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| Overall | Art | Animation | Character Design | Music | Series Story | Episode Story | Reviewer | |
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| Rent | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
 Anonymous #3367
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[series:4#3367] |
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I greatly enjoy this series, but I do admit that there were ways that it could have been better executed. I gave it a numerical rating, but my written review should make my feelings clearer. The fact that I'm reviewing at all is a testament to how strongly I feel about this series. This is the type of series that has a very good synthesis of different plot elements that alone would seem trite but together seem very compelling. To me, it is memorable. Almost everything about it is memorable, and perhaps that is also the greatest disappointment. I call it a disappointment because the plot-line was really well conceptualized but poorly executed in the most critical moment of the series - which of course would be the end. If the producers would have perhaps been allowed to add two or three more episodes, the ending would have been stronger, much stronger, but instead, it ended up feeling like a rough outline of what the ending could have been (mainly because it was too rushed). Despite the great disappointment that was the last few episodes (especially the final episode), the idea of toying with fate, the major theme of this series, is fascinating. I think that is the major draw of this series for me. It's very original, and to be honest, I'm not sure if I would have liked the series as much if it hadn't been for that. The beginning kind of bored me a bit because I didn't really see where the plot was leading. When the "fate" concept was explored in full and the plot fleshed out in the last third of the series, however, I saw how ambitious the series really was. It was just a shame that they didn't flesh out the Hitomi/Van relationship a bit more to make the final message of the series (about passion and its ability to create destiny) more coherent to the audience. Such a shame. (The heavy load of scientific references was a bit sketchy, but hey, it's anime... who cares?) Also, I can't get enough of the fact that this series incorporates the sensitivity of a shoujo manga with the action/overall epicness of a shounen anime. As a die hard fan of shoujo manga, wanting something interesting to think about, this was a huge highlight for me. Overall: excellent concept, average-to-above-average execution. I feel like in my mind, it will always be better than it actually was (since there were highlights to the series that I absolutely cannot forget), and I'll always think to myself that there were ways the plot could have been better presented. Still, it is required viewing for an anime fan that wants to be aware of all the major series that have come to be considered classics. I'm not sure if it's worth buying, simply because I was able to watch it for free online, but at least rent it, and if you like it (or you can find it cheap), buy it. P.S. I personally loved the opening theme and the ending theme. They're some of my favorite anime themes of all time, and trust me, I've heard a lot of them. The rest of the music was pretty good, but I didn't pay as much attention to it. (Note I'm a little biased: Yoko Kanno is my favorite composer, and I'm a great admirer of Maaya Sakamoto, for whom Escaflowne was the major career launching point.) (SPOILER ALERT; if you're worried, do not read below) By the way, in concept, I really enjoy Hitomi and Van's relationship, and I felt it was well developed up until the last few episodes, when Hitomi became side-tracked (although, granted, it wasn't exactly her fault given the circumstances - i.e. people toying with her fate for personal reasons). I disagree with people who say she's annoying. You obviously haven't met too many teenage girls (although of course we vary widely in temperament). I relate 100% to her indecisiveness, having been a hopelessly flaky teenager myself. I only wish that they had made a point to make her attraction to Van a little more apparent in the episodes that she was swooning over Allen. Again, though, it's a shame that the relationship wasn't better developed because Hitomi/Van have the potential to be a very memorable couple (and still are, I think, despite it all). Their relationship was a key element at the end of the series, so perhaps the poor execution of that relationship was the major downfall of the series. (Also, Allen's sudden attraction to Hitomi near the end angered me. Although in theory the love-triangle was a good idea, Allen and Hitomi's supposed "mutual attraction" in the last couple of episodes was far too convincing given the circumstances - that it was actually artificially produced by the enemy in order to ruin Van and Hitomi's relationship. It should have been used to reaffirm Hitomi's feelings for Van, which of course was the eventual outcome but occurred far too late in the series for the plot to have a sound resolution.) Last updated Monday, June 13 2011. Created Monday, June 13 2011. | ||||||||
| Buy | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
 Ggultra2764
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[series:4#1552] |
