It has been said that when Oppenheimer witnessed the first atom bomb test, he said, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." This may actually be a mis-translation of the Bhagavad-Gita, which deals with illusion and impermanence. Nevertheless, the sentiment that great achievement in science, like great power, carries great responsibility, remains true.

Yet to date, homo sapiens has consistently shown that it is not ready for this dilemma. The string of films and sci-fi novels that deal specifically with this subject is long and varied with many excellent examples: Lang's Metropolis, Robert Wise's The Day the Eartch Stood Still, The Terminator, Blade Runner, and Ex-Machina to name just a few.

Akira is another, very well-done, classic in this field. The story-telling, the themes, the action, and especially the jaw-dropping animation are masterful, and likely unequaled in the genre. The animation alone is a magnus opus.