Akira
AKIRA
Akira
AKIRA
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
5/5
Very strong
Fear
4/5
Intense
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
2/5
Moderate
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
4/5
Strong
Expert review
Akira is a very dark animated science fiction film set in a violent, unstable and politically corrupt futuristic city, with an oppressive mood that is aimed far more at teenagers than at young children. Sensitive content includes repeated fights, motorcycle chases, gunfire, visible injuries, experiments performed on children, highly disturbing body transformations, and clear references to drugs and medication. This intensity is not occasional, it runs through most of the story, with several visually shocking sequences and a constant sense of threat that could stay with a sensitive viewer. The film has little sexual content, but its graphic violence, psychological darkness, and large scale destruction place it well above a typical family adventure film. Parents should save it for older teens who are already comfortable with mature animation, and it is wise to warn them in advance about physical suffering, urban chaos, and body horror imagery.
Synopsis
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.
Difficult scenes
From the beginning, the film presents teenage biker gangs in a hostile night city, with high speed chases, street fights, and violent crashes. One striking moment comes when a young rider nearly hits a child with a deeply unsettling appearance, creating an immediate sense of danger and unease. Several scenes connected to the military project show children being tested, monitored by doctors, and controlled by a cold institution. Even without extended realistic medical detail, the idea of experiments on minors, combined with pain, distress, and loss of control, can be very upsetting for younger viewers. The film includes gunfire, armed confrontations, and visible injuries, with blood and physical suffering shown more graphically than in most animated films made for families. The danger is not abstract, characters are repeatedly placed in life threatening situations, and the city itself becomes a chaotic landscape of destruction. The hardest scenes involve Tetsuo's growing powers, which come with painful episodes, disturbing visions, and grotesque body transformations. This body horror imagery is prolonged, intense, and very likely to cause disgust, fear, or nightmares in children or sensitive preteens.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 1988
- Runtime
- 2h 4m
- Countries
- Japan
- Original language
- JA
- Studios
- MBS, Sumitomo Corporation, TOHO, Kodansha, Tokyo Movie Shinsha, Bandai, Hakuhodo, LaserDisc Corporation
Content barometer
Violence
5/5
Very strong
Fear
4/5
Intense
Sexuality
1/5
Allusions
Language
2/5
Moderate
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
4/5
Strong
Expert review
Akira is a very dark animated science fiction film set in a violent, unstable and politically corrupt futuristic city, with an oppressive mood that is aimed far more at teenagers than at young children. Sensitive content includes repeated fights, motorcycle chases, gunfire, visible injuries, experiments performed on children, highly disturbing body transformations, and clear references to drugs and medication. This intensity is not occasional, it runs through most of the story, with several visually shocking sequences and a constant sense of threat that could stay with a sensitive viewer. The film has little sexual content, but its graphic violence, psychological darkness, and large scale destruction place it well above a typical family adventure film. Parents should save it for older teens who are already comfortable with mature animation, and it is wise to warn them in advance about physical suffering, urban chaos, and body horror imagery.
Synopsis
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.
Difficult scenes
From the beginning, the film presents teenage biker gangs in a hostile night city, with high speed chases, street fights, and violent crashes. One striking moment comes when a young rider nearly hits a child with a deeply unsettling appearance, creating an immediate sense of danger and unease. Several scenes connected to the military project show children being tested, monitored by doctors, and controlled by a cold institution. Even without extended realistic medical detail, the idea of experiments on minors, combined with pain, distress, and loss of control, can be very upsetting for younger viewers. The film includes gunfire, armed confrontations, and visible injuries, with blood and physical suffering shown more graphically than in most animated films made for families. The danger is not abstract, characters are repeatedly placed in life threatening situations, and the city itself becomes a chaotic landscape of destruction. The hardest scenes involve Tetsuo's growing powers, which come with painful episodes, disturbing visions, and grotesque body transformations. This body horror imagery is prolonged, intense, and very likely to cause disgust, fear, or nightmares in children or sensitive preteens.