Ranked #102

Eureka Seven

- - - [ Eureka Seven :: Eps: 50 :: Rating: 9.9/10 ] - - -

- [ Intro ] -

While enduring one of my anime-deprivation periods, I saw Eureka Seven with a high rating. I said why not and proceeded to get all of its 50 episodes. I started watching it only recently, after going through Ergo Proxy. Upon opening the first episode, I went o_0 then 0_0 instantly! Eureka Seven has a great OP and accompanying music! This promised to be a great anime. I could not resist going on after seeing the first episode. I can say I went through the episodes like a breeze, almost refusing to stop!

So, let me just say it here, loud and clear: Eureka Seven is DEFINITELY THE BEST ANIME I HAVE SEEN! It was a total addiction to me, and it still is!

Bear with me, this review will be quite lengthy! Eureka Seven (E7) really deserves it anyways!

- [ Animation = Excellent = 10 ] -

The animation of E7 is really, and I mean it, really impressive! The characters are extremely well drawn. Not your general, wide-eyed anime models but they are definitely well made. Their features are very well-detailed and their appearance is very good. Their clothes are futuristic and kinda cool in a way. E7 involves mechas, and as you could expect, they are quite stiff and roughly drawn. NO! They are the opposite! Their designs are well-polished and smoothly drawn. Here too, the features are very well-detailed. The motion of both characters and mechas are extremely smooth and not glitchy, specially considering that E7 involves something called "reffing" which resembles snowboarding. Even at the apex of fast-paceness, the motion is real smooth. The characters' movements are natural and not robotic and their poses are very human-like. Granted, the mechas look a bit like Evangelion's or perhaps even RahXephon's. But in E7, they are well coloured, and in my opinion, better designed. In a way, the way the characters were designed represent their personality. I'll leave it at that without elaboration. Go find out for yourself!

Now, the backgrounds and sceneries of E7 are again impressive. Well detailed, well drawn, good play on lighting and atmosphere gives them a truly unique feel. You won't be seeing much scenery anyway, as most of the scenes will be above clouds. But when you do see real scenery, it's nice! They vary from the lively towns, to lush and wild nature and colourful flowers, to the dark and grungy industrial zones and to the dark, moody and emotional scenes. The transition between these scenes is so smooth that you rarely notice that you have suddenly changed decors! The light works was well done and will give more life and vividity to scenes. Notice the rock textures and how light is used to bring out the relief. The people at BONES have done something very good here.

The greatest part of the animation lies in the battle and action scenes, particularly those involving the characters "reffing". The action is so smooth! There are no robotic movements, even when the action is at its climax and everything is going fast. No blurs, no glitches and no flaws! Great!! And also, there are almost no frame re-use except for flashbacks (there are not many). Take for example, in Shaman King. Yoh is always seen summonning Amidamaru and this scene is in most episodes. Here, you won't find such repeating scenes often. Even if there are some repeats, they are different in their own ways.

- [ Sound = StoryWriter wins! = 10 ] -

I don't usually pay much attention to sounds and music in animes. Story, characters and animation usually get my attention. With E7 however, things are different! The OST for Eureka Seven is much varied from hard rock to electronic music! The OP music was great and I really enjoyed the music. However, the best song according to me, remains Storywriter by Supercar! I long to hear it again and again, and it has made it to my top favourites! It makes a really great accompaniment for action scenes, trust me. Yeaaaahhhhhh! The techno beats you hear during fights or the rock you hear during major events are g.r.e.a.t!!!!

E7 makes heavy use of music since there are lots of action scenes. However, for every scene, whatever it is (emotional or fast paced), the music chosen is right! It really highlights the scenes and make them so much more interesting! Definitely a good choice of music in E7, and definitely worth a listen! Sound effects too are present and nicely integrated into the scenes. Notice the wind "whoosshhh" when the chracters are reffing, and the sound of flapping clothes. It gives added realism to the scenes. Sometimes, you can hear accompanying explosions after a major bang! It's nice to note these, just for added realism.

The voice actors did a pretty good job too! However, for some characters like Anemone or MoonDoggie, you can have some difficulty to understand them, due to their accents. Anyway, it's not a real problem if you got fansubbed episodes, or subbed DVDs.

