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Syfy Channel originals, they are low budget classics that are primarily creature features that have been going on since 2002 with over 200 some film titles having the honor of being classified as such. With that said I figured we need a thread and I'll start by posting every original I've seen to date: What are your thoughts on this classic legacy?

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/looper/ Bruce Willis traveling in time again, and it looks very promising.

From Timo Vuorensola, director of the Star Wreck parody film series, comes his first-ever major motion picture. Iron Sky is a sci-fi comedy set in the year 2018, where Nazis who colonized the dark side of the moon after World War II set a full-scale invasion of Earth. The film is set to premiere at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival between February 9 and 19 before its international release on April 4. Official Site

2009 Lost Memories ( 2009 로스트메모리즈 / ロスト・メモリーズ) indecom/E-Tube Entertainment/CJ Entertainment, 2002 ADV Films, 2004 Directed by Lee Si-Myung Running Time: 135 minutes Rated R for graphic violence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df3BDkqtxzQ Cast Jang Dong-Gun as Masayuki Sakamoto Toru Nakamura as Shojiro Saigo Seo Jin-Ho as Oh Hye-Rin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPl940-9QH8 Synopsis In an alternate year 1909, the assassination of Japanese Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito by Korean nationalist An Jung-geun is thwarted. As a result, Japan's political stance worldwide changes dramatically. Over the course of the century, Japan allies with the U.S. in World War II, with the atomic bomb destroying Berlin instead of Hiroshima. In addition, Japan also becomes a permanent member of the UN Security Council in 1960, participates in the space race with the Sakura I satellite in 1965, hosts the 1988 Summer Olympics in Nagoya (instead of Seoul) and the 2002 FIFA World Cup (instead of splitting it with South Korea). More importantly, the peninsula of Korea remains part of Imperial Japan. Fast-forward to the year 2009 in the city of Keijo (Seoul). Japanese Bureau of Investigation (JBI) agent Masayuki Sakamoto and his partner Shojiro Saigo end a hostage crisis at a museum instigated by a terrorist group called Hureisenjin. Sakamoto continues to investigate the incident in search of the Hureisenjin's motives, which involves an organization created by former Governor-General Inoue. As he digs deeper for answers, he discovers that his late father was involved with the Hureisenjin, but his further findings make him a marked man by the JBI. Allying himself with the Hureisnjin, Sakamoto realizes that the current timeline should not exist, as history had been tampered with, and he must go back in time to restore history to bring Korean sovereignty back to existence. Lowdown 2009 Lost Memories is South Korea's answer to the film noir genre, with a hardly noticeable sci-fi element on the side. It also gives viewers an idea of how much the Japanese and Koreans hate each other. And that's the problem with this film. Sure, the cinematography is great and the shootouts are well-choreographed, but there are too many interludes that vaguely develop any of the characters, and there's the constant clashing of Japanese and Korean cultures. Plus, making this a time-travel film somehow doesn't seem to work. At least Mamoru Oshii's Kerberos saga is merely an alternate universe. And the running time - 135 minutes? The production team could have accomplished a better story at a shorter time. But perhaps my biggest gripe with this film is the same as Battle Royale II: Requiem: it promotes terrorism. It makes viewers believe that terrorism is the only solution to a country's problems. In short, 2009 Lost Memories is not a bad film. It's just too long with numerous plot holes and too much focus on anti-Japanese/anti-Korean sentiment. A rental at most. Rating: C+ Sub vs. Dub Don't know, don't care. I didn't realize ADV Films licensed this film several years ago until recently. Moreover, according to IMDb, the English dub was produced by none other than Carl Macek. References The Internet Movie Database

