I first watched Akira a long time ago and the first time I watched it, I will admit, I was very confused and very creeped out at a lot of parts. I watched it again a few years later and this time I understood it much better and could actually sit through watching it without squirming and the overall concept of Akira is extremely fascinating, it really is a good movie with a lot of meaning in it, and it is extremely moving, as well. The storyline takes place in a place where most of would recognize and not totally feel out of place, but the overall feeling of the place is dangerous and reckless and not a place you would necessarily want to be, but a place you could definitely imagine yourself being. It starts off kind of normal and then suddenly takes a very odd turn in being very science-fictiony and going into many deeper meanings of children, loyalty, family, love and believing what's wrong and right.
The animation is very good for when the anime is from and even now, watching it makes it feel better because it does have older, rougher animation, giving the feeling of the anime an even more dangerous and unfamiliar one.
The music is very good and also goes extremely well with the movie and the voice actors are excellent in English and Japanese.
