Director: Tomoki Kyoda
Starring: Yutaro Honjo, Jamie Marchi, Sainty Nelsen, Nao Toyama
Running Time: 320 Minutes
Certificate: 15
EUREKA SEVEN AO is an incredibly unique anime series and arguably one of the most ambitious in terms of narrative and political subtext. There are many things to be said about the concluding twelve episodes of this beautifully animated show. However it should be stated first that if you are new to EUREKA SEVEN AO and have yet to watch the first part in the collection, then you will have little (if any) hope of understanding or making any sense out of part two.
It is not uncommon for an anime series to have a complicated narrative with multiple plot threads running simultaneously, but a heavy amount of attention is required when watching this one. With that being said EUREKA SEVEN AO is incredibly entertaining and thought provoking once you have worked your brain around its ludicrously convoluted story. The second part of the collection continues the story of Ao, a mysterious young boy fighting multiple alien invasions alongside team ‘Pied Piper’ and Generation Bleu. At the conclusion of part one we was left with a shocking cliffhanger as Ao is reunited with his long lost mother after a lifetime of questions regarding her disappearance.
EUREKA SEVEN AO part two is certainly more exciting than its predecessor with much more fast paced action and a variety of unexpected and interesting plot twists. Narrative devices such as time travel and parallel universes are toyed with frequently as the series’ source of conflict for the central character of Ao. As a huge fan of science fiction classics such as TERMINATOR, BACK TO THE FUTURE and televisions DOCTOR WHO, it’s definitely a welcome surprise to see similar storylines utilized in this series. Anime buffs may also recognise a few homages to GUNDAM WING and ZOIDS: CHAOTIC CENTURY through its apocalyptic final episodes, as well as themes of difference, acceptance and political tyranny. EUREKA SEVEN AO is extremely relevant to our time through its subplot of an increasingly unstable political system with strong potential for war. The audience witnesses elements of the shows political structure slowly crumble under the weight of the series’ central characters, leading to a tense and interesting ‘wanted dead or alive’ conflict. The series even refers to our world through the use of parallel dimensions by calling it the ‘correct world’ because of the lack of alien encounters we have faced (which can surely be taken as a optimistic view of the increasingly damaged world we live in)
Although the slow pacing that plagued the first half of EUREKA SEVEN AO is no longer present, the Americanised influences of it are still clearly visible throughout. Obviously viewers’ opinion on this visual and narrative influence will entirely depend on how fond they are of shows such as POKEMON, DRAGONBALL Z and NARUTO, however the subtlety of it wavers as the episodes progress. The story becomes more self-referential due to increased verbal name dropping of the word ‘anime’, and in a bizarre subplot, even includes some of the central protagonists in their own anime series within the narrative. On a positive note however, the voice actors in both the English and Japanese versions perform magnificently through the entire run. This is also complimented by just how far some of the characters have been developed and evolved in the short space of 12 episodes.
Overall, EUREKA SEVEN AO has its problems but it is clear how much effort went into the sadly short-lived anime series with many positives to be taken from it. Although the ending is slightly downbeat it is a satisfying conclusion to Ao’s journey that leaves the door firmly open for re-visitation in the future, however it may require multiple viewings in order to understand its complicated final moments. Despite the slow start and sometimes tedious nature of the show, I actually found myself surprisingly upset to see it end and say goodbye. The blow Is softened slightly however, by a wonderful bonus episode after the official finale which takes place earlier in the series. Be sure to check out this extremely well crafted and well-intended anime series with many gems to be found amongst its colourful and multi-levelled episodes.
[usr=3] EUREKA SEVEN AO Part 2 is available on DVD now.
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