Part of growing up is realizing that there were certain things you shouldn’t have seen at such a young age. Akira wasn’t one of them, as I was a university student when it came out. I know a number of people who may have watched it a little too early. You never forget your first body horror!
Mind you, Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend came out a year later. I had no idea what I was getting into, and I remember needing a few slugs of bourbon after that one!
(The art is by Amos Stillwell — go check out his Instagram!)