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There were enough anime critics who hailed Escaflowne as one of the best anime titles of the 1990s. My earliest encounter with the series was earlier in the decade when Fox Kids butchered the heck out of the series in an attempt to promote the series as a Saturday morning children's action cartoon, which ultimately backfired from low ratings. But curious to see what the series was like, I re-watched it over two years ago. While the praise seemed a bit overrated, I will admit that the series has an addicting plot with a number of interesting characters that kept me watching the series. In terms of anime heroines, Hitomi is quite the strong-willed girl. In her situation, she took the initiative when it came to finding out details on specific events or warning people about incoming threats from Zaibach. She behaves almost like a normal teenage girl would as she finds herself seeking love, being athletic, and dealing with how to get back to her home world. Hitomi's interactions with Allen made for a good side-plot considering Allen's resemblance to her sempai on the track team made her question whether her emotions for Allen stem from his resemblance to her crush back on Earth. At the very least, Hitomi didn't grate on my nerves as much as Kagome from Inuyasha, a teenage girl who faces similar circumstances as Hitomi. Many of the other characters are fleshed out enough where we get a sense of who they are and why they are involved in their actions. Folken made for a sympathetic antagonist throughout the series as his thoughts towards the suffering taking place on Gaea made him believe what he was doing was justified. There are enough occasions throughout Escaflowne where we see Folken's actions aren't as bad compared to others within the Zaibach Empire. I also have to give kudos to the soundtrack for Escaflowne. Under the direction of Yoko Kanno, it really gives life to the series making it feel almost like an epic. The mixture of medieval settings and mechas was also a nice touch for the series. Unlike the computer controlled mechas of science fiction anime, the guymalefs of Escaflowne are mechanical in nature. Add in the use of airships and I would think I would be seeing a steampunk anime like Last Exile. Now for my issues with the series. Zaibach characters in the form of Dornkirk and Dilandau couldn't hold my interest as much as Folken considering Dornkirk just sat around being full of himself and Dilandau was just a loon with no redeemable qualities. For a main protagonist, there were even occasions where I felt irritated with Van's attitude and arrogance. The resolution to the entire series felt forced and cliched using the old belief that "love conquers all, even fate." I wouldn't be too hard on the ending if it weren't for the fact Van and Hitomi's relationship at the end of the series seemed forced in its eventual development. Despite these issues, Escaflowne is still a worthwhile anime to watch. While not the great anime critics hail it to be, the plot, settings, and characters are interesting enough for you to become immersed with. Last updated Tuesday, October 28 2008. Created Tuesday, October 28 2008. | ||||||||
| Rent | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 |
 Dreamer
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[series:4#2279] |
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I finally decided to watch this series since I keep reading about how good it was and how seeing that the rating is mostly "buy"... and not to mention that I'm not into mecha series. So, I sat down and watched... or rather had a several-day escaflowne marathon... watched all 26 episodes. So what do I think? Hmmmmm, over rated and worth a "rent". The first thing I noticed was the unattractive animation. I kept staring at the horrible nose... all the noses... horribly long and crooked. Aside from that, the animation wasn't that good however, being the fact that it's over a decade old, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. As ugly as it was, the plot and story telling overrides it to the point that it's not noticeable after a while. The music was uniteresting. And for some reason, the opening theme song annoyed the heck out of me. I dunno why. But if you understand how I rate, you'll understand also that i'm quite critical on the music end of anime... meaning It takes a lot to get an average score for music. The plot... pretty darn good actually. It's not so over-the-top that it makes it not believable. To the contrary, it seems quite believable. There was plenty of action, enough blood and guts for you blood-mongors, and the plot was nicely put together with plenty of interesting characters. I loved how the set was technology interwoven with the era of mythology & royalty. HOWEVER, and that's a big however. This would have been an "excellent" series if it wasn't for the love-triangle thing going on. For me, that was a distraction and left me somewhat dissatisfied in the end. For a girl (Hitomi), that was magically ported to a surreal dangerous world, a world full of blood-shed, constant war (much like our world) and mythical creatures, I had to scoff at how she had the time to get herself into a love triangle. A person in her situation I think would have at least "tried" to get back home or the least, make more sense of her predicament. So, in the end. It was still fun to watch but not as good as I had hoped it would have been. Now on to the spin-off.... Girl in Gaea. Last updated Monday, August 18 2008. Created Monday, August 18 2008. | ||||||||
| Rent | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
 lucy-san
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[series:4#2510] |
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Im not a mecha fan so i tend to avoid series with mecha in it... But boy Escaflowne was good...the beginning got me hooked. Its true that the characters didn't have time to develop and their noses! LOL (i got use to it). I didn't really like Hitomi around ep 20ish...she kept sulking that she didn't want anyone to get hurt and all but she kept standing there screaming 'stop it, stop fighting' how about actually doing something! The ending wasn't what i expected... i like the 'happliy ever after' kind of ending so it did disapoint me abit. But besides all that it's still a very good series and i am glad that i watched it. i might just try other mecha series as well. Last updated Wednesday, January 02 2008. Created Wednesday, January 02 2008. | ||||||||
| Buy | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
 Big Fire
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[series:4#2441] |
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Escaflowne is one of my favorite anime...It combines fantasy with mecha...
