My best friend Tetsuo’s light

Saved September 8th 2026. Topics: existence friendship film

⊕I hadn’t seen this in the cinema before last week (2026). The soundtrack is so incredibly visceral and complex and beautiful. Imagine going to a science lecture and finding out your prof’s one and only movie soundtrack was for this iconic film. Tsutomu Ōhashi (Shoji Yamashiro). Still from Akira (1988): Kaneda in profile, red gloves cupped, a small bright orb of light floating above his hands, ruined Neo-Tokyo behind him.

Kaneda, in the crater after the singularity, as a small orb of light moves into his hands. Akira (1988).

The film is iconic. To science fiction. Cyberpunk. Body horror.

But this particular moment was one I didn’t remember from when I watched this as a kid. This moment was so human. Tetsuo, in his fear, creates a universe that he commits into the palm of Kaneda’s hand.

Source:: Otomo, Katsuhiro, dir. (1988). Akira (アキラ). Tokyo Movie Shinsha / Toho. Released 16 July 1988.
via:: re-watching the 4K remaster at the Hollywood Theatre on my birthday this year, with my partner. I first watched it as a teen.