"Escaflowne" review: A fusion of epic fantasy and deep human drama

The Vision of Escaflowne - The Depth and Appeal of the TV Anime Series

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

April 2, 1996 - September 24, 1996

■Broadcasting station

TV Tokyo

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 26

■Original Story

・Original work: Shoji Kawamori

■ Director

Kazuki Akane

■Works

©Sunrise

■ Story

Hitomi Kanzaki, a first-year high school student, was an ordinary girl whose hobby was fortune-telling. But one day, she had a strange hallucination, and her fate changed drastically. The next day, in the schoolyard as dusk approached, Hitomi confessed her love to a senior student she admired. Then suddenly, a boy named Bang with a sword and a giant dragon appeared! They were exactly the inhabitants of the other world she had hallucinated.
Van was struggling against the dragon's attacks, but with Hitomi's help he was able to defeat it. However, in the next moment, a new pillar of light appeared and Hitomi and Van were transported to the other world, Gaia! The other world, Gaia... was a different dimension where the Earth floated in the sky and beastmen and dragons lived alongside humans.

■Cast

・Hitomi Kanzaki/Maaya Sakamoto/Van Farnell/Tomokazu Seki/Allen Chezar/Shinichiro Miki/Dylandou Albatau/Minami Takayama/Falken Farnell/Jouji Nakata/Meruru/Ikue Otani/Milana Aston/Masayumi Iizuka/Dryden Fassa/Jurota Kosugi/Dornkirk/Masato Yamauchi

■ Main staff

・Original work by Shoji Kawamori ・Director by Kazuki Akane ・Supervisor by Shoji Kawamori ・Series composition by Shoji Kawamori ・Character design by Nobuteru Yuki ・Mecha design by Kimitoshi Yamane ・Music by Yoko Kanno and Hajime Mizoguchi

■ Main Characters

・Kanzaki Hitomi / Age: 15. A high school girl attending Kamakura Kita High School. She has a bright, cheerful and dreamy personality, and is good at fortune telling, such as tarot and dowsing using a pendant that was a keepsake from her grandmother. She is a member of the track and field club, and has a crush on Amano, a senior who is also a member of the track and field club. She gets caught up in a battle between a suddenly appearing earth dragon and Van, and is transported to another world, the planet Gaia.
・Van Farnell / Age: Approximately 15 years old. The young king of the Kingdom of Farneria, a small country on the planet Gaia. He controls Escaflowne. He is of Dragon God blood and has white wings on his back, which he usually hides. He is silent and doesn't show his emotions much, but he never shows his back to his enemies and can also get carried away with passion. He is transported to Earth during the Earth Dragon Hunt, a ritual for succession to the throne, and encounters Hitomi.
Allen Shezarl / Age: Approximately 21 years old. A knight of the Kingdom of Astoria on the planet Gaia, and the captain of the frontier garrison. Holds the title of "Knight of the Sky", given to the 12 strongest. Controls Gaimeref and Scheherazade. He has a strong sense of justice, values ​​courtesy, and is full of consideration for others, and is highly trusted by his subordinates.
Dylandou Albatau / Age: Approximately 15 years old. An elite of the Zaibach Empire's military on Planet Gaia, he is the commander of the Dragon Strikers, a special task force under General Adelphos. By imperial command of Emperor Dornkirk, he is tasked with capturing and eliminating Escaflowne under the command of military strategist Volken. A beautiful boy with a cruel impression, he has an obsessive and sadistic personality.
・Falken Farnel / Age: Approximately 25 years old. A strategist in the Zaibach Empire Army, and the older brother of Van. His right arm is a prosthetic. He has black wings on his back. He is calm, inquisitive, and a strategist. He has a genius mind, and was the inventor of Gaimeref's stealth cloak. Ten years ago, he disappeared after attending a dragon slaying ceremony to inherit the throne, but he was actually saved by Dornkirk, and became a strategist in sympathy with his philosophy.
Meruru / Age: Approximately 13 years old. A cat girl from Irini Village in the Kingdom of Faneria. She is Van's maid and is deeply devoted and in love with him. She was saved by Vargas when she was young and was summoned to the royal palace. She feels an intense rivalry towards Hitomi, who suddenly appears. She has a bright and straightforward personality.
・Milana Aston / Age: Approximately 15 years old. The third princess of the Kingdom of Astoria. A strong-willed princess with both beauty and intelligence. Despite being the daughter of royalty, she has set her own goals, such as studying medicine, and spares no effort in achieving them. She has a sincere love for Allen, and when Allen leaves Astoria, she gives up her status as princess to follow him and join Hitomi and the others on their adventures.
Dryden Fassa / Age: Approximately 21 years old. The wise son of Maiden, a wealthy merchant in the Kingdom of Astoria, and Mirana's fiancé. A merchant who has traveled the world, he has a bold, open-minded personality and is full of curiosity. He has a strong sense of justice, and based on his many years of experience traveling around the world, he has vast knowledge that rivals that of a scholar, as well as the generosity and passion to act for the sake of others. During a journey leading a merchant fleet, he encounters Cruzed, who is carrying a seriously injured Van.
Dornkirk / Age: Approximately 200 years old. Emperor of the Zaibach Empire. An old alchemist who aims to revive the power of Atlantis and create an absolute luck zone. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goal and targets Escaflowne. He keeps his aged body connected to a giant life support machine and continues to search for the truth. His true identity is Isaac, a genius scholar born on Earth in the 17th century.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: "Fateful Confession"
Episode 2: "The Girl of the Phantom Moon"
・Episode 3: "The Magnificent Swordsman"
Episode 4: "The Devilish Boy"
・Episode 5: "Brothers' Mark"
Episode 6: "City of Schemes"
Episode 7: "Unexpected Farewell"
Episode 8: "The Day the Angels Dance"
Episode 9: "Memory of the Feather"
Episode 10: "The Blue-Eyed Prince"
Episode 11: "Death Prophecy"
・Episode 12/"Secret Door"
・Episode 13/"Red Destiny"
Episode 14: "Dangerous Scars"
・Episode 15/"Lost Paradise"
・Episode 16/"The Guided One"
・Episode 17/"The End of the World"
Episode 18: "The Gravity of Fate"
Episode 19: "The Golden Rule of Love"
Episode 20: "False Promise"
Episode 21: "The Reaction of Good Fortune"
Episode 22: "Angel with Black Wings"
Episode 23: "Premonition of a Storm"
Episode 24: "The Choice of Fate"
・Episode 25/"The Absolute Lucky Zone"
・Episode 26/"Eternal Feelings"

