dystopian utopia

Era 2022-04-22 07:01:09

"Akira" 1988 Otomo Kyo's dystopian classic, with various dystopia elements: chaos, restlessness, reality in which evil has blossomed (social system), skyscrapers that seem to rise above the sky but are crumbling (modern civilization). On the eve of such a turbulent storm, what path should human beings choose to continue and develop as a race? The character of Tie Xiong is actually very simple before the last minute of the film. He represents a revolutionary force, but this force is so immature. When the revolution turns into pure violence, then only the end of "destroying old things" is left, and "building new things" is the end. One end is also one of the obligations of the revolutionaries, but this is very demanding for the revolutionaries (reflected in the film that Tie Xiong knows Akira but does not know why), and often ends up turning into farce and tragedy (new Tokyo was destroyed, the fruit was crushed, but the core was still the same, unchanged). The object of this "revolution" can be any field of human activity: politics, economy, culture, technology... Otomo Keyang's sense of smell is keen, but he is not the incarnation of Akira after all, like a hound, aware of danger , while the master completely ignored his warnings. Watching the master step by step toward the danger that only he knew and couldn't make any changes, the anxiety and powerlessness naturally showed. Of course, he is not willing to be in a helpless situation. At the last minute of the film, he makes Tetsuo and his three children and Akira merge into one, and rush into space in an explosion "like the extension of the universe", and retain Awareness has become the continuation of human beings and the rebirth of civilization that he yearns for. So, seeing the last dystopian classic with a utopian ending, ha. ps: The dialogue at the end of the film is very strange. The three kids said, "We're too old, but one day we'll be too...because it's already started, your friend's." I think this is very important, but it feels like the translation is completely nonsense. I don't know if there is a Japanese god to give an authoritative version

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Extended Reading

Akira quotes

  • Yamagata (1988 Streamline Pictures dub): You got a bad attitude, pops. Lighten up before your arteries harden.

  • Kaneda: He's not your friend, he's ours! If somebody's gonna kill him, it should be us!