What more do you want? Yes there is some romance in there, and the art
was TV based, but I really enjoyed this anime. Characters progressed through
out the film, and there were some unexpected twist and turns. If you like
mecha, and you like fantasy, you won't be disappointed...
Last updated Monday, January 29 2007. Created Monday, January 29 2007. | ||||||||
| Rent | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
 Devil Doll
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[series:4#752] |
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[Score: 77% = Rent]
This is Lodoss Tou Senki (OAV) for girls, I'd say. Not only has Hitomi two beautiful princes/knights at her side who trust and protect her in this strange world while their own nations are perishing - at least six major characters are intertwined in a network of romantic triangles, causing a lot of emotional confusion. A little childish perhaps, and some messages are repeated too often (Episode 18 explains almost too much at this stage of the series), so perhaps the grade of rewatchability might suffer from this. But still a nice and easy watch, although the romance elements lack significant depth. The scenario in a world where magic and technology appear to complement each other is one I like - after all, Silent Mobius isn't that different. Those noses... ugh; but other than that, I appear to like both the art (a little too bishy perhaps) and animation better the longer I am watching this series. I hate both the intro and the ending song; the orchestral battle theme Dance of Curse for several suspense scenes is powerful but can't fully compensate for the rest. The one thing that bothers me about Hitomi (besides the ending, of course) is that she never appears to ask anyone how she might possibly be able to return to her world, after several people told her they would take care about this "later". Other than that, she's a credible girl of her age (as for her admiration of Allen and that she can't stand her visions any longer at some point in the series); I especially like the references to her earthly background (such as the long jump scene or the pager). And she is a strong character - despite looking frail and frustrated at times she often gives advice or even commands to both Allen and Van even in the middle of a battle. I guess most of this adventure must appear like a dream to her - that must be why she isn't afraid of many things, including riding on a Guymelef. Hitomi is the heroine of this story, and girls of her age (or younger) might love to be like her. Van is a weak character at the beginning and needs to grow a lot; we'll see whether he can learn from the example of Allen and others. It is obvious that Hitomi has her best scenes when one of these two fighters reaches his limits. Merle isn't really the brightest or most sociable cat in the universe - but even she grows in a way. And in episode 15 she rules supreme, with three highlights in a row; after that point she's no longer a nuisance. I consider Dilandau more annoying, being the one-dimensional bad girl of the story (despite her dreadful past). Folken and Dryden are the most intriguing characters; Dornkirk is just too presumptuous to be really interesting (it is too easy to see his failure coming). After two confusing episodes at the start the story flows gently around sundry political ploys, mecha battles, and Hitomi's & Van's growing abilities. The audience is to find out about the relevant players in this conflict, their capabilities, their goals and their motivations. Only after Folken's confrontation with Van the story gets a little weaker, but I wasn't really bored by any of the later episodes. While only some minor questions appear to remain unanswered ([ep1] Why did the dragon go after Hikomi, not Van? [ep1] By whom were the worlds connected at this point? [ep18] Why and how did Dornkirk arrive in Zaibach?), the biggest downside is the contradictory message of episode 26: So there finally is some power that is stronger than even fate - but that same power should be weaker than simple home sickness? I can't accept this - and so I can't honestly give a "Buy" rating to this show which it otherwise might have earned. Last updated Monday, March 28 2011. Created Sunday, December 26 2004. | ||||||||
| Watch | 6 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
 Iceman_Aragorn
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[series:4#1517] |
