Ranked #59

Higashi no Eden

Can you reach out and take the hand of someone who has done terrible things in their past? Will you take their hand because you trust, deep inside, that they can do wonderful things for the future?

Higashi no Eden or Eden of the East is an adventurous experiment of an anime with enough charm and suspense that leaves you on your toes, swept up in what is a controlled cat and mouse game set in an alternate modern-day Japan. We know who are the mice, we do not know who is the cat, but they are all part of some cruelly ironic experiment that is looked upon indifferently by the guy in a lab coat.

Given billions of yen at their disposal, a mismatched group of Japanese citizens are chosen to use that money to become a messiah for their country. What they do with the money is up to them, however there are stipulations, and deadly ones. To put it mildly, if you cannot become a saviour of Japan, you do not deserve to be anything else, which includes being alive. All this money and all this power are literally in the hands of these people as they use a mysterious system accessible through their special cell phones and converse with a single, unseen informant known only as Juiz.

Higashi no Eden follows the amnesiac Takizawa Akira who tries to retrace his steps and figure out his identity. Gaining consciousness in Washington, D.C. (butt-naked in the cold and with a cell phone being his only accessory), he catches the sight of Morimi Saki, a Japanese student on a school tour, and from there, the two are pulled into this game back home in Japan. The story is split between Akira and Saki primarily. The scenes involving Akira deal more with the violent and criminal underworld of Japanese society while Saki's scenes focus on the pains of adapting to the normal aspect of society which include getting a job, dealing with your family, friends and even with yourself. When the two aspects of the story merge, it is never contrived, never out of place, and it smoothly and skilfully comes together.

This is not an anime that explains itself for you, and you often have to work with it to understand what is happening. One of the first noticeable aspects of the plotting is Akira taking his new-found amnesia rather lightly. However, Higashi no Eden, as aforementioned, is a clever anime with intelligent characters. Instead of the typical trope in which amnesiacs prove to be incompetent, helpless and lost, Akira is quick on his feet and very smart, and understands that agonising over his situation is wasting time.

Also, some may have a problem with the pacing, given the magnanimity of the situations, the plot does not unfold with a sense of urgency that is usually expected. In fact, some may be inclined to think that the story is meandering around the main issues and events. However, given knowledge that the story is meant to be continued beyond the 11 episode run, working on its own pace is something to be appreciated, not condemned. Since the entire anime covers a very short period of time in the lives of Akira and Saki, it's almost as though we are watching this in real time.

Higashi no Eden is a gorgeous anime. Albeit, the character design is tremendously simple. The style is a very unique and recognisable one, and the characters lack the shiny appeal that other anime characters have though that is not a detrimental aspect of the artwork. It makes them look less generic than other anime characters, as the style used for their design really stands out from others. It utilises both 2D and 3D animation (as well as some excellent papermation/paper animation for the ending sequence), and they work well for it. For example, the famed cell phones use both types of animation for it and it definitely makes them more appealing to the eye. This series has absolutely beautifully rendered settings. The background art is incredible and has an interesting "patchwork" style of colours used on some of the buildings, concrete, furniture, surfaces and roads, making the city never look like a grey mess or the rooms look dull. If anything, it takes a drab setting and makes it beautiful.

The anime also pays tremendous attention to detail, in particular with the lighting and reflective surfaces. There is a particular scene where the characters are simply heading up an escalator, and yet a sign from the other side of the room is seen reflected upon the glossy surface next to them. If any viewer demands more from the artwork, then they are simply being greedy.

The score for this anime is just as amazing as the visual aspect. Atmospheric, lovely, adventurous, neutral, thrilling, light, folksy--this anime manages a spectrum for the background music. The easy brass sounds and the underwhelming suspenseful score suits the anime quite well. This is probably one of the few anime out there to use musical foreshadowing as well as music as a means to develop themes. The OP theme song by English rock band Oasis provides lyrics that are tremendously significant to the anime; "Said if you won't save me, please don't waste my time." takes on several meanings as the anime progresses. The ED theme is done by school food punishment and it is an unusual though fitting song for the anime with its halting piano and rough though feminine vocals.

The high quality of the sound aspect for this anime is thorough from the BGM to the voice acting; actual native English speakers are employed for scenes featuring English dialogue. Also, the voice cast for this series does not consist of veterans and in a way, much like the rest of the anime, it is utterly refreshing. Hayami Saori gives a lot to Saki's voice, and she clearly articulates a young woman's hesitation, fears, anxiety, and sadness with her voice (curiously enough, the seiyuu is actually younger than Saki) and Kimura Ryohei gives Akira a lively, playful, collected voice that exudes the character's personality extremely well.