- [ Story = Complexity and Details = 9.9 ] -

Eureka Seven starts with our main male character, Renton aged 14 in his hometown of Bellforest, enjoying his life, albeit 14 years of boredom as he mentions. One day, a huge robot (an LFO) crashes in his grand-father, Alex's workshop. Out of it emerges a beautiful young girl, our main female character, Eureka. Dumbfounded by her beauty and mysteriousness, Renton is immediately love-struck. However, the millitary was pursuing Eureka. Eureka is a member of GekkoState - a sort millitia/anti-government, non-conformist reffers group, led by Holland. Eureka must return to GekkoState at all costs. However, Holland had another mission - to get the Amita Drive from Alex, a device developed by Renton's late father and world hero, Adrock Thurston. To help in Eureka's escape, Renton grabs his reffing board and tries to deliver the Amita Drive to Eureka who is now escaping in her LFO, the Nirvash. Inspired by his all-time hero Holland, Renton would like to join GekkoState to train as a mechanic. Holland, accepts (although not very gladly), and so Renton becomes GekkoState's youngest member, and his adventures and romance now start.

Some main characters are Talho, main pilot of GekkoGo. Holland, the commander. Ken-Goh, the weapons expert. Stoner, photographer and editor of Ray=Out magazine which is very anti-government and was hence banned. Hap, second commander and Holland's friend. Misha, the on-board doctor. Jobs and Woz, the ship engineers. MoonDoggie, catapult operator and secondary pilot. Gidget, communications operator. Hilda and Matthiew, LFO pilots. And Renton and Eureka, Nirvash pilots and main characters. And also, the Nirvash LFO can also be considered a character at the end of E7.

Ok, my description is not very great but story is really one of the greatest strengths of E7. The plotline is really complex and deep. Agreed, you have one main plotline that runs through the entire series. However, what is interesting is the way that plotline is explored from various angles and according to various characters' point of view. This gives an added understanding of the plotline. You will also see many innovative things like Trappar Particles, LFO's, Reffing, Amita Drive, and Coralians! Indeed, it's a very elaborate plotline. Interestingly enough, you will sometimes find the plotline diverging to explore various side characters' stories eg. William B. Baxter's story. Don't worry, it's here for a purpose - that is of explaining the global situation from different people's perspective.

The story runs very deep, exploring such things as war and conflicts between friends, companionship, unfaltering loyalty, indomitable will to protect, duty, love, sense of justice, and the loss of close-persons. Sometimes, the emotions get real heavy and the sensitive views might be moved to tears, no joke! It can become very heavy and emotional sometimes, specially scenes involving the above-mentioned. It's a very well detailed plotline, with many interesting twists that add spice to an already very interesting story. It's a good blend of romance, action, mecha and adventure. Definitely my type!

Through the course of the story, you will have the opportunity to explore the characters' past and get to know them better. You won't find many loopholes or dark points here as everything is well explained. Expect emotional warfare, painful pasts, jealousy, self-sacrifice, the death of companions, inter-crewmate conflicts and resolutions of conflicts by various ways according to the characters, added to some good philosophies about love and the other things I mentioned! It's a nice lesson in a way.

However, expect a major change of pace after Episode 26. You will be seeing more adult-related things, like blood and death more often. Just a warning. Mind you, many weird and frankly, strange things are awaiting you from Episode 31 and onwards! You would think you are in some kind of toon movie! :D

The plotline offers no boredom since the characters constantly change and adapt, specially on the emotional level. I like the way the twists in emotions are introduced. It's subtle, but really present. E7 is really a great piece of work and you will see lots of unexpected things. Pay close attentions to the play on words. The GekkoState assault on Capital Hill really got me stuck.

One thing to hate is the presence of Maeter, Linck and Maurice! Damn! These 3 kids know how to ruin the mood and atmosphere! In my opinion, they got no place in E7! Another is the complexity of some plots! You don't understand anything at first, but it's revealed after. Although there are some minor things which are left unexplained, or are not given enough elaboration, it cannot beat the greatness of E7. (Except only one which needed more elaboration). Anyways, if you use your brains a bit, it's not hard to figure out those un-explainations! :D

Overall, E7 has a real smooth way for proceeding with the story, smooth and sweet! Just what I've been looking. No rush, no incessant/useless main character deaths, no plotholes, no fillers, just pure delight. Good job, E7! Frankly, it has the damn B.E.S.T ending I've ever seen so far, surpassing even my previous "favourite ending", Last Exile. Eureka Seven devoted almost one episode just for ending, a weird (and surreal) ending! Talk about a good finisher! :D

And now, for a bit of selfishness (shared selfishness IMHO): I WANT EUREKA SEVEN MOVIE TO EXPLAIN EVERYBORY'S ENDINGS! :D

P.s. Why 9.9 and not 10? Because some important events got left out of the explanations. You could guess what they were, but an explanantion would have been easier. That's why I substracted 0.1 marks!