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Well, with all the good reviews below, maybe I was just expecting more from this anime... I am the type to watch hours of a series at a time. This held true for Excaflowne as well.....at first. Once I got to the 18th episode or so, I got.....bored. I don't think that's ever happened to me with an anime before. The last 5 episodes took me like a week to watch...and I had to force myself to do it. The story is alright to start with, and has an interesting premise. The introduction of mechs seemed pretty natural for the setting, and the characters seemed interesting. However, the characters didn't seem to get much character development. The plot, after they went to Atlantis, turned into a rather contrived piece of...work. The romances of the main characters, which pretty much went from friends to mariage proposals within 2 episdoes was rediculous. Merle was annoying, the cat-twins, while interesting, somehow grew 20-some years older while Folken looked exactly the same. My favorite character was Dryden. He was the only one who seemed actually cool. I guess it's mainly the fact that this is more or less the first anime I got bored of 3/4 of the way through, but it just didn't do it for me. Last updated Thursday, August 05 2004. Created Thursday, August 05 2004. | ||||||||
| Rent | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 |
 Aisy
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[series:4#1497] |
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I've never reviewed before, but Escaflowne definately inspired me to. Not beause its an excellent story(which it is) but because that ending has really left a bad taste in my mouth. The series is over all excellent. Besides the noses which eventually grow on you everything else is beautifully drawn and fits well with the music. This series always has a great mood. i dont like Alen because he's kind of hard to look at. I didnt like Alens sudden change of heart around the end of the series either and felt it was rather ubrupt. And i really hated the ending because they built it up so much. Through out the series theres this great tension between Hitomi and Van and it keeps building up till finally theres this big climax...the problem? The big climax is in the 2nd to last episode leaving you with no time to enjoy it. Im not saying id prefer some corny disney ending where the get married and live happily ever after. I think its good when an ending makes you cry...but i still havent stopped crying. When i think about the ending i start sobbing again.I didnt like Hitomi or Vans decision to do what they did! And even if they still ended it the same way, it wouldve been better if they couldve elongated the short period btwn the end of 25 and the beginning of 26. This series left me going, "WHAT LOVE CRAZED 15 YR OLDS WOULD DO THAT!?" This is a really amazing series. It goes from good to great to phenominal and then...pth. This is definately a rental. I wouldnt want to watch it over again....my heart cant take it . god dammit im crying again! Last updated Friday, July 16 2004. Created Friday, July 16 2004. | ||||||||
| Buy | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
 Curi
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[series:4#1429] |
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The TV series is absolutely nothing like the comics, or that horrible movie. Escaflowne takes the typical high school girl angle, gives her the power to predict the future, and takes you to a planet that is torn by war, throwing in romantic subplot every now and then. Your reactions after watching this will be one of two: Why didnt they hook up? or Hellwar is a bitch. Last updated Saturday, June 12 2004. Created Saturday, June 12 2004. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
 Jan-Chan
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[series:4#967] | |
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I don't give a ten score easily,.(dern!, those pointy noses take some getting used too). but, I feel that I have to offer my opinion. Read the other reviews for a review of the plot or series My comment is look at how many favorable reviews this series has received. If one wants to buy an anime series based on a good manga series, with a good script, with a good animation team and great animation , (and even a good voice-over dub script and voice selection), then this might be it! My personal favorites might extend to El Hazard the Magnificent World, .. I am a bit picky, but this is close! Well, you have my nickels worth of opinion.. (in any event, this is well worth spending time to watch!)
