Short Synopsis: Saki and ‘Akira’ arrive in Tokyo.
Episode Rating: 8/10 (Excellent)
Okay, thanks for some of the comments. I think with this I established my blogging schedule for this season (do note that the days are in my timezone, not necessarily at the day they air):
Monday: Shangri-La, Konnichiwa Anne
Tuesday: 07-Ghost
Wednesday: Nada
Thursday: Ristorante Paradiso
Friday: Pandora Hearts, Basquash, Phantom, Eden of the East
Saturday: Nope
Sunday: Valkyria Chronicles, Cross Game, Guin Saga, Full Metal Alchemist – Brotherhood
Based on various comments I received, I realized that there are a lot of people who’d like to see me blog both Valkyria Chronicles and FMA, so I’m probably going to drop Natsu no Arashi instead. While that is one definite underrated series, I’m not that sure about the series right now, and whether it’ll be interesting enough to blog (at least, when compared to some other shows I’m blogging this season).
As for the rest of the shows I’m not going to blog:
– Tears to Tiara… I don’t want to go sit through another Utawarerumono.
– Souten Kouro has the bad luck that it’s about the Three Kingdoms Era. I like history, but I never really liked any of the anime that dealt with that period.
– Hatsukoi Limited, while I’m not 100% sure yet, is probably not going to live up to the standard that Sentimental Journey set for this formula it’s trying to use.
Eden of the East is also one really popular series it seems, but for me it’s just too awesome not to blog. I’m an absolute sucker for mystery, and even though it’s only been building up so far, it’s got me intrigued like no other. There seems this whole back-story behind it, and I’m dying to find out what it is.
The style of storytelling is also really addictive, with a lot of focus on the dialogue between the lead characters. What I really liked in this episode was the bit of time the creators set aside for Akira and Saki to get to know each other a bit. It’s great to have another series that’s about adults rather than the teenagers that usually overcrowd the season, and this Spring Season especially seems to have quite a few series that ignore the brats for what they are and just focus on people aged eighteen or above. And I especially like Saki in this series. She’s a young woman that has her own life and an interesting combination between a bit of an airhead and a headstrong woman who likes to take initiatives and try out different things. I also really like her voice actress.
No series is perfect of course, and the flaws with Eden so far are with the CG. It really stands out at times, especially considering how Production IG usually blends it in so well with the rest of the graphics. Here though, people randomly are cell shaded, CG cars and boats look out of place. It’s a bit of a shame considering the rest of the great animation. It’s very strange, because this series features just about the best staff of Production IG, who also worked on Seirei no Moribito.
So yeah, the budget for this series is clearly lower than it was for Seirei no Moribito, that’s the only explanation I can think of. However, the plot is just as intriguing, if not more. In this episode, we learn the meaning behind the “Noblesse Oblige” that was written on Akira’s phone. Noblesse Oblige basically means the obligation of rich people to take care of the poor. The organization Akira belonged to is called the Celecau, who I guess originally was formed by someone with a lot of money in order to help those in need. Somewhere along the way though, something went wrong and the members started up terrorism. I’m interested to find out why the heck the one who organized everything let everything go out of control this way.
In any case, my entries for this series are probably going to be later than usual, since I’m rather busy on Fridays (both with my studies and other shows that need to be blogged) and the raws usually air too late on Thursday for me. It’s interesting how the subs are already fast enough to be released in that kind of period, though, although I kind of get why speedsubbers are often criticized when watching this episode. Especially the translation notes of Ground Zero were pretty pointless.
Hmm, it seems you really do want to blog FMA – well, it will be interesting to see your opinions, anyway.
Interesting note regarding CG and such, I never noticed CG shading on people, though it was obvious with Moribito’s background people – as for this show, the background characters are really fantastic. Everything and everyone is moving, it really does create a sense of life and bustling, and having fully animated background scenes seems to be a rarity nowadays. There must be money if IG are willing to go the extra length to animate as much as they can.