I've been messing with my shelves alot lately with the introduction of all my new vinyls toys (both modern and vintage) and thought it'd be fun to show off where I'm at right now. The bottom shelf is my ~1/60 real robot shelf with Yamato valks, Patlabor machines, Gundam stuff, and some 28mm war gaming models all approximately in scale with each other. Next shelf up is the product of my recent discovery of all things vintage robots pre-Transformers. On top of that is some Transformers and some vinyls, and then on top of that some bigger Transformers and models I've built. I also snapped a shot of my Machine Robo shelf, and my 'shelfless' Jumbo-sized toys. I've got another set of modern vinyls and other stuff spread around on my bookshelves, but this is the bulk of what's out right now. It's a shame I'm out of room, because I've an Iron Man collection that fills a shelf on its own, and a huge storage bin full of more G1 Transformers that I tragically have nowhere to put. More pics here: http://prometheusrising.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/shelves/

The Iron Giant Warner Bros. Pictures, 1999 Directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Ratatouille) Executive Producer: Pete Townshend (the guy from The Who that used to destroy his guitars every night...) Based on the novel The Iron Man by the late Ted Hughes (1930-1998) Running Time: 86 minutes Rated PG for sci-fi violence. Cast Eli Marienthal (Stifler's brother in American Pie 1-2) as Hogarth Hughes Vin Diesel (Riddick, Dominic Toretto in The Fast and the Furious) as The Iron Giant Jennifer Aniston (Tory in Leprechaun, Joanna in Office Space) as Annie Hughes Harry Connick, Jr. (Narrator in My Dog Skip, Jimmy in Independence Day) as Dean McCoppin Christopher McDonald (Jor-El in Superman: The Animated Series, Superman in Batman Beyond) as Kent Mansley John Mahoney (Marty in Frasier) as Gen. Rogard Synopsis In 1957, a mysterious object from space crashes on a stormy night off the coast of Maine. The next night, in the small town of Rockwell, a boy named Hogarth discovers the object as a giant robotic being with an appetite for metal and the ability to repair itself. He befriends the robot after saving it when it clumsily traps itself between power lines. Shortly afterward, Hogarth has the Giant stay at a junkyard run by a Beatnik named Dean. At the same time, Hogarth must keep the Giant's existence a secret from Mansley, a nosy government agent sent to investigate strange anomalies in the town. Story: A+ It's such a shame that this film flopped at the box office due to Warner Bros.' inability to properly market it, as this is how an American animated story should be told. The Iron Giant is a classic tale of boy-meets-alien. The Cold War-era works perfectly with the story, as well as the Giant's interaction with its surroundings and its struggle to differentiate good from evil. In addition, outstanding performances are given by the main cast. Yes - even by Vin Diesel, who still has yet to outdo his role as the Giant. Despite the film failing at the box office, director Brad Bird went on to find greater success in 2004 with Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles. Animation: A+ This is how a great American story should be animated. The Iron Giant displays some of the best examples of different forms of animation - old-style rotoscoping (which is much better than the style Don Bluth used to kill his career in Titan A.E.) for the human characters mixed with cel-shaded CGI for the Giant and various military vehicles. Soundtrack: A The film score by the late Michael Kamen (1948-2003) (Metallica's S&M live album, Pink Floyd's The Wall) is not as loud as his other theatrical works, but it works really well and doesn't detract from the storytelling. The Bottom Line Probably the last great American 2D animated theatrical release and undoubtedly one of the best sci-fi stories ever told. DVD Extras: A The Special Edition DVD is loaded with extras such as additional scenes cut from the film (in animated storyboard form, with commentary by director Bird), the full "Duck and Cover" song, numerous behind-the-scenes footage that's accessible in the middle of the film, a motion gallery and some trailers. There's also a mini-documentary featuring Vin Diesel - not that anyone cares, anyway. In addition, the DVD-ROM has some bonuses that may probably crash your computer. Links The Iron Giant Official Site References The Internet Movie Database