Last updated Friday, March 05 2004. Created Friday, March 05 2004. | ||||||||
| Buy | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
 Otaku_King
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[series:4#1179] | ||
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perfection.... one of the few anime i have shed a tear while watching... all you escaflowne fans out there know what i mean and i let those that preceed me speak the joys of the epic that is escaflowne... Last updated Friday, January 23 2004. Created Friday, January 23 2004. | ||||||||
| Buy | 8 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
 AstroNerdBoy
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[series:4#436] |
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I wouldnt consider myself a mecha fan despite the fact that an increasing number of mecha titles are crossing both my DVD player and computer hard drives. So I was unsure if I wanted to see the hyped Escaflowne or not. Having seen it, Im glad I did. For starters, the mecha comes off, especially in the beginning, as nothing more than special armor for medieval (or fantasy) soldiers. It was as if someone took a suit of armor, then made it a few stories high and put a soldier in it who could do more both in attack and defense. As a result, I found myself very intrigued by this concept and was eager to see more. The special mecha known as Escaflowne, which can turn into a dragon form, is still somewhat of a mystery to me after one viewing. I gathered it was ancient technology of the Atlantians but it always seemed like it was supposed to have some special role in the series. In the end, it really didnt (IMO). At some point Ill rewatch the series to see if I can pick up on stuff I missed. The cast of characters were great. Their designs are tough to get used to what with everyone having a beak nose. I was startled every time I was forced to take a break from the series (due to its popularity at Greencine.com) and then came back to it. You get used to it since the characters themselves make up for it as does the very interesting story. To that end, there was only a couple of problems. First, the ending has been done countless times power of love and all that. However, that is a minor complaint. My 2nd complaint is a bit more valid. Theres a love triangle that forms between Alan, Van, and Hitomi. I believed Hitomi attracted to both Alan and Van and I believed Van attracted to Hitomi. I never believed Alan was attracted to Hitomi. I think if the love triangle had been given more consideration without losing anything else in the story, it would have been an even better series. Bottom line: I really loved this world known as Gaea with Earth and its moon in the sky. As such I do recommend it highly.Last updated Tuesday, April 06 2004. Created Tuesday, September 02 2003. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
 Lutzie
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[series:4#786] |
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This has to be one of my favourite anime. It not only has a wonderfuly compelling plot, but also well-developed characters. I think the only drawback to the storyline is the lack of romance between the main characters and the main character herself. Hitomi Kanzaki is definitly not the strongest or prettiest of anime girls. On the other hand, most of the male characters are to die for, especially the evil ones^^.
Last updated Friday, July 04 2003. Created Friday, July 04 2003. | ||||||||
| Buy |
 Lonely Lockheart
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[series:4#801] | ||||||
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Escaflowne is my favorite anime. The plot may have been similar to other animes, but it held it's own style. The music and art is wonderful, and the teenage love story part is both fresh and original. In mention to the ending though, I do agree it was rushed, but that might be one thing that makes the series so popular for fanfictions. Anything could happen. Last updated Tuesday, June 24 2003. Created Tuesday, June 24 2003. | ||||||||
| Watch | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
 Azusa
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[series:4#718] |
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A real cool series. the character design is a little different from the usually anime character design but everyone does there own thing.It appealled to me and was one of the animes i saw at the age of 12 .... lol Ya the ending is a bit too quick unfortunately they had to wrap up this series quickly for an odd reason... reminds me alot of gundam (prolly the mechas) and the music is for more dramatics but it's good and cool lol
Last updated Tuesday, June 03 2003. Created Tuesday, June 03 2003. | ||||||||
| Buy | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
 Almost Eilonwy
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[series:4#428] |
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Rarely does an anime get me so involved and immersed that I actually decide to forget about studying for a night to watch it. This anime did that. It's an outstanding adventure with likable characters and an interesting story. The only weak point, as has been said before, is the ending. It was wrapped up too neatly and seemed rather anticlimatic. I would rather not give away too many spoilers, so I'll stop there before I say too much about the ending. The animation is very good, though the character designs are a little unusual. Overall, I would recommend this series to just about everyone. Last updated Sunday, November 24 2002. Created Sunday, November 24 2002. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
 GM V
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[series:4#427] |
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Escaflowne is probably one of my favourite non Gundam anime series. The way Escaflowne was done was one I would expect in a Gundam series. Escaflowne has some interesting characters and story development. Escaflowne for some reason has a gundam feeling to it. Maybe I watch too much gundam. Overall escaflowne is a great series which is good overall.
