Akira review

Katsuhiro Otomo's landmark 1988 animation remains blood- splattered proof that the medium can do more than cute critters.

Conceived on an unprecedented scale in ambition and technique, Otomo’s rich visuals and awe-inspiring action depict a post-apocalyptic dystopia where the threat of feral biker gangs is dwarfed by the rise of an uncontrollable psychic.

25 years on, its story – encompassing urban protests, cash-strapped authorities and secretly imprisoned terrorists – could be ripped from 2013’s headlines, while its imagery is as influential as Blade Runner ’s.