Katsuhiro Otomo

*****
5/5

One of the jewels of the genre, this is perhaps the best known manga movie in this country. Directed, co-scripted and designed by Katsuhiro Otomo from his own comic-strip, it's a pacey, unrelentingly violent post-apocalyptic adventure, in which a gang of Neo-Tokyo slum kids attempts to counter the telekinetic machinations of a rogue buddy. Yet, for all its futuristic elements, this is also a dark and disturbing portrait of contemporary urban life that seeks to expose the lack of empathy between the establishment and modern youth. The cityscapes are awesome, the camerawork is dizzying. If you're new to manga, prepare to be converted.

(1988)
JP   Colour   119 mins