Escaflowne the Movie while visually stunning and aided by an enchanting musical score just seems to fall short of being as epic as it could have been. With a running time of 98 min. events and character development seem rushed and unfulfilled. We never really get to know the characters and even though many viewers will have already seen the TV series that's still no excuse for the lack of content. Hitomi seems to shift from a depressed school girl on the verge of suicide to a strong supportive heroine without much coaxing or personal experience. The full legend of the Escaflowne and Wing Goddess as well as the mythology of Gaia are also never fleshed out for us. The final confrentation between the two brothers is a far cry from what could have been. And the ending leaves something to be desired as well, not as fairy tale as some might have wanted. However inspite of these problems I still enjoyed Escaflowne the Movie. It is a feast for the eyes and ears, and as a theatrical adaption it has no problem standing on its own. Definitly recomended ^_^
41 Reviews
Great Animation, good movie
rigertd18 August 2001
The first thing that struck me about this film was the detailed animation and vividness of the colors. The TV series was known for it's quality animation, and the movie is far better. The story, however, is completely different from the TV series. If you watch this movie, don't compare it to the series, since it's a different story that uses the same characters. The story is fairly dark, but compelling. For action fans, you will find a lot of that in this movie, but romance fans may walk away disappointed. Overall, not great, but a good movie. 6 of 10.
Okay, but I prefer the series.
Rectangular_businessman17 June 2010
Warning: Spoilers
"Escaflowne: The Movie" is an average anime film. The animation was quite good, and the music, made by the great composer Yoko Kanno it's incredible, but the plot is just average. It changes a lot from the excellent TV-series, turning the story into a typical fantasy:Van it's more immature than in the TV series and also has a more aggressive (Without any apparent reason) personality. Hitomi became in this movie a more depressive character and Allen don't have any romantic interested on her, and now Allen looks like Sephirot. This movie don't have so much romance and drama as the TV- series, focusing in the action instead. The result it's not necessarily bad, but the TV series is much better. However, in the good side, you don't need to watch the series first to understand this movie: Both are completely different productions without different values.
Good as far as anime goes
spam113 December 2003
I'm a casual anime fan, someone who doesn't know the intricate plots and history of the genre as much as I supposedly should. I think that's a good thing.
So often I watch anime that's been hailed as the best thing since sliced bread, and compared to other more mainstream (read: non-anime) features, IMO it doesn't even come close. I think fans of sub-genres tend to be blind to real critique of their favorite subjects, because they need to justify their excessive interest in it.
That being said, you still need to compare like-genre films to one another - at least to some degree, and I think in this case Escaflowne does a great job standing up to its competitors.
Someone had previously mentioned that the faces in this feature were rather badly drawn, and I tend to agree - it's odd, because the quality of the rest of the scenes/ scenery, is relatively good. The plot in this film, as in most anime is VERY disconnected, with whole chunks missing at parts. Rewinding certainly helps when watching this. However, as with most good anime, even if there is some plot missing, the end message is fairly clear. The score is amazing. It's rare you hear this kind of music in "regular" movies, much less an animated feature.
In general, I would recommend watching this on DVD, as you will want to rewind at some points, and try to understand certain elements, and/or watch the fast scenes a few more times.
So often I watch anime that's been hailed as the best thing since sliced bread, and compared to other more mainstream (read: non-anime) features, IMO it doesn't even come close. I think fans of sub-genres tend to be blind to real critique of their favorite subjects, because they need to justify their excessive interest in it.
That being said, you still need to compare like-genre films to one another - at least to some degree, and I think in this case Escaflowne does a great job standing up to its competitors.
Someone had previously mentioned that the faces in this feature were rather badly drawn, and I tend to agree - it's odd, because the quality of the rest of the scenes/ scenery, is relatively good. The plot in this film, as in most anime is VERY disconnected, with whole chunks missing at parts. Rewinding certainly helps when watching this. However, as with most good anime, even if there is some plot missing, the end message is fairly clear. The score is amazing. It's rare you hear this kind of music in "regular" movies, much less an animated feature.
