Eden of the East: Complete Series Blu-ray delivers stunning video and reference-quality audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
On November 22, 2010 ten missiles strike Japan. This terrorist act does not result in any casualties, however. Three months later, Saki Morimi is in the United States of America on her graduation trip. But just when she stands in front of the White House, she finds herself in trouble, and only the unexpected intervention of one of her fellow countrymen saves her. But this man is a complete mystery - not only is he an amnesiac, but he is stark naked save for the gun in one hand and the mobile phone, charged with billions of yen in digital cash in the other.
Over the years, anime branched out into a number of new genres that often don't fit within the normal categories established and standardized by the western studio system. Some might say this has more to do with the inherent creativity of the individuals who dream up such productions, but I'd attribute it to two key elements that set anime apart from the risk-weary Hollywood system. First, anime exists entirely within the realm of artistry, thanks in no small part to the reliance on animation. Once you break down the boundaries that exist in the live-action world, it opens the door to creating something entirely foreign and allowing one's imagination to run wild. The second element at work in most anime is the lack of reliance on a defined genre or category for most productions, effectively opening the door for a wider target audience. By tossing elements of romance or comedy into a science fiction extravaganza, we end up with something worthwhile across the board, allowing each member of the audience a different impression on why the story worked. Surely there are some occasions when this melding of genres dilutes the production as a whole (occasionally destroying the pacing of a series), but at the end of the day, that variety is one of the key factors that makes anime so unique and appealing. For those of you wondering why this little analysis was necessary as a lead in to my review of Eden of the East, I'll simply mention that this is one of the better examples I can point to when discussing productions that meld several genres in an effective manner, since it created an end product capable of leaving a lasting impression on a diverse audience.
Unfortunately, single frame screenshots don't fully convey the beauty of the animation.
Eden of the East begins in Washington D.C., where Saki Morimi is enjoying the end of her graduation trip as a college senior. Standing in front of the gate leading to the White House lawn, she encounters a bizarre young man named Akira Takizawa, who shows up sans clothing, holding a pistol in one hand and an odd-looking cell phone in the other. Intrigued by his amnesiac state and playful demeanor, Saki quickly forms a bond with Akira, and joins him on a flight back to Tokyo in search of answers to his lost past. Not long after they arrive, the mystery begins to unfold through a series of revelations offered by an unknown female on the other end of Akira's cell phone. As he soon learns, his phone carries a balance totalling over 8 billion yen, which can be used to make random store purchases or facilitate seemingly impossible events through a simple request to the woman named Juiz. Additionally, he's able to view purchases made with 11 other phones that resemble his own, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs to those with knowledge of his mysterious situation.
Eden of the East is one of those rare shows where the less you know going in, the better. As a result, the synopsis listed above may initially appear somewhat uninteresting to those who've been exposed to prior hype surrounding the production. Since I'd hate to leave you with that impression, my discussion of the pros and cons of the series will add several additional tidbits regarding the overall story arch, while still leaving plenty to the imagination. If you'd rather heed my advice about avoiding any potential spoilers, I'd suggest you watch the series first (highly recommended), then come back later to read the rest of this section.
Now that we have the caution signs posted, I'll begin by noting the real value of the series lies in the steady flow of revelations that permit the audience to become active participants in solving the mystery. Before we ever discover the relevance of Eden of the East in the context of the story, Akira encounters two of the other chosen Selecao (meaning "selection" in Portuguese) with similar phone devices, but a different assigned number than his own. These two men lay the framework for our understanding of a game that's being played by 12 carefully selected individuals, who've all been entrusted with 10 billion yen to reach a certain goal. Akira's lost memory has something to do with his prior actions as a Selecao and may involve the nearly 2 billion yen he's already spent during the course of playing the "game".
In addition to Akira's encounters with other Selecao, his blossoming relationship with Saki and a group of her business partners provides the basis for the secondary story arch of the series, and allows for several subtle moments of comedy found throughout. By aligning himself with the philanthropic plans of Saki (in the form of a business venture involving a unique method of social networking), Akira invites scrutiny from her fellow partners (including a young man obsessed with Saki), bringing his intentions and methods into question. This works from a character building standpoint, but remains far less compelling than the core mystery at the heart of the series.
Although my impression of the overall story is positive, I can't help but feel disappointed in the brief eleven episode run. Many key elements of the plot are left to pure speculation, and we only meet seven of the 12 Selecao by series end. I'm aware there are two follow-up films that likely deliver a more satisfying conclusion than the climax of the series, but until I view those films I'll reserve final judgment on the success of the complete adventure.
Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 28Mbps), Eden of the East looks absolutely spectacular on Blu-ray. After weathering the onslaught of upscaled anime productions over the course of the past two year, it's a real treat to witness such an artistic work from Production I.G. in native high-definition. Beyond the fluid nature of the animation itself, the series incorporates a number of creative design elements that ramp up the scope of most scenes, surpassing the typical quality of a budget-conscious television production. As a result, the visuals often rival the standards set by a typical theatrical anime release, imparting greater depth and texturing during the action-oriented moments of the show. Given the precision and beauty of the animation, there's increased pressure on FUNimation to deliver a home run transfer that remains entirely faithful to such impressive source material. Even the slightest flaw would emerge as unacceptable to the well trained eye, and spark a wave of discontent among the growing hordes of anime enthusiasts. With great pleasure, I'm here to confirm we can put those fears aside, and revel in the flawless nature of the visual spectacle. From the consistency of the line art to the stability of the computer generated effects, every element works in unison to create a series of environments and atmosphere that captivate the eyes. A portion of the visual strength should be attributed to the profound use of color and lighting effects that populate the series. One moment you'll be mystified by the neon glow of a nighttime cityscape, while the next scene reveals the lush greens of a grassy field or the vivid blues of the daytime sky. In a way, it's that sense of variety that makes Eden of the East such a pleasure to watch, and dramatically increases the replay value of the production.
Sporting a choice of lossless surround options in native Japanese or dubbed English, Eden of the East delivers an audio experience that nearly rivals the proficiency of the visual presentation. This should come as no surprise given the level of effort Production I.G. put into the every aspect of show, right down to the hiring of renowned composer Kenji Kawai, whose collaborations with Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell, The Sky Crawlers) earned him recognition as a premiere musical talent in the anime world. Listening to the whimsical soundtrack throughout each episode it's clear Kawai was going for contrasting elements to accompany the dire circumstances presented in the plot, effectively adding new layers to an already complex series. Beyond the beauty of the musical aspects of the production, the robust sound effects incorporated into the more aggressive sequences are among the best I've heard on the Blu-ray format, taking full advantage of spatial separation across the sound field, and creatively using subtleties to increase the immersive nature of the experience. Volume levels are well-balanced throughout, clarity is superb, and I could hardly differentiate between the proficiency of the English or Japanese selection. Bottom line, this is a dream come true for anime audiophiles.
Director Kamiyama & Original Character Designer Umino Interview (1080i, TrueHD 2.0, 21:49 min): The two primary creative minds behind the series sit down for a discussion of what attracted them to working with one another, the unique elements in Umino's art, and how the Eden of the East project came about. I'm not sure why, but the camera-shy Umino is never shown despite her equal billing and involvement in the interview (there's a stuffed animal blocking our view of her).
Kimura (Takizawa) & Hayami (Saki) Interview (1080i, TrueHD 2.0, 18:32 min): The Japanese voice actors who portray the two main protagonists in the series sit down together and banter about their involvement in the series, discussing particulars of the production and breaking down the roles they play.
Directors Kamiyama & Oshii Interview (1080i, TrueHD 2.0, 27:15 min): This is the real gem in the batch of interviews, since it involves a dynamic analysis of various elements in the series from the perspective of the master (Oshii) evaluating his pupil's (Kamiyama) work. During the discussion, Kamiyama touches on some of the deeper aspects of the storyline or animation, which are then broken down further by Oshii (who acts as a critical viewer searching for more than just superficial meaning).
Art Director Takeda Interview (1080i, TrueHD 2.0, 15:36 min): If you're looking for a technical analysis of the fantastic animation and artwork, set aside 15 minutes to soak up this supplement.
Composer Kawai Interview (1080i, TrueHD 2.0, 10:47 min): As a longtime composer for director Oshii, Kawai worked on a number of well regarding theatrical and television productions. Here, he provides background on the elements he picked for the Eden of the East musical selections, and his focus on making the series sound cheerful.
Rounding out the extras, we're given TV spots, a promotional video, the textless closing song, and a series of trailers for other FUNimation releases.
Eden of the East is a groundbreaking series from Production I.G. that demonstrates just how far anime has come in its quest for relevance. Mixing action, suspense, mystery, comedy, romance, and the supernatural, there's something worthwhile for every member of the audience (provided said audience is mature enough to comprehend the cerebral plot and weather implied sexual violence). From a technical standpoint, this stands as one of the best anime products currently on the Blu-ray market, combining audio and video proficiency that sets a new benchmark for televised anime to follow. If you couldn't tell by now, consider Eden of the East highly recommended.
