Akira (1988)
Kernel Score: 92% · 4,663 ratings · Rated R
Genres: Animation, Science Fiction, Action
Released: 1988-06-10
Runtime: 124 minutes
Is Akira worth watching?
Must-watch. A landmark in anime and still jaw-dropping, with a tangled story of power and destruction in a future Tokyo. The animation remains remarkable, even if the plot is dense.
Watch it if you
- love sci-fi animation
- like dystopian cities and big ideas
- want one of anime's landmark films
Skip it if you
- dislike confusing plots
- want a light watch
Best for: Late-night movie
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Akira
- Stream: Crunchyroll
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango At Home
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango At Home
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath that only two teenagers and a group of psychics can stop.
Akira parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that Akira is an R-rated adult animated sci-fi film with intense violence and total destruction themes.
- Violence & scariness: Intense — Depicts a rampaging psychic psychopath, military conflict, gang violence, and total destruction of a megacity, per its R rating.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official R rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Akira
If you liked Akira, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Ghost in the Shell (1995) — 92%: Another landmark of philosophical sci-fi anime
- Memories (1995) — 83%: Anthology of imaginative sci-fi animation
- Tekkonkinkreet (2006) — 82%: Stylised, violent city story with great animation
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) — 91%: Animated blockbuster with bold visual style
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) — 92%: Visually inventive animation
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society (2007) — 83%: Cyber-thriller in the same sci-fi world
Director
Cast
- Mitsuo Iwata as Shotaro Kaneda (voice)
- Nozomu Sasaki as Tetsuo Shima (voice)
- Mami Koyama as Kei (voice)
- Taro Ishida as Colonel Shikishima
- Mizuho Suzuki as Doctor Ônishi
- Tessyo Genda as Ryûsaku (voice)
- Koichi Kitamura as Priestess Miyako / Council A (voice)
- Yuriko Fuchizaki as Kaori (voice)
- Masaaki Okura as Yamagata (voice)
- Takeshi Kusao as Kai (voice)
Akira FAQ
Is Akira worth watching?
Must-watch. A landmark in anime and still jaw-dropping, with a tangled story of power and destruction in a future Tokyo. The animation remains remarkable, even if the plot is dense.
Where can I watch Akira?
In the US you can stream Akira on Crunchyroll and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango At Home.
Is Akira OK for kids?
Akira is rated R. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that Akira is an R-rated adult animated sci-fi film with intense violence and total destruction themes.
What movies are like Akira?
If you liked Akira, try Ghost in the Shell, Memories, Tekkonkinkreet and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.