In general, I would recommend watching this on DVD, as you will want to rewind at some points, and try to understand certain elements, and/or watch the fast scenes a few more times.
Only fun for those who have seen the series, if then
Jeremy Bristol5 January 2003
First of all, I watched this movie once before I even saw any of the series, so I was fairly confused--especially by the amount of characters who appear for a few minutes and then disappear. I knew it was supposed to be a retelling and not a summary of the series, but even on that level, I didn't really "get" Hitomi's reason for caring so much for Van all of a sudden, why that blonde captain (Allen, as I learned later) was even there, or what the hell Dune (or Folken, take your pick) was all about. The confrontation with Dune was so incredibly anti-climactic that I almost hoped for that old horror cliche of the villain coming back to life a few times to up his kill stats. No such luck, though.
Having just gone through a marathon session with the series (all twenty-six episodes in two days), I decided to watch the movie again this morning. Well, I had fun identifying all the characters from the series, who were all--down to the cat girls--developed into realistic characters throughout the television series, and it was kind of interesting to compare Hitomi's character (in the movie, she's totally depressed but realized the pain she was causing others; in the series, she was lively, but in being so, she missed the signs that she was hurting people). However, the story (which recasts Hitomi as a "Winged Goddess" figure instead of a girl with skills at fortune telling, and Van into an uncontrollably violent person, but sweet and gentle when he's not killing people) isn't all that interesting (and seems to have been more influenced by the Evangelion series and movies than by Escaflowne), and 96 minutes is far too short a time to tell what should have been a sweeping epic. Instead, despite the claims that it is a retelling, it ends up feeling even more like a truncation of the series.
That said, I thought the animation was good (in an anime genre sort of way--I wouldn't expect a lot of other people to care too much for it, the way that even anime haters tend to like Studio Ghibli films), and the design for Hitomi, though not as kawaii as the series, really did fit with the darker tone of the movie.
6/10
Having just gone through a marathon session with the series (all twenty-six episodes in two days), I decided to watch the movie again this morning. Well, I had fun identifying all the characters from the series, who were all--down to the cat girls--developed into realistic characters throughout the television series, and it was kind of interesting to compare Hitomi's character (in the movie, she's totally depressed but realized the pain she was causing others; in the series, she was lively, but in being so, she missed the signs that she was hurting people). However, the story (which recasts Hitomi as a "Winged Goddess" figure instead of a girl with skills at fortune telling, and Van into an uncontrollably violent person, but sweet and gentle when he's not killing people) isn't all that interesting (and seems to have been more influenced by the Evangelion series and movies than by Escaflowne), and 96 minutes is far too short a time to tell what should have been a sweeping epic. Instead, despite the claims that it is a retelling, it ends up feeling even more like a truncation of the series.
That said, I thought the animation was good (in an anime genre sort of way--I wouldn't expect a lot of other people to care too much for it, the way that even anime haters tend to like Studio Ghibli films), and the design for Hitomi, though not as kawaii as the series, really did fit with the darker tone of the movie.
6/10
Interesting fable holds its own.
Rex_Stephens9 September 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Escaflowne is another anime that stays faithful and true to its fans of the genre. Nothing has been done that would compromise any of the standards you would expect from an anime. Escaflowne is a reflective fable, while maintaining visually articulate animation, with many colorful characters and powerful brooding conflict. The rivalry between Van and Folken, though never truly finalized, is so intense, that it could have dominated the film at will had it needed to.
A band of renegades, sworn to destroy an evil empire after their own lands were annihilated, find the legendary Dragon Armor, Escaflowne, and a young girl inside. The girl herself, from our own world, was somehow brought to the world of Gaea and seeks answers while befriending the one sworn to protect her.
