Review of Higashi no Eden (East of Eden) Ep 2

Akira and Saki are back in Japan from Washington D.C. but stuck in the airport due to the large number of people there. They watch the news and find out that there were casualties this time in the 11th missile attack. Saki remarks that this is the first time that anyone is hurt as a result of the attacks and realizes this is why people are in the airport, planning to leave the country. Akira asks Saki why there were no casualties in the previous attacks but she is unable to give him an answer.

Just then, Saki receives a phone call from her friend Oosugi who is on his way to fetch her along with some friends. Despite the heavy traffic jam, he reports to her that everyone is fine and tells her not to worry about not making it for her interview. Before he can go on further, the connection is lost. Oosugi laments that because everyone has tagged along, there will be no seat for Saki later in the car.

Meanwhile, Akira gets a call on his mobile phone from Juiz who informs him that No.9 has entered into the region where the SELECAO system is active and he should be fulfilling the responsibilities of those who hold the specially-made mobile phone. Akira doesn't understand what Juiz is saying and asks her why he wanted to erase his memory out of his own will. Juiz skirts around the issue and says that she merely introduced a method for the erasing of the memory. She further reminds him that he can depend on her if he needs to do anything and the amount of money remaining in his mobile phone account. When Juiz says that Akira has the responsibility of using up all the money, Akira disses it by saying that this should be his right instead of a responsibility. Upon hearing that he can ask Juiz to do anything, Akira tells her to get him out of the crowded airport. Shortly after Juiz confirms acceptance of his request, an airport staff drives over in a airport police mini car to guide Akira and Saki out of the airport.

At the same time, No.4 who works as a policeman hears the broadcast in his car that another man who is related to the case of large numbers of hikkikomori (people who coop themselves at home) leaving their houses, is missing. This leads him to remark in a sarcastic manner that there is no need to hunt for these people since it's considered good that they have stopped staying at home. Just then, his mobile phone beeps and he sees what Akira a.k.a. No.9 has done in the airport. He is surprised to see that No.9 is being active again...

In the airport, Akira and Saki are escorted out by the staff and the crowds cheer them as they make their way to the exit. Although Akira seems to be comfortable about basking in the attention, Saki is pretty embarrassed and wonders if Akira is a celebrity or they wouldn't have cleared customs so quickly. Saki asks Akira if he can join her for tea but he says that he wants to go to the address stated on his passport to find out his identity. He reveals that he has no memory of his past before he met Saki at the White House. As such, he says that it is time for him to bid goodbye to Saki since he thinks it is better for him to go alone. Saki is very disappointed by what Akira says and can only look on helplessly as he leaves.

Meanwhile, No.4 is rushing to see No.9 i.e. Akira for himself as he thought that No.9 was dead all along...

Saki is sulking in the ladies' and lamenting that she thought she and Akira were on good terms. She wonders if it is because she is not smiling enough and is startled when Akira suddenly pops into the ladies' and says that her smile is definitely bright enough. Saki tells him not to come inside as Akira explains the reason why he has come back to look for her. Actually, Akira has no idea as to how to get to his address in Toyosu so he's back for Saki to show him the way. At the same time, No.4 realizes that he reached the airport too late as he sees from his mobile train that No.9 has taken the train to somewhere.

During the train ride, Saki searches for the address through the online directory and discovers that Akira's home is near to the site where the first missile fell. As such, she believes that area is in ruins and blocked from entry. Akira asks Saki how many holes are created by the missile attacks and why they happened. There should be 11 holes after counting the missile attack yesterday but the reason why they were directed at Japan is unknown. The attacks began on 22 Nov 09 Monday without any warning. During the news bulletin, the prime minister said that the attack was silly thus coining the term, "Silly Monday". Although the culprit for the missile attacks is still unknown, due to the absence of casualties, people have sort of grown used to it and could be secretly awaiting the arrival of a more elaborate happening soon.

No.4 is at the train station searching for No.9 when Akira comes up to him to introduce himself. Akira asks No.4 if he has lost his memory like him but realizes otherwise. Akira then proceeds to leave but No.4 stops him and requests to see his identification. No.4 then allows Akira to leave with Saki who has been waiting for him at a distance after telling the latter to look for him if there's anything he wishes to know. No.4 remarks that Akira doesn't look that bright to be included in the SELECAO.

Akira and Saki are waiting at the pier for the ferry to Toyosu. Akira goes to buy canned coffee and returns with the change which Saki wants him to keep it. He tells her to go home when the ferry arrives as he feels that he can manage on his own now. Saki expresses her wish for Akira's house to be intact but he gives a nonchalant response that he will survive somehow even without a house. As the ferry gets nearer to shore, Akira asks Saki to tell him more about herself since he has lost his memory. Saki is a final year university student who is going to work at her brother-in-law's company in April. As her parents had passed away, she has been depending on her sister and brother-in-law over the past few years. She is now living with them and their little baby. Akira envies Saki for having a loving family but she is feeling bad about depending on them all the time.

