Tackling my "Akira" phobia
In 1988, Katsuhiro Otomo directed a film that changed the way people saw anime. That film was called "Akira". "Akira" brought the gritty storytelling of a life amongst the remains of a decaying old Tokyo that was corrupted and awash in panic and fear. Childhood friends Kaneda and Tetsuo saw first hand what this new way of life lead. Tetsuo became a victim of circumstances after a recent fight left him injured and at the mercy of a fate he did not ask for. Kaneda's search for his lost friend brings him to a realization of Tetsuo's true feelings that bubbles along with the dangerous new power his friend becomes to wield.
Now you're asking why I had a phobia about "Akira"? "Akira" was a film I didn't understand. I had seen the trailer for it but never felt the desire to see. Also, the countless conversations I had with people who had seen it painted it as being " very gory and dark" Then when I had the chance to watch the film, my body triggered something inside me to turn off the dvd player just after the FBI warning ended. I even had a chance to attend a viewing of it at the university I worked for with a discussion with the film professor, however I didn't make it.
So, I resolved to watch the film this year and form my own opinion. The idea came after watching "Memories" which was also done by Otomo, Koji Morimoto, and Tensai Okamura. I swallowed hard when I pressed the play button. Tremors formed in the back of my spine, sending pulses to my hand to reach out and stop it. I made a promise to myself. I sat there and watch this story unfold. My fears subsided when what was promised to be a film raining in blood ( There were mass victims) turned out to be a story about an end and a beginning. That was the message I got. A cycle were one must end and one must begin. A film based on simple truth. This was not a film to be feared but to be embraced. This is what was considered to be groundbreaking in 1988. It's been over 20 years since then and Otomo continues to push the stories that makes you observe and think. My fear of this movie taught me not be so mindful to someone else's opinion. Fear is something you create yourself if not left to face it on your own two feet.