Before I had even pressed play on the streamed video of Akira, I could tell there was going to be a lot of action in it. Eleven o’clock on Wednesday night was the first time I had watched an anime film, that was not produced by Studio Ghibli, all the way through. I had noticed multiple themes throughout the movie and trying to write about just one was too complicated for me.
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The first thing that jumped out at me was how controlling the government and higher powers are in the Akira. Ever since the 1988 disaster, the government has cracked down. They set up lengthy check-points all of the time. They even have check-points at the mall that the citizens basically have to shop at. At the school, the disciplinarian figure just started slapping the characters in the face and was screaming ‘discipline’ at them when he did it.
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I also found it terrible that the government knew about the genetic research being done on these children, which brings me to my next point. I personally think that doing genetic research on children is wrong, especially ones that did not consent to it. As the film opens up, you see the child that was abducted forced to go back to the facility. This child is an esper and he has psychic abilities. The scientist and Colonel Shikishima decide that its okay to just take the wounded Tetsuo with them back to the facility with them. When they take Tetsuo back to the facility to heal him they realize he has the mental frequencies that are similar to the former powerful Akira. They automatically start thinking of the powers he could posses and what he could be capable of. The doctor and colonel give Tetsuo capsules that make him develop the psychic abilities without Tetsuo even knowing. They later realize they cannot control Tetsuo because Tetsuo cannot even control himself. Ever since he obtained the powers, he gets random pains when he uses them.Tetsuo loses control of himself when his pain and emotions grow too overwhelming. Tetsuo ends up creating a disaster much like the one Akira created.
I would have to agree with you on the genetic research aspect. Experimenting on children is quite wrong on so many levels. This whole film is rather “wrong” in so many ways really. The film itself is okay, just the issues portrayed make you think “WTF?!” as you witness it. Then even after watching the movie it still has you sitting there thinking… trying to figure out what you just viewed. Then later it all hits you randomly, lol. The whole movie just shows you how horribly the adolescents are treated and how the “adults” refuse to hear what have to say. That brings about the whole cliché of how older people don’t take children/teens seriously. Since his film does portray a dystopian society just a few years after our current state, I will say that cliché was shown in a beyond brutally extreme fashion. I guess that’s all I have for this comment about your blog. Lol I hope it doesn’t seem like an off tangent rant, I do agree with what you have stated though.
ReplyDeleteYou have a really good point bringing up the children who were also experimented on. It really shows the extent of the government control over the people in the society's lives. I think the Esper children were an excellent foil to Tetsuo's character. Even though they were experimented on and given these incredible powers against their own will they do not willingly use them the way Tetsuo does to gain control. They have every right to lash out against the people who have done this to them, but instead we see them care about the rest of humanity and only want to keep destruction from happening.
ReplyDeleteIs there any genetic research you would approve of? The government supports the scientists, so, of course, they knew what was going on.
ReplyDeleteOh, man. It's pretty nuts that you mention Tetsuo's powers being derivative of government issued capsules. The obvious irony is that the film's first "capsules," Tetsuo's fellow gang members, are the very reason he feels so helpless in the first place. This helplessness is, however, an unintended byproduct of the only protection which kept Tetsuo alive. Tetsuo's capsule dependency resurfaces when he kills the gang's friend/ bartender for yet another variety of capsules. Tetsuo later relies on capsules to keep his powers from taking control of his body. Crazy stuff.
ReplyDeleteYour post makes good sense about all the points you listed, but human experimentation in my opinion is totally fine, only if consented though. We couldn't find out all the knowledge we have today with just observation, there had to have been some experiments going on to have the results we do today. The Nazi scientists had experimented on their captives frequently and much of their research has led to a lot of medical knowledge we have today. I'm in no way supporting the Nazis and their endeavors, but the research they did has benefitted mankind if various ways. What they did would've been much better if the subjects gave their full consent of their own accord to be tested on.
ReplyDeleteThe only problem I have with human experimentation is when it is done without the consent of the tested. Sometimes it is necessary to have child test subjects, I understand that. I just believe that it should consensual!
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that children can't give consent. I found that one out the hard way.
ReplyDeleteExactly my point. Children wouldn't be able to understand what is being done to them. I would say parental consent would work, but sometimes parents don't have their morals straight, and would do it just for monetary benefits of being in a study. What is done on the child could have long-term effects.
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