Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1988 anime feature film Akira is rightfully recognized as one of the most influential films of all time. A cyberpunk classic, it has not only inspired other cyberpunk films made in the past nearly four decades since its release, but has left an indelible mark on the sci-fi genre as a whole, from themes tackled to visual design.

Akira is a unique and aesthetically pleasing animated movie whose setting of Neo-Tokyo has inspired dystopian worlds for sci-fi movies, especially futuristic ones similar to the fictional city in which Akira‘s events unfold. Even the film’s action, especially the iconic bike slide in Akira is referenced by movies of all genres, as a vehicular maneuver that hypes up the protagonist.

Despite innumerable live-action adaptations of classic animated movies being released in the past couple of decades, the live-action Akira movie hasn’t happened. It also seems unlikely, due to the restraints of translating from animation, and the recently unrenewed contract for the adaptation. However, there are enough similar sci-fi movies that fans can enjoy instead if they want a live-action Akira.

Upgrade (2018)

One of the major themes in Akira is the impact of power on an individual. The protagonist’s best friend, Tetsuo Shima (Nozomu Sasaki), discovers he has latent psychic abilities and gradually starts losing control over them, eventually becoming the antagonist. The story of the protagonist, Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green), in Leigh Whannell’s Upgrade has some striking similarities to Tetsuo’s arc.

If you’re nervous about A.I., Upgrade is a movie to avoid, because Trace, left paralyzed by a car accident, finds the ability to walk after being fitted with an A.I. chip, but soon goes on a murderous rampage. He gains superhuman abilities and uses the A.I. to avenge his paralysis. However, he ultimately loses control as the A.I. takes over.

Dredd (2012)

Pete Travis and Alex Garland’s Dredd, starring Karl Urban as the тιтular protagonist, is a rare sci-fi movie remake that’s actually awesome and is a significant improvement on the original movie. It follows Judge Dredd through the streets of a dystopian future USA where law enforcement plays the role of judge, jury, and executioner to ensure swift delivery of justice.

The futuristic design of the movie’s location, the highly stylized action sequences, and most importantly, the concept of streets plagued and controlled by violent gangs – the organization of Judges and the drug ring they attempt to take down fight it out in public spaces quite often – bear similarities with Akira‘s backdrop, where gang wars occur all the time.

Looper (2012)

While he’ll always be most famous for his role as John McClane, there are great action movies that are not Die Hard starring Bruce Willis, and Rian Johnson’s Looper is among the best of them. Tetsuo’s powers and his arc of losing his grasp on reality and turning villainous after discovering his abilities heavily inspired Johnson when he wrote Looper.

Looper is set in the year 2044, when Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) works as a hitman for the mob, but specifically kills targets sent from 30 years into the future, after the discovery of time-travel. When the mob decides to close the loop and send his older version (Bruce Willis) as a target, he chooses to go rogue and turns villainous.

TRON: Legacy (2010)

A futuristic-looking world where the primary mode of transportation is via highly stylish bikes is bound to remind one of Akira. The unique design of the world, which is bolstered by the cool bike chases and the fights using discs, makes TRON: Legacy‘s game world visually appealing enough for viewers to want to live there, not very different from Neo-Tokyo.

The plots of the movies are also similar, as TRON: Legacy‘s central conflict lies in trying to prevent a character from transcending and taking over humanity and ruling the world in his vision. From a new version of the bike slide to the electronic soundtrack by Daft Punk, fans of Akira will find plenty to enjoy about TRON: Legacy.

The Matrix (1999)

The Wachowskis have named Akira as one of their inspirations behind The Matrix, which is an action movie with great choreography that also shares thematic similarities with the anime movie. Similar to Tetsuo’s experiences with his power, Neo has trouble controlling his newly-discovered abilities, but eventually discovers they are a means of transcendence that he could use to redefine reality.

Unlike Tetsuo, though, Neo becomes the savior of the world. The stylish action sequences, with stunning CGI and slow-motion, the gorgeous but dystopian design of the futuristic world inside the Matrix, and the slick fashion of the characters are all reminiscent of Akira. It is one of the best demonstrations of how influential Akira has been to the sci-fi genre.

Chronicle (2012)

Of all the movies inspired by Akira, Chronicle might bear the most resemblance in storyline. The protagonist of Chronicle, Andrew (Dane DeHaan), miraculously discovers psychic abilities, similar to Tetsuo, and struggles to control them, alongside his two other companions. Their poor understanding of their powers threatens them as their darker sides start taking over, and inadvertently wreaking unwanted havoc.

While superhero cinema is mostly a self-contained genre because the bulk of superhero movies are adaptations of other source material, every so often, a gem like Chronicle demonstrates the power of independent storytelling, including the use of found-footage cinematography, a rare phenomenon in the genre. From the visuals of destruction to the philosophical conundrums, Chronicle is clearly influenced by Akira.

Blade Runner (1982)

While Akira‘s influence on sci-fi and dystopian fiction is often discussed, a topic that deserves more attention is the cinema that inspired Akira, and the strongest influence is Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner. In many ways, the live-action Akira movie pre-dates Akira because Blade Runner is possibly the closest we’ll ever get. Katsuhiro Otomo has said it’s one of his inspirations.

Featuring some of the best sci-fi movie characters of all time, Blade Runner is set in a futuristic world where bioengineered humanoids, known as replicants, fight for their freedom, as blade runners try to track down and annihilate them. Akira might be considered to have improved upon the themes and the visuals of the film, and is a worthy successor.