- [ Characters = I like the name "MoonDoggie" :p = 10 ] -

Ok, it's not *just* because I like the name "MoonDoggie" but it's still a very hilarious name! The characters really deserve that 10. I've really seen such a diverse and complex cast of characters. So I think it's better that I introduce some of the main characters first. I can't do that for all of them since there are so many (25-like main characters! Sugoi! :S)

Anyways, let's start by our main character, Renton. He's what you will call a normal guy. No super-powers a-la-Bleach here. No, he's just normal, leading a normal life. However, he is still the son of Adrock Thurston, the guy who saved the world. Quite a name to carry around. Renton gets accepted on GekkoGo (GekkoState's ship). Now, this is not what he expected. Holland is kind of a slave-master! He kinda get beaten up, get used as a.. duh slave, and things like that. Life's not all pleasant for him, all because Holland is... jealous! LOL! No joke! Anyways, E7 beautifully illustrates his development through it's 50 eps, going from a not-worth-anything to the.. (Spoiler. Cannot tell you!). He's got much ahead of him. I really cannot say more without spoiling major things.

Eureka. Beautiful, quiet, mysterious. Love-at-first-sight for Renton, who would do anything to protect her. Her development is well-presented too. Mind you, strange things are awaiting you at the end of E7, be ready for it! This girl has many secrets and lots of potential. Although, she appears to lack emotions (which Renton teaches her), but she's an adept at LFO combat. Enough here, cuz spoilers are coming if I continue.

On with Holland. The master of reffing and Renton (and all kids') all-time god (hero/idol) and commander of GekkoState. Holland appears to be a fun character, and somewhat stern. However, Renton was badly mistaken. Holland is just the opposite of what he seems to be. He is like a father for GekkoState, protecting everybody and self-sacrificing for the sake of others. Midway through E7, he undergoes dramatic changes, all for the best.

Talho! The captain of Gekko-Go. She is the leash for Holland, restricting his impulses and setting him in the right direction. She has a secret (ok, not so secret) crush on Holland.

Hap, the everything-doer. Not much to say, but he still has quite a role in E7. Similarly, Woz (strange hat man!), Jobs (Hitman's son?), Gonzy, Gidget, MoonDoggie (Doggie Nii-san! LOL!), Stoner and the others have their respective roles to play, but they are very diverse from each other, and each's development is well planned and well presented. Their emotional developments are very well introduced, smoothly and at the correct pace, giving the viewer time to digest the changes and appreciate them.

There are characters on the other side (bad side) if you want, like Dominic, Anemone, the Sages the millitary and Dewey. But I can't explain about them without spoiling. Expect something Gundam Seed Destiny-like with Dewew. The others are not so bad, but take soooo long to realise it.

The hierarchy is: Sages -> Dewew -> Millitary -> Dominic -> Anemone. Or something like that.

As you can see, there are literally lots and lots of characters in E7, and that goes without mentioning important side characters like Diane Thurston, William B. Baxter and the others. They have important roles to play and are here to reveal parts of the E7 plot to us, in a subtle way. It allows the viewer to get a global view of E7 and from different perspectives. There is literally lots and lots to tell about E7's cast, but I leave their discovery to you. I can't spoil the fun furthur.

- [ Value and Enjoyment = YEAH!!! = 10! ] -

If you haven't guessed by now, Eureka Seven is just great and I really enjoyed my watching experience. I am now going to rewatch it, just to get a clearer view of it. In fact, Eureka Seven is one of the rare anime that I have ever rewatched. And frankly, it deserves it. I would rank the rewatch value as "Very High". At the end, you will want to rewatch it from the beginning, just to watch the characters and story's evolution again, from a new and enlightened perspective. And to gain a better understanding of E7's magnificent story of course!

I really, really enjoyed Eureka Seven and it is now my top favourite. It deserves this space. Eureka Seven is a masterpiece, take it from a fellow fan.

Now, E7 might have some plotholes and some things that weren't elaborated extensively, just as any other anime have. But the positive aspects of E7 fully compensate for these small (tiny) losses. You won't even feel them. Nothing is perfect, but I believe E7 approaches perfection up to its nose!

As summary: Rewatch Value? Very High. Enjoyed myself? I kinda went overboard! Was E7 good? Na, no good. It is simply a masterpiece!

- [ Conclusions ] -

Go watch Eureka Seven!! That's all there is to say. You won't regret it. I know some people will be dissatisfied with my review, but I am just expressing my opinions. And I consider Eureka Seven to be a true success! Go watch it and draw your own conclusions. I do not think you would regret it. And I am not joking, it really deserves these "10"'s from me!

