i watch spriggan at the local film festival back in april 99 and i really think it a piece of unashamed and over commercialised and fan boy rubbish . there be just too many parallel to akira and from the art direction to the use of a prematurely age and grey haired boy with blow your brain out pyscho mental power and . except and this time the kid be american . then there be the hero who seem indestructible and be fill with angst because of his traumatic past at the hand of his grotesgue former commander ( who be now of course his prime enemy ) . say hero have kungfu move so flashy he put street fighter to shame . and when he really get in trouble no problemo and he get an even more indestructible side kick who always appear in the nick of time . ( even after he leave for dead in an early battle . ) then the all explosive climax a the doomsday ark be blow away ( be there ever any doubt . ) . oh yeah and the fist pumping and high five be pass around by the survive grunt really send a shiver down my spine . hard to believe otomo allow his name to be associate with this piece of junk . avoid and avoid and avoid .