Patience Watson One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

Foxbarking I came across "Eden of the East" by accident the other night when I could not sleep and went flipping through Netflix. What I thought was just going to be makeshift entertainment became something I absolutely loved. My recommendation, however, is that if you watch the series and also enjoy it, do not follow up by watching the movies. The movies are the two most anti-climactic episodes of anime I have ever seen.The premise for "Eden of the East" is absolutely fascinating. Akira Takizawa (or so he thinks that is his name) finds himself outside of the White House completely naked and holding a gun and a cell phone. All memories about his identity are completely gone and his only memories are factual information about the world. A girl, Saki, has thrown a quarter at the White House in order to make a wish and Takizawa distracts them, helping her out.After he and Saki join as friends, they decide to return to Japan together and this is where the plot starts forming. Three months previously, there is a missile attack on Tokyo which amazingly claimed no victims. However, information regarding the attack was not used to prevent it, which led to the day being called "Careless Monday." Takizawa assumes that he has played some role in the attacks but does not know what that role was.Takizawa quickly learns that he and 10 other Japanese citizens were picked by a man known only as Mr. Outside to compete in a game to see who could be Japan's savior. Each player is referred to as a Seleção and is given a cell phone that is loaded with 10 billion yen (approximately 100 million US dollars) and connects them to a concierge named Juiz who seems to be able to make anything happen. Each Seleção has to spend the money in order to save Japan, and if they use the money for selfish matters or they run out of money without saving Japan, they will be killed. A mysterious 12th player known as the Supporter carries out the killing of a broke player.Even though there are only 11 23 minute episodes and two short movies, this only scratches the surface of the plot. The 11 episode series also ends with a whole lot of questions left unanswered, which the movies then attempts to continue and answer. The only problem is that while the 11 episodes are brilliant, the two movies are so anti climactic that I wish I never had the questions answered. If you like a good thriller/mystery anime, you will love this show. My attempt to find a show to ease my boredom resulted in me watching the show in one sitting. However, if I could unwatch the movies, I would. Having the questions not answered was much better than knowing.

theunender Having 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.

Tweekums This series, made by Kenji Kamiyama creator of 'Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex' is quite different to his earlier work; while both involve a complex mystery this is fair more light hearted, both in the tone of the story and the way it is animated. As the story begins Japanese student Saki Morimi is outside the White House in Washington DC when she meets Akira Takizawa. There is something very strange about him; for a start he is stark naked holding a phone in one hand and a pistol in the other, he has no idea why though as he has no memory. Clues lead them back to Japan where he learns that he is one of twelve people recruited to play a strange game; they have each been given a phone and ten billion yen, they must use this to save Japan and if they spend the money before completing the task or somebody else completes the task first they will be killed. Using the phone they can contact a woman known only as Juiz, she can arrange just about anything for a price. Over the course of the series Akira attempts to discover why he erased his memory and also to find out if he was involved in 'Careless Monday' an event where several missiles hit Japanese cities but amazingly killed nobody and if he caused 20,000 unemployed people (NEETs) to disappear.This was one of the most engrossing series I've watched in a while; I certainly plan to get the DVDs when they are released here. The only real flaw was that it ended so soon and several mysteries remain unsolved; these will presumably be dealt with in the two feature films that follow; I hope they get released here too. The animation was really good for a TV series and the character design was most appealing; reminding me of Studio Ghibli characters. While this was a mystery there was also plenty of humour such as the computer hacker who is rumoured to have become a recluse when his only pair of trousers blew away, there are also one or two wince- inducing moments involving a serial killer who uses a cigar cutter in a particularly nasty way on her male victims! Don't worry though we don't actually see the deed. I'd certainly recommend this series; especially as it can currently be viewed legally on Funimation's YouTube channel.These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

Madluke91 Eden 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.