Somehow I'd like to figure out how Dilandau's fate ended the way it was. The key part to Escaflowne is that of the relationship between Van and Hatomi. The fable of how loneliness and its effect on yourself and others captures your attention and somewhat brings the film into focus. The screenplay otherwise would concentrate on its endless imagination of the world of Gaea and the characters that exist within it. Fans of anime would assuredly enjoy Escaflowne for all it represents. Non-fans may need a friendly guide to help explain what's going on from the beginning, as the first 30 minutes brings more questions than answers!
A band of renegades, sworn to destroy an evil empire after their own lands were annihilated, find the legendary Dragon Armor, Escaflowne, and a young girl inside. The girl herself, from our own world, was somehow brought to the world of Gaea and seeks answers while befriending the one sworn to protect her.
Somehow I'd like to figure out how Dilandau's fate ended the way it was. The key part to Escaflowne is that of the relationship between Van and Hatomi. The fable of how loneliness and its effect on yourself and others captures your attention and somewhat brings the film into focus. The screenplay otherwise would concentrate on its endless imagination of the world of Gaea and the characters that exist within it. Fans of anime would assuredly enjoy Escaflowne for all it represents. Non-fans may need a friendly guide to help explain what's going on from the beginning, as the first 30 minutes brings more questions than answers!
Poor effort
stargunner19 May 2003
Several things bothered me while watching this film. One of the first thing i noticed was the animation - the faces on the characters were horridly drawn, making it hard for facial expressions to appear believable. The animation in itself was fine, however the way the people were drawn was distracting. Secondly, the plot was disorganized and scattered; making the film hard to follow for even fans of the Escaflowne TV series. The closing doesn't redeem much of the films' weak points - I wouldn't recommend this for those new to Escaflowne or those who are fans. It would be disappointing either way.
Good retelling of a great animated series
Sander Pilon28 November 2001
'Escaflowne', the movie, is basically a retelling of the popular (and wonderful) animated series. However, the movie is a lot darker, a lot of characters in the series have been left out, and some events have been altered, so do not expect to see a movie that stays true to the series.
Does that make it bad movie? No, not at all.
My Rating: 7.5 / 10
Does that make it bad movie? No, not at all.
My Rating: 7.5 / 10
A Fantastic Retelling
mercy_angel_0929 June 2005
For those who have seen the Escaflowne television series know that it was a beautifully complex shoujou anime with plenty of action, adventure, and romance.
The movie, however, is a completely different animal. Most viewers try to compare the television series to the movie, and thus usually disregard the movie as trash, as it is not a faithful retelling of the series. So, if you haven't seen this movie yet, but have seen the series, remember they are two completely different creatures, each wonderful and unique.
The most noticeable change is in the character design. Nobuteru Yuuki (who also did the designs for Chrono Cross, X, and Record of Lodess War) slightly altered the character's distinctive looks from the TV series. They now closely resemble the characters from Chrono Cross (the similarity between Millerna and Kid is the most obvious). The plot was also trimmed of the intricate subplots to fit into a decent running time, and thus some of the characters from the series do not appear. The biggest change is the inclusion of more action and violence, so we're talking flying body parts and lots of blood spraying. This was done to attract more males to the fanbase as the TV series had a fanbase that was 80% female.
Other things, however, haven't changed. Yoko Kanno and her partner Hajime Mizoguchi return with an excellent score of blended nationalities to give it a truly unique sound that makes it seem as if we are really listening to the music from another world.
Overall, the movie is an excellent example of anime at its best. Between the quality of the animation and overall production, this movie is a must see for anyone who loves any form of animation.
The movie, however, is a completely different animal. Most viewers try to compare the television series to the movie, and thus usually disregard the movie as trash, as it is not a faithful retelling of the series. So, if you haven't seen this movie yet, but have seen the series, remember they are two completely different creatures, each wonderful and unique.
The most noticeable change is in the character design. Nobuteru Yuuki (who also did the designs for Chrono Cross, X, and Record of Lodess War) slightly altered the character's distinctive looks from the TV series. They now closely resemble the characters from Chrono Cross (the similarity between Millerna and Kid is the most obvious). The plot was also trimmed of the intricate subplots to fit into a decent running time, and thus some of the characters from the series do not appear. The biggest change is the inclusion of more action and violence, so we're talking flying body parts and lots of blood spraying. This was done to attract more males to the fanbase as the TV series had a fanbase that was 80% female.