Now, I sincerely await a movie. Not because was bad (in fact, it was great. Strange but great!). But because I really want to see more of Renton and Eureka, of Holland and Talho, of MoonDoggie and of Dominic and Anemone. I would like more about their endings, and what has become of them. The mere glances I got at the end is not enough to satisfy my hunger! I hope the creators of E7 can hear me! :D

Thank you for reading my review. I know it was long. If something needs elaboration, contact me. I will amend the review where needed. Sayonara and go enjoy Eureka Seven! read more

At first I was skeptical as to just how good this series would be and the 50 episode runtime was a bit daunting however I began watching anyway as it seemed the most interesting out of the series I have waiting. I can say that I definitely wasn't disappointed.

Story:
I'm sure you've read the synopsis so I won't be mentioning that here. The story moves quicker than what you would expect from such a long series and this is a good thing as it minimizes any time where it would seem to be boring. This is even more impressive when you realize that there is next to no filler and what filler there is was entertaining and worth watching. The context of the story and the way it evolves isn't over the top or unbelievable, it unfolds at a steady pace the entire time and doesn't ever feel rushed or drawn out either. I see that a couple others have said that at times it is hard to follow but that isn't the case at all if you're paying attention and overall its an enjoyable journey with a satisfactory ending even if it left you wanting just a couple more answers.

Art:
The art is definitely above average, the animation is smooth and the colour scheme works well. It is a great support for everything else and the variation in quality across the span of the series is minimal. There were times when a certain lack of shading was noticeable but they quickly passed. Its not the best around but it is very good and considering the length makes it all the more impressive.

Sound:
The sound is the only section i'll score a perfect 10, it really is outstanding. The music from the openings to the endings and everything in-between is enjoyable and not something you'll get sick of. Every track seems as if it could have been made to be used here and truly makes part of the show what it is. Sound effects and the like are perfectly acceptable, definitely above average. I haven't heard the dub so I can't comment on it but the Japanese voice acting fit well and no characters voice felt out of place. Overall a very pleasing experience.

Character:
The characters are great, you won't see any cardboard cutouts here, each character is multi-dimensional and all add to the story. Eureka at first seems distant and not quite developed but thats exactly how she's meant to be, you find yourself waiting for scenes where she and Renton interact with eachother for this is where alot of entertainment comes from. Seeing her grow as a person from that is quite something. That leads me to Renton, an average kid by all means, at times its downright annoying how naive and childish he really is but he learns from it and by the end you can truly see how he has grown. With all of this you may be asking why I rated it only an 8, thats because of the three kids, maybe I just dislike kids altogether but they cry at the drop of a hat, mess things up due to their own selfishness and are just a plain annoyance, I found myself becoming slightly irate everytime they were on screen. However i'm sure thats how people sometimes feel around real kids as well so if they were given just a little less screen time I guess I could have brushed it off. Overall the character development is really great especially concerning Eureka and Renton, further more apart from the kids I didn't find myself disliking any character which is a testament to how well made they all really are.

Enjoyment:
I watched the series in three days and it never felt like it dragged on, I was always eager to see what came in the next episode and overall I really did enjoy this series. It just has the feeling of being enjoyable, taking you on a ride and you find it hard to leave. Once again I felt the kids detracted from this but whatever shortcomings they bring are immediately made up for by the rest. Enjoyment level for this series is high.

In the end its an interesting, enjoyable and great series. Don't let the length put you off, if you watch anime then this is something you should see. read more

Intro:

I first learned about Eureka Seven when I saw Eureka on the cover of a magazine back in 2006 or so. She was very intriguing, and the series looked interesting, but I wasn't much of an anime watcher back then, so I didn't watch the series. Eureka has always been stuck in my head though, so now that I watch anime as a hobby, I figured I'd give the series a go, even though I don't generally like mecha-related series.

First Impression: 4/10

After the first couple of episodes, I really didn't see a reason for so many people giving this anime a 10. Renton acted like Naruto (Who I've never really liked), but somehow more annoyingly. Eureka quite emotionless and frankly much more boring than I'd hoped. The beginning of the series gets no more than a 4/10 from me.

Story: 8/10

The story in the first 25-30 episodes is something close to non-existent. It was mainly time for character development, which gave some story, but what was there had little to do with the story that shows up in the last 20 or so episodes. You don't get answers to much of anything until 90% of the character development is done. The character development is not mixed in with the story, which makes both seem a little less realistic. If they had mixed the two, the anime could have been shortened to 30-40 episodes and become much more enjoyable. The story that does show up at the end though, is a very good one, and is pulled off very well. It doesn't seem rushed, and doesn't seem dragged out, things make sense, and you think you know what's going on, but there are surprises at every turn. So, my score of 8/10 for story can be further explained with a 3/10 for the first half of the series, and a 10/10 for the second half. If you're willing to sit through 30 episodes of mediocre story, the last 20 episodes are worth it. Though some things are never explained, I didn't really feel like they were important to know.