For vehicles, CG is pretty much expected nowadays unless it’s Brain’s Base or hand-drawn mecha. At least it doesn’t look Gonzo-level bad, and it does provide realism of a sort, and of course it’s easy to replicate lots of different vehicles that way.
I really am loving the theme of the show, in a political, economical and philosophical sense. It does seem to have a lot to be interested in, and at a time of selfish people with economic power, it is also surprisingly relevant. Interesting to see the etymology of the show as well: Eden of the East refers to the brand new Japan, Juiz seems to mean judge, or judgment, you have N-O obviously, and then 12 Selecao (I think you called it Celecau?)
Anyways, being a Noitamina show, it of course seems to have romance – I just wonder how much it will mix together with the shady stuff. There already seems to be something possibly intriguing regarding Saki, Akira and now Ohsugi’s place in the picture, who interestingly doesn’t have a phone.
Very happy to hear you are blogging FMA after all. 🙂
East of Eden is turning out to be a very interesting series, although it doesn’t feel quite like a Noitamina series to me.
The scenes between the two leads are very sweet but the mystery angle does make me worry a little. Hopefully the buildup will pay off in the end.
well,Actually I’m agree more with your first decision (not to blog FMA ,but blogging Valkyria and Natsu no Arashi instead)
But if you blogging Natsu for just the Shinbo-factor,there’s still Bakemonogatari upcoming in the summer…
I’m very glad that you decided to blog FMA. I was one of the people who asked you to rethink your decision about not blogging it but I never expected that you would really change your mind. Thank you!
There seem to be some people who don’t want you to blog this show. I can’t understand why. I’m pretty sure the show will be great and hopefully interesting to blog because there is a lot of mystery in it. Even though the next episodes will be the same we know from the first anime it will be interesting to see what the creators changed or which new material they added to make it interesting.
I even watched today Vakyria Chronicles, because before telling you to drop this show and instead blog FMA I wanted to watch it. To be honest it was a pain to get through (which doesn’t mean the show is bad, it is just not my cup of tea). I was very happy when I read that you already made your decision (blogging fma) and so I don’t have to watch the second episode of Vakyria Chronicles. I really intended to do that to be able to tell you my honest opinion about it, even though i’m sure what I think doesn’t play a role^^
Anyways you made my day. I look forward to your reviews of FMA and I apologize again for my bad english.
@ noname :if you refer to some people who doesn’t agree to blog FMA ,then it’s me then.Well,basically I don’t have anything against the series,but I think that you’re right in about natsu no arashi is really underrated.
FYI, that noname guy and kim looked like the same person,isn’t it..
Mds: if she is, then she’s a very thorough one who uses different proxies and e-mail addresses. And don’t get me wrong, I’m only dropping Natsu no Arashi, not Valkyria Chronicles.
I am very happy to hear that you are blogging FMA. There may be many other bloggers of the show, but I prefer reading your opinion than others. Also you are the only blogger I know who isn’t a fan of the previous show or the manga. I would love to read how you think that the current FMA remade the show, especially since the beginning episodes would mostly be a repeat of the previous FMA.
About Eden of East, today’s episode was amazing. Both the main characters are interesting, and the ending was cool. This would be one of the shows taht I would look forward to every week =)
Only worrisome thing I’ve found about this episode, which could potentially hurt future ones, is that Juiz may end up as a deus ex machina in the same vein that reminds me of that movie Eagle Eye… Well the story doesn’t seem to be heading to THAT level of absurdity (and hopefully never will) but Juiz does leave that impression.
Selecao is the nickname for the Brazilian football team, lol and it means selection in portugese (i think).
Liked the second ep, although I fear that the pace might be too slow for a series of only 7 (or is it 11?) episodes.
Btw, does have any ideas on where to find subs for Souten Kouro? Ive been looking for them for the past 2 weeks and still have’t been able to find either a torrent or a site which provides them..
Paradox: oh, don’t worry: the series is going to have 11 episode, and after that a movie is going to come out. That’s plenty of time, if you ask me. 😉
Totally agree with regard to the character development. Liked how our main characters were fleshed out a little. Underlying themes starting to come about –> excited!!
