Fiction & Science: Akira

What can films teach us about science?

In the Science & Fiction series, VU researchers present a film of their choice and analyse it from the perspective of their own field of expertise. In this first instalment, Klaas de Zwaan highlights the relevance of film studies using the science fiction classic Akira (1988) as an example. By depicting scientific and technological developments, science fiction films offer images and scenarios that fuel our scientific imagination. Akira demonstrates that film not only reflects on technological developments, but also prompts us to consider what those developments mean and what kind of future we actually want.

A ticket grants you access to the film and Klaas de Zwaan’s introduction.

Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
Spoken language: Japanese
Subtitles: English