Other things, however, haven't changed. Yoko Kanno and her partner Hajime Mizoguchi return with an excellent score of blended nationalities to give it a truly unique sound that makes it seem as if we are really listening to the music from another world.
Overall, the movie is an excellent example of anime at its best. Between the quality of the animation and overall production, this movie is a must see for anyone who loves any form of animation.
A Jumbled Mess But The Scenes That Work Work Well
dopefishie29 June 2019
They tried to fit too much into a relatively short film. It would have benefited from adding a half hour of character development. That being said there were a handful of scenes that worked really well. The action scenes were fantastic. A few of the more emotional scenes were good as well. Just very little coherence through it all. This film is a missed opportunity of untapped potential. You'll enjoy some of it.
Waste of time
IcarusMoon6 November 2002
I have to say as far as the animation goes the movie was well done, great art work, but the plot itself was poorly thought off. The movie might resemble the series with the characters and the setting but the plot itself was not the same. So if you guys are expecting to be like the series, is not, I found it to be a waste of time, and for those who think that the movie was good, it was just a knockoff of the series just to make money of you.
Not your average Escaflowne
amcornelius7417 January 2001
Anyone settling down to watch the usual romantic fluff of the series might be disappointed by this movie. However, if the same audience wants to drown in the glory of wonderful storytelling, a beautiful soundtrack worthy of Williams, and heartstopping animation, this is the perfect film for them.
"Escaflowne: A Girl From Gaea" is loosely based on the already popular series "Tenkuu no Escaflowne", where Hitomi, a young school girl with psychic powers, is whisked away to the magical land of Gaea, filled with mystical creatures, gallant knights, and gigantic suits of armor. However, here, the happy Hitomi and the peaceful Van are very much gone. The movie opens with Van brutally slaying a group of enemies and Hitomi rethinking the decision to hand a suicide note she has written over to her best friend Yukari. This is a very dark, but compelling Escaflowne. Much of the storyline from the series has been changed dramatically, as one can tell, but it gives the movie it's own original feel and one does not have to be familiar with the series to enjoy the movie. The soundtrack, once again handled very nicely by Yoko Kanno, is absolutely top-notch and might remind one of the power of John Williams' score to "Star Wars". The animation is very different as well, more mature and detailed than the average anime series. Older teens will love it, but smaller children familiar with the series might find the action too intense, some scenes and animation echoing the works of Akira Kurosawa, particularly "Ran".
I have only seen bootleg copies of this, but I hope the rumour of the movie coming stateside is true and we American otaku will get to enjoy the majesty that is "Escaflowne: A Girl From Gaea" on a theatre screen. Anything less cannot do it justice.
"Escaflowne: A Girl From Gaea" is loosely based on the already popular series "Tenkuu no Escaflowne", where Hitomi, a young school girl with psychic powers, is whisked away to the magical land of Gaea, filled with mystical creatures, gallant knights, and gigantic suits of armor. However, here, the happy Hitomi and the peaceful Van are very much gone. The movie opens with Van brutally slaying a group of enemies and Hitomi rethinking the decision to hand a suicide note she has written over to her best friend Yukari. This is a very dark, but compelling Escaflowne. Much of the storyline from the series has been changed dramatically, as one can tell, but it gives the movie it's own original feel and one does not have to be familiar with the series to enjoy the movie. The soundtrack, once again handled very nicely by Yoko Kanno, is absolutely top-notch and might remind one of the power of John Williams' score to "Star Wars". The animation is very different as well, more mature and detailed than the average anime series. Older teens will love it, but smaller children familiar with the series might find the action too intense, some scenes and animation echoing the works of Akira Kurosawa, particularly "Ran".