Art: 8/10

The anime almost seems to be divided in two by every category, actually. In the first half the art was decent, but not great. Many backgrounds lacked the detail I've come to expect from Japanese animation and the animation itself didn't wasn't that great. The second half, however, improved in both these areas, and many scenes were just gorgeous. The fact that the characters always looked very well drawn was always the same, though.

Sound: 8/10

I'm never really a fan of opening/ending songs, and this was no different. The only song I sort of liked was the last opening song. The songs did fit with the tone of the anime though, so much of my opinion on them is simply that, an opinion. There didn't seem to be anything different about the songs. They were your typical opening/ending Japanese pop songs, and were sort of pointless to me.

The background music was simply wonderful though. It matched the scenes and mood 99% of the time, and increased the effect of whatever is shown on the screen. If I left out my opinion on the opening/ending songs, sound would have gotten a 9/10, if not a 10/10.

Character: 8/10

The characters at the beginning were not very good. They were either incredibly dull, annoying, naive, or just plain idiotic. I kept watching though, hoping that they would learn something, and luckily they did... 30 episodes later. It just took far too long for these characters to learn anything. Once they do learn though, they become quite likable. The character development was very good, but it just took too long.

One aspect of the first 30 episodes I loved, though, was how much trouble some of the characters had with killing. Far too often in anime you see young teens running out into the battlefield and start killing people without looking back, and they never really suffer for it. I congratulate the creators of Eureka Seven for their amazing job of bringing up this subject and pulling it off well.

Enjoyment: 8/10

The enjoyment in the first 25 or so episodes was fairly low. A few exciting things happened now and then and a character did something cool maybe once every 3-4 episodes, but that was it. Once all the major changes happened though and the story started moving, enjoyment shot straight up and I watched the last 20 or so episodes in one night. The first half of the anime gets maybe a 4/10, while the second half gets a 10/10.

Overall: 9/10

Even though every category individually gets a lower score, the overall effect of the anime deserves a 9/10. Being able to see how the characters have grown almost makes up for the 30 not-quite-so-good episodes. Almost. If I was rating just the last 20 episodes, I would easily give it a 10/10.

In Closing:

This is over all a very good anime, but it's one for people with patience who won't hold grudges for too long against the characters for doing something stupid, which they do. A lot. The series turned out amazing and lived up to its potential, if only for the last 20 episodes. read more

When I first started Eureka Seven I thought "Sweet he's like, surfing on AIR" but then I really got into it. I've never been a big fan of mecha, but this one wasn't just mecha, Eureka Seven had something for everyone. At first I thought Eureka was a little strange, a robot maybe, and Renton's whining got on my nerves, but I was really drawn in, because every episode made me wonder more and more what Eureka was, and what the Gekkostate's goal was. I had originally watched the first five or so episodes in Japanese, but I could actually handle the dub, which I found surprising, normally I am totally turned off by the dub.

The mecha part was very interesting. Eureka's ability to speak with the Nirvash intrigued me, and I liked how the Nirvash developed just as much as Renton or Eureka as the story progressed, as if it was growing and maturing along with them.

Once Anemone and Dominic joined the story, I was beyond interested. I found the parts with the military very interesting. All of the characters were interesting and had very different personalities. The character development was amazing, you can actually notice Renton becoming more mature (somewhat) and Eureka slowly becoming more confident, and gaining feelings for Renton. The best part about their relationship was that Renton confessed his love, and Eureka didn't really understand or return it at first. It wasn't love she showed him, it was curiosity.

I enjoyed the story, though it was a little hard to grasp and follow, what with having one plot-filled episode one day and then filler the next.
But then again, that kept it interesting. read more

I would like to start off by saying Eureka Seven is hands down my all time favorite anime series. From beginning to end it managed to keep me glued to the computer screen without so much as a blink of the eye. Sure, I lost my eyesight after watching the series from beginning to end due to the lack of blinking, but all I can say is; worth it, totally worth it! This anime has everything you would want, and then some! Ranging from humor, to a love story, to action/adventure, and one of my favorite's; things that deepen the plot, leaving you with so many thoughts and opinions after the series ends. With it's oh so lovable characters, awesome storyline, action, adventure, and love/feelings between the main characters and more, it is hard not to get emotionally attached.

One of the most notable things about this series, in my opinion at least, is the music. I have never seen an anime series use a more amazing selection of music for the openers, endings, and throughout the series in general. They truly put it together in an indescribable fashion. The music in this series really sets the mood for each scene, whether it be emotional, or action based. They have a selection for EVERYTHING, and none of them disappoint!


