I still remember, quite vividly, the first time I saw Akira, the seminal “japanimation” film from the late 80s.  It was most teenage American boys first forray into the wild world of Japanese animated films intended for an adult audience.  The idea that cartoons are only for kids seems so antiquated today, but back then Akira was simply mind blowing.  There was sex and violence and profanity and it didn’t make any sense and there was that giant creature at the end and those creepy dolls and those fucking bad ass motorcycles and the art was just like oh my god. Cut to over a decade later when Katsuhiro Otomo releases his second major anime (oh yeah, it’s called anime now, not japanimation) and things are quite different. Anime and Magna is commonplace, Adult Swim is in full swing, animated films both domestic and foreign are box office hits, and not just with families, etc. But still, this is the guy that made Akira! Kanedaaaaaa!!!! It’s gonna be a game changer! It was, and still is, the most expensive full length Japanese animated movie ever made and it took them like 10 years! And it was called Steamboy! Awesome! And well, I bought it, and watched it, and I remember it being pretty to look at, but shit, I don’t remember a thing about it now. Sigh.