In my short tenure as an anime fan receiving recommendations from sources far more well versed than myself, I have come across several shows which seem built out of parts of other shows, a creative exchange that becomes more apparent to me with each new Gainax anime I watch in particular. Eureka 7 is possibly the most dramatic example of this kind of exchange I can imagine, a show that pays homage to dozens of classic anime in names taken from Leiji Matsumoto, allegedly countless Gundam references that flew past me, and a final episode containing shots mirroring every single major Gainax project I have seen to that point, from End of Evangelion to FLCL. The show also endlessly harkens to its director’s lifelong obsession with European dance music scenes, and punk-tinged surf culture, with almost every technical term in the show referencing some synthesiser like the TB-303 or related terms like LFO and KLF. Eureka’s creative language lies in these homages, utilising references to other shows and to real subcultures as a shorthand for the finer details of narrative beats and character dynamics, as well as commenting on the personal impact of these subcultures.

The imagery of punk, rebellious young groups of artists and talented spectacle sports, is used to introduce Gekkostate, a group proclaiming counterculture through the magazine ray=out, and inspiring a teenage Renton through images of talented lifters. From this perspective, very little is revealed about the underlying political conflict driving Gekkostate, or the nature of Eureka 7’s surprisingly complex world. For someone as inexperienced as Renton, the cast of powerful figureheads and the freedom presented in their media is enough to motivate his joining the crew, ignoring any details of their real mission, or nuance of the individual crew members. This quick characterisation of Gekkostate through their referencing of real transgressive media sets up their role as the show progresses, as Renton becomes disillusioned with the violence hidden behind the printed images, recognising his own lack of concrete ideology to stand behind as he travels with Gekkostate. What brings on this disillusionment is nothing but a clearer image, revealing the flaws of each member of Gekkostate and the reality of the war they are fighting.

Renton’s disillusionment is the catalyst for the show’s exploration of possible reasons for the attraction of a young boy to this culture, and how to reconcile a failing ideological motivation with a personal motivation. Renton finds in Charles and Ray Beams the image of a family he failed to see in his own missing relatives or in the dysfunction of Gekkostate. Renton finds them while lost and despairing over Eureka, and perceived abandonment by Gekkostate, the group he first found a home in. Renton’s second feeling of betrayal, however, when Charles’s real role is revealed, allows him to recognise a much more powerful motivation in his transitory teenage life, to act on his own and be with Eureka.

As the show progresses to its finale, the importance of love as an abstract ideal replaces the flawed interpersonal relationships that characterise the earlier parts of the show. Renton’s task is to overcome the barriers of difference present in all of these relationships, truly becoming an image of pure love, one with Eureka. This is what carries the cast to real victory, destroying the baggage and flaws blocking perfect harmony with each other, Renton becoming the impossible protagonist he previously could not be. The show again uses the imagery of other media to shift the focus to this lofty and idealistic climax, stating that the inhabitants of this planet have a duty to overcome our differences and preserve this world by protecting each other, and believing there will be a day when perfect harmony is achieved. The type of music and culture referenced in this show seeks to unite the world, and after the difficulties of this are examined, the show comes to the conclusion that this truly can be achieved.