I got Grave of the Fireflies last summer, and it was probably the best, though not most entertaining, anime I've ever seen. An adorable little girl dying from starvation is a superb way to make an anti-war statement.
I got Akira for Christmas because I wanted to see what all the hype was about. It was interesting, but it seemed like there was a more involved plot that was being left out, which makes sense now that I know there are comics.
What exactly was the message/moral of Akira? I couldn't make out a definite one because there were too many issues involved in the movie.