Eden of the East – 01
OP: “Falling Down” by Oasis – Wow. Just wow. I absolutely love the OP. Contemporary rock track paired with modern graphic design influenced animation makes this easy on the ears and eyes.
Summary:
On her visit to Washington DC, Morimi Saki gets into trouble with local authorities for attempting to throw change into the White House’s fountain. She is saved by a strange naked man soon after, who is armed with an advanced phone and a pistol. Saki lends the man her coat after being left alone by the police, parting ways with him to reach the airport. When she realizes that her passport was in the jacket though, she begins chasing after him to regain it. The man meanwhile uses his phone to gain hints about who he is, eventually discovering where his current home is. Inside the apartment, the man is brought to believe that he is something of a terrorist. In his closet are large amounts of ammunition, as well as a good number of passports.
When Saki catches up to him, the man decides on the name Takizawa Akira because of the identity’s similar birth date to hers. The two are stopped by a police woman before they can leave the apartment, but Akira dodges this with his certain expertise. Akira and Saki make their way to the airport to return to Japan, but to their surprise, a bombing of Tokyo has been announced on the television.
ED: “Futuristic Imagination” by School Food Punishment – This is somewhat reminiscent of the Honey and Clover OPs, with the use of stop motion animation. I love it as much as the OP, especially stylistically.
Impression:
- Honey and Clover was, and still is the most influential anime I have ever watched. Umino Chika’s character designs will always be respected by me because of that, and they are a welcome addition to this show.
- I love Production IG, not for what I see as the highly overrated GitS, but for their consistent quality in shows like Moribito. This carries into this series, as it gives me somewhat of a Library Wars feel.
- Saori Hayami has been one of my favorite seiyu since Touka Gettan, showing such a high amount of talent despite her young age, and she is just as impressive in this production.
A lot of comparisons and obvious presumptions come with this anime, but despite that, I did end up loving the first episode of Eden of the East as much as I hoped I would. I would complain that things feel as if they are being forced, especially with so many ridiculously unrealistic situations happening at once, but we have to keep in mind that a movie will be following this 11 episode run. I certainly felt that this episode had the pacing of a film, and with that in mind, I put my minor complaints to the side.
With the main setting being in Washington DC, I was already cringing in expectancy of bad engrish as early as the first few scenes. Thankfully, IG had actually hired actual American voice actors for the show. While none of them were high profile people by any means, this at least made things a lot easier on the ears. I do love the attention to detail in that aspect as well, though it was awkward to see the Americans respond so readily to the Japanese being spoken to them.
I’m really liking the comedy and light mystery feel of this show overall. The nude jokes in this episode were too out there to relate to in this episode, but they remained hilarious none the less. I don’t expect them to come back after this episode, but who knows. I can’t say I know what to expect from the plot from here on, but I am liking the chemistry between Saki and Akira. I’m already expecting this to be one of the stronger series of 2009, so I can’t wait to see more.
On a personal side note, Akira and Saki both have the same birth year as me! That will make me relate to the story all the more. =)
15 comments
15 Comments so far
Leave a reply
On a personal side note, Akira and Saki both have the same birth year as me! That will make me relate to the story all the more. =)
If you weren’t born during the Shouwa imperiam, it doesn’t count
i thought akira’s “fake” birthday doesn’t count i mean his other passport says he was born in 1993!
So that’s why Jason Bourne looked like Shinobu- he even got his carefree attitude lol.
When I first heard of the plot I had a alot of sarcasm on my mind, mostly thinking: OH great. A story with terrorists and Production IG (I also feel GitS SAC is overrated).
But yeah I also liked the first episode. Music was very nice. It’s the show with the most interesting presentation I would say.
“I was already cringing in expectancy of bad engrish”
Indeed
Instead we only got “WHATS HIS ROOM NUMBER?”
hyuk hyuk hyuk! Mr. Total-Lee, you just make things more easy for The Stalker Union
*puts on Police uniform* *ahem* Totali, I’m gonna have to see ur Johnny! >:3
I know that HxC is a great anime. However, talking about it in almost every episode reminds you of it is really-really tiring. Actually, it has past the boundaries of being annoying.
