Escaflowne the Movie

[VF-18S Hornet]

Two week ago Adult Swim had advertised Escaflowne will be airing on the 10th of September, so I thought they were bringing the series onto Adultswim after it was unceramoniously taken off Fox saturday morning lineup a long time ago. Anyway when I saw it took a different take on the show, the characters were all there but the way it started from beginning to end was completely different it's like a retelling of the series, in turn Mr. Kawamorii pulled a DYRL with Escaflowne. All in all I liked it, when escaflowne appeared with Hitomi in it, It looked more organic than mechanical and the characters had opposite roles than the ones in the series. If anyone who was fortunate enogh to stay awake to see it what's your take on it, yay or nay?

[Dendrobius]

The opening sequence with Van opening a can of whoop-ass on the airship remains one of my favourite katana-fighting sequences of all time. Fast, brutal, no fancy stuff, just slicey and dicey goodness. Except for the way he arrived on the airship, it's one of the more "realistic" depictions of swordfighting I've seen on anime in a long time.

As for the story itself, it's dramatically different from the TV series, but enjoyable on its own. Just don't compare it to the TV series.

[JB0]

It's a totally diffrent rape of the characters than the Fox version.

Movie version was what the stars would be like with 70% more angst.

It's a decent show, just not my taste in entertainment.

Fox version of the TV show was just... ugh.

[Mr March]

I beleive I once said in jest that if Cronenberg directed Escaflowne, the current movie version is what you'd get. My opinion hasn't changed much

[Mislovrit]

Movie version would have been better if Hitomi would just stopped angsting and killed herself in the beginning.

[zeo-mare]

I have the DVD boxset of this, I liked the movie alot I have seen very little of the TV series and first became familiar with the franchise through the movie, so i really do not know the comparisons between the two. but for the movie itself i liked it alot I thought the escaflowne was awesome looking the battles were quite good to, the opening sword fight was quite excellent, the story and characters kept me interested through out as well. someday i may pic up the TV series but not until i save up some money and get some other things ot of the way first.

[Radd]

It reminded me of DYRL? as compared to the SDF Macross tv series. Except that the end totally blows. I actually liked it up to near the very end. It's as if the movie should have been another half an hour or an hour longer.

[LinxCrossq]

I really like the movie but the series is way better. I enjoy the movie more when if I try to forget about the series and see it as an different stroy.

[BoBe-Patt]

I remember seeing it before it came out at AX00. I must've saw it like 5 times when I was there. I haven't seen it since. So I totally forgot what happened. I would like to watch it again.

[joke-machine]

I sooo much more liked the series than the movie. The movie was altered considerably from the series, and felt very rushed, and pieced together.

Anime has shown us time and time again that you shouldn't cram the equivilent of 8 1/2 hours of anime footage into a 2 hour movie. It would be like saying that you could fit all of the Lord of the Ring trilogy in one movie. Sure it could be done, but you loose so much of the character development, the interactions, and all the deep layered storyline. It would feel cheap, and incomplete. And that was the biggest problem I feel with The Vision of Escaflowne. No real chance to really develop the characters, the love Quadrangle interaction between Hitomi, Van, Allen, and Merle, or even the bond between Van and Escaflowne.

Also, I didn't like the "new" direction the movie went, with a decidedly shift to grittier, angst ridden characters. It lost much of the original fantasy and love themes that the series featured prominently.

To top it all off, we don't get to see much of the best character in the whole series, Dilandau.

[JELEINEN]

I sooo much more liked the series than the movie.  The movie was altered considerably from the series, and felt very rushed, and pieced together.

Anime has shown us time and time again that you shouldn't cram the equivilent of 8 1/2 hours of anime footage into a 2 hour movie.  It would be like saying that you could fit all of the Lord of the Ring trilogy in one movie.  Sure it could be done, but you loose so much of the character development, the interactions, and all the deep layered storyline.  It would feel cheap, and incomplete.  And that was the biggest problem I feel with The Vision of Escaflowne.  No real chance to really develop the characters, the love Quadrangle interaction between Hitomi, Van, Allen, and Merle, or even the bond between Van and Escaflowne. 

Also, I didn't like the "new" direction the movie went, with a decidedly shift to grittier, angst ridden characters.  It lost much of the original fantasy and love themes that the series featured prominently. 

To top it all off,  we don't get to see much of the best character in the whole series, Dilandau.

     

328805[/snapback]

But that's just it; it wasn't an attempt to cram the TV series into a movie. It's a compltely different story just re-using the characters and sets from the TV series. As a stand alone work, it's pretty good. Flawed, definitely, but still good.

[Keith]

Love the series, Love the movie..but the series more

[Sumdumgai]

Everything was more or less fine with me, except as Radd said, it should have been another half an hour.