As aforementioned, Akira is not an idiot, and he proves to be an absorbing protagonist. He is full of trivia, particularly about movies, and has a worldly feel to him without seeming to be worn or weathered. His earnest, easy-going, forthright nature makes him an attractive, personable character, and he easily uses his charisma to get things done. He questions himself in terms of his unknown past but never lingers or becomes morose over it. He is a doer, and he constantly is on the move in nearly every aspect of his personality.

Saki is a normal girl who is caught in between leaving school and getting a job. More than anything, she has been putting off finding herself. Normalcy is a source of her grief, and though she never overtly says it, it is more than evident that she longs for something more out of life. The thought of living with her sister, the thought of a nine to five job where she has to work with hypocritical or indifferent people, the thought of an inane, everyday existence innately bothers her.

And these two different people meet and begin what is the anime's strongest character relationship. The mysterious and charming Takizawa and the sweetly naive, understanding Saki have amazing chemistry and whenever they interact, the anime sees some of its best scenes whether they be humorous, romantic, intense or clever moments.

The supporting cast is significantly weaker compared to the absorbing protagonists. There are those who become significant in Akira's future: the other potential "messiahs" who come across as cornered rats, ready to strike and turn into villains for their personal benefit. Perhaps this is the intention, but they vaguely explore their back-stories as to who these people are and what their motivation is for doing what they do. Then there those from Saki's past: her family and friends. Admittedly, while the anime is not about them, they do however take up a lot of screen time and have set personalities that are decent, at best. There is also Juiz, the voice behind the cell phone, who actually has quick wit and some entertaining commentary despite simply being an informant and provider for the possible messiahs.

It may not be for everyone, but Higashi no Eden truly a gem of an anime despite the series' lack of development for the story and characters. There is something for trivia fans to enjoy as well, as this anime also makes visual and verbal references to tons of Western film, characters and fiction. It is a feast in terms of those, and the writers cleverly tie in dozens of famous movie references into the series that would humour any movie fan. There is also a strange running gag involving penises, but it is more humouring than lewd. If anything, you will just be reminded to keep your Johnny safe and at hand. You'll never know when you need it.

This is the sort of anime that has a great start and its accomplishment lies in maintaining that. It does not get progressively better nor does it ever wane; it is consistent. But one thing is for certain, and that is you will get caught up in this world where people have nearly limitless power with grand sums of money. After all, this is a world where a simple phone call can change history.

Higashi no Eden will suspend your senses, thrill you and have you completely enraptured as you watch a world where not only heroes, but villains, can try to save it. And we watch with bated breath as Takizawa Akira tries to become a messiah. read more

Higashi no Eden (or Eden of the East however you want to call it) is a new anime series produced by Production I.G, and it was one of the most anticipated series of the Spring 2009 season. After quite an impressive trailer before the anime aired, I just knew I had to watch this show which looked like it had a lot of promise. Did it live up to my expectation? Read ahead to find out.

Story:
+ This anime definitely brings a very interesting plot.
+ The level of mystery and suspense will leave the viewer wanting more every episode.
+ Definitely one of the most refreshing stories in recent seasons.

- Its is only 11 episodes long, a very uncommon number for an anime.
- The ending leaves you with a cliffhanger that the movies are expected to resolve.
- Because of the # of episodes, plus the announcement of 2 movies. The anime ending does not feel like it brings any closure to the overall story.

Art:
+ Fantastic art in both characters and backgrounds throughout the anime.
+ Very artistic animations for both the Opening and Ending themes.
+ There is really nothing bad to say here, this anime brings some nice eye candy to the viewer.

Sound:
+ Very good OP and ED songs. They are really cool to listen to.
+ The soundtrack is also really good, complimenting some scenes really nicely.
+ The voice acting is solid through the series, specially for Akira.

Character:
+ Takizawa Akira is main driving force in terms of character in this anime. He is pretty much the only one who constantly shines.
+ Other Selecao members are all unique and different in personalities, and are also very interesting people and have some good development (as short as some may be).
+ Akira is as mysterious as a character as he is likeable, he doesn't take things TOO seriously and also provides some good comedy.

- Saki, despite being likeable, just doesn't seem to contribute much to the overall plot despite being a main character.

Enjoyment: This anime was highly entertaining, despite ending in a cliffhanger it left me wanting more every episode and it would never feel boring. With the movies set to bring a conclusion to the anime, I can't wait to see them.

Overall Higashi no Eden proves to be a very enjoyable and entertaining anime which brings some rather unique and interesting plot that will be able to keep your interest from its unique 11 episode run. However because the series itself is not complete without the movies, the ending might feel a little underwhelming to some. Regardless, this anime surpassed my expectations and its a fantastic show to those looking a solid plot, likeable characters, beautiful visuals, and enjoyable music. I highly recommend people try this anime out, I dont think you will be disappointed. read more