Akira then mentions that he remembers something about his past. When he was 5 years old, somebody gave him a 500-yen coin and told him to buy whatever he wanted. That person also told him that as long as he has money, the salesperson will treat him nicely. Although Akira doesn't remember what he bought at that time, he remembers that the cashier bowed to him which made him very happy. Suddenly, Akira realizes this piece of memory is related to his mother who dumped him behind at that time. Saki is sad for Akira but he brushes it off, saying that at least he remembered what his mother said.

As the ferry sounds the horn, Akira boards it and says goodbye to Saki. She can only look on helplessly as the ferry pulls away and mutters that she has not exchanged contact details with Akira yet. Just then, Akira extends his hand and invites Saki to jump onto the ferry. Saki is delighted and grabs Akira's hand...

No.4 is at a restaurant and scrolls through his mobile phone's records to see what No.9 i.e. Akira had been doing. He discovers that Akira was the one who requested for his memory to be deleted and wonders what made him to do that. Just then, two gangsters come in and address No.4 as Kondou, asking him to repay the debt of 20 million yen...

Meanwhile, Saki is making a phonecall to her sister, saying that she will return home tomorrow but does not explain the reason. After hanging up, Akira asks Saki if she had been to New York which leads her to talk non-stop about the places she's been to. Akira remarks that the Brooklyn bridge appeared in a Meg Ryan movie but Saki is unaware of it since she doesn't watch movies regularly. Akira laments that he forgot everything but seems to remember what he saw in movies. When Akira scrolls to the photo of Freedom Tower in Saki's phone, she mentions that she had always wanted to go to Ground Zero but it looks very different now.

Suddenly, Akira grabs Saki closer to him and takes a picture of them with the ruins left behind by the missile attack in the background. He tells Saki to take this picture as one taken at Ground Zero since it should look similar. Saki wants Akira to send the photo to her phone but he does not know how to do it and lets Saki do the job instead...

At the same time, Kondou i.e. No.4 is threatened by the gangsters that if he does not pay up, they will make trouble at his workplace. He is not bothered and calls Juiz to kill these guys. Juiz reminds Kondou not to do anything which is unbecoming of a saviour but he tells her to shut up. Kondou uses his fingers to point at the guys as if he is holding a gun but they think that he has gone bonkers. When Kondou makes the shooting sound, a gun fires from a distance (there is a police patrol car parked nearby) and kills these guys. However, the restaurant owner happens to see what Kondou has done thus he has no choice but to kill him too. It turns out that Kondou only has 7,034 yen left after killing the 3 men at almost 1.5 million yen in total. However, Kondou is not too concerned with his diminishing balance and proclaims that he will take over No.9's duties soon...

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That scene of Akira and Saki at the pier was so romantic! Obviously, Saki seems quite besotted with Akira that she's unwilling to let him go. If not for Akira's encouragement i.e. in the form of that hand extended to Saki, I bet she would just let him go away on that ferry. Akira's feelings are not obvious so far but he does seem to enjoy Saki's company and making fun of her at times. Morita tormenting Hagu?

The more I look at Akira, the more I think of Morita. That scene of Akira basking in the attention at the airport is just so Morita. Oh well, I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not looking at Morita and Hagu but the resemblance is too striking (especially in Akira's case) and it takes a conscious effort to remember that I'm watching another series. Not Hachikuro.

The biggest discovery this time is that Akira asked to delete his memory out of his own will. Nobody forced him to do that. That means something happened to him in the past before he appeared at the White House. I wonder if the series will explain what is it that made Akira decide to do this or leave it to the movie to tie up the loose ends. Whatever it is, this event should be drastic enough to make Akira decide to "reset" his life. Or is it that his past memories are too painful for him if he wants to carry on living? The revelation that his mother could have abandoned him when he was a child could shed some light on his background.

No.4 makes an appearance as a police officer but he doesn't look like the kind type. He kills without batting an eyelid and seems interested in taking over Akira's duty. If this duty he is referring to is the duty of spending the balance in the mobile phone account, I assume No.4 is out to eliminate Akira for the sake of money. However, the biggest question is who selected these people to be the SELECAO and why were they given money? And what does Juiz mean by acceptable behaviour as a saviour? Are all members of the SELECAO saviours? Or will only one of them be the saviour? Lots of questions to be answered and we are none the wiser at this early point in time.