EscaFlowne

Well, I just finished watching Visions of Escaflowne, and I was impressed to say the least. Sure, I'm a guy who was expecting something different, but I have absolutely no complaints with what I just saw, and I felt that, coming right off of watching the final episode, now would be a great time to pen my thoughts on the series and generally wax over this series.

When it was first recommended to me, I was told that it was an anime following political strife while big robots fought. Granted, I was never really a fan of "mech" series' (Gundam, Robotech, etc), but it came highly recommended by some friends. Therefore, I thought "what they hey, it's all for entertainment, right?" and agreed to send the money (for those of you who aren't familiar, I have a few friends in Japan who enjoy sending me shows they liked in exchange for money or other requested items). For those of you familiar with Escaflowne, you'll be laughing at that description - granted, the series does have those, but the focus of the series is far different. After watching the first few episodes, I immediately realized this, and was a little unhappy at my new "purchase".

Now, for those of you who haven't seen Escaflowne yet, the premise is fairly simple: schoolgirl Hitomi is known to her friends by her track aspirations and, more importantly (to them), her rather distinct ability with Tarot Cards. Due to circumstance and a little bit of fate, she ends up being sent to the magical planet of Gaea, where fate is a powerful tool - so much so that her Tarot abilities become so acute, she is considered a psychic. ...of course, not even THAT is an accurate description. That is merely another foil for which the series plays off of. Hitomi is befriended by several inhabitants of the planet, including the young king of Fanelia, Van, and Allen, a skilled knight who has left his kingdom to stop the wars. Hitomi is quickly swept up in their plans and attempts to stop the fighting, partially by fate, partially by a genuine desire to stop the fighting, and partially because she cares for everyone.

So we have a series that's about a young prophetic schoolgirl whom aids people in their plight against the ever-present war on their planet. That doesn't sound so bad, even for the "I prefer action and comedy" kind of guys like me. However, this plot is very quickly intertwined with a much more emotional one - that of love. Hitomi loves everyone, there's no doubt about that. From her old friends (and track coach) on Earth to her new ones on Gaea, she does whatever she can to aid them and stop their suffering - whatever that pain may be. Truly, by the end the series this combined plot reaches extremely high and, in my opinion, succeeds.

Hitomi's transformation throughout the series is easily apparent, starting off as a simple schoolgirl whom wishes to make the track team while struggling with her feelings for Amano, the star athlete whom may be leaving soon. Upon reaching Gaea, she is understandably confused as to where she is and the situations she has been thrown into, reacting the way one would expect. She frequently encounters new trials and experiences strange concepts, somehow digesting it all while attempting to sort her own feelings. She is truly the anchor of the series, always providing the viewer with someone to relate to. Of course, she IS from "The Mystic Moon", our Earth (which hangs ominously above Gaea, perpetually seen but never reached), so it would make sense for us to relate to our brethren. Her feelings about her life, the life of others, and her feelings for everyone around her are easily followed while still retaining a natural feel. This sort of quality character-development is a scant find in TV nowadays, which is why I deeply enjoyed it.

Of course, Hitomi is HARDLY the only person to be developed this well. As the story progresses, we discover more and more about everyone we meet, either through flashbacks, character interaction, their reactions to their surroundings, or good ol' fashioned monologues. Even the significantly odder of characters, such as Merle, become 3-dimensional figures whom you could find believable despite their general appearance (Merle, by the way, is a humanoid Cat person). These supporting characters, whom could generally be used for comedic relief at times, also help create some of the more emotional scenes in the series - Merle once again being a prime example (but I won't spoil THAT one, kiddies!).

Now, character portrayal can often be just as important as the writing presented for each character. Once again, I felt the series shined through. Finding fault in the series' actors, in retrospect, is quite difficult...everyone did their jobs admirably, breathing life into every nook and cranny of their characters. Upon first watching it, I had some serious problems with certain voice actors - however, as the storyline progressed I found that there was a REASON these problems existed and their portrayal was the way it was; they were intentional, and actually added to the plot (once discovered). Looking back, I found that there was no fault in the quality of the voices.

Since we're talking about audio quality, this would be as good a time as any to discuss the soundtrack. I put a lot of stock in TV series and movie soundtracks, since the different between a normal scene and one that brings forth a wealth of emotion can be as simple as the wrong song. The right music, as well as the right style and/or quality of writing, can enhance every little bit of a show. Yoko Kanno and Hajime Mizoguchi have blended together some truly striking classical pieces, capturing the various emotions throughout the entire series, and I feel did their job(s) wonderfully. Their breadth of combined musical knowledge shines clearly with memorable pieces throughout the series. Not to sound like a ranting fanboy or anything (I AM quite the fan of Kanno's work), but I have scarcely heard orchestral music of this quality before. To be honest, you simply have to hear it to believe it (I suggest listening to "Dance of the Curse" for a good example). The wonderful combination of elements with traditional orchestral glory (such as Gregorian chants) are wonderful. As per my reaction to Cowboy Bebop, and I am now in earnest pursuit of the soundtracks for this series; hopefully (upon hearing this music) you'll be able to relate.