I have only seen bootleg copies of this, but I hope the rumour of the movie coming stateside is true and we American otaku will get to enjoy the majesty that is "Escaflowne: A Girl From Gaea" on a theatre screen. Anything less cannot do it justice.
Not as good as the series, but one of the better anime films
Keyan-the-Eagle14423 February 2019
I'd read about this in a Japanese-language book from one of my local stores but didn't get around to watching it until late last decade. It's very different from the series but everything is just as detailed and gritty. Believable characters and a gripping plot plus the character designs are really something. The sword and sorcery elements are all there and the mecha look really organic. I'd seen the English dub but the voices were just fine. This, along with the Hayao Miyazaki films, are among my favorite anime movies. Lots of action and drama too.
Not a good retelling
galensaysyes14 November 2001
First, let me state my prejudice: I think the series is the greatest animated series of all time and its universe is one of the great fantasy creations of the twentieth century. What the artists here do with it is spectacular, and one scene in the movie--the resurrection of Escaflowne and the battle of the guymalefs--captures the magic of the series. Otherwise, it is all flash and noise and action. And blood. And loud, not very good music. The story is stiffly told, and is stripped down so far that most of it makes little sense except by reference to the series. The characters are lost, half of them are extraneous, only the maniacal Dilandau comes across--he is done much as in the series--and even here the explanation for him is missing. It looks as if the producers were trying to turn this into another _Akira_, but they chose the wrong property. In short: not enough girl, not enough Gaea, not enough.
The wonderfully animated movie that brings us back to the world Gaea!
tv_pikachu10 November 2002
Escaflowne the movie is my favorite Anime feature film. This film, albeit darker and a bit more brooding story, it still contains the wonderful pastel colors of the OVA television series, and is one of the finest pieces of traditional animation I've seen in years. Also most of the original voice cast returns for this feature. In my personal opinion, the Escaflowne American voice cast is right on par with their Japanese counterparts. The only series I can openly say this about. Yoko Kano once again writes a wonderful musical score, reminding us why we fell in love with the series to begin with. It's sadder music with a more mystical feel, but fits the mood of the feature film. The characters and their costumes were redesigned, but if you found the long pointy noses and girly look of the men of the OVA to be laughable, then the movie will strike you with awe. The realism of the character design was upped for this big budget feature, and even though the story and universe is a bit altered, it's still a treat to be back with Hitomi on her adventures in Gaea once again.
Underrated anime masterpiece
HPeep6 March 2003
I haven't seen the entire series `The Visions of Escaflowne'. What I saw I really liked, but it needed something. It needed to be a much darker and more grim story. Well, this movie has a grim and dark story, with plenty of graphic violence to boot (now why did it get a PG-13?). Even though it kind of is a condensed version of the series, it does tell it's own story in a way. Though some `Escaflowne' fans may be disappointed by how much different the movie is, many people will be happy with the style.
The story is basically the same as the series: A normal high-school girl named Hitomi is transported to the world of Gaea to help the survivors of countries that fell to the powerful Black Dragon empire in one final battle that will determine the fate of their world.
It's actually a pretty good story with amazing animation and characters who are much less annoying in the movie than they were in the series. The music is also stunning with several great tracks.
Every way I look at the movie I love it. It's even kind of a cute romance movie. If you have a friend who wants to see some anime, show him this. If you liked the movie then get the 3-disc DVD. Well worth watching, but do get the subtitled version. Dubbed: C, Subtitled: A.
Rated R for graphic animated violence/gore, language, and sensuality. Suggested for ages 15 and up.
The story is basically the same as the series: A normal high-school girl named Hitomi is transported to the world of Gaea to help the survivors of countries that fell to the powerful Black Dragon empire in one final battle that will determine the fate of their world.
It's actually a pretty good story with amazing animation and characters who are much less annoying in the movie than they were in the series. The music is also stunning with several great tracks.
Every way I look at the movie I love it. It's even kind of a cute romance movie. If you have a friend who wants to see some anime, show him this. If you liked the movie then get the 3-disc DVD. Well worth watching, but do get the subtitled version. Dubbed: C, Subtitled: A.
