Higashi no Eden 5-9

I finally got to squeeze in episode 9 of Higashi no Eden, thanks to the lull at work. Connection problems have been a pain and the internet filters have prevented me from dallying in my usual quota of shows. I haven't been able to finish Mononoke (and I'm on my last two episodes, too!). Still, I'm grateful I can still access Higashi; I'm careful not to tell this to anyone in the office, though. Wouldn't want another site to be blocked.

Anyway, on to Higashi. The show definitely picks up pace in episode 5 and more than makes up for the series' rather lackluster start. I still had problems with some scenes - I just went absolutely "meh?" on some. It's quite off-putting really, so I was glad when there were less of those "meh" scenes in later episodes.

We also get introduced to the other Selecaos, and it's really, really cool stuff. Mid-way to episode 5, the possibility of a Selecao vs Selecao battle is a glorious anticipation. Episode 5 and 6 does go into that, and viewers get a little glimpse of the mind of a Selecao.

Juiz on overtime :B

Episode 7 delves more on Saki's side of the story and bit on the supporting cast. It does the story good, in my opinion, to have more people introduced and explored. In episodes 8 and 9, the pieces start to fall in place, chaos ensues and the bigger picture starts to unravel. Great spy/thriller stuff here.

All throughout, the animation and voice acting remains consistent. Most impressive of all is the overall pacing of the story - it's just right for an 11-episode show. Not too fast and not too slow to bore the viewers out, either. It has just the right amount of resolution and mystery to keep the viewer guessing.

My only problem with the series, as I've earlier pointed out, are the "meh" scenes. They appear abruptly, distract the flow of the story - basically very confusing. It's a minor peeve, though.

On to episode 10 and beyond :)

Higashi no Eden 1-4

On November 22, 2010 ten missiles strike Japan. However, this unprecedented terrorist act, later to be called as "Careless Monday," does not result in any apparent victims, and is soon forgotten by almost everyone. Then, 3 months later... Saki Morimi is a young woman currently in the United States of America on her graduation trip. But just when she is in front of the White House, Washington DC, she gets into trouble, and only the unexpected intervention of one of her fellow countrymen saves her. However, this man, who introduces himself as Akira Takizawa, is a complete mystery. He appears to have lost his memory. and he is stark naked, except for the gun he holds in one hand, and the mobile phone he's holding with the other hand. A phone that is charged with 8,200,000,000 yen in digital cash. - ANN (because I'm too lazy to write my own summary :D)

I could not pick on a new series to watch for the Spring/Summer 2009 season; I planned on watching and re-watching stuff that I've, sadly, neglected behind.

I, however, wasn't to keen on letting the Spring/Summer season slip by without at least checking out a show. From my experience, despite a season's preponderance for crappy shows, there's always bound to be an exception. So, I hopped around anime sites and forums, hoping to get a whiff on the right direction.

That's how I ended up watching Higashi no Eden, a very promising show so far. It's right up my alley, being a short series at only 11 episodes. The characters remind me somehow of Morita and Hagu-chan of Honey and Clover fame :D

Anyway, first episode was not much of a bang, I admit. The story did not unfold much, just ran around in circles, the dialogues, dull. Some scenes left me completely nonplussed (a naked Akira Takizawa, anyone??). It had its share of funny and intriguing moments, though, enough to make me wanna watch the second episode.

Thankfully, the succeeding episodes does a greater job than the pilot. Viewers are treated to a sneak preview to a great story, one that will probably involve epic proportions. The main characters are developed, obtaining new depths. The story picks up from here and the story moves fast, covering histories and characters in an episode. The show's pacing, though, does not affect the storytelling aspect of the show, and the animation remains above-par throughout.

The OP is really good; it deserves some kind of award. I can't find it yet, but I'll link it as soon as I can find it. Really, it's something everybody should see :D

So far, so good. The show is getting more interesting, revealing and hiding just the right amount of story information to keep the viewer guessing (and not annoyed :D). My only fear now is the impact of 11 episodes on a story that obviously is large in scale, but that remains to be seen. On to ep5!

Hooked for now.