or Why I can’t stop thinking about Escaflowne…
Vision of Escaflowne is a 26-episode anime series set in a world of high-fantasy, featuring complex character relationships, extraordinary magic, and giant steam-powered robots made to look like suits of plate armor. It was produced by Sunrise Studio, and originally ran in 1996 (unfortunately, it is often overlooked in anime fandom because it had the bad luck to come out the same year as Evangelion).
The central theme of the series is a direct extension of the golden rule: that we can choose how to view our world, and what you hold in your heart directly shapes not only your own fate, but those of everyone around you. You can hold onto fear and anger, jealousy and desire, and it will bring suffering and torment to your life, or you can choose to feel compassion, forgiveness, affection, and hope, and your world will be full of happiness and vitality.
That the series is characterized both by brutal, heart-wrenching tragedy and moments of light-hearted silliness is further proof of its artistic merit. Not to mention a bold ending that brings closure while leaving one with a sense of uncertainty and regret for missed opportunities, instead of taking the fix-all mega-happy Hollywood route. The characters come off as real people, with petty feelings, insecurities, vulnerabilities, courage, wisdom, and merit in equal measures. The relationships are complex, and all too human in the ways they’re dealt with, while avoiding becoming overly cliché.
The fight scenes are tense, dramatic, and very cleverly planned out. The mechanical design feels real despite it’s fantastical nature, with the robots (“guymelefs”) having suitable weight and gravitas to their presence that is altogether uncommon in anime. Magic is handled in a potent, yet subtle manner, more akin to the works of Tolkien or CS Lewis than Gygax (Dungeons & Dragons) or Garfield (Magic: the Gathering).
The animation is entirely unique; the combination of soft, fairy-tale like illustrations with smooth, natural feeling motion is beautiful to look at, yet feels appropriate to all the different moods the series takes on at different times. The music is a stunning work by Yoko Kanno featuring bellicose operatic themes, solemn Gregorian chant, beautiful romantic orchestral themes, tear-jerking melodies, various forms of folk music ranging from Japanese to Middle-Eastern to Eastern European, and a variety of more modern sound styles that are surprisingly well-integrated. Like Star Wars, or Gladiator, the wonderful music really drives the drama in this series.
While there have been adaptations to a number of other forms (two different interpretations in manga, one emphasizing the relationships and “girly” aspects, one the war-story and “boyish” elements, as well as a motion picture which is a radically different take on the major plotlines), the original anime series will always be my favorite work in this license.
I’m basically writing this to evangelize what is one of my all-time favorite works, but please feel free to add your own thoughts, or use this thread to tell us all about a series you love.