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inGUZEDJllY Titan A.E. FOX Animation Studios/20th Century Fox, 2000 Directed by Don Bluth (An American Tail, Anastasia) and Gary Goldman (The Pebble and the Penguin, Anastasia) Written by Hans Bauer (Anaconda) and Randall McCormick (Speed 2: Cruise Control) Screenplay by Ben Edlund (The Tick), John August (Big Fish, Corpse Bride) and Joss Whedon (like nobody here knows who he is...) Running Time: 94 minutes Rated PG for sci-fi violence and mild language. Cast Matt Damon (The Bourne Trilogy, Good Will Hunting) as Cale Tucker Drew Barrymore (Gertie in E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Julia in The Wedding Singer) as Akima Kunimoto Bill Pullman (President Whitmore in Independence Day, Lone Starr in Spaceballs) as Capt. Joseph Korso John Leguizamo (Luigi in Super Mario Bros., Violator in Spawn) as Gune Nathan Lane (Timon in The Lion King, Albert in The Birdcage) as Preed Janeane Garofalo (The Bowler in Mystery Men, Colette in Ratatouille) as Stith Tone Loc (remember that rap song "Wild Thing"?) as Tek Ron Perlman (like nobody here knows who he is...) as Prof. Sam Tucker Synopsis In the year 3028, an alien race called the Drej invade the Solar System and destroy Earth. While they accomplish in wiping out 99% of Earth's population, they fail to eliminate the top-secret project ship Titan created by Prof. Sam Tucker, who escaped in the midst of the chaos. Fifteen years later, the surviving humans continue to live their lives as intergalactic refugees. Tucker's son Cale, who works at a salvage yard, is paid a visit by Capt. Joseph Korso and female pilot Akima. They seek help from Cale, as he holds the key to finally locate the Titan - mankind's last hope for survival. Together, they must get to the Titan before the Drej discover it and annihilate mankind for good. Story: D+ Back in 1999, while moviegoers flocked to movie theaters to see The Matrix, they caught their first glimpse of this animated sci-fi flick. It showed Earth blown to bits, which, more or less, caught a lot of attention. One year later, Titan A.E. was released. Unfortunately, Earth blowing up was practically the only exciting part of the movie. This movie had a lot of potential, but its lack of originality was its Achilles heel. Sure, hundreds of sci-fi flicks bite off from Star Wars and Star Trek, but Titan A.E. just bites off too much from them. Most noticeable is the Titan ship subplot, which is a rehash of the Genesis Project from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. I'd point out some Star Wars references, but there are just too many to name. Besides, I fell asleep throughout most of the film. Even anime references are not spared from this film's lack of originality. Cale's hand map is a loose derivative of Lensman. The Valkyrie flight scene across the asteroid belt may have been a take on Macross. The characters are just not likeable at all; maybe if the Drej got rid of them, we'd probably have a better movie than the final product. And we all know that Matt Damon and Drew Barrymore can't act, but damn - their voice acting's even worse. But then again, if you read the credits, it's no wonder the story sucks. People who wrote Anaconda and Speed 2: Cruise Control were behind this tripe. Even the screenplay writers (read credits above), as talented as they are, couldn't save this train wreck of a story. Instead of making headlines, Titan A.E. was simply career suicide for Don Bluth and a number of animators. It was also an early sign of the death of American theatrical animation as we know it. Titan A.E. made only $36 million out of its $75 million budget, prompting FOX to close their animation studios. Its bad luck must have also rubbed on other animated sci-fi titles like Sony's Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire (don't get me started with the Nadia ripoff debacle) and Treasure Planet - all of which tanked in the box office as well. Animation: B- Can someone please tell Don Bluth that Rotoscope animation is dead? Titan A.E.'s character designs are just as exciting as watching paint dry on a rainy day. The 3D animation is okay, but with a budget of $75 million, it should be much better. Soundtrack: C There's a reason why Star Wars and Star Trek use classical music for their soundtracks: it never goes out of style. Titan A.E. just feels so '90s with its use of alternative music from Lit, Powerman 5000 and other bands no one's even heard of. Graeme Revell (The Crow, Sin City) supplies some BGM, but it's hardly noticeable. DVD Extras: B At least the DVD is loaded with extras, such as deleted/unfinished scenes and a making-of documentary. And there's a music video of "Over My Head" by Lit, like anyone cares. The Bottom Line "Planet Bob?" Skip this movie and go rent something else. Reference The Internet Movie Database Wikipedia