Last updated Saturday, November 23 2002. Created Saturday, November 23 2002. | ||||||||
| Buy | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 |
 Psylum
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[series:4#315] | |
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The Vision of Escaflowne is a wonderful romp through everything that is good and right in Japanese animation. From the beginning, viewers are thrown into the world of Gaea, a planet ruled by sorcery and swordsmanship. It may not break the mold of the traditional anime style, but no other anime tells its story quite as well as Escaflowne does. From the moment the story begins viewers actually begin to develop feelings for the characters. Hitomi is the fickle schoolgirl with a crush on the popular athlete. She enjoys the company of good friends and, like many other girls at her school, practices amature fortune-telling through the use of tarot cards. Van is the ambitious sword-wielding prince striving to become a great ruler in the shadow of his deceased parents and missing older brother. As king he keeps a cold shell but is soft at heart. In addition to all these aforementioned details, Escaflowne benefits highly from a wonderfully orchestrated soundtrack composed by Kanno Yoko. In short, Escaflowne is an adventure that should not be missed by anime fans of all genres. 5/25/02 Last updated Saturday, May 25 2002. Created Saturday, May 25 2002. | ||||||||
| Buy | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
 boo
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[series:4#262] |
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Escaflowne has something for everyone. Mecha, music, riviting plot, wonderful characters. Escaflowne may not be a perfect series, but it is pretty close. (some of the screams in the series are just too wicked!) The character designs were a little weird at first, but after you get through a few episodes, it really starts to grow on you. This series is much more than just a show. It embodies what fantasy is. The adventures that they embark on and the interactions between the characters are played wonderfully set to some of the best music I've heard period. Check out "Strange, sad cello" for an awesome track. This show is just magic. It may not be perfect, but this show is in a class of its own, you'd be missing out if you pass this one up. Action, pain, revenge, (i'd say more connections than love, but that element is in there also) Last updated Wednesday, March 06 2002. Created Wednesday, March 06 2002. | ||||||||
| Buy | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 |
 Phoenix
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[series:4#268] | |
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Escaflowne was the first series I bought, and is still one of my favorites (definitely still my all-time favorite in its genre). Character Design: The characters are beautifully designed, though through the first few episodes, one must become... accustomed... to the characters' nose design. ^-^ The animation is equally beautiful. Music: Breathtaking - Escaflowne is the single best example of how animation can successfully be blended with an orchestral score. Story: By the fifth episode, the story has become relatively deep; up until this point, however, Escaflowne unfortunately seems targeted toward a more youthful audience. (Hence it's American television debut on Saturday morning Fox TV - not too long into the series, though, the show was pulled from Fox Kids' lineup due to its *somewhat* darker nature than seen at first glance.) Despite the several reviews downcasting Escaflowne's ending, I actually quite liked it - it leaves a partially undefined conclusion, at which millions of events could ensue. As unto the ending of Castaway, viewers either loved it or hated it. Last updated Monday, January 28 2002. Created Monday, January 28 2002. | ||||||||
| Rent | 5 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
 Courtney
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[series:4#80] | |
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TOTAL GRADE: 68% D+ For those who absolutely adored FUSHIGI YUUGI or MOBILE SUIT GUNDUM WING, I think you owe it to yourself to at least watch THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE. Though no where near as epic as FY, ESCAFLOWNE is still a wonderful series set in the trans-time fantasy spectrum and offers some interesting characters along with a thoughtful premise as a modern school girl named Hitome finds herself within a war-torn world in which she may play the most vital part. Mystic, romantic, and sometimes brutal, ESCAFLOWNE is at best intriguing and at worst entertaining. While not entirely original in either character designs or premise, ESCAFLOWNE proves to be very entertaining on many levels. I must admit that I found most of the animation to be rather fluid, though I wasnt very impressed by much of the character designs or personalities (I dont think any of the female characters were drawn to be very attractive nor do I see any of their demeanors to be ground-breaking). And I think most of you will grow quickly annoyed with Hitomes indecisiveness and Merel's sheer obnoxious personality; however I am partial to Delandous bouts of utter insanity. Still, these are not so horrible they keep ESCAFLOWNE from being enjoyable. For other Alternate World adventure: EL-HAZARD FUSHIGI YUUGI RECORD OF THE LODOSS WARS Last updated Tuesday, December 11 2001. Created Wednesday, October 10 2001. | ||||||||
| Buy |
 Robbie
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[series:4#192] | ||||||
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What more can be said? The series is definately worth the buy! The animation is beautiful and the story is even better! Don't waste time with these reviews! Go out and buy Escaflowne now on DVD!!!