I often wonder how the series has affected others, as it has had a great impact on myself. I for one had to re-watch the series at least two more times after my first taste, and was still left unsatisfied. Not due to the series itself lacking anything, but the sole attachment that was created between myself and the characters of the series. Each one of them leaves you wanting more, and the emotions felt during the series (laughter, sadness, happiness, etc) do not fade after the series concludes. For this reason, it has become the most memorable and cherished anime of mine. No other anime has affected me so deeply, emotions wise, and for that, I am grateful. It sorta gives a new outlook on life, just watching Eureka and Renton, go through the good times, and the bad. This series also gave birth to one of my favorite sayings, that I like to look to in all aspects of life. "Don't beg for things, do it yourself, or else you won't get anything". There is a lot of truth to the statement, and plays a big role in the series itself.


For those who haven't seen the series, I highly recommend you take the time to watch it, it will not disappoint. When I first finished the series back in 2007, it left me with an odd void in my life, like I was missing something. That something turned out to be more Eureka Seven. I scoured the net, dying to find out whether or not they were in production for a new series, a movie, anything, and only found dead ends and rumors. Then, in April, the movie was announced, and that void I felt for so long was finally put to rest. Just knowing something more is around the corner keeps the desire to re-watch the series again and again at bay (tho I have seen it more times then I dare admit). So in the end, I wonder, how will Eureka Seven affect you? Don't pass this series up, you will regret it! I'd recommend the English version personally, as I feel the voice actors really nailed it, but the Japanese version does shed light on a few things you might not have understood in the English.

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The story is captivating. It has action, comedy, and romance all in one. Eureka Seven is beautifully animated with wonderful action/fighting scenes. You get to know about each character and their past, while not bored to death when they do this.

I strongly recommend the manga, even though it was written after the anime. I'm actually enjoying the manga more because I feel like the story makes more sense in the manga.

Can't wait for the movie!!!

Thankfully, Infinity (the first reviewer) posted a wonderfully analytic review of this anime already, so I can forebear myself to post another. Instead, I just want to reinforce his review with a few short comments on my part.

First of all, this anime is, without *any* reservation whatsoever, the best anime I have ever seen. The storyline is engrossing, the character development surpasses anything I have ever seen before (although, admittedly, I don't watch many pure dramas), the animation flows true and clear even through the most active fight scenes, and the sound is perfect.

The anime begins with this immature kid we see expressing his 'modest' dreams to be a great reffer (air surfer) like a great hero of his. Then as we follow this kid through the story, we see his development into a far more mature and responsible person. Similarly, we are introduced early on to a pretty little female character, looking for the world as the stereotypical innocent maiden. But again, as we go on, we learn that (surprise) she actually has a past, and a good story to tell about herself! Character depth is increased incredibly throughout the show!

As for animation, as I stated before, its smooth and clear. I really like how this anime refuses to do the whole 'rinse and repeat' cycle with its scenes. We rarely see repetition, unless actually needed by the story.

I'll finish this off now with a comment about the ending: It is one of the best endings I have ever seen in my life. I can say this openly; this is the *only* other anime aside from the Chrno Crusade that has ever made me cry. Trust me, I don't do that easily.

This is a wonderful show. It has singlehandedly made a spot for itself on my list. After watching this, I moved every single other anime aside from Chrno Crusade down a point because it had set a new standard for quality. read more

This could possibly be one of the best written anime series of all time. Dai Sato is defently one of the best screenwriters in all of Japan. Tomoki Kyoda is also a very talented director. With those two and people like Chiaki J. Konaka, and Sayo Yamamoto involved it's no wonder this anime is a success.


I started watching this anime on Adult Swim, from the day it first aired. It took a few episodes before I was hooked, but once they grabbed me, they never let go. So please give this series a shot. After it aired on Adult Swim I started buying all the DVD's. I missed a few episodes in the middle and the ending the first time it aired, but watched that, plus the rest of it on DVD. Although this is one of my favorite anime series of all time, I'll try very hard to be fair and as un-biased as I can be

It clearly takes many things from Neon Genesis Evengelion,FLCL, Fullmetal Alchemist, Gundam, and RahXephon. And I noted it acually takes some things from Shadow Star Narutaru as well (like some of the darker aspects of the series, and the Coralians and anti- Coralians are clearly inspired by the dragons [creatures] in Shadow Star Narutaru, not to mention some other smaller things as well). None of this is surprising as many of the people heavily involved in Eureka Seven where involved in these series as well.

Plot/Story:

10/10

I'm not going to go deep into the synopsis of the plot. I thought it was a very well written story, and the plot was just amazing. Lot's of mystery and drama!! It's very interesting to watch the military conflicts unfold. We watch what happens (and the changes to) the government that runs the planet, and how war effects everyone. The series is also very deep, dark, and can get physiological at times (not unlike Eva). It does have it's fun and silly moments, and even an episode or two devoted to humor and jokes. This is very well thoguth out, as the drama and "darker" parts are well balanced by this. Comedy is used at the right moments not to depress the veiwer to much. Plenty of action and interesting plot developments to make sure you are never bored.