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
・"No promises needed"
Lyrics: Yuho Iwasato; Composition: Yoko Kanno; Arrangement: Yoko Kanno; Singer: Maaya Sakamoto; Ending theme:
・"MYSTIC EYES"
Lyrics: Hiroki Wada Composition: Hiroki Wada Arrangement: Hiroki Wada, Akimitsu Homma Vocals: Hiroki Wada

The Vision of Escaflowne - Exploring the Depths and Charms

"Escaflowne" was an original anime series based on the original work by Shoji Kawamori, and was broadcast on TV Tokyo in 1996 with a total of 26 episodes, directed by Kazuki Akane. The series captivated many viewers with its unique worldview that combines fantasy, romance, and mechanical action. Below, we will explore the depth and appeal of this series from various angles and provide more detailed information.

Background and theme of the story

"Escaflowne" tells the story of an ordinary high school student named Kanzaki Hitomi who is transported to another world, Gaia, where she meets a boy named Van and embarks on an adventure together. The story explores universal themes of destiny, free will, and the conflicts in the human heart. Hitomi has the ability to foresee the future through fortune-telling, but the question of how this power will change her own destiny is raised throughout the work. Through characters such as Van and Folken, issues of family and brotherly love, as well as power and responsibility, are also explored in depth.

Character Appeal

The main character, Hitomi Kanzaki, is a high school girl with a bright, cheerful, and dreamy personality. Her growth and change resonate with the audience. Van is a quiet type who does not show his emotions, but he also has a passionate side, and this contrast is what makes him attractive. Allen is a knight who values ​​justice and courtesy, while Dilando is a cruel and sadistic beautiful boy. Volken is a calm and inquisitive military strategist, and his role as Van's older brother adds depth to the story. Meruru is a cat girl who is devoted to Van, and her rivalry with Hitomi is also a highlight. Mirana is a talented and strong-willed princess, and her single-minded feelings for Allen drive her to act. Dryden is a bold, curious merchant, and a character with great knowledge and passion. Dornkirk is an old alchemist and an emperor with an ambition to create an absolute good fortune zone. The drama that these characters create has the power to draw viewers in.

Mechanics and battle scenes

In "Escaflowne", the mechanic design plays an important role. In particular, the giant robot Escaflowne is the central character of the story, and its design and movement provide visual appeal. In addition, other mechanics such as Gaimeref and Scheherazade also function as elements that liven up the battle scenes. The battle scenes are not only about the movements of the mechanics, but also about depicting the emotions and growth of the characters, playing an important role both visually and narratively.

Music and theme song

The music was composed by Yoko Kanno and Hajime Mizoguchi, and is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. In particular, the opening theme "I Don't Need a Promise" is an exquisite match between Maaya Sakamoto's voice and Yoko Kanno's composition, making it a song that symbolizes the theme of the work. The ending theme "MYSTIC EYES" features Hiroki Wada's powerful voice and impressive arrangement by Hiroki Wada and Akihiko Homma, making it a fitting song to conclude the story. These pieces of music play a role in enhancing the viewer's emotions and adding depth to the story.

Visual appeal

"Escaflowne" features character design by Yuki Nobuteru and mechanic design by Yamane Kimitoshi. The character design highlights the individuality of each character and provides visual appeal. The mechanic design not only enhances the battle scenes, but also plays a role in enriching the worldview of the story. Additionally, the background art and colors are also important elements that enhance the atmosphere of the work, depicting the beauty and harshness of the other world Gaia.

Influence and Evaluation of the Work

"Escaflowne" was highly praised when it was first broadcast, and gained many fans. In particular, its new attempt at fusing fantasy with mechanical action had a major influence on subsequent anime works. The portrayal of character growth and human relationships was also highly praised, deeply moving viewers. Furthermore, the music and visual appeal were also highly praised, and the quality of the work as a whole was praised.

Recommendations and related works

For viewers who enjoyed "Escaflowne," we also recommend the following works:

• "Macross Series" - A work created by Shoji Kawamori that combines mechanical action with romance.
• "Evangelion" - A work that combines mechanical action with deep character psychology.
• "RahXephon" - A work that depicts an alternate world and mechanical action, with themes of character growth and human relationships.

Like "Escaflowne," these works are visually appealing and have deep narrative elements, and are sure to provide viewers with new and moving experiences.

Conclusion

"Escaflowne" is a work with a unique worldview that combines fantasy, mechanical action, and romance. The character growth and human relationships, visual appeal, and powerful music draw viewers in and deeply move them. The work has a universal theme that makes viewers think about fate, free will, and the conflicts in the human heart, and has captivated many fans. Please watch it and experience its charm for yourself.