Last updated Saturday, January 19 2002. Created Friday, September 21 2001. | ||||||||
| Buy | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 |
 Pai
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[series:4#196] | ||
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I could watch this series over and over again. I like it that much. The story is rather complicated and complex, which is a good thing. The characters are excellent, the music is great, and well, it's an all-around good series! See it and you'll thank yourself for it...
Last updated Monday, August 06 2001. Created Monday, August 06 2001. | ||||||||
| Buy | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
 Lord Folken
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[series:4#202] | |
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A wonderful story filled with cool vehicles and likable characters. Escaflowne is different, but definately not stupid. I really liked every episode and I think the end was the best ever. I enjoyed the Star Wars similarities as well, as subtle as they were. Buy this or at the very least rent it. It is time well spent, and an experience like no other.
Last updated Wednesday, July 25 2001. Created Wednesday, July 25 2001. | ||||||||
| Buy | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
 Midnighter
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[series:4#94] | |
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Rarely am I impressed by anything as much as I was by Escaflowne. Truly an awe-inspiring and touching peice of work, it will take your breath away. The story flows very well, with almost no filler, and the character development is consistant, everyone continues to grow and evolve, a rare thing in TV. Characters on both sides seem real and alive, particularly Van and Folken. I have it subtitled, so I can't say anything about the english dub. The character designs took me a while to get used to, but they really grew on me. I particularly like Hitomi, Van, and Merle's designs. Folken is the only character in anime that can look cool with a mullet. Really interesting ideas are presented, especially the Atlantis/Draconian angle and the story is consistantly strong with a large-scale scope unusual in much anime. The entire series had a "widescreen" feel to it. The art is beautiful, lush and detail-rich, and I notice something new each time I watch it. The animation itself is very impressive for a television show, with nice computer enhancement that doesn't detract from the cel animation. The music sets a new standard for anime scores, with variety and depth unmatched, at least in my experiance. I could continue to rave about Vision of Escaflowne, but... See it for yourself. My favorite is still Evangelion, but Escaflowne runs a fairly close second. A masterpiece in every sense of the word. Definately a buy. Last updated Tuesday, December 11 2001. Created Monday, July 23 2001. | ||||||||
| Rent | 7 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 |
 Kaitou Juliet
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[series:4#137] | |
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I liked it, but I didn't love it. The plot is certainly very tight and complex, with no filler episodes. However, the ending seemed a bit rushed and confusing, like they tried to pack too many climaxes on top of each other without breathing space in between. A lot of the story elements are very New-Agey: crystals, tarot cards, references to Atlantis. That can be a plus or a minus depending on your taste. The character designs are a bit out of the ordinary, especially all those long, ski-jump noses. I never did get used to them. The series does have fabulous music, very atmospheric. I'm glad I saw it, but (like Jenn) I don't particularly want to watch it again. I think my biggest problem was that I never truly cared about any of the characters. I was interested in finding out what happened to them, but I didn't love them enough to want to go back and revisit them once my questions were answered. However, most people seem to love this series, so I guess that's a personal thing.Last updated Monday, July 30 2001. Created Sunday, May 06 2001. | ||||||||
| Buy | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
 Black Panther
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[series:4#142] | ||
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A very captivating plot, to say in short. I liked it, but there was that little thing called the ending...I felt they rushed it. In any case, as much as I wish the ending had been better it does not change the basic fact that this is a good anime and worth watching.
