Brad Pitt’s F1 movie directed by Joseph Kosinski, is only a month away from its international premiere, a new poster to stir up hype and anticipation has been released, and it looks sleek and gorgeous to say the least. However, what is really exciting about the poster is how it pays homage to one of the best and most popular anime movies of all time, referencing the iconic sci-fi movie in a cool way that still manages to stand out as its own thing.
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A new F1 poster with Brad Pitt walking away from his Formula One car has been revealed, with the picture from above and a white background. This is almost exactly like the iconic Akira poster where Shotaro Kaneda is walking towards his famous red bike, with the illustration drawn from a high angle and with a white background. While the key difference in both these posters is the direction in which the main characters are walking, there are too many similarities to ignore this as a coincidence, and given just how much Hollywood has referenced the legendary movie by Katsuhiro Otomo, there is very little doubt that this was an intentional homage.
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Akira Is a Genre-Defining Classic That Is Still Being Referenced in the Present
While most of the references for the movie are about the ultra-cool bike slide that is still being referenced to this day, with the most recent one being Shonen Jump’s new Kagurabachi, movies across genres and countries have shouted out the series. From Paw Patrol, NOPE, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Adventure Time, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more recreated the boke scene. Besides the iconic scene, it influenced the sci-fi genre worldwide, and its themes and architecture paved the way for blockbusters such as The Matrix, Stranger Things, and Inception. The movie is also a common favorite among celebrities and influential figures around the world.
On the anime and manga side, the series took the medium to new heights internationally and was one of the first exposures to the Japanese entertainment world. From being the reason Kishimoto (Naruto) became an artist to its influences being felt in hits such as Serial Experiments Lain, Ghost in the Shell, and more, it cannot be overstated just how impactful and influential the series was, both in film and manga format. It was an exposure to Japanese storytelling, and with how unique and brilliant it was at the time, it is no surprise that it became such a smash hit, and more than 4 decades later, it became one of the most popular films of all time.
In post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo, teen biker Tetsuo gains destructive psychic powers after a government experiment. His friend Kaneda tries to stop him as Tetsuo’s abilities spiral out of control. Amid the chaos, secrets about a powerful entity named Akira begin to emerge. The city teeters on collapse as psychic forces clash, culminating in a surreal, reality-bending transformation and rebirth.
This reference from the highly anticipated sports movie is yet another example of the movie being one of the most timeless stories ever. F1 is coming to cinemas very soon, and there is a good chance there will be another Akira reference, particularly the bike slide scene.