
The classic that defined a generation
Written by Ross Locksley on 23 Feb 2026
The 1988 cyberpunk classic, Akira, is returning to UK cinemas and IMAX on April 17th. Katsuhiro Otomo's genre defying opus can be credited for starting the first wave of wider anime appreciation in the UK and launching Manga Entertainment here in the UK.
Find more information on www.akirafilm.co.uk
Trailer:
About Akira
Premiering in Japan in 1988, AKIRA was released to global audiences in the years that followed, arriving in the UK & Ireland in 1991. The film was a cultural moment that introduced audiences around the world to anime, with The Washington Post declaring AKIRA “a visceral example of the future of animation” - an assessment proven true by anime’s rise as a global box office force that rivals even Hollywood blockbusters. AKIRA has endured as one of the most influential films ever made, from homages recreating iconic scenes and imagery across pop culture, to the film’s celebrated place as “a vital cornerstone of the cyberpunk genre” (British Film Institute), with renowned film critic Robbie Collin acknowledging “plenty of superb recent blockbusters, including The Matrix, The Dark Knight, Minority Report, Dark City and Inception, are all in its debt”.
Ross founded the UK Anime Network waaay back in 1995 and works in and around the anime world in his spare time. You can read his more personal articles on UKA's sister site, The Anime Independent.
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