Eden of the East
PACKAGING AND PROMOTIONAL ITEMS FOR EDEN OF THE EAST Designed for: FUNimation Entertainment | Original artwork © Production I.G. | Copywriting: Scott Porter Eden of the East first aired on Japanese television during the spring 2009 season and was the first original story created for FujiTV’s noitaminA programming block. Created by acclaimed director of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Kenji Kamiyama, the 11-episode psychological sci-fi drama television series was followed up by two sequel movies—The King of Eden and Paradise Lost. Eden was an unexpected hit, and I was extremely excited to design packaging and promotional items for this brand. The delicate style of the original artwork and Japanese home video packaging needed a major overhaul for the North American market. We settled on a solution that emphasized the sci-fi elements of the show without completely overpowering its artistry. Eden was promoted very heavily before its home video release—FUNimation hosted several Eden-themed events at some of America’s largest anime conventions in 2010. Participants in these events used QR codes to find clues that would lead them to prizes (t-shirts, limited edition posters, keychains, etc). We used QR codes heavily in our branding of Eden of the East because cell phones were a major story element throughout in the show.