Eureka Seven

The first time I watched Eureka Seven, I was in a mood of "meh, this is going to suck," it didn't but I definitely didn't love it either. After watching the first two episodes and failing to be interested enough to continue, I forgot about it. Some weeks later, on a forum I regularly visit, people were gushing over it. I was wondering what the hell they were on about; they reassured me that it got better and better and better and better….and then even better. "Mecha just isn't my thing" I said "especially when said mecha rides on lame surfboards through the sky". WRONG. The mecha aspect is such a miniscule part of the show that placing it into that anime genre is a crime against humanity. Instead the show becomes one of the most compelling dramas I've ever seen, anime or not. So yes I continued to watch, the next few episodes were nothing special, humorous in parts, interesting in others. I was growing impatient waiting for an arc to form. And then it happened and everything changed, by episode 30 I was proclaiming Eureka Seven as the best anime I've ever had the pleasure of watching and by the end of it all, Eureka Seven had solidified it's place in anime history as possibly the most beautifully written anime ever.

So what is it about it that makes Eureka Seven so refreshing and wonderful? For starters it's nothing like the general mecha anime, if you look at all of them, they are all named after the mecha: Rahxephon, Evangelion, Gundam etc. Eureka Seven set itself up from the very beginning as a character drama and by naming it after the main female character they achieved this. Eureka Seven is all about the characters. Occasionally there are no mecha battles for episodes at a time, when there is one, they are there to compliment the story and the characters own development. At first I felt Renton was rather annoying and I continually found myself saying "shut up" allowed, whenever he was on screen, however by the end Renton had undergone such an excellently written change, he wasn't the annoying kid anymore he was instead one of the most endearing male leads in any anime I have ever seen. Technically Eureka Seven is an achievement. Every aspect, the music, the animation does its job with finesse. The music by Sato Naoki is superb and at time compels you to tears in even some of the happiest most uplifting of scenes. It weaves itself into the anime and never feels out of place. The animation is mostly consistent but at time it drops in quality, however the high level of art is maintained throughout. The arcing story is always interesting and doesn't fall into boring clichés and contrivances which plague most anime today. The writers indict war and it's meaningless with beautiful tact and subtlety. The mysteries are well told and answers are littered throughout, a lot of them leaving the viewer to ponder over and think about, rather than having them shoved in your face.

Sadly Eureka Seven has slipped under most peoples radars; brushing it off as the same thing I felt it was when I first watched it. Fullmetal Alchemist another offering from Bones animation Studio has managed to make a dent in the anime community, even though I liked that anime quite a bit it pales in comparison to Eureka Seven. Hopefully as word of mouth spreads Eureka Seven will find itself as widely acclaimed as it deserves to be.

Eureka Seven is what every anime, no every TV show aspires to be, something original, intriguing and always fun. It's a rarity to have such a uniquely told story that is full of lovable characters and wondrous technical achievements. Eureka Seven is the best anime of 2005. No, the best anime in years.

As everyone else has already said, the first 10 episodes you hate Renton, because he says obscenely stupid things. Yet after that, you see him start to change, and how everyone else changes as well. This is what makes this anime so great, its like Inuyasha if things actually progressed, and they have only around 2 episodes of filler, and they weren't really filler, but oddly done mini-plots. After the last episode,I felt as if my life was over, with that creeping sorrow that you experience after losing anyone important to you. Yes, it truly was that good.

I bought the series(Japanese: Subbed not dubbed) and am currently watching it for a 4th time, after being dissatisfied with Blood Plus, Fullmetal Alchemist, and many other animes that don't really seem to work, as they have the weird anime expressions that seem so unnecessary now.

Eureka and Renton make easily the most endearing couple I've ever seen in anime or elsewhere. I'm not typically a fan of romances, but this anime captured my heart and lifted it right along with those two. And it's not just them; every one of the major characters commands your emotions in one way or another, whether it's adoration, pity, or anger. It does kind of start slow, but I was finally hooked by episode 26, while my interest had been steadily rising until then. Perhaps the most powerful part of this anime is the character development; each of the major characters seem to 'grow up' as the series progresses, even those who seem to already be 'grown up.' My ONLY complaint would be that some of the more minor characters don't receive as much attention as they deserve in the later episodes. Still, beautiful doesn't really do the series justice.

Eureka 7 seizes the day as my favorite story of all time. I've seen and loved many of the great anime: Full Metal Alchemist, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Cowboy Bebop, Code Geass, Death Note, Dragonball Z, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Rurouni Kenshin. Yet if I were to give any anime my heart, I'd give it to Eureka 7 (and rightfully so, because it did win it, when the other ones could only come close).

From the first episode I knew that I was in for something wonderful. Enigmatic is the essence of this bright yet dramatic story -- from the characters, to the setting, the plot, music, art, and dialogue. Every aspect is just so beautiful, especially Renton and Eureka's (the two main characters') relationship -- it captures the heart of young love (no pun intended, honestly) and melds in the very grim consequences of the war they have found themselves in. But despite the hardships Renton and Eureka endure, and despite Renton's realization of what Eureka actually is, the love between them bonds them forever.

Eureka 7 is the story that speaks to me. Everything just fits perfectly together into a mosaic of story and soul.

My final recommendation is to take the time and watch at least 5 episodes. It's a story that ages like wine; each episode is better than the last. I hope you enjoy Eureka 7 as much as I have.

I can't speak highly enough of Eureka Seven. Of the little TV I have time to watch, it's at the top of the list. There's something about the crafting of the characters that draws you in slowly and effortlessly. I started watching the show because of the high quality of the animation; now I'm completely hooked because I care about people in the story. And that's part of what is so beautiful about the series – the characters do become people, people you start to care about and want to see again. Like all good anime (Cowboy Bebop, Gunslinger Girls, Ghost in the Shell) and all good stories, the characters grow and define themselves, and that journey sucks you in and leaves you wanting more.

If you look around at reviews, you will see criticisms of the series – most of these boil down to "not enough robot battles", or too wishy-washy with adolescent love, or some other pick at one of the many minor themes. These jabs all miss the point though. The story is really about love and family. We are reminded of how difficult love and family can be, how they change and define us, and how very much they are worth all of that effort.

I'll wrap this comment up before I get too sappy. Just watch Eureka Seven. I can honestly say it is my favorite story in years. It's a fairy tale, but sometimes we need fairy tales to help us make sense of the world.