Last updated Wednesday, January 02 2002. Created Monday, February 19 2001. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
 The Coyote
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[series:4#64] | |
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Wow you just gotta love escaflowne don't ya. The masters of anime have a real jem here. Entertaining, intrigueing, funny, dramatic, romantic, this is what anime should be. Is it the best out no. The sameri X OAVs has that title and there are others out there I like better but this one is a top 10 for sure. you wont be disapointed and you will be very entertaind. Some that I know hate the ending but to me it was ok not the strongest part of the story but certianly not enough to bring down the rest of it. Well told and animated this is one to bye
Last updated Sunday, December 02 2001. Created Sunday, November 12 2000. | ||||||||
| Rent | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
 CatWoman
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[series:4#65] | |
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It is really really good! Until the END! Coyote is right when he says some of us have a problem with the end...AGGGHHHH, WHAT A PEACE OF CRAP END! The characters are great and the plot is gripping! The characters (mainly the MAIN character!) are a little wishy washy in the way they feel but that is to be expected with teens! There are some twists with the relationships that I was not expecting (Bad Alin)! And some twists that are rather unexpected in general(poor Alin)! It is really clean as far as nudity goes! It is a rent, simply because the end was so HORABLE! P.S. the music is really good Last updated Tuesday, January 08 2002. Created Monday, October 30 2000. | ||||||||
| Buy | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
 Bryan
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[series:4#14] |
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Normally I like to spend some time working on a review before I post anything. However, I guess I'm performing the equivalent of a knee-jerk reaction here, as I'd like to add another "buy" selection for Escaflowne. Granted, I agree that the romantic side of this series was not very well explored (and as a guy who owns the 1st two seasons of Marmalade Boy on LD, I like to think I know romantic, uhm, stuff) but the art is so exceptional, and the sweep is so grand, that this series deserves a favorable review. No offense to Jenn-chan!!!
There are certainly problems. I cannot go into detail without spoiling the series, and as it is about to come out on DVD, there will be interested parties looking for reviews. Suffice it say, many of the plot devices were kind of silly, in my opinion. I've read where folks call it a kind of homage to B-grade movies. Well, fine. I don't like parts of El Hazard for the same reasons, so I guess I just can't yield on this point. Lines like "Increase the fate variable!!", or whatever it was, don't float my flip-flops.
It has been about a year since I saw the fansubs of this series, and as soon as a I hear of a hard and fast release date, I'll sign up at Express.com" href="http://www.express.com">Express.com">http://www.express.com">Express.com for the prerelease!!
Last updated Wednesday, May 10 2000. Created Wednesday, May 10 2000. | ||||||||
| Watch |
 Jenn-chan
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[series:4#31] | ||||||
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I know I'm going to step on some toes with this review. In a nutshell, I didn't like this that much. Let me rephrase that, I don't like it enough to watch it over again. Great music, great animation, interesting plot, cool mecha....so what's bad about? I feel like the creators teased us with the romantic element. I don't want to spoil anyone, but for those that wished Deedlit and Parn at the end of Lodoss War got together will be just as disappointed with this title. I'm a real sucker for romance, and this just didn't deliver what I expected...plus I thought Merle was so obnoxious! Am I alone on this? Maybe so, but it is just my opinion and this is in no way a BAD anime. Think of it as a more mature Fushigi Yuugi with not nearly as much romantic plotline.
Last updated Tuesday, April 25 2000. Created Tuesday, April 25 2000. | ||||||||
Other Sites
| Name | URL |
|---|---|
| IMDB | http://us.imdb.com/Title?%22Vision+of+Escaflowne%2C+The%22+%281995%29 |
| Escaflowne Compendium | http://www.anime.net/escaflowne/ |
| Visions of Escaflowne | http://www.escaflowneonline.com |
