The slide seen ‘round the world looks awesome in a whole new way with some clever practical effects.
Every couple of years, rumors of a live-action version of Akira pop up. As one of the most influential anime/manga series of all time, it’s no surprise that it’s on many Hollywood filmmakers’ wish list each time the cyclical nature of the concept of adapting Japanese animation titles swings back into fashion, and so we keep hearing about how a live-action Akira movie (or trilogy) is right around the corner.
At this point, it’s anyone’s guess over whether a feature-length Akira will ever get filmed in the real world, but what we do have right here and now is an awesome stop-motion version of the anime’s most memorable scene, biker gangster Kaneda’s brake-slide.
Using some 1:6-scale Bandai Tamashi Nations Project BM! figures, and a very steady hand for the many miniscule adjustments the video required, YouTuber Animist opens with a shot of Kaneda’s back as he walks towards his bike. Snapping his jacket to tighten the fit over his shoulders, a ripple forms and makes its way across the material, and this is just the first amazing visual effect.
Kaneda then plops himself down in the driver’s seat, causing the bike to bounce from the added weight, and when he revs the engine, sparks appear at the wheels, just like in the anime. In another parallel to the animated version, the bike’s headlight leaves a ghostly afterimage trail as he speeds off, and when he performs the slide, three perfect lines of smoke rise from where the front tire, rear tire, and Kaneda’s boot drag across the ground. And even if you’ve watched Akira 100 times, Animist’s video has a twist ending all its own, plus some other surprises in the making-of video.
For example, while the sparks and lights are digitally added, the smoke is all practical effects using intricately arranged wads of cotton. The sound was all custom-created for the video too, using such unexpected equipment as duct tape and a water jug.
If your anime tastes run towards more modern series, Animist’s YouTube channel, which can be found here, has plenty of amazing stop-motion videos from more recent titles, like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and My Hero Academia, as well as anime that predates Akira like Hayao Miyazaki’s Future Boy Conan. And if you’re getting impatient waiting for a full live-action Akira movie to get made, these fans also have something for you to watch while you wait.
Source: YouTube/Animist via IT Media
Top image: YouTube/Animist
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