We need a Whovian thread for all Whovian stuff all the time! I'll start this off by posing a query in the final episode of the first season of Doctor Who there is this exchange between Rose and the Doctor. Rose: there was this singing Doctor: That's right I sang a song and the Dalek's ran away now on the surface this could just be a joke meaning that the Doctor can't sing... but I wonder if maybe it's a possible Macross reference. I mean Macross 7 or something ^^. But maybe not... to me it just made me think of Macross 7.... "listen to the Doctor's song!" But seriously now... I loved the new series and i'm kinda sad to see the 10th Doctor go... I don't like the new one so far but maybe he'll grow on me (but ooh his voice is so bad.) Everyone else like the first season?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkX7dHjL-aY The Fifth Element Gaumont/Columbia Pictures, 1997 Columbia Tri-Star Home Video, 2005 Directed by Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, Leon: The Professional) Written by Luc Besson (The Transporter trilogy, the Taken trilogy) and Robert Mark Kamen (The Karate Kid, Kiss of the Dragon) Running Time: 126 minutes Rated PG-13 for violence, nudity, suggestive sexual situations and strong language. Cast Bruce Willis (David Addison in Moonlighting, Mikey in Look Who's Talking) as Korben Dallas Milla Jovovich (Katinka in Zoolander, Maya in Kuffs) as Leeloo Minai Lekarariba-Laminai-Tchai Ekbat De Sebat. Gary Oldman (Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK, Drexl Spivey in True Romance) as Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg Ian Holm (Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings, Mr. Kurtzmann in Brazil) as Priest Vito Cornelius Chris Tucker (Smokey in Friday, Det. James Carter in Rush Hour) as DJ Ruby Rhod Tom "Tiny" Lister, Jr. as President Lindberg Brion James (1945-1999) (Leon in Blade Runner, Ben in 48 Hours) as General Munro Maïwenn Le Besco as Diva Plavalaguna Luke Perry (Dylan in Beverly Hills 90210, Oliver in Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as Billy Masterson Synopsis Heavily inspired by bandes dessinees (that's "comics" in French) artists Jean-Claude Mezieres (Valerian) and Jean "Moebius" Giraud (Blueberry, Metal Hurlant), renowned French director Luc Besson collaborated with the two in 1992 to develop an ambitious sci-fi project tentatively titled Zaltman Bleros. While character and production sketches were being developed, the project was put on hold, pending support from a Hollywood company. But when Besson's 1993 film Léon: The Professional became a worldwide hit, he reunited with Mezieres and Moebius and resumed production of their project, now renamed The Fifth Element. Released in 1997, The Fifth Element tells the tale of Korben Dallas, a New York cab driver in the 23rd century who encounters a mysterious girl named Leeloo. He later on ends up having to protect Leeloo, as she holds the key to the five elements that will protect Earth from all evil, not to mention a corrupt industrialist named Zorg who wants the elements for his own profit. If the five elements are not joined within 48 hours, all life on Earth will cease to exist. Korben Dallas: "Whoa, lady, I only speak two languages: English and bad English." [Leeloo continues to talk in divine language] Korben Dallas: "Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for conversation, but maybe you could just shut up for a minute?" Lowdown Imagine Blade Runner mixed with Star Wars, with a little European style to it. You have The Fifth Element. Yes, the story leaves much to be desired, but The Fifth Element is pure eye candy with breathtaking set designs, dazzling visual effects and Milla Jovovich half-naked in the first half of the film. Bruce Willis, as usual, plays a scrawny, gun-toting S.O.B. Gary Oldman, on the other hand, does a good job playing the neurotic Zorg. (Of course, it pales in comparison to his role as Stansfield in Léon.) And while this film launched Jovovich's career, nothing else she's done afterwards has been worthwhile. But the one who steals the show is Chris Tucker, who plays the gender-challenged DJ Ruby Rhod. In many of his scenes, you'll either laugh or just tell him to shut