@mds: I’m not the same person as kim. And I’m not so immature to use different nicknames just to pretend there would be more people who want psgel to blog fma.
But really… nice people there. I got pretty fast accused to do such stupid things like using different nicknames. Oh… and I’m not pgal either… just if someone is assuming that too…
“nice people there” – I apologize for the generalization. This ironic comment referes to mds. But please, I don’t want to fight. Peace?
FYI, that noname guy and kim looked like the same person,isn’t it..
LOL This is the 1st time I was ever accused of being someone else. I am just curious what made you think we were the same person? Was it the fact that we both are happy that psgels is covering FMA? Let’s ignore the fact that it is a popular series and more than 1 person might be happy about this. Or maybe you have some other insight. Pray tell!
For the record I use this same handle on pretty much every blog and I would hope I don’t have to apologize for my English since I am American. 🙂
The word you’re looking for is “cel”, not “cell”.
So Seleçao was selection, that makes it more understandable.
And you took good series, even Basquash and Shangri-la.
Personally I just see Eden cause of the wonderful animation and its character designer, though it is very interesting what you can do with nearly unlimited credit. Those bribes are surprising.
Well,my English isn’t good either,
@ Kim,i’m sorry to accuse you as the same person as noname,beacause you exactly post similar comment 2 times (this,and at valkria chronicle posting)
but ,really,you can’t escape fight if you’re still using sacrastic words and phrases such as
“There seem to be some people who don’t want you to blog this show. I can’t understand why.”
well,that’s pretty much insulting me ,you know.Why don’t you just talking to me instead of refering me like that?
@mds:
“There seem to be some people who don’t want you to blog this show. I can’t understand why.” – that was never meant as sarcasm.
Because of my bad english it is hard to me to express myself. On the post of Vakyria Chronicles I got the (wrong?) impression more people would be against psgels blogging fma. That’s why I said this, I wasn’t especially refering to you.
And that “I don’t understand why” is true. Fma is a nice show, I think it is worth blogging, much more than a show like Vakyria Chronicles. But psgels is blogging both, so it doesn’t matter which show is better or whatever.
Why would FMA be a nice show?
I mean the manga is great..but this season it has been disappointing so far. It has just been rehashing the story from season 1. If they follow the manga, then it won’t be new stuff either would it? I actually hope they don’t follow the manga and do something new altogether.
Besides there are so many people blogging FMA..a lot more than Valkyria Chronicles. And Valkyria is nice in its own way. I think you should take off your rose tinted glasses and look at it objectively.
I’m pretty tired of all the FMA fan girls.
psgels,you always blog the shows almost nobody else blog and I like watching those shows with you.So I think you should blog whatever you want like before and not care too much about what others say about it 😀
btw anyone else think that the two kid who survived the plane accident are one of the Selectos(whatever Akira and Kondo are supposed to be)?I’m already thinking too much after only 2 episodes XD
psgels, you should blog what you want. And you sure will do so. But because you didn’t read the manga and I think you like mystery (am I wrong?) I thought it would be a good idea to blog fma.
@paradox: Yeah, you could really call me an fma-fangirl. I love this show and that’s a crime, isn’t it? To love a show which perhaps is not perfect, but great fun to watch whith a lot of emotion in it?
Okay, that will be my last comment here.
I love the manga too.
If you like the show thats fine. But you shouldn’t expect other people to do the same, and denounce those who don’t.
…
Thanks =]
I’m really pleased you’re going to stick with Eden of the East. I think both the main characters are strong for a change. I too am dying to see what’s next, both with them and the world around them. This seems, imo, to be a fairly weak season so far, especially in comparison to the one just finished. A season with Clannad AS, Toradora and Shikabane Hime is going to be difficult to top. Speaking of this one have you checked out Saki, it’s turning into one of my favorites and I don’t even understand how to play mahjong.
I think you’ve picked pretty good shows for the new season…but since everyone is complaining maybe i should watch Valkyria Chronicles also, hopefully I wont be dissapointed