Please don't spend money on this.
... View Moreif their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.
... View MoreThis is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
... View MoreUnshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.
... View MoreHaving watched anime for quite some time, I can honestly say this series and the two movies that follow it are among my favorite. The show has been criticized for similarities to the Bourne Identity series, but it honestly branches out in such a new and interesting way that that is easy to look passed.Right from the very first episode you'll want to keep watching just to see all your questions answered and to see more of the main characters. Akira and Saki have something inexplicable about them as characters that just makes viewers fall in love with them and want to see where their story leads.While the actual episodes are short in length and number, their content is still phenomenal and the movies really help to continue the series and give the viewers some much wanted closure on the overall plot.Overall, the characters are lovable and unique, the animation gives a soft feel to the entire environment, and the plot will keep you glued to the screen. I highly recommend giving the series a shot and seeing what the Selecao can do to save the world.
... View MoreIt's hard to describe the type of series this is. It involves the NEET class and the economical-political attitude amongst Japan's youth toward the older upper-class management. One of these youths, Takizawa, mysteriously comes into possession of a phone that enables him to enact changes in his and others' lives. Fate causes him to meet Saki, a recent graduate seeking employment, and the adventure begins.The tone of the film is lighthearted, even though the plot deals heavily in political intrigue and adventure. The story is well-written to reveal stepwise all the events occurring before, during, and after Takizawa's and Saki's fateful meeting, including some quirky romance, intrigue, and action. The series ends on a fun and exciting solution to some of the problems that Takizawa encounters along the way, but leaves us with new questions and lead-ins to the following 2 feature films for the series.I've seen the feature films, and unfortunately, they don't maintain the same level of excitement, mystery, and fun that the original series does. It feels as they're made simply to finish the story lines with logical endings. I'd recommend just watching the original series, and even though it's tough, don't bother with the following feature films to answer the questions created by the series.
... View MoreI will start off by saying, this series is an absolute must. It's thought-provoking and well animated. The story-line is complex, yet simple to follow.A previous review of this series complained that it is short, and I would have to agree. At the end of the 11 episodes, I was a bit surprised as to how it cut off; while the season was understandably complete, the whole of the story was obviously unfinished, and it felt like intermission. Not to worry, though, the two feature-length movies helped to clear up a lot of the confusion left behind by the season, and while they're regarded as "spin-offs," the two movies are actually part one and two of the second season. That aside, I definitely feel this could have been longer.Another complaint was that the supporting cast was too cookie-cutter, but if you stick with it, you can see that isn't so. The FUNimation dubbed versions give a lot more chattiness and slant to Saki's friends, so that helps, but you do have to keep going to the movies to get any sort of idea of who these people are; in the end, though, they don't develop too much, so I'd have to agree with this complaint as well. Still, I don't feel they're the focus, and they by no means detract from the main storyline. Though not much depth is developed for these supporting characters, they reassuringly do have distinct personalities and characteristics by the end.My biggest complaint, and I hold this to be a spoiler, more of enjoyability - if you're like me - rather than plot: in the series, it's mentioned near the beginning of the series that the Noblesse Oblige phones work by fingerprint recognition. However, Saki uses Akira's phone to send herself a picture, and she continues to use the phone throughout the "King of Eden" movie. There are a couple comments about the fingerprint tech near the end of the first season, but there is no comment on Saki's use of Akira's phone. It may be important to note that all the comments concerning the fingerprint tech are in direct reference to Seleção IV's phone, and not Akira's, leaving room for interpretation that he had it disabled, or had Juis (Juiz) alter it for Saki to use.Those things aside, I really enjoyed the series. I sorely wish for something more, but I think, while the ending is not what we as humans always want (a neatly tied-up happy ending), it was appropriate, and more importantly, it wasn't definite. There is room for more, and I'm just happy to have been able to come along for the ride. Not even something so huge as the continuity error of the phone was enough to keep me from finishing and thinking about it 24/7.*When you watch the second movie, "Paradise Lost," watch past the credits!
... View MoreEden of the East, a backwards translation of the John Steinbeck Novel East of Eden, is a very mysterious and thrilling anime, following Takizawa and Morimi. The series starts following a series of ten missile strikes on uninhabited areas of Japan, which do not claim any victims. We then move on to three months later where we meet the two main characters of the series: Takizawa is first seen outside of the White house naked, and it becomes apparent he hasn't any memory of his past. He soon meets Morimi and they create a tight bond. Takizawa seems to be involved in an organization consisting of ten 'Selecao', each of whom are given ten billion Japanese dollars, which cannot be directly made into money, but can be used at there disposal. He is also given a phone like gadget, with which he can contact a concierge name Juiz, who in no time at all seems to be able to make any request a reality. The job of the Selecao is to 'Save the Nation', and if they cannot do so before there 10 billion budget runs out, they are killed by the 'Supporter', which is someone no-one knows the identity of. The organization however becomes more and more mysterious, as do the other 9 members.To try and be balanced i will first try to outline what i believe isn't good about this SHORT anime. Well that is one of the points right there, it's length. Each episode runs about 23 minutes, and there are only 10 before it's all over. That means that the series is all over before you know it, and in my case i was more than ready for more. The second major problem is one which is a big let down in my own humble opinion, and that is that other than the main few characters, the other characters hardly gain any depth, and just seem like cardboard cut-outs, shipped straight out of the typical anime character guide-book. However there is much good to comment on. Firstly the anime has a lot of charm; a unique sense of humour, and great character design. The main characters are also very interesting, and are never short of an interesting situation, and aren't just cardboard cut-outs; they have a lot of depth. The plot is not only very interesting, but also very well crafted and executed, with each episode running smoothly, adding more and more to the story.So overall the series is very good. If there was more attention to the smaller details, such as the lesser characters, and if the series was longer, the rating could be higher.
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