Hello. I am thinking about maybe getting this Criterion release when I have the money (I just saw the movie and was amazed by it.), and I'm just wondering if anyone that has it can give me some more info on it. It says that it has the Streamline English dub and original Japanese audio, but doesn't mention any subtitles option. Is this true that it has no subtitles? If so, I'll probably just go for the latest DVD of it. Thanks.

glad you liked it
i had the criterion once, there are no subtitles but could have close caption on it? doesn't say it has on the listing.

i have the Japanese box Akira: Special Collection (1988) [PILA-1086]
which also has the streamline dub, but i've seen it so many times that i can't listen to the new re-dub they released.
this streamline was also the same when i saw it at an art house theater in NYC back around 1989 and its just great.


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Having both Criterion release and have yet to get the Japanese set I would say the subs would be closed caption. If you have a BD player and a Walmart close by that has an endcap of anime you can find Funi's release for about $20 which has I believe both US dubs and Japanese with English subs but I'd have to find my copy to be sure. I think there was a n Australian release that had both dubs on DVD and some other stuff but I can't seem to locate one.

So, both CLV and CAV releases have CC's? If so, YES!!! There's one thing, though, the back of the CAV jacket doesn't seem to mention CC's anywhere? Also, is it really worth this much? http://www.ebay.com/itm/AKIRA-1987-LASE ... 3cdcc95da1

After checking I can't seem to get CC working so I guess maybe it doesn't have it. Also look around for either edition you can find them pretty cheap.

I just bought the Pioneer DVD of Akira. I don't care if it doesn't have the Streamline dub, it mostly matters to me if it has Japanese with English subtitles, and it's still a great deal for $5.20. I'll probably get the CLV Criterion LD when I get money (I saw it once on eBay go for under 15 dollars.)

which Pioneer one? regular or the tin? single or 2 disc?

Just the regular single disc version.

I just received the standard Pioneer DVD of Akira, today. It looks very good, but not as good as a DVD made at present time (It looks kind of like a very late Laserdisc with some digital artifacts thrown in, but I noticed that it actually seems to look slightly better when displayed on a 4:3 CRT TV.)

The recent one that Funi released is in a BD and DVD 2 pack so that DVD might be better looking than Pioneer's DVD.

I actually just got Akira (1988) [SF070-1550] in the mail today. It surprisingly looks amazing for a 1988 release, and it easily rivals the 2001 Pioneer DVD.

I'm unfamiliar with that one. I wonder why that would look better than Pioneer's later DVD release. It would seem they would use the same transfer or improve it. I'll add it to the wishlist.

i had that one before i picked up the box set.
that set is only in Japanese and has an amazing picture quality.
i kept the box set as it has english for if i ever have anyone over that wants to watch it.

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By rivals, I mean it looks almost just as good.

I recently tried out parts of the first side on the Criterion edition. It's very strange how sharpness differs from one scene to another. Sometimes it looks a bit soft and other times it looks very sharpened. The first ten minutes or so looks great however.

This is a screenshot taken from Akira (1988) [SF070-1550]. Sorry if it doesn't have the greatest quality. It looks much sharper in real life. Tell me what you guys think.

Not easy to say. It doesn't seem to have much rainbowing and the noise is low from what I can see which is good but the softness doesn't make a good representation. What player are you using? I like this film alot but I've already got three copies of it and I've seen it once on 35mm (beat that!) so I've had enough for a while.

I use a Pioneer CLD-V2600 (Not the best player, I know.), and I took the snapshot using an EasyCap (This is probably the main reason why it doesn't look as good as it does in real life. )

i saw it back in 88 or 89 when it was first released here in the USA right before streamline released it widescreen on VHS
beat that


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Nothing can beat a screening at the Film house in Stockholm.