“TETSUOOOOOO!” “KANEDAAAAAAAAA!” A shrieking exchange that changed an art form. OK, maybe two leads yelling at each other during the imminent threat of destruction isn’t what makes Akira an ultimate sea change in animation. It’s the artistic slickness, the intense gore, the extreme mutilated forms, and the popularization of anime throughout the world. Capturing Cold War atomic fears, Akira paints a dystopian future of science run amok. When the world of Neo-Tokyo biker gangs and secret military experiments collide, the results are, well, explosive. Is it the best anime ever? Or just the best film ever? Choose for yourself. – Cat McCarrey