The plot is written very amazingly, and complex. It gets dark, but never too depressing. All of this is important because this is partly a plot driven anime.

Characters:

9/10

All of the characters were very strong. While it's easy to see how Renton was inspired by Shinji (NGE) and Naota (FLCL) he is still very much his own character. Same gos for Eureka (who some say is inspired by Rei from NGE). Talho and Holland are completely original. Most of the characters are well likeable. I found the "bad guys" of course to be much more interesting, likeable, and just overall cool however. The Sage Council (my picture) are an amazing trio who run the country! Dominic Sorel is very cool, likeable, and interesting!! Colonel Dewey Novak is also a great character and develops a lot throughout the anime.

Every character is interesting, and helps show the viewer a little bit of the world this takes place on. They all are good characters, which is important because this anime can be very character driven at times.

Art:

8/10

The art is very nice. It gets it's job done, plus some! It really amazes you at some times, but being a 50 episode series it does change up a little over the time. No real problems with it, but not incredbly high quality animation or anything like that. The backgrounds are great looking, and the character and mecha designs are very cool.

Sound:

10/10

Music-
The music was just amazing!! The best songs, from the best bands were chosen for this anime!! But not just great opening and closings either, the insert songs where very powerful! Esecially the insert song "Storywriter" by the band Supercar.

dub-
I only watched the English dub, and I can defently say this is one of Bang Zoom! 's best dubs ever!! Sure Renton (Johnny Young Bosch) could be anoying to some people, but I think he sounded really good. I didn't even know that was him, he used such a high pitch voice. Crispin Freeman will forever be Holland for me, because his voice fit so perfectly!! Peter Doyle was also spot on with Dominic. In fact every single character seemed well cast. Of course Stephanie Sheh gives the overall best performance as Eureka. She's just great at anything she does. Eureka is brought to life with her voice.

Final Vertic:

A more plot driven/character driven mecha then most people are used to, but acually makes this anime more apealing. It works for people who don't necessarily like mecha anime too much. Therefore it's not mecha-driven, but they do serve a point, and there is some mystery to them. The characters are well likeable. The plot is very well thought out, and just amazing. It gets philosophical, physiological and deep at times, but plenty of action to keep you entertained.

It has a good story to tell, and proves once again Dai Sato is the man with the golden pen. When it comes to screenwriting, he always manages to outdo himself.





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Length: 50 episodes
Demographic: Shounen
Genre: Sci-fi, Adventure, Mecha, Romance

Plot Synopsis
"Giant robots that surf in the sky on things called Transparent Light Particles"
Sure the premise to Eureka Seven is quite sketchy... but don't let yourself be fooled... This is probably the best anime released this decade.
The storyline takes place 10,000 years in the future, after humanity has made a mass exodus into space. At the start of the series, we see that humanity has settled down onto what is called "The Promised Land".
The story is of Renton Thurston, a 14 y.o. "punk" who's looking for a life bigger then the one he has. He dreams of joining the Gekkostate, a group of counterculture outlaws, and pilot an LFO, the large robots described above. He gets his oppurtuinity when the typeZERO LFO, nicknamed the "Nirvash" crash lands at his grandfather's garage. Piloting it is Eureka, a young emotionless girl, with a blood stained past. But to Renton, she is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. Soon after, Renton gets his chance to join the Gekkostate. However, he soon learns that the life he reads about, isn't actuality. Renton's journeys are solely fueled by his crush on Eureka... however these feelings quickly become something more...

Personal opinion
After watching the first 5 episodes, I felt i was watching a happier version of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Then by episode 10, it had eerie similarities to Fullmetal Alchemist. These similarities soon end and Eureka Seven takes off.
The first thing I did when I heard about this anime was read it's Wikipedia entry. Unfortunately it wasn't detailed at all. Following that I decided to watch the openings for the show and make out what i could of the plot. The first opening was enough to convince me to watch it. From battle scenes to the grand setting, it's an ideal opening for a series like it. I watched the first episode and was hooked right then. I'd never had watched a show that had gripped me that much from that early on. And it only got better.
A common complaint I got was that it takes too long for the main plot to start (all the way to episode 26), and that the first half of the series moves too slow. While i can see the former... it didn't affect me at all. In my personal opinion, the first half of the series, although slower then the remaining season, was still quite entertaining. Had the series ended there I would've given it decent reviews (3.5 ish). However upon entering the second half... the pacing picks up and the plot becomes much darker. By the final 10 episodes... Eureka Seven becomes legendary.

