Eden of the East – A Reflection

I first came to know about Eden of the East back in 2010 when Funimantion was holding a type of scavenger hunt at Anime Expo. I must say that when I attend these types of shows, a scavenger hunt is the last thing on my mind. Little did I know that the theme of the hunt was based on an anime that would soon become one of my favorites. Following the expo, later that year, I just happened upon the series one evening whilst strolling through the anime section at your local electronics store. I saw it on an end cap labeled as New Series” and I remembered thinking, ‘where have I seen these characters before?’ In the male character’s hand, I noticed a strange-looking cell phone. I remembered that these two characters were the same as the ones being featured in the scavenger hunt at the Funimation booth at Anime Expo that year. After doing a bit of in-the-moment research, I came to know that this anime series has so many powerhouse names in the industry. It was written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama, the same man behind the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series, it’s original character designs were by Chica Umino, mangaka to the award-winning Honey and Clover manga, the main opening was performed by the English band Oasis and animated by Production I.G. With a team like that, this series was sure to be one of the greats for years to come. And trust me, it has.

The famous introduction

After realizing her passport is in the coat she gave him, Saki follows Takizawa to the apartment. After some fun interactions, she decides to go back with him to Tokyo and, after flunking an interview for a job she was depending on, decides to join him on his quest to save Japan. But, how exactly are they supposed to save it? The answer is not known but if Takizawa fails, he will be murdered.

That is just the first episode. Throughout the series, we are introduced to certain individuals known as Seleção who are also given the opportunity to save Japan. Each one is given the same type of phone as Takizawa, with 10 billion yen attached and the same “Juiz” on the other end. There have been missile attacks on Japan. Twenty thousand shut-ins have gone missing with absolutely no clue on where they’ve gone or who kidnapped them. Murders are happening. Outlandish requests are being made. Just who is “Juiz” and how does she have this kind of power? I will leave the mystery for you to uncover for yourself because among the calm chaos the state of Japan is in, we get an in-depth look inside two individuals who are, for lack of a better word, beautifully human. One is just a young girl who is trying to make it in life by just trying to get a job to support herself so she does not have to rely on others. The other is an incredibly charming young man part of a grand scale plan to supposedly save an entire nation. Both have an innocence and intense drive to accomplish their goals.

You can pick up the entire series and both movies in the newly released premium collection over at Funimation.

There is also a REALLY cute Shiba Inu with wings!