Rated R for graphic animated violence/gore, language, and sensuality. Suggested for ages 15 and up.
Good Animation, Bad Story
christian9417 July 2001
This movie had a very weak story. Some may be satisfied with your run-of-the-mill cartoon story, but even in animation, I expect quality. This was not the case with Escaflowne. The only part worth mentioning is when she is still on Earth feeling lonely and sad and talking to her friend. The rest is pure formulaic regurgitation: the hero who does not know she is a hero, the evil brother, what is destined to be... The romance is seriously lacking as all the heroine can say when her sweetheart is in combat is "Van...". They should have played more (and with better writing) with the theme of feeling alone, and made a better excuse for fighting and destruction.
On the other hand the animation was of high quality and the decisions the director took paid off as there are shots that are literally out of this world. I'm thinking in particular of when or heroine is called upon in a football field, but there are many other.
As a whole the movie was rather disappointing... but if you stick to the end you'll find a magnificent song that plays through the end credits. The music in the entire movie is excellent in fact. It's really unfortunate that the story could not hold up to the rest.
On the other hand the animation was of high quality and the decisions the director took paid off as there are shots that are literally out of this world. I'm thinking in particular of when or heroine is called upon in a football field, but there are many other.
As a whole the movie was rather disappointing... but if you stick to the end you'll find a magnificent song that plays through the end credits. The music in the entire movie is excellent in fact. It's really unfortunate that the story could not hold up to the rest.
This is a special Anime, I loved it!!
noegard15 August 2007
When I first watched this Anime I didn't know anything about it, but it turned out to be the best Anime I've ever seen!! I love the drama and the romance, and the whole epic feeling (The musical score is just great). I love the darkness mood of the movie too, and for those who love dramatic stories, and dark stories, I really advise you to see this, you'll really enjoy it very much, it's really well made and with feelings, much of the anime out there don't have them, I like movies with feelings and great stories, it's essential.. Well, the drawings are amazing too and the characters have rich personalities. This Anime lies in my heart, and if you let yourself in, you too will enjoy it!!
Its not that it was bad, it just wasnt good...
Fangor1 October 2003
Its not that it was bad, it just wasnt good... at all. the animation was pretty good, but the soundtrack was at times pretentious and other times just plain bad, it was rather anoying in fact. I couldnt find any originality in the story, I havent seen the series, perhaps it does give the story some weight as some say. And the characters where so standardised, uninteresting. nothing in this movie stuck on me, Im sure I will forget all about it pretty quickly. It was a bit of a relief when it ended... Average 3.5(10)
A great movie since the series
TimothyMcKann7 October 2005
When I first heard about this movie in a magazine, it was the most popular motion picture since the series. I wanted to get this for my collection, and I did. My father bought me the collector's edition for Christmas and I enjoyed it.I know that this movie does not follow the series, and the storyline is different but is not the same as the series. It was cool to see some of the characters from the show, and of course the Guymelef Escaflowne. I know it's a shame we never get to see Allen's Guymelef Sherazade in the movie, and of course the flying ship, the Crusade. Another thing, I liked about this movie is the music. I do like the Escaflowne theme, and some of the new music that was never used in the series. The movie also have the same voice cast that did the series and I do believe they did a good job. So in closing to this review,if you like the series,then you got to see this movie. You'll see what I mean,and it's the best.
Pretty darn predictable
TucsonVegan28 May 2002
This movie was overly romantic and dramatic. The drawing of the women was completely inappropriate and the story lacked so much. The review I read in the local rag made it sound like I shouldn't see it, but I guess I just wasn't listening to what was good advice. This was not worth the time and money spent on it.
