Akira - Premiere in Japan: July 16, 1988

Little memory jolt from Tom Sito on Facebook today: Katsuhiro Otomo’s classic film Akira premiered in Tokyo on July 16, 1988, 34 years ago. I picked up this handout that was floating around the east side when I was working in Beachwood, Ohio. Just a hasty, but still stylish paste-up that was reproduced on an old photocopier.

 (original copyright Katsuhiro Otomo. Original poster artist unknown.)

I think this was from 1989 or 1990? But Akira brought the house down, back at the good ol' Cleveland Cinematheque. Akira was a giant step away from the old Speed Racer and the original Transformers. This director meant business. No one under 13 admitted!

By now, most Anime' fans know of this grim, near future dystopian tale: Two friends in a motorcycle gang stumble upon a secret government plan that made nuclear weapons look like mere firecrackers. Akira helped develop an appetite in the U.S. for more serious work like the Animatrix, and the great films of Hayao Miyazaki.

https://www.facebook.com/ken.roskos/posts/1085670169022040:5 

 So, charge up your bikes, rile up the gang, and take the wild ride again!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_(1988_film)

Kyoto Animation arson attack

Trying to read more into the arson attack on Kyoto Animation in Japan, and it's wearing me down. Most of the victims were women. 

(copyright Kyoto Animation)

A comment I saw on reddit speculated that the suspect claimed the studio was stealing his ideas. Maybe this is why we fixate on having superheroes around. That way we don't feel like sitting ducks waiting for the next wacko with a chip on his shoulder to attack.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-fire/japan-officials-hunt-for-reasons-behind-fire-that-killed-34-idUSKCN1UH08I

https://variety.com/2019/film/news/kyoto-animation-suspect-arrest-1203275096/ 

http://www.kyotoanimation.co.jp/en/

UPA studios in Burbank

Photos of the old UPA studios, next to the Smokehouse restaurant in Burbank. I wish I could have been there to have seen some of my childhood favorites in production.

 

(original copyright UPA productions)

https://midcenturymomanddad.wordpress.com/tag/upa/?fbclid=IwAR3Wqpna25Dc7EHlgyCxYabpAQlTRjMQ0MSVCmXE7yiFI-rGOBRCQzirH_M

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/books/inside-upa-a-cartoon-brew-book-4073.html?fbclid=IwAR0-oJjXwdoVKv0BHg__rtOrWtbo6zkkMkbFtqdrb5K5ZDc9NAbZki12Cl4

https://mrmagooschristmascarol.blogspot.com/2010/10/?fbclid=IwAR02Y9KURsV8vudYoSZMq3BFrNhVc_GyMx12iA3EQDJOIPHv1jUHgG4HvhA

 http://floydnormancom.squarespace.com/blog/2014/6/13/remembering-upa?fbclid=IwAR09MyJVjscoRzTeBAURZ6Yg1oJxKXEao8EKAvltXDdynEXxA9z02noibyk