Childhood friends Tetsuo and Kaneda are pulled into the post-apocalyptic underworld of Neo-Tokyo and forced to fight for their very survival. Kaneda is a bike gang leader, and Tetsuo is a member of a tough motorcycle crew who becomes involved in a covert government project called Akira. But a bloody battle ensues when Kaneda sets out to save his friend.
Color and background exceed what you'd expect in an action movie in 1988. The dark city and bright characters look distinct and interesting - there are numerous costume changes. I'm a fan of the neon-dystopia look. The action-sequences, what in live-action would be disgusting and un-watchable, are best described as surreal, drug-fueled, even painterly.
The protagonists are youth, driven by uncomplicated instincts. I didn't attach to any stand-out characters. Nobody I'd miss when they met their inevitable conclusion. The plots, of which there are several, are opaque and overlapping. There are these easily identified groups. The uniforms help, as do tropes such as government, rebels, bikers, scientists, secret-society.
The dialog doesn't hand-feed detail, the visuals try and tell the whole story. But each group doesn't get that much screen-time. This world is easily big enough for a sequel, if not a series.