12 moments of anime #9: Eden is exactly as good as everyone expected it to be
Have you ever noticed how much effort I put into my season previews? Or the upcoming anime page I’m constantly updating with every new anime green-lite for production? I love to look forward to upcoming anime and try predict what will be the hit series of the future. In the 2+ years I’ve been doing this, no series has had as much obvious quality plastered all over it as Eden of the East had.
I remember when Eden was originally announced. It came with a promo picture of the Selcaou phone melting onto an apple and the plot description. At the time I only glanced at the synopsis and thought ‘sounds interesting’ until I started to do the research for the relevant season preview. It was then did the pieces start to click together. Production IG original anime project with the director of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Character designer from Honey and Clover. Noitamina timeslot material (remember this was during Nodame Cantabile Paris time in that slot and it had just score the highest late-night tv rating ever for an anime. This timeslot was a big deal) and a hugely ambitious-sounding synopsis. It became more clear the more digging I did. Eden of the East was a big deal. However it wasn’t until the promo video came out that expectations reached fever pitch across anime fandom. In a season that also had FMA:B and K-ON airing, it was remarkable how much anticipation there was for this series.
So the moment in anime I would like to share with you all today is the feeling of sheer relief when the first episode aired. Everyone knew it was going to be good but with big expectation can often come that feeling of disappointment when it doesn’t exactly live up to the high standards you’ve set in your mind. The first episode of Eden was great. In fact, it was almost embarrassing how good it was. Through nothing even exceptionally fancy it dwarfed every other first episode that had aired that season. Eden of the East was going to be quality and everyone who knew anything knew that. It’s just a huge relief when it turned out to be exactly as good as I’d hoped for.
hi there! I have to agree with you! I mean, animes like “Special A” and “Vampire Knight” used to be the most awaited for animes, but in the end, they are just pure disappointment. Vampire knight is just a shadow of the manga original, which is a shame. It could have been so much more!
Anyway, its anticipation for the movies of Eden!!
I was very impressed with Eden too. I don’t think it had a single bad episode and I always eagerly waited for the new one to come out =) Now I’m looking forward to the movies!
I didn’t fully feel the anticipation of the fans before the seires’ release. In my case, I marathoned the series after it finished airing so my first impression was like ‘wow! I didn’t know it’s gonna be that great!’.
I was very impressed with Eden myself, although I poke fun at the series for being a prequel to the movie. All I know is, the movie better not disappoint!
The only “disappointment” I had was that it was an incomplete story. If the movie turns out to be as gripping as the series was, I’d say we’d definitely have a masterpiece on our hands.
Oh god, Eden cliffhangers had at the end of each episode. Gah!
@Canne
I miss that feeling sometimes. The shock of discovering a brilliant series you knew nothing about beforehand
@Janette and zzeroparticle
From what little I’ve read from reviews, the first movie seems to just set up for the second. Granted, I’ve only been skimming the reviews to avoid even the slightest of spoilers but that’s the general gist I’m getting
Can’t wait for the movies to get released online, Eden of the East was my favorite show of its season by far. I followed the same logic when I judged how good it was going to be, and all the components were brought out and put together very smoothly: the GiTS:SAC visual design, slick technological useage, and intricate plot, Umino Chika’s character designs and touches to the characters’ personalities, and the Noitamina seriousness of the drama. The only reason I can’t put it up on my list of favorites just yet is that it’s still very incomplete since we’re waiting on three movies to finish the story. Oh, and one of the best OPs in recent memory didn’t hurt either.
@Janette: I know there’s two confirmed so far. First is King of Eden, which is already released. Second is Paradise Lost, coming next year. No news on the third one yet.
@ExecutiveOtaku: There’s a third movie? Seeing Takizawa kept me reminded of Morita. Heck, their crazy attitudes are alike!
I’m pretty certain the third movie you’re referring to is just the re-cap movie that aired in the summer. Nothing more than a rehash of the anime in movie form. The two movies are the actual continuation. As far as I’m aware the only movies are King of Eden and Paradise Lost
i loved eden of the east! though as the nerdy english major i am, i’m still contemplating drawing parallels between this anime and the steinbeck novel (and possibly also the paradise lost movie with the original poem).
but anyways, it was short and sweet and i’m glad i got off my lazy anime-resisting butt to marathon it in two days. can’t wait until the movies come out!
i havent read it either, but from what i sparknoted, it’s all about good v. evil in real life and how human choices ultimately determine who we are. the title of the novel refers to the place god banished cain to after he killed abel in the cain and abel story. there is an implication in the novel that god gave cain a choice to either redeem himself there or continue the path of sin. the novel revolves heavily around that idea of choice to commit sin or resist it.
i guess the good v. evil and theme of choices relates to the anime…but in the anime didn’t the title refer to the database they used? still trying to figure out parallels to that. there’s also a character in the novel that could very much be a parallel to that weird serial killer woman from the anime, but that’s all i got. i think i’ll have to rewatch the anime to think further on it.
