It might be easy to take the film for granted now, but it's role in introducing tons of newcomers to anime (including me as a young person) and it's general raising of the bar for production quality and scope is as significant as the article states. It's was a major stepping stone, laying the groundwork for the success of Ghost in the Shell in the following decade.

And it probably helped sell a LOT of cool Japanese motorcycles, and bolstered the trend of futuristic motorcycle designs in the years to follow.

It'd be cool if they cited more examples than the Akira slide and directors who liked it.