up. The music by Eric Serra (GoldenEye, Bulletproof Monk) is a mix of orchestra and techno, but the highlight of the soundtrack is the Diva's captivating performance. Definitely worth buying the OST. If you're a sci-fi freak or just a casual movie buff, check out The Fifth Element. Proof that the French can also produce a great sci-fi epic. Police: "Are you classified as human?" Korben Dallas: "Negative, I am a meat popsicle." Rating: A- "Anybody else want to negotiate?" - Korben Dallas DVD Extras: A+ If you have a previous version of The Fifth Element on DVD (regular or Superbit), trade it in, as this two-disc edition is loaded with everything you wanted to know about the movie, and then some: Check-in Attendant: "Mr. Rhod, you are going to have to assume your individual position." DJ Ruby Rhod: "I don't want one position, I want all positions!" Disc 1Film feature available in DTS 6.1 or Dolby Digital 5.1 English. Fact Track. Liner notes that flash during the film. Disc 2 The Visual Element. Interviews with Mezieres and Moebius, plus test shots of the film's set designs. The Digital Element. A look at the film's dazzling visual effects, plus interviews with the staff of Digital Domain. The Star Element. Interviews with Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich and Chris Tucker. The Alien Element. Information on the Mondoshawans, the Mangalores, Zorg's pet Picasso and other races that didn't make it in the final cut. The Fashion Element. A look at the wardrobe of 23rd century Earth, plus screen tests of Korben and Leeloo's outfits. The Diva. An interview with the actress behind the blue makeup and prosthetics, plus test shots and outtakes of her concert performance. Poster Gallery. Pics of theatrical posters from all over the world. Too bad none of these features are available on Blu-ray. Speaking of which, Sony screwed up on the Blu-ray release of this film not once, but twice. The first in 2006 being a really bad video transfer, and while the second release in 2007 featured an improved picture, that's all it had. References The Internet Movie Database

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu6Nymps5WA The Last Starfighter Lorimar/Universal Pictures, 1984 Directed by Nick Castle (Major Payne, Mr. Wrong) Running Time: 101 minutes Rated PG for violence and strong language. Cast Lance Guest (Jimmy in Halloween II, Michael in Jaws: The Revenge) as Alex Rogan/Beta Unit "Alex" Dan O'Herlihy (1919-2005) (The Old Man in RoboCop, Franklin D. Roosevelt in MacArthur) as Grig Catherine Mary Stewart (Gwen in Weekend at Bernie's) as Maggie Gordon Robert Preston (1918-1987) (Harold Hill in The Music Man) as Centauri Norman Snow (Springfield in Manhunter, Torin in Star Trek: The Next Generation) as Xur Dan Mason as Lord Kril Kay E. Kuter (1925-2003) as Enduran Barbara Bosson (Fay in Hill Street Blues) as Jane Rogan Chris Hebert as Louis Rogan Vernon Washington (1927-1988) (Rev. Mills in Roots: The Next Generations) as Otis Heather Locklear (Tommy Lee and Richie Sambora's ex) as a Rylan indoctrinator (uncredited) Wil Wheaton (Wesley in Star Trek: The Next Generation) as Louis' friend (deleted scene) "Greetings, Starfighter. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Xur and the Kodan Armada." - Starfighter Videogame Introduction Synopsis Alex Rogan is a normal teenager who has dreams of getting out of his trailer park neighborhood and achieving long-term success. But all of that is put on hold when his dream college rejects his request for admission. Then one night, after achieving a record-breaking score on a videogame machine called "Starfighter," he is paid a visit from Centauri - an elderly man who invented the game. Alex reluctantly steps into Centauri's car and is brought to the distant planet of Rylos. To his surprise, Alex has been recruited by the Star League as a gunner for the force's Gunstar units. Alex turns down the offer and requests to return to Earth, not knowing that the evil Xur and the Kodan Armada launch an attack on the Star League headquarters on his way home. He returns to the decimated base and teams up with ace pilot Grig to commandeer Gunstar-1 - an advanced version of the Star League's fighter. But with the Star League defenseless and the Kodan Armada on the move to conquer the Frontier, does Alex have what it takes to be The Last Starfighter? "Things change. Always do. You'll get your chance! Important thing is, when it comes, you've got to