelComics bought the rights to translate it/bring it over to America when the movie was released in the US in 1989, but Katsuhiro Otomo's decision to redraw the last 1/6th of the manga led to the US version seeing a massive delay in the publication of the last eight issues and by the time the last issue came out in 1995, the series was out of print as well as the trade paperbacks, of which only 10 of the proposed 13 volumes ever saw the light of day. It was not until Dark Horse Comics got the rights to the series in 2000 that the manga received wide release, in terms of availability. And even then, it was difficult to find and when it did appear, could often be quite [[CrackIsCheaper expensive]] due to its unusual size as well as volumes going for hundreds of pages. The availability problem has been somewhat lessened by the 35th-anniversary boxset.

* AdaptationDisplacement: The movie is undoubtedly more well-known than the original manga, in part because the source material had a really screwed up release. Creator/MarvelComics bought the rights to translate it/bring it over to America when the movie was released in the US in 1989, but Katsuhiro Otomo's decision to redraw the last 1/6th of the manga led to the US version seeing a massive delay in the publication of the last eight issues and by the time the last issue came out in 1995, the series was out of print as well as the trade paperbacks, of which only 10 of the proposed 13 volumes ever saw the light of day. It was not until Dark Horse Comics got the rights to the series in 2000 that the manga received wide release, in terms of availability. And even then, it was difficult to find and when it did appear, could often be quite [[CrackIsCheaper expensive]] due to its unusual size as well as volumes going for hundreds of pages.

* MainstreamObscurity: The film is very iconic, but there are plenty of people who are familiar with the major scenes and the memes they've spawned (see below) but have never actually watched the movie themselves and have no idea what the plot is about.

* NauseaFuel: You might want to stay away from meat for a while after watching [[spoiler:Tetsuo's horrible mutation sequence at the end of]] the film.
** Also in the film, [[spoiler:Kaori's death--she's pulled inside Tetsuo's mutating, expanding body and ''squashed like a bug.'' '''Onscreen.''']]

* SignatureScene: The one scene where [[http://kotaku.com/everyone-wants-to-ride-motorcycles-like-in-akira-877851402 Kaneda stops his motorcycle]]. It's the single most famous scene that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9hCzjBc7Q4&t=11s has been homaged countless times]] and will be remembered forever in pop culture. Bonus points if they use their foot as a brake.
** There's also [[spoiler: Tetsuo's mutation]] at the end of the movie.

* {{Woolseyism}}:
** Tetsuo's "Bitchin'!" line.
** A couple of Kaneda's lines.
--->''Let's sit down and talk about the Revolution and stuff!''\\
''Hey, your bike's still burnin', man!''

* {{Narm}}:
** Original Japanese version: "Bird-brain!"
*** In the 1989 dub: "That... ''peabrain''!"
** Speaking of which, the 1989 dub is filled with these:
*** "Do it NOW!"
*** "Now you're king of the mountain, aren't you, but it's all garbage!"
*** Takashi's constant grunting after crashing into Tetsuo. Also the noise he makes when agreeing to stop Tetsuo later on.
*** "What's the matter Ka-nay-da?!"
*** "It's Akiraaaaaaa!"
*** The Colonel is often played very gruff, to the point where his growls have been compared to a weedwhacker.
*** Also, Kaneda sounds a lot like a typical surfer dudebro, especially considering he was voiced by [[Creator/CamClarke the same guy]] who voiced [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 Leonardo]].
** The 2001 dub: "You mess with my head!"

* EnsembleDarkHorse: Kaori, and to some extent, Akira himself.

* MemeticMutation:
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo-snXAkF-8 TETSUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]]
** KAAANEEAAADAAAAA!
*** That's ''Mister'' Kaneda to you, punk!
** Kaneda being pronounced as [[LadyMondegreen "Canada"]].
*** "[[AccentUponTheWrongSyllable KA-NAY-DAAAAAAAAAAAAH!]]"
** Going with the above, any scenes of [[BodyHorror horrific]], [[SuperpowerMeltdown uncontrolled]] mutation (especially if there's [[ShapeshifterBaggage a lot of biomass generated]]) in any other media are usually referred to as "going Tetsuo".
** [[https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts?tags=otomo_katsuhiro_%28style%29 The poster where Kaneda walks towards his bike.]]
** Kaneda's sliding bike stop, homaged in all kinds of media for three decades with no sign of stopping.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeArt: Dear GOD, YES! Even people who aren't fans of the film won't deny how stunning its animation is.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Most of the soundtrack, but especially the opening/ending music, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af5r8ONtacw Kaneda]].

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Especially regarding the roles of Kaneda and Tetsuo in the story.

* IAmNotShazam: Akira is not the name of the main character of the manga, he's named Kaneda. His best friend who gains superpowers and goes insane also is not Akira, he's called Tetsuo. The strange creepy child that gives Tetsuo the superpowers? No, he's Takashi. In fact, Akira doesn't show up during the entire first volume and is more like a living MacGuffin. In the movie, he [[spoiler:doesn't even show up at all, because he's been ''dead for years''.]]

** The giant teddy bear and rabbit resemble Freddy and Bonnie respectively from ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'', even invading the main character's darkened room with murderous intent.

** The 1989 dub is filled with these:

*** "That... ''peabrain''!"

*** The Colonel is often played very gruff, to the point where his grunts have been compared to a weedwhacker.

* SugarWiki/DevelopmentHeaven: The manga is obsessively, painstakingly detailed like you wouldn't believe, and is known as ''the'' epic manga for a reason. The film is this way too.

** Kaneda's SlidingBikeStop, homaged in all kinds of media for three decades with no sign of stopping.

* FountainOfExpies: Tetsuo. At least half the psychotic, supernaturally powered youngsters in anime, videogames and even [[Film/{{Chronicle}} movies]] of the last 30-odd years owe something to the lovable little freak.

*** Also, Kaneda sounds a lot like a typical surfer dudebro, especially considering he was voiced by a Ninja Turtle.

* IAmNotShazam: Akira is not the name of the main character of the manga, he's named Kaneda. His best friend who gains superpowers and goes insane also is not Akira, he's called Tetsuo. The strange creepy child that gives Tetsuo the superpowers? No, he's Takashi. In fact, Akira doesn't show up during the entire first volume and is more like a living MacGuffin.