The final confontation scene was the most anticlimactic confrontation I've seen. The ending felt too rushed.

Damn I love the music from that movie though. Yoko Kanno and Hajime Mizoguchi rocks!

I'm glad I didn't watch the movie on TV. The TV series was horribly butchered. Like Bobe-patt I saw it at AX00. I sat in line for something like 5 hours at the front of the line for the first showing. Kazuki Akane came in and talked about the movie, telling us we were the first group to watch it, internationally (they hadn't even showed it in Japan yet).

I liked all the redesigned characters except Merle, because she looked too chunky, and she had funky hair. Van, Folken, Allen, and Dilandau's character designs were outstanding in my opinion. Way better than the TV series designs.

[Renato]

I have both the movie and the series on video, it is definitely a well-made film in terms of artwork and music, but it should have been a lot longer, since the characters are not nearly as fleshed out as they should have been, with everyone but Vahn and Hitomi just making cameos, pretty much. I love that they made it totally different to the series, I just don't like that they didn't have the story or the substance to back it up.

The ONE mecha fight is awesome, but there is no real climax and the movie just randomly ends at around the 80-minute point. DYRL definitely handled things a LOT better.

I know that there is physically no time to re-tell all the character's backgrounds in one movie, but it was the characters that drew me into the original show in the first place...

Anyway, my bottom line on it is -- "a must-see let-down". Watch it, but for the right reasons.

[eugimon]

I loved the movie.. it's definitely for fans only though... kind of like an elseworlds story... there's no fat to the story.. it's just lean and brutal... beautiful animation and I rather enjoyed the pacing. The only characters that really matter in the movie are van an hitomi.. the other characters do suffer and come off a little flat.. but that is to be expected with such a large cast of characters, imo.

check it out with an open mind and I don't think you'll be disapointed.. I definitely dig these type of movies better than the usual 2 hour long tc episode type movies.

[VF-18S Hornet]

It reminded me of DYRL? as compared to the SDF Macross tv series. Except that the end totally blows. I actually liked it up to near the very end. It's as if the movie should have been another half an hour or an hour longer.

328778[/snapback]

That how I felt when I first saw it. I got the subtitled version of Escaflowne TV Series except Vol. One on video from a from a friend of my sister's who is now stationed in Hawaii (lucky guy) and when I saw the movie I was like "whoa this not how the series starts out, this must be a movie version. Kawamorii pulled a DYRL on us. But it was a good movie , that sword fight scene was awsome.

[VF-18S Hornet]

I remember seeing it before it came out at AX00. I must've saw it like 5 times when I was there. I haven't seen it since. So I totally forgot what happened. I would like to watch it again.

328802[/snapback]

It's out on DVD in stores and your local comic shop I remember seeing last Wedsenday when i went to pickup a copy of Goldigger and X-men. YES I still colllect comic books at my age.

Edited September 17, 2005 by VF-18S Hornet

[kajnrig]

Here's resurrecting a decade-old thread for some news.

Courtesy of Gundam Eclipse member Kiske:

If you didn't see, Escaflowne TV series and OVA/Movie are getting a NA Bluray release complete with a entirely new Dub and Subtitles to accompany the Director's Cut. This was brought foruth by a Kickstarter project which reached its goal of US$100,000 just 3 days after launching.

Funimation's official YouTube channel began streaming two trailers on Saturday for its new English dub of the The Vision of Escaflowne television series and film. Funimation will release a Blu-ray Disc collector's edition that will include both the television series and the film, and also release the film and both halves of the television anime on separate Blu-ray Disc/DVD combo packs. All releases are slated for October 18.

-ANN

Anyone else hoping for a new tooling from anyone of any mecha from this show? I've been eyeing those old Kotobukiya resin kits for ages now and might finally bite in time for this.

[VF-Zer0S]

I'm hoping sentinel picks up this show and makes the Escaflowne. I'd love to see their take on this dragon mech

Edited September 6, 2016 by VF-Zer0S

[505thAirborne]

Man I haven't seen Escaflowne in a long time, great Anime!

The movie looks outstanding, instant purchase for me!!

[Big s]

I'm wondering on what's new in the directors cut. I'm a bit used to the old voices due to watching it on fox and then picking up the dvd of the series and movie. Hopefully the new voices are alright. Anyway last year Hlj had a sale on the giymelef alseides resin kit from kotobukiya, so I picked it up for $30. I haven't put it together yet. It has parts that are smaller than I thought, but comes with abs joints although you have to drill holes to attach joints

[SkullLeaderVF-X]

I liked the movie, but the series more. I did happen to pick up the dvd limited edition book set when it first came out. I just remembered that. I'm gonna go watch the series again. That and Nadia.

[technoblue]

For those wondering what this is about, here's the Kickstarter that Funimation launched earlier this year. IIRC