REVIEW: ‘To Your Eternity,’ Episode 7 — “The Boy Who Wants To Change”

To Your Eternity is a shonen fantasy anime produced by Brian’s Base. Opening a bit before the last episode ended, To Your Eternity Episode 7 introduces viewers to Gugu. The young boy we saw briefly in the store that Pioran and Fushi arrive at last episode. This episode begins several months before that meeting as Gugu ponders a question. Why am I, well, me?

Since this is my first review for this series, a quick synopsis for any who are unfamiliar. The story opens with the voice of a mysterious being explaining how an orb was one day sent to earth to learn and grow. This orb changes as it comes into contact with things that provide it stimulus. First, it takes the form of a rock it lands on. Then, it changes into a dog that collapses on it. Later, it finds the dog’s master and, after going on a journey with the young boy, takes his form as well.

In the form of the boy, the being comes into contact with a young girl named March. She was being hunted by people who wanted to sacrifice her to a god. With the help of the being, whom March gives the name Fushi, they escape imprisonment. However, Fushi is soon separated from most of those he has met and finds himself wandering the world with Pioran, an old woman that knows a place where they should be welcome. This is where they arrived at the end of the last episode. (I’m skipping over a lot of major details because I don’t want to ruin those episodes for new viewers.) Now back to this week.

Gugu is a poor boy, with no one in his life save his older brother Shin. They work hard in the fields and the local market trying to save up enough money to find a better place for themselves in the world. While their lives are clearly hard, the two brothers seem to find a great deal of comfort in each other. Until one day, Gugu’s older brother isn’t there anymore, and Gugu’s life takes an unexpected turn. This turn ends up taking him to the brewery where he meets Fushi and Pioran.

To Your Eternity Episode 7 delivers a wonderful blend of bright warmth, and heartfelt pain. The ups and downs that Gugu experiences in the first half of the episode alone manage to create a fleshed-out character that is easy to root for and love. There is a lot packed into the first half of this episode. As the story catches the viewer up on Gugu’s life, this sequence could’ve easily come across as rushed or bloated. Luckily, the sequence of events flows so smoothly that the information comes in a way that feels natural.

The back half of this episode mostly focuses on Gugu getting accustomed to Fushi. As Fushi lacks most of the understanding one would expect of a person of his apparent age, Gugu, like March before him, takes it upon himself to teach Fushi. Their interactions are a wonderful blend of funny and charming.

The visual design of To Your Eternity Episode 7 brings its moments to life with plenty of energy and warmth. As the story introduces viewers to a new area of the world, the design of everything feels distinctive from what has come before.

Looking back on it, To Your Eternity Episode 7 does a wonderful job of opening this new chapter of the show’s narrative. What new stimulus awaits for Fushi in this new place remains to be seen. However, this episode has me sure that it will bring all the charm and tears that the previous episodes have delivered.

To Your Eternity Episode 7 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.