…i just finished my finals and i’m already thinking about writing thesis’ to things completely unrelated to schoolwork. *headdesk*
Have you ever noticed how much effort I put into my season previews? Or the upcoming anime page I’m constantly updating with every new anime green-lite for production? I love to look forward to upcoming anime and try predict what will be the hit series of the future. In the 2+ years I’ve been doing this, no series has had as much obvious quality plastered all over it as Eden of the East had.
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13 Comments
hi there! I have to agree with you! I mean, animes like “Special A” and “Vampire Knight” used to be the most awaited for animes, but in the end, they are just pure disappointment. Vampire knight is just a shadow of the manga original, which is a shame. It could have been so much more!
Anyway, its anticipation for the movies of Eden!!
I was very impressed with Eden too. I don’t think it had a single bad episode and I always eagerly waited for the new one to come out =) Now I’m looking forward to the movies!
I didn’t fully feel the anticipation of the fans before the seires’ release. In my case, I marathoned the series after it finished airing so my first impression was like ‘wow! I didn’t know it’s gonna be that great!’.
I was very impressed with Eden myself, although I poke fun at the series for being a prequel to the movie. All I know is, the movie better not disappoint!
The only “disappointment” I had was that it was an incomplete story. If the movie turns out to be as gripping as the series was, I’d say we’d definitely have a masterpiece on our hands.
@Yumeka
Oh god, Eden cliffhangers had at the end of each episode. Gah!
@Canne
I miss that feeling sometimes. The shock of discovering a brilliant series you knew nothing about beforehand
@Janette and zzeroparticle
From what little I’ve read from reviews, the first movie seems to just set up for the second. Granted, I’ve only been skimming the reviews to avoid even the slightest of spoilers but that’s the general gist I’m getting
Can’t wait for the movies to get released online, Eden of the East was my favorite show of its season by far. I followed the same logic when I judged how good it was going to be, and all the components were brought out and put together very smoothly: the GiTS:SAC visual design, slick technological useage, and intricate plot, Umino Chika’s character designs and touches to the characters’ personalities, and the Noitamina seriousness of the drama. The only reason I can’t put it up on my list of favorites just yet is that it’s still very incomplete since we’re waiting on three movies to finish the story. Oh, and one of the best OPs in recent memory didn’t hurt either.
@Janette: I know there’s two confirmed so far. First is King of Eden, which is already released. Second is Paradise Lost, coming next year. No news on the third one yet.
@ExecutiveOtaku: There’s a third movie? Seeing Takizawa kept me reminded of Morita. Heck, their crazy attitudes are alike!
There’s going to be multiple movies?
I approve.
@ExecutiveOtaku
I’m pretty certain the third movie you’re referring to is just the re-cap movie that aired in the summer. Nothing more than a rehash of the anime in movie form. The two movies are the actual continuation. As far as I’m aware the only movies are King of Eden and Paradise Lost
i loved eden of the east! though as the nerdy english major i am, i’m still contemplating drawing parallels between this anime and the steinbeck novel (and possibly also the paradise lost movie with the original poem).
but anyways, it was short and sweet and i’m glad i got off my lazy anime-resisting butt to marathon it in two days. can’t wait until the movies come out!
@gw_kimmy
Actually out of interest, how similar is it to the original Steinbeck novel? I’ve never read it myself
i havent read it either, but from what i sparknoted, it’s all about good v. evil in real life and how human choices ultimately determine who we are. the title of the novel refers to the place god banished cain to after he killed abel in the cain and abel story. there is an implication in the novel that god gave cain a choice to either redeem himself there or continue the path of sin. the novel revolves heavily around that idea of choice to commit sin or resist it.
i guess the good v. evil and theme of choices relates to the anime…but in the anime didn’t the title refer to the database they used? still trying to figure out parallels to that. there’s also a character in the novel that could very much be a parallel to that weird serial killer woman from the anime, but that’s all i got. i think i’ll have to rewatch the anime to think further on it.
…i just finished my finals and i’m already thinking about writing thesis’ to things completely unrelated to schoolwork. *headdesk*