Based on the manga by director Katsuhiro Otomo, Akira (1988) is regarded as one of the most remarkable achievements in anime filmmaking to date. Proving the potential of animation to tell adult stories, Akira represents a cultural and technological landmark that continues to inspire modern animators. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is marking the film’s 30th Anniversary with a screening and panel – as well as a lobby exhibit of rare original art from the film on Monday December 2nd at 7:30pm.

Special Guests include: Jorge Gutiérrez (Director: The Book of Life), Justin Thompson (Production Designer: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Genndy Tartakovsky (Director: Hotel Transylvania), Randy Haycock – (Drawover Lead: Moana), Peter Chung (Creator and Director: “Æon Flux”). The panel will be moderated by Charles Solomon. This screening – the annual Marc Davis Celebration of Animation – also celebrates a recent gift to the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library. The Akira collection compiled by Joe Peacock was generously gifted to us earlier this year and includes several thousand animation cels, drawings and other paper ephemera documenting this landmark production.

In 2019, it has been 31 years since the Japanese government dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Tokyo, now known as Neo-Tokyo. Amid the corruption, protest and violence of the dystopian landscape, Kaneda (Mitsuo Iwata) and his anti-establishment biker gang zoom through the city. When a joyride gone wrong reveals that childhood friend Tetsuo (Nozomu Sasaki) might soon be the victim of the very same government project that long ago resulted in the bombing of the city, Kaneda and his gang take action to fight the politicians, scientists and military leaders at the head of this evil scheme.

Although it was unable to recoup its budget upon initial release in Japan, thanks to home video Akira quickly became a cult favorite in the United States, where its striking animation and gritty themes were hailed as revolutionary.

7:30pm
Samuel Goldwyn Theater
8949 Wilshire Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Color. 124 minutes. In Japanese with English subtitles. DCP.

More information at Oscars.org

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Jerry Beck

Writer, cartoon producer and author of more than 15 books on animation history. A former studio exec with Nickelodeon and Disney; currently on the faculty at both CalArts in Valencia and Woodbury University in Burbank, California.

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