Eden of the East Movie 2: Paradise Lost

“If someone suddenly handed you ten billion yen and said, ‘Improve this country’ what would you do?”

It’s time for answers – and as Akira Takizawa (Ryohei Kimura/Jason Liebrecht) and Saki (Sakiko Tamagawa/Leah Clark) fly back to Tokyo from the US, it looks as if at last he’s going to discover his true identity. And it’s high time to track down and confront the enigmatic Mr Outside who has ensnared him and the other Seleção in this dangerous contest in which there can be only one winner. Saki and her friends (the members of the innovative internet company Eden of the East) have become too deeply involved in Taki’s activities to disengage themselves; they have no choice but to support him. The danger of death stalks the remaining Seleção as they try to outmanoeuvre one another. The tension builds, culminating in an encounter between Number 9, Takizawa, still suspected of being the terrorist who caused the Careless Monday attack, and his most formidable rival, Number 1.

There’s been much to like about the Eden of the East project: the characters, especially the irrepressible Taki; the dazzlingly drawn and researched street scenes, both in the USA and Japan; the attractive character designs by Chika Umino – and the quirky idea behind the scenario which must surely make each viewer wonder at some stage, ‘What would I do in Takizawa’s shoes?’

However, the unravelling of the plot-threads is sometimes less than engaging to watch, with the action getting bogged down in lengthy discussions or explanations that drain tension from the drama.

I really fell for EotE the TV series, with its likeable and unorthodox hero and heroine. My hopes for the sequels were a little dashed by the first film, King of Eden, and I have to confess that I came away from watching Paradise Lost still feeling somewhat unsatisfied. There’s a distinctly vanilla tinge to the way the tale unfolds, and apart from a couple of moments of heightened tension, no sustained sense of danger or conflict. Learning about Mr Outside at last is definitely worth the journey and there are some intriguing insights into the true nature of Juiz, the seductive female voice on the end of the Seleção cell phone. But if you’re looking for some resolution – or even development – in the nascent relationship between Saki and Takizawa, I’m afraid that you might be disappointed. The TV series fared much better than the films at building suspense and my gut feeling is that if only Kamiyama and his creative team had chosen to stay with the twenty-five minute episode format, rather than going large with two films, the whole project would have been much tighter and more dramatically satisfying.

But, this is a Kenji Kamiyama project, and filled with little references to intrigue and puzzle the viewer: the copy of King Lear on which Takizawa places his cell phone when making his final audacious move; the allusion to the Pied Piper; the title ‘Paradise Lost’ itself. There are some deep reflections on the difficulties of bringing change to present-day Japan – and how the time inevitably must come for the old guard to step down to make way for the younger generation; issues that affect us all in today’s difficult economic climate.

What comes across more clearly than ever before is the view Kenji Kamiyama takes on the contemporary world of communication by cell phone and internet. Perhaps the real stars here are the NEETs whose highly developed cyber-skills Takizawa calls on more than once to help pull off his extraordinary gambits as Number 9. When going back through the film selecting screenshots, I was astonished to find so many moments in which the protagonists were glued to their cell phones. In many ways, it’s a story conveyed in text messaging, and contemporary technology plays a vital central role. 

The most interesting of the extras is an interview with director Kenji Kamiyama in which we learn his views about EotE, including the fascinating insight that – unlike other projects – he doesn’t feel he’s finished with it, or the central character, yet. Takizawa represents for him, he says, that unique kind of charismatic, inspiring individual we sometimes encounter at school. ‘There are genius kids out there,” he states, ‘but where are the genius midlifers?… does our societal structure have no use for the genius midlifers?’

Other extras include a commentary by some of the US voice cast, notably Jason Liebrecht (Takizawa) and Stephanie Young (Juiz); the Movie Preview, TV spots and the three EotE trailers. 

The Opening Theme “future nova” and Ending Theme “after laughter” are both by school food punishment. The music is by the ever-excellent Kenji Kawai, who underscores the action with economy and sensitivity.

Both sets of voice actors are well-cast, with Jason Liebrecht particularly impressive at catching the many moods of the captivating yet compellingly unorthodox Takizawa.

If you’ve been following the story of Akira Takizawa from the moment heroine Saki first sees him – naked, cheerfully amnesiac, and waving a gun outside the White House, then you won’t hesitate to pick this up. 

But a word of advice to the casual viewer: don’t start here. Start at the beginning with the excellent TV series, follow through with Movie 1 – and only then enjoy the thoughtful final (or is it final?) film-length episode: Paradise Lost.