As a few words of warning, romance is a core theme in the series... so if you're not into lovestories... then this isn't the anime for you. Also, there aren't great extended battles, however... whatever battles there are, are quite amazing. They aren't disorienting (like in NGE and Blood+), but they are still quite grand. Eureka Seven is unique in this way; having a central romantic theme in an action based anime. At times it felt more like a shoujo (animes aimed at girls... has more romance, ie Sailor Moon) then a shounen (animes aimed at boys... has more action, ie Bleach, Naruto). An easy of putting this... Shoujo meets Shounen and Eureka Seven is the result.
Somewhere between the romance between Renton and Eureka, the dark and amazing storyline, and brilliant animations... i realized that Eureka Seven is the best and most beautiful anime i've seen thus far.

Rating: 10/10

Similar to...
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Fullmetal Alchemist
- D.N.Angel read more

Alright, I've been looking forward to typing up this review ever since around the 25th episode. For me, Eureka Seven has been bouncing between, and around an 8-9 for the rating. But it really didn't take long AT ALL to make me change that score. It was in my "Plan to Watch" list for far too long as well. And deserved to be looked into a lot sooner. So, first, what I mean by this is, if you haven't seen Eureka Seven yet, DO NOT WAIT ANY LONGER. Especially if you absolutely love incredible love stories.

I'll start with story, I gave it a 10 because:
Well, it's kind of hard to tell you why I gave it a 10 without spoiling the story, but I'll try it out. During the entirety of Eureka Seven, the story is a HUGE emotional-roller coaster; one that I didn't want to end. They really give life to every character that is on screen often, give you the needed background information to make them feel real. I got connected to these characters and what they were fighting for. Making me sad every time I finished an episode, knowing its one episode closer to the end of the series.

There are ups and downs, people learning what they're doing wrong, everyone working together to overcome such amazing obstacles. Truly one epic tale, that makes you envious that you can't do what they do. But sometimes are glad you don't need to go through such heart-wrenching moments in life. Eureka Seven actually left me teary-eyed at some points, especially at the end of an intense episode, Eureka and Renten say "To be continued" together, but sound incredibly sad after something bad that happened. It's like getting dumped, then having everyone laugh at you. It feels terrible. But it's good because they actually make you feel for the story, and what the characters are going through. I'd give it a 100/10 if I could, but that isn't possible.

Now for Art, I gave it a 9 because:
There isn't much to say here, most Anime that Bones works on (that I've seen) looks amazing, but there were very small parts that I don't think were up to par, but it might have been because I was watching DVD quality on a 40" HDTV without being upscaled to fake-HD. But no complaints, a well deserved 9.

For Sound, I gave it a 10 because:
Not much to say here either, they nailed all the effects, all the voices (I watched it dubbed) were perfect on all the characters. They all seem to fit so perfectly. Kari Wahlgren played Anemone, and she is one of my favorite voice actors, so I was happy to hear her in this doing another amazing job. So no complaints here, top notch sound for a top notch Anime, i'd say.

I gave Character a 10 because:
Well, I kind of explained why in my reasons on Story, and sort of, in sound.
The characters are well thought out and expressed. Leaving no holes to make them feel fake, or robotic. Emotions are no where near lacking, character style is unique enough and how they all are made to interact just surpasses incredible. Basically, if you made a blind person "listen" to Eureka Seven, he/she would think it was something real happening around them, and that these people really exist. Hard to be done, but Eureka Seven excels here.
And also to mention, I'm glad to finally see a 10/10 worthy Anime that doesn't include overly-big sized chests and girls that are too spunky for life as the main character.

I'm pretty sure I've said why I gave it a 10 for Enjoyment, but I'll do a quick recap:
Amazing characters, heart-wrenching story that pulls you in and DOESN'T let you go, top notch action scenes, and incredible plot that didn't confuse me and was easily understandable but deep enough to keep you hooked and it feeling fresh.

Overall, even though I gave Art a 9, that IN NO WAY brings down the overall score. Since the story was so amazing, with the support of an amazing character cast and amazing Voice Actors; all this amazing could only add up to an outstanding Anime. So if you haven't seen it yet, I'd suggest you watch it as soon as possible. I downloaded it first, but after finally finishing it, I'm going to buy both Box sets, and buying the "Pocket Full of Rainbows" movie when it comes out. Just to own and help possible future Eureka Sevens to be released, or Anime like it.

All in all, my final words are, I'm glad I watched it, and I never plan on regretting all the emotions I felt while watching Eureka Seven. And I'm sure you'll fully understand what I mean after you watch it for yourself. read more