After the conclusion of the long-running series Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima embarked on yet another ambitious project – Edens Zero. With a science fiction theme, Edens Zero follows an entirely different narrative from its predecessor, with the author actively taking a more novel approach with the series. While the character designs and personalities of the main characters seem to be entirely recycled, the storyline certainly holds up on its own.
Even then, viewers can’t help but notice Edens Zero losing some of its distinctiveness and Mashima falling back to his old patterns. The series has several aspects that are new to it and showcase Mashima’s growth as an author, albeit some parts paint an entirely opposite picture. From its incessant fanservice to one-sided fights, Edens Zero seems to be losing its own charm and retracing its predecessors mistakes.
Fanservice and Oversexualization
Fanservice is a common element found in almost every anime series to some extent, though some shows have a knack for taking it a bit too far. Fairy Tail's overall popularity took a toll due to its incessant fanservice, with even the most despair-ridden of scenes seeming like nothing more than light-hearted comedy. Fanservice isn't inherently a negative concept as many series utilize this element in giving viewers a much-needed break after a more serious and hard-hitting arc.
However, it becomes an issue if it's ingrained in almost every episode of the series - the very case with Fairy Tail. Edens Zero suffers a similar fate with fanservice being quite apparent, taking away the gravity of the situation. Rebecca Bluegarden tends to be at the center of most of Edens Zero's fanservice antics, a role similar to Lucy Heartfilia's in Fairy Tail. A few scenes here and there isn't necessarily an issue, but with Shiki and Weisz looking under Rebecca's shorts every two minutes and Homura being forced to wear a relegating bunny costume for an entire episode, things tend to become rather repetitive and unamusing.
Predictable Fight Scenes
Battle shonen series are defined by their fight scenes, forcing mangaka to come up with novel ways of making these scenes exciting and distinct. Fairy Tail failed at producing fleshed-out battle scenes as most seemed to follow a preset outline. Almost every antagonist that initially posed a threat would then be defeated in an utterly humiliating manner by the protagonists. The scenes became extremely repetitive with fans always knowing what the outcome of every battle would be.
Edens Zero has a similar issue with most of its battle scenes, with almost every fight ending after a few exchanges between the opponents. The conclusion, however, would always be clear – Shiki and his friends defeating all those that stand in their way. The concept of Ether Gear is similar to magic in Fairy Tail, and it seems that the protagonist once again has an extremely overpowered version. Shiki's gravity Ether Gear is unheard of in the series, making it a surprising revelation for any antagonist.
His Ether Gear lives up to its reputation as well, as Shiki makes quick work of any opponent that is unfortunate enough to face off against him, facing defeat after a few gravity punches. The problem with this narrative is that it becomes highly repetitive after the first couple of times, with fans already aware of how the scene will conclude. Fairy Tail’s reputation took a grave hit from this very element, and it's likely that Edens Zero might undergo a similar response.
The Power of Friendship Comes in Clutch
Fairy Tail is renowned for its core being based around the power of friendship, a phenomenon that associates a character's strength with the bonds they share with their loved ones. For Fairy Tail, this concept served a similar role to plot armor, negating any damage done to the main characters by simply realizing the bond of friendship they share with one another.
Some fans might find this endearing while others believe it breaks any semblance of logic the series might have. This takes away the excitement of any battle as fans are already aware of the fact that no matter how grave the situation becomes, the power of friendship will always be there to save the day. The concept somewhat worked out for Fairy Tail as the story already cemented a link between the bond of friendship with the strength of the Fairy Tail guild's members.
The same doesn't exactly work with Edens Zero's sci-fi narrative that takes on a more technological approach. Still, the concept is vehemently present within Edens Zero's story as Shiki has a habit of going into a frenzy right after his friends take a hit. Without the concept of magic, a sci-fi anime doesn't quite benefit from such a concept, instead working against it entirely. While Mashima has incorporated a few problematic elements from his previous works, it's worth noting that Edens Zero is still an entirely different work and has many elements that represent Mashima’s growth as an author – a fact that is reflected by Edens Zero’s immediate success.