Won’t you get tired of a friend who talks about how great the iPhone is all the time? I know you would, because you have already proven yourself a very literate person Totali.
I would complain that things feel as if they are being forced
I’d venture to say inconsistent… the cops were looking for them, they went to the station without a hassle.. then to the airport … WHOOSH
Anyway, still great. And I agree it’ll be one of the better representations for 09. ^^
Comments about the OP and ED:
The OP was great, the fluid refilting of regular views of the cityscape really matched the lyrics which describe a redefinition of reality. The various forms of media that flower and fade out, including the jumbled letters and the cell phone, describe an effort to grasp and hold onto a role in society, all the while begging for a higher being to help him (the artist, and perhaps the main characters) get out of the mess (described by the ruined appliances in the last moments of the OP. Curious quotations appear, one from Shakespeare’s “Julius Ceaser” and the French phrase, Noblesse Oblige. Both describe the standard in which power must be within or become corrupt. Perhaps this has something to do with the mysterious agency and the bombings…
So. onto the ED. I fucking loved it. It starts with a rhythmic beating of an apple, devoured by paper, and the paper sinking to reveal a silhouette of Saki, rising and then running through the cityscape (all beautifully done, both synced to the music and capturing the frenetic sprint she apparently needs to stop the missiles maybe???) as missiles (pencils) rocket through, literally TEARING the sky and destroying the buildings. This part ends as a hole is left in the middle of the city, and the page turns to Akira’s cellphone and a hand grasps it. I presume this may allude to the start of Akira’s journey, atleast since his memory got wiped. Akira also runs frenetically through the city and catches the shell (hole) left by Saki, something I found beautiful and layed with meaning. He points to the sky destroying the missiles, and the two are shown falling into pages of a book.
It’s been a while since I really appreciated such a good OP/ED.
I decided to write another comment, because I don’t feel like I want to blog on my blog anymore… and Totali is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO popular.
More than the character designs, which are excellent, both in detail and interest, the atmosphere of Washington DC and the foreigner view point are masterfully captured. And it sure doesn’t hurt that all the backgrounds are beautifully painted with careful detail (look at the semi-dilapidated apartment…). And OMFG REAL ENGLISH. IT BLEW MY MIND.
What also was surprising were the actual popular movies referenced by Akira…
“Honey and Clover was, and still is the most influential anime I have ever watched. Umino Chika’s character designs will always be respected by me because of that, and they are a welcome addition to this show.”
Same for me.
Morimoto flashbacks… @.@
The OP fuckin’ owned. Anyone who says otherwise must be shot.
I don’t know about Akira, but I’m also born in the same year as Saki! Well the descriptions on the official site claim Akira’s age the same as the random passport he chose, so maybe he chose the right one.
Nonetheless, Saki is adorable and Akira just seems like a great character. This anime has me excited.
[...] Subculture Anime Blog… I would complain that things feel as if they are being forced, especially with so many [...]
I don’t know. I kind of have bad history with both Production IG and Kenji Kamiyama.
Ghost in the Shell SAC bored me to tears – It was like watching NYPD blue sitcom anime and I hate sitcoms. Not to mention the robot characters as in “boring and lifeless characters.” The dialogue bored me to tears. Kenji Kamiyama has a habit of filling his shows with inconsequential babble, like an episode of ER or the West Wing.
Moribito also died after episode 7 and the ending action at around episode 21 was not enough to save the series. The characters didn’t relaly go anywhere either.
I also despised Le Chevalier D’Eon and IGPX – Great ideas with very bad execution.
I have heightened hopes that due to this being an original series with only an 11 episode runtime followed by a movie, that it’ll turn out as something coherent and not drown in it’s own deus ex machina and jargon, but knowing Production I.G.’s and Kenji Kamiyama’s records, I’m prepared to be disappointed.
Well, at least the characters are lively at this point. It’s a step-up from the Studio’s and Director’s previous works.
Drugs. Don’t comment while under the influence.
We’ll just have to wait and see then. OP and ED were great, I liked the presentation of the ED more though. Don’t know why, maybe it was less cool.