Pretty good.
stitchman00117 October 2005
I liked this movie mainly because even if it was separate from the anime it kept with a theme and was unpredictable. The movie didn't need to be accurate to the anime. But I would have preferred it to be more gritty and dark and a hint of Gothic. The movie had similarities to Evangelion, but other than those this movie was a pretty good example of how stories, books and TV shows should be adapted to a 2 hour movie. And I'm glad they didn't edit the movie to try to make it more of a kiddie adaption. They even kept most of the violence in the TV show on FOX KIDS. Anyway this movie was quite a beautiful masterpiece of mecha action and romance mixed with angst and pain. This movie enhanced the image of Escaflowne to something more dark and violent.
eee... ska... flough... ne
p-stepien16 February 2009
I must admit I haven't seen the series, so I'll comment on this as a stand-alone production.
I understand that the characters are nicely developed in the anime series, but you shouldn't base a film on that assumption. The characters looked very interesting, but apart from Lord Van, Hitomi and to some extent Folken the characters are presented but not introduced. You have some gist of what they are about and a feeling that maybe if you watched the series you could connect between with the secondary characters.
Unfortunately the storyline itself is also rushed and the Hitomi/Volken/Van relationship has been totally blown and borders on being ridiculous. the emotions being thrown between these characters are unbelievable, even corny, and the jumpy script gives it no justice. Basically it felt like it wanted to be more intelligent than it actually was.
On the plus side is great animation and some very interesting scenes full of exquisite ideas.
I understand that the characters are nicely developed in the anime series, but you shouldn't base a film on that assumption. The characters looked very interesting, but apart from Lord Van, Hitomi and to some extent Folken the characters are presented but not introduced. You have some gist of what they are about and a feeling that maybe if you watched the series you could connect between with the secondary characters.
Unfortunately the storyline itself is also rushed and the Hitomi/Volken/Van relationship has been totally blown and borders on being ridiculous. the emotions being thrown between these characters are unbelievable, even corny, and the jumpy script gives it no justice. Basically it felt like it wanted to be more intelligent than it actually was.
On the plus side is great animation and some very interesting scenes full of exquisite ideas.
Just as "Akira" did with the gargantuan manga...
Nachtritter12 February 2002
..."Escaflowne: A Girl in Gaia" does the same with an equally long predecessor.
Before I begin, let me say I was a fan of the anime series and the mangas, but this movie has totally won me over - I was in awe when I saw it at the Fantasia Fest in Montreal.
To those who complain it is too different from the series - get real, how can you possibly hope to compress ten hours of a series in a hundred minutes of a movie??? And also, have you ever read the Escaflowne mangas? There were two series that I remember, and both were actually very different from each other, and I mean HUGELY different. So stop complaining, Escaflowne is not a single story, it is the essence, the spirit behind many stories, like different sides to a cube.
Now, on the way the movie is darker than the series, it is very true, but also, very justified. In the series, Fanelia was obliterated, but Van seemed hardly traumatized by it, he did not become the revengeful prince that he should have been portrayed as. Now, in the movie, he is - do you seriously think, if you were the ruler of a kingdom, if it was to be reduced to ashes before your very eyes, you wouldn't become filled with so much hate and be deeply depressed - as he feels like he is the last of his kind, much like a "Last of the Mohicans".
Technically, it is beautiful, this movie just screams ambiance. Where the series were very brilliantly colored, and therefore not visually symbolistic of the underlying apocalyptic theme (at least, until the last few episodes), in the movie, the overall feel in most visuals is one of sadness, pain, despair, darkness. Many barren and desolate landscapes go on to show just how much the world is suffering and in need of a savior. And the way Escaflowne merges with Van, even to the point of sharing blood, it makes it all very visceral, and has a much more 'samurai' kind of spirit behind it - because of its inherent link to blood and mortality - than the high-fantasy theme of the series.
The characters may seem scarred, but let's face it, the destruction of your homeland, the death of your loved ones, the fear of witnessing the annihilation of your world... ...in short, war; well, it is not a very happy subject and quite frankly, it scars people, it affects them. Under that light, I guess I can safely say that as depressing as it may be, the movie is much more realistic in its approach to the psychology of its characters than the happier-feeling series.
