Review: Eden of the East Premium Edition
By: Mithrandiel[yasr_multiset setid=9]
"Noblesse Oblige...I pray for your continuing service as a Savior." - Juiz
A young man named Akira Takizawa wakes up naked in front of the White House with no memories, and a cell phone. The cell phone is manned by a mysterious operator named Juiz who can make anything happen for him, but it comes at a price. Luckily, he has been provided with 10 billion yen (~$100 million) to use this phone to accomplish a relatively simple task: save Japan. Unfortunately, 11 others have also been given this task, and now are pitted against one another as they scramble to meet their objective to appease the mysterious "Mr. Outside".Eden of the East turns 7 years old this year (holy crap), but the series remains among one of my favorites. Dubbed "anime of the year" by Anime News Network, the superb animation, memorable characters and thrilling plot certainly made an impact when it came out in 2009. I've given it my ratings if I were to write out a full review (maybe for an upcoming Throwback Thursday piece...) However, I'm not here to sing the praises of the show, but of the recently released Premium Edition Box set! Let's get to the unboxing. [The full size images are oriented correctly, ignore the thumbnails...they lie!][robo-gallery id="21686"]The box is fairly simple in design, but a thin paper wrapped around the lower half adds a bit of flair to the otherwise bland exterior. Included in the set is the complete Eden of the East works: the full series as well as both films (The King of Eden and Paradise Lost). Within the set are two smaller boxes: one features the 4-disc Blu-ray collection of the series (Eps 1-8 on disc 1 and 9-11 and extras on disc 2), and the other two discs are the two movies. The other small box features a sketch of Akira and is loaded with goodies (more on that later).[robo-gallery id="21687"]The 4-disc box features some great art on the front and back, and also on the inside when you open the box. The attention to detail and high-quality material really helps this box stand out and earn its "premium" moniker. What's perhaps most impressive about this box is that if you remove the discs, the four-panel box set reveals a stunning panoramic image. I don't expect you to remove the discs and display it, but it's another detail that elevates the overall look and feel of the set.[robo-gallery id="21689"] Within the thin box adorned with Akira's smiling mug is an array of goodies for the lucky owner! This includes:
- 4 full-color postcard sized art pieces
- 3 stickers
- Numbered "Certificate of Authenticity" (2,500 made)
- Papercraft model of Angelika
The stickers make for some cool decoration for your computer or cell phone, but I was a bit bummed that the set was lacking in the soundtrack department. Eden of the East had some great music, so I would've loved to have even a single disc with the OP, ED and some select tracks. Still, the certificate of authenticity, signed by FUNimation founder/CEO Gen Fukunaga, is pretty awesome.Overall, at $99.99 MSRP, this Eden of the East Premium Edition box set could arguably be worth it for the series + movies alone. Add in the detailed and gorgeous packaging, as well as the assorted bonuses, including the certificate of authenticity, and you have a must-have whether you're a fan of the series or just an avid anime collector.FUNimation is currently offering the set at $74.98, which you can find at their online shop here. Noblesse Oblige!
