As a quick aside, yes, I am aware of the two movies, but this is a review of the series independent of said movies.
Eden of the East definitely has the most unique character introduction I've ever seen. The main character, Akira Takizawa, wakes up in Washington, D.C. in the nude with just a gun and a cell phone charged with 8.2 billion yen. He ends up saving a girl named Saki Moirmi from arrest, and manages to get back into Japan with her. In the interim, the country has fallen victim to a missile attack known as “Careless Monday.” Takizawa wants to find out where he came from, who he was, and why he has been given such financial means. Along those same lines, Takizawa finds out there are others like him, all with their own motivations, and cell phones loaded with cash, with the enigmatic Juiz there to always fulfill a request, no matter how insane it might be. If the person has the money, she'll do it. The web of conspiracy theories slowly reveals itself: who is behind the Careless Monday attacks and why would they want to destroy Japan?
The stars of the show are definitely Takizawa and Morimi, with the two making for an interesting couple, but it's definitely more of a “prince/damsel in distress” dynamic between them. Jason Liebrecht gives a fairly subdued performance as Takizawa, but it works because his character is always Joe Cool—he doesn't lose his temper, he doesn't make a scene unless he has to, and he's always calculating, looking for the best way to get what he needs. Leah Clark is the precocious Morimi, who is dragged into a situation she didn't ask for, but is drawn to Takizawa and is always looking to help. There is a budding romance between the two of them, but it definitely feels forced in the early parts. Luckily, it shows up intermittently, without being too much of a distraction.
With an excellent setup and interesting characters, Eden of the East has a lot going for it right off the bat, but the problem is the show's lack of length. Clocking in at only 11 episodes, they try to cram in as much of the story as they possibly can, and for the most part, they're successful. However—similar to Mnemosyne—there just isn't enough time. Unlike Mnemosyne though, the story doesn't take a nosedive in the last half. It just gets a little crazy and requires full attention (and maybe a re-watch) to understand all the big reveals, which I won't spoil here. Also, I have taken issue with the ending, which just wraps everything up too neatly, and it doesn't set up the first movie very well. Also, for a series this short, the pacing could have used some work.
One thing I can say about Eden is that it nails the artistic side of anime. The animations and character modeling are very well-done, at times making you think this is an OVA, and not a television series. As such there is no dip in the quality of animation, as is common in anime as they get closer to the end. The characters also look a little less Japanese than most models I've seen, but I can't shake the feeling that Morimi (and a few other characters) looks like a frog.
A standout area of the animation are the locales, which are lovingly rendered. The opening scenes in Washington are amazing, and the rest of the locales look like you're really there. This is a highly atmospheric anime that does everything possible to draw you into its world.
The music is mostly forgettable...with the exception of the opening and ending themes. I don't know, maybe it's because you hear them so much, but the ending theme (futuristic imagination by school food punishment) deserves special mention because it has one of the most unique ending sequences I've seen. It was so good that I actually watched the clean ending, something I have never done. It seriously needs to be seen to be believed.
In the end, Eden of the East is a great series, but has some hangups that keep it from being all that it can be. With a good but unsatisfying ending, characters that seem to come and go, and a story that borders on convoluted, it balances out the excellent art style and intrigue that pervade the series. Again, Eden of the East is great, but it isn't the transcendental anime that many seem to think it is.
