Eden of the East - Episode 8

If the end of the last episode of Eden of the East left you feeling a little bit confused, then the beginning of this one really won't help matters, with the so-called "Johnny Hunter" flying away with one of Akira's so-called "Johnnies" before tearing it to shreds. Thankfully though, this is simply a nightmare experienced by Akira before he comes round, although how he could imagine such a thing when he seemed to be unconscious at the time when something similar happened is another matter.

Anyhow, what is important is that Ohsugi is indeed safe and sound, making a reappearance in the morning and at least somewhat explaining the situation, although something still seems rather fishy with the whole story to me - Who knows what's going on there though. Meanwhile, Hanako has seemingly spent some more money clearing up the mess from the night before and keeping the police at bay, meaning that she's still at large out there somewhere.


However, the main focus of this episode is Akira's wish to get the second Seleção phone that he has in his possession working again - Something he asks the Eden of the East crew to look into before they point him in the direction of Itazu Yutaka, or "Panties" as he's known to his friends (one of those wonderful Japanese plays on words, decidedly similar to the Nozomu Itoshiki's transformation into "Mr. Despair"). Itazu is a NEET in every sense of the world, who gave up on going outside when he lost his last pair of trousers (as you would) and has spent the last two years putting his thoughts into various strange goings-on and conspiracy theories, meaning that he ends up getting on more than a little well with Akira, who has at least some of the answers he seeks. Meanwhile, and with some help from the Eden of the East search engine, Ohsugi makes a shocking discovery about who Akira really is... or rather, all of the people he has been. Just what is in Akira's past? Whatever it is, there's clearly a lot of it, and it isn't all entirely legal.

I have to confess that I still feel rather unsatisfied with the way the whole Ohsugi crisis was put to bed in this episode - Knowing the deliberate fashion that Eden of the East has employed in almost everything it's done so far I'm hoping there's a good reason for it, but right now (and I'm probably missing something that somebody will give me a slap for in the comments section) there's a slightly deus ex machina-ish feel to that particular situation. Still, beyond that this series seems to now be turning its focus more and more towards Akira himself rather than the Seleção system he's part of - It appears there is much more to the guy than even the suggestion that he was responsible for "Careless Monday" can hold, and it's also making us question his motives at this current time. From his actions ever since wiping his memory, Akira has seemed like nothing other than a stand-up guy fighting for justice and to escape from the insane world he's been plunged into by his selection as a Seleção, but who knows what he's really planning or capable of? The thought of all this is so intriguing, it seems impossible to believe it'll all be resolved in the next three episodes...