I don't want to say that I found this show to have missed potential because my expectations were never too high. I was definitely bored at many parts, but never actually felt any major dislike towards it. That is until I finish it, and I surprisingly feel strongly...unfulfilled? I think it starts from how this show clumsily dropped so much 'lore' (emphasis on the quotes) and terminology in the later stages. I have a solid idea of what it all was trying to say, but this was so late in the game that I don't necessarily care enough that this world-at-stake climax has me at the edge of my seat. I won't deny that the show was building up certain plot points throughout, it's just that when a car goes from 30 MPH to 80 MPH and then back to 30, you feel it.
Have to mention Renton and Eureka. Cute romance? Yeah. Perfectly laid out? Nah. I really like that throughout their relationship they get interactions with the older members of the cast that push it along, and I'm generally surprised that the show has their romance at such a forefront of the narrative. It's not something hinted at for the whole run, it's there and we actually see their affection expressed throughout. However, there was a definite jolt from them just getting closer to them 'realizing' their love. Then there are these f*cking kids that are involved for the whole 50 episodes. They don't do much other than overemphasizing the family dynamic trying to be built around Eureka assimilating into a human. Like I don't normally get bothered by these sorts of characters but when it's detracting from the real core of the show I start getting tired. Their 'arc' should've been left to a single episode resolution. In the end, Renton has bloomed into maturity, fully devoted to Eureka. It's all this plot hullabaloo that just for some reason doesn't make me feel the same sweetness over how their relationship resolves at the end compared to how I felt for the majority of the show.
Now I don't like to divide anime into 'story and animation' because it all coalesces at the end of the day, however, I do think the production value was a distinct factor in me sticking with the show. I LOVE the character designs, Eureka's especially is awesome. 2D mecha animation is a dying breed nowadays so going back to a real behemoth show that centers around it was really nice. Regardless of how I feel initially, Eureka Seven is a really ambitious anime project. The beginning had this early-2000's punk style down pretty nailed down but with the plot leaning much more into the sci-fi that novelty was kinda lost in the latter half. I still feel very comfortable in praising just how well made it is, even with the odd weaker episode here and there (what was that soccer episode about?)
I was well aware throughout that the target audience here was clearly not for me, especially in the beginning it had this 'Saturday morning cartoon feel to it that made me set my standards. With that, I still can't ignore how thinly laid out some ideas were, even if I do like what the show has to say in concept. This is especially in regard to the brief commentary on race relations and environmentalism. I don't think these 50 episodes were spent effectively. While E7 did scratch that shounen + romance itch, I can't shake the increasing indifference I felt as I finished it.