Musically, it couldn't have been better. The soundtrack is a Wagnerian opus of a score, really; the music alone makes it worthwhile to sit through the movie.
Bottom line is: If you're looking for the series, better watch the series; if you're looking for a different Escaflowne, darker, more mature, more realistic, and just great Anime, you owe it yourself to check this one out.
Before I begin, let me say I was a fan of the anime series and the mangas, but this movie has totally won me over - I was in awe when I saw it at the Fantasia Fest in Montreal.
To those who complain it is too different from the series - get real, how can you possibly hope to compress ten hours of a series in a hundred minutes of a movie??? And also, have you ever read the Escaflowne mangas? There were two series that I remember, and both were actually very different from each other, and I mean HUGELY different. So stop complaining, Escaflowne is not a single story, it is the essence, the spirit behind many stories, like different sides to a cube.
Now, on the way the movie is darker than the series, it is very true, but also, very justified. In the series, Fanelia was obliterated, but Van seemed hardly traumatized by it, he did not become the revengeful prince that he should have been portrayed as. Now, in the movie, he is - do you seriously think, if you were the ruler of a kingdom, if it was to be reduced to ashes before your very eyes, you wouldn't become filled with so much hate and be deeply depressed - as he feels like he is the last of his kind, much like a "Last of the Mohicans".
Technically, it is beautiful, this movie just screams ambiance. Where the series were very brilliantly colored, and therefore not visually symbolistic of the underlying apocalyptic theme (at least, until the last few episodes), in the movie, the overall feel in most visuals is one of sadness, pain, despair, darkness. Many barren and desolate landscapes go on to show just how much the world is suffering and in need of a savior. And the way Escaflowne merges with Van, even to the point of sharing blood, it makes it all very visceral, and has a much more 'samurai' kind of spirit behind it - because of its inherent link to blood and mortality - than the high-fantasy theme of the series.
The characters may seem scarred, but let's face it, the destruction of your homeland, the death of your loved ones, the fear of witnessing the annihilation of your world... ...in short, war; well, it is not a very happy subject and quite frankly, it scars people, it affects them. Under that light, I guess I can safely say that as depressing as it may be, the movie is much more realistic in its approach to the psychology of its characters than the happier-feeling series.
Musically, it couldn't have been better. The soundtrack is a Wagnerian opus of a score, really; the music alone makes it worthwhile to sit through the movie.
Bottom line is: If you're looking for the series, better watch the series; if you're looking for a different Escaflowne, darker, more mature, more realistic, and just great Anime, you owe it yourself to check this one out.
Don't bother
rartfart1 June 2006
This film embodies everything wrong with anime. Everything in the film has been copied from somewhere else, but has lost its context in the process, leaving a soulless, formulaic film. Having been adapted from a TV series, the story makes very little sense and is filled with superfluous characters. This isn't that big a problem, as you will have probably heard the plot a million times before, and every character fits into a tired anime stereotype. There's the angsty schoolgirl (who for some reason wears her uniform for the entirety of her stay in fantasyland), Mr. Long Hair Big Eyes Big Sword, Cat-Girl, etcetera. The dialogue is equally clichéd, as you would expect from such cookie cutter characters. More than that, the clichés are very poorly done, and make little sense. For example, the Hotheaded Hero is about to kill the Schoolgirl heroine (well he is waving his sword around and saying he will) when his boss orders him not to. Of course, being hot-headed he then attacks his boss and they proceed to fight. The worst thing about this film, however, is the voice acting. I realise that the kind of people who would like Escaflowne would be listening to the original Japanese anyway, but the dub was particularly bad. The animation and artistic direction, while technically proficient, is also riddled with lazy unoriginality. When some of the characters sprout angel wings, as they tend to do occasionally, the air is immediately filled with hundreds of feathers, perhaps symbolising something but more likely hollow eye candy. The wings must be moulting at an alarming rate. Anyway, if you have read this far you will have got the message; Escaflowne is an exercise in formulaic shallowness.
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