All in all, the most powerful item throughout the series is the finished product. The acting, the writing, the music - it all forms an emotional story of love and war on the foreign planet of Gaea. I found every moment enjoyable, and highly suggest watching it if you have a few hours to kill. However, be forewarned - it is one of those series' that constantly leads from one episode to the next. Unlike some series (like Cowboy Bebop or Hokuto no Ken) where most episodes will be one-shot storylines, Escaflowne does little recapping and flows right from one episode to the next. Therefore, it feels as if it's often hard to stop watching - you simply HAVE to see the next episode to find out what happens next!

Well, chummers, I enjoyed the series greatly, and would consider myself a definite fan. I don't really know why I sat and wrote this, aside from a desire to express myself on the matter...and I figured this would be the forum to do so. Sorry if I sound longwinded, that's just my nature at times. The more I say, the more information I can give; and this, in turn, helps you to understand my feelings on the matter. Now, all I have to do is wait for my tape of Escaflowne's movie to arrive... (::begins itching nervously::)

One of the few series where the animation only gets better as the show goes on. Yoko Kanno's music is absolutely perfect, truly heart wrenching. It really adds to the very professional feel of the entire series. It may be your classic good versus evil plot (in a way) but there are so many other elements that make the whole escaflowne world come to life. A truly well done series. The only animated TV series I know of that feels like I'm watching a movie.

The director and script writer of Escaflowne, Shoji Kawamori, was a big part of the original Macross anime (nee Robotech, as it was called in the USA). Macross/Robotech was widely recognized as a pivotal moment for animation in the USA; definitely one of the best filmed entertainment ever. Now, imagine if Shoji Kawamori spent fifteen years after working on Macross carefully refining his technique, practicing and perfecting his storytelling abilities. Imagine if the greatest living musician on the face of the Earth, Yoko Kanno, was then contracted to produce a four-cd soundtrack for Kawamori's next production. That, then, is what Escaflowne is; the greatest work of some of the greatest artists ever.

"The Vision of Escaflowne" is by far, one of the best anime series I've ever seen, and in my heart I still feel the many, many emotions it awoke on me.

Kanzaki Hitomi is a cheerful and athletic girl who is about to confess his love for his "sempai" - word used in japan to describe someone superior - Amano, Captain of the race team. But that day she receives visions about a young man who's preparing to fight a dragon in order to become king.

It is easy to see where this goes: the usual story about a girl sent to another world. However Escaflowne is far better than what someone would expect. And this superiority lay upon it's characters.

Van Fanel, the young prince, is a guy with a troubled fate, who in order to become king must kill an earth dragon, a hunt rite that his elder brother failed to accomplish.

Allen Schezzar is a Caeli Knight of Asturia, a powerful country, who values chivalry and honor, even when he's labeled as a traitor for his own country...

Folken, a mysterious and cold strategist of Zaibach a nation determined to conquer other countries, has a dark and mysterious past, but his actions are guided but what he believes is best for others Dilandau Albatou, is a twisted general of Zaibach, consumed by madness and blood lust...

I could go on, the series is full of great characters, even if they just walk by.

And the feeling I got while watching it, was that of an infinite sadness, maybe because of the story, too real and sincere about human nature, or maybe because of Yoko Kanno's magical and haunting soundtrack. But I know it was mainly because I knew there were only 26 episodes, and the series was bound to end too soon.

A must see, it was Beautiful, tears rolled down my face...

The story is about a schoolgirl named Hitomi, who gets unexpectedly transported to a fantasy world called Gaea after encountering a young man named Van. Once she is there, she begins having powerful clear visions of the future which she can't explain. Gaea is threatened by war and Hitomi gets caught up in the conflict, alongside Van. Hitomi becomes essential to deciding the planet's fate... Escaflowne is without a doubt one of the best anime series I have ever had the pleasure to see. Just about everything about is well done, and satisfying: from the music to the characters to the mech designs. It's also very appealing to a wide audience, featuring exciting action sequences (some serious gore in the unedited version, to warn younger viewers), romance, comedy, drama and some very surprising plot twists. The animation is fluid and motion-picture quality, with a very unique style. And the musical score, (composed by Yoko Kanno, famous for Cowboy Bebop and Brain Powered, among others) is just as impressive as any to come out of Hollywood. The dub isn't the worst I've ever seen, but it really does the series no justice. See it sub-titled version if possible. In short, Escaflowne is a top notch series that is definitely worth seeing.