Akira: Still Blows My Mind After All These Years

Okay, so I finally got around to rewatching Akira after like...a decade? And man, I forgot just how freaking dense that movie is. Like, on a visual level, it's insane. The animation quality still holds up, especially the motorcycle chase scenes – Kaneda's bike is iconic for a reason. But it's the world-building that really gets me. Neo-Tokyo feels so real, that chaotic mix of cyberpunk grime and futuristic ambition. You really get a sense of the social unrest brewing beneath the surface, the protests and the anti-government sentiment. It's not just window dressing; it matters to the story. The whole concept of psychic powers and the government trying to weaponize them is classic sci-fi, but Akira takes it to a whole other level. Tetsuo's transformation is genuinely disturbing, and the way his powers spiral out of control is both terrifying and kinda sympathetic. He's a victim too, right? Even if he becomes a total monster. Speaking of monsters, that final act...holy crap. I remember being completely floored by it as a kid, and it still packs a punch. The body horror is intense, and the sheer scale of destruction is just unbelievable. I think the core of the movie, for me, is the relationship between Kaneda and Tetsuo. It's a messed-up friendship, for sure, but there's a real bond there that gets completely twisted by circumstance. Kaneda's unwavering loyalty, even when Tetsuo is basically a god-like being tearing the city apart, is what makes him such a compelling character. Honestly, I still don't fully understand everything that happens in Akira (that ending is still kind of a mind-bender), but that's part of what makes it so great. It's a movie you can watch multiple times and still discover new details and interpretations. And even if it is a bit confusing it looks fricken amazing. Alright, time to dive down the Akira lore rabbit hole again. Any thoughts? What's your take on that ending? Seriously, someone explain it to me like I'm five...(again).