Akira
Maybe transcendence is destruction and just becoming a big baby. Watching this sober is amazing, I remembered basically none of the scenes, and got to see a society unfold into madness. Run or bike away from the cycle of rebirth; the ending through film giving you the essence of consciousness with vibrant, coloured dystopic vision. The manga makes a lot more sense, but you don't have to understand to feel the energy of Akira.
This is a one of its kind story. The relationship between kaneda and Tetsuo is so compelling, this is a psychological superhero action masterpiece. The energy and schizoaffective, imaginative, childlike world is brought up or down by drugs, breaking the self. It takes the old children's sacrifice to keep the world running. The soundtrack percussion, the retro futurist coolness, the charm. There is no explanation for the sci fi, universe evolutionary plot, but you will feel it in this fast paced look into the future.
Structurally and visually, using Kei as a medium for the exposition through match cuts was so fluid, highlighting the agelessness and the power these highly evolved people have. An adaptation that has the same beat and drive, with less detail and nuance but having read the full story, the pacing allows for more interpretation and focused action. The dissonant mystical, musical, chime motif is spine chilling.
The degradation into the nursery and playing of the senses, biogically mutating the mind into rebellion was insane. So engaging to follow yet engulfing and conceptually intriguing. Otherness and energy become overpowering, a teenager dies in becoming reality incarnate. Personally this is very resonant, the dream sequences are horrifyingly innocent and immersive. The style is a substance, a literal drug of a film that intoxicates you into waking up from the constant chaos and violence. Can't not be a 10.