I'm not a big anime guy so up until now there are not a lot of movies I can compare AKIRA to. But with regards to the dystopian setting, GHOST IN THE SHELL is a particularly obvious comparison.
AKIRA does not feel as tight as Mamoru Oshii's masterpiece but they are definitely on par in terms of profoundness. While GHOST IN THE SHELL ponders what could be, Katsuhiro Otomo's movie reflects on the past - especially japanese history - and toys with elements of surrealism to bridge the gap between between the sociological and philosophical layers of the movie.
AKIRA does not feel as tight as Mamoru Oshii's masterpiece but they are definitely on par in terms of profoundness. While GHOST IN THE SHELL ponders what could be, Katsuhiro Otomo's movie reflects on the past - especially japanese history - and toys with elements of surrealism to bridge the gap between between the sociological and philosophical layers of the movie.