grab with both hands, and hold on tight!" - Otis Lowdown When it comes to science fiction, many people first think of Star Wars or Star Trek, as they both revolutionized the genre in the 20th century with their intricate storytelling and groundbreaking special effects. But in 1984, there was one movie that dared to challenge both film franchises with a down-to-earth plot and special effects that no one had ever seen. "I must congratulate you on your virtuoso performance, my boy. Centauri is impressed. I've seen 'em come, and I've seen 'em go, but you're the best, my boy. Dazzling! Light years ahead of the competition! Centauri's got a little proposition for you. Are ya interested?" - Centauri Inspired by the videogame craze mixed with T.H. White's classic story The Once and Future King, The Last Starfighter takes the basic concept of space opera and an unlikely hero and adds a slice of Americana to it. Instead of a distant desert planet, the main character is just a plain guy living in a trailer park on the hills of Santa Clarita, CA. As a result, you have a Luke Skywalker that just about anyone can identify with. While Lance Guest does a superb performance playing Alex, it's the late Robert Preston who steals the show as the alien con artist Centauri, with his non-stop wit and humor. Sometimes, you have the urge to tell him to shut up, but you just can't help but listen to and sometimes laugh at his memorable quotes. And they really stick to your head. "The amusing thing about this, it's all a big mistake. That particular Starfighter game was supposed to be delivered to Vegas, not some flea-speck trailer park in the middle of tumbleweeds and tarantulas. So it must be fate, destiny, blind chance, luck even, that brings us together. And as the poet said, the rest is history." - Centauri For every sci-fi film, there's a hero to cheer for and villains to hate. The villain of this film is Xur, the former son of Star League leader Enduran who has turned his back on the federation and joined the Kodan Armada. The band of villains are what you may normally find in every sci-fi movie, but where else can you find a second-in-command with a mechanical eyepiece? "Well, you may have thought it was a game, but it was also a test. Aha, a test! Sent out across the galaxy to find those with the potential to be Starfighters. And here you are, my boy! Here you are!" - Centauri If Star Wars has the X-Wing Fighter, The Last Starfighter has the Gunstar-1 - a fast and powerful spacecraft armed to the teeth with lasers, missiles...and two words: Death Blossom. If only someone made a model kit of this... Grig: "Remember, Death Blossom delivers only one massive volley at close range...theoretically." Alex: "What do you mean, 'theoretically?'" Grig: "After all, D.B. has never been tested. It might overload the systems, blow up the ship!" Alex: "What are you worried about, Grig? Theoretically, we should already be dead!" As for the special effects, The Last Starfighter caught everyone by surprise with its high-quality computer-generated action scenes. Using the powerful Cray supercomputer, Digital Productions produced realistic, mind-blowing effects at a lower budget than using animatronics and miniatures. It didn't introduce CG (TRON and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan experimented with it two years earlier), but it made audiences and filmmakers aware of the full potential of computer graphics. Today, nearly every sci-fi show or movie relies heavily on CG for their effects. And you have The Last Starfighter to thank for that. Craig Safan (Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins) is no John Williams, but his soundtrack captures the essence of the film. You can't help but hum to the movie's main theme, as it's just as memorable as Williams' theme for Star Wars. "Death is a primitive concept; I prefer to think of them as battling evil - in another dimension!" - Grig Overall, The Last Starfighter is one of the best science fiction films ever made. Highly recommended for movie buffs who want a piece of late 20th century sci-fi nostalgia. Rating: A "Teriffic. I'm about to get killed a million miles from nowhere with a gung-ho iguana who tells me to relax." - Alex Rogan DVD Extras: A+ To celebrate the film's 15th anniversary, Universal Pictures threw everything and the kitchen sink into their 1999 DVD release of The Last Starfighter. The movie has been perfectly remastered in an anamorphic widescreen format with crisp Dolby 5.1 surround. In addition, the disc has an exclusive special on the making of The Last Starfighter, hosted by Lance Guest. You get to see how computer-generated special effects evolved from a niche medium to a mandatory standard in today's science fiction features. If you don't have this DVD yet, pick it up now. The Last Starfighter is a sci-fi masterpiece in its own right. "Victory or Death!" - Star League Battle Cry Reference The Internet Movie Database SF Movie Data Bank: The Last Starfighter (Japanese/English)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwWLOrMrJYc AKIRA ( アキラ ) Toho Film/Bandai Visual, 1988 Pioneer/Geneon Entertainment, 2001-2002, 2004; Funimation, 2013 Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo (Memories, Steamboy). Rated R for violence and gore, nudity, suggestive sexual situations, drug use, and profanity. Cast (Japanese) Mitsuo Iwata (Itsuki in Initial D, Hyosuke in Please Teacher!/Onegai Twins) as Shotaro Kaneda Nozomu Sasaki (Yuusuke in Yu-Yu Hakusho, Enishi in Rurouni Kenshin) as Tetsuo Shima Mami Koyama (Karen in Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team, Chiren in Battle Angel) as Kei Taro Ishida (Duke Red in Metropolis) as the Colonel Takeshi Kusao (The Guyver, Trunks in Dragon Ball Z) as Kai Tessho Genda (Chief Dan Dastun in The Big-O, Sanders in Gundam 08th MS Team) as Ryu Fukue Ito as Kiyoko (#25) Tatsuhiko Nakamura as Takashi (#26) Kazuhiko Kamifuji as Masaru (#27) Mizuho Suzuki as Dr. Onishi Cast (English) Johnny Yong Bosch (Vash the Stampede in Trigun, Haruto in Witch Hunter Robin) as Shotaro Kaneda Joshua Seth (Cyborg 009, Eiji in Rurouni Kenshin) as Tetsuo Shima Wendee Lee (Faye in Cowboy Bebop, Angel in The Big O) as Kei Synopsis The year is 2019. Thirty-one years have passed since an experiment gone wrong triggered an explosion that destroyed Tokyo, Japan. This phenomenon was known by many as "Akira," named after the test subject of the experiment. Following this catastrophe and World War III, the city became Neo-Tokyo - a cesspool of gang violence, angry demonstrations and a corrupt government. Shotaro Kaneda leads his motorcycle gang of juvenile delinquents against the Clowns for road supremacy. But things go awry when Kaneda's best friend Tetsuo Shima is involved in a deadly accident and taken into custody by the military. The accident unleashes physical and mental powers hidden inside Tetsuo, which he uses indiscriminately to wreak havoc all over the city. With the help of a political activist named Kei, Kaneda must stop Tetsuo before he releases the powers of Akira and destroys Neo-Tokyo. Story: A It's not easy adapting a manga into the big screen, but Otomo managed to keep the film as close to the original story as possible in a two-hour span. Many viewers may not understand the film at first, but they'll slowly realize its meaning. Animation: A+ Akira became the benchmark in Japanese animation with its vibrant mix of 2D and 3D graphics. It's hard to believe that this movie is nearly two decades old, but is still technically superior to most anime titles released in the past five years. Soundtrack: A+ (Available through AnimeTrax) Akira is highly regarded as having one of the greatest soundtracks in film history. Composed by Shoji Yamashiro and performed by Geinoh Yamashiro-Gumi, the film score uses a perfect blend of Malay, Indonesian and Japanese instruments with synthesizers and powerful vocals. Sub vs. Dub When Streamline Pictures first released Akira, it was marred by horrible dubbing and a bad English script. Pioneer re-translated the script to make it closer to the original Japanese version. I'm glad to say that the new produced by ZRO Limit Productions/Animaze dub is very good. DVD Extras: A+ If you bought the 2-disc version, you definitely got your money's worth. Disc 2 is loaded with the following features: - AKIRA Production Report (The making of the movie). - AKIRA Sound Clip (The original soundtrack production). - Interview with Katsuhiro Otomo. - Production Materials (Still images, unused storyboards & backgrounds, character design sketches, manga art, movie posters and promotional items). - Original Japanese trailers and TV spots. - Features behind the film restoration and English re-dub. - Glossary. The Bottom Line AKIRA is one movie you must own in your film collection, whether you're into anime or not. Reference Anime News Network The Internet Movie Database