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Akira (15)

— ,Cinemas
animated - man on a bike

35 years since its first appearance on UK screens, relive Katsuhiro Otomo's landmark cyberpunk classic set in post World War III Neo-Tokyo. 

Said to have inspired The Matrix (1999), the story follows a gang of teenage biker rebels, especially Kaneda and Tetsuo, who accidentally uncover a secret military project aiming to weaponize people with telekinetic abilities.

When Tetsuo is captured by the government, it becomes clear that he possesses powers that rival those of the project’s ultimate weapon, a mysterious child named Akira. From there... things start to spiral.

A cornerstone in the Cyberpunk genre, Akira's impact is seen across film, art and music. Its iconic visual style features intricate backgrounds, ground-breaking depiction of light. The finished film also uses a record 327 colours, 50 of which were created specifically for the production, including the famous 'Akira red'.

Our screenings in Cinema 1 are shown in 4K.

Tagged with: Cinema Animation Magic Mondays More...

In Japanese with English subtitles.

Please note Akira contains a sequence of flashing lights which might affect customers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) provides guidance to audiences, to help them choose what’s right for them and avoid what’s not. For guidance, please click here and type the film title into the search bar. 

Film information
  • Release year   1991
  • Country of origin   Japan
  • Director   Katsuhiro Otomo
  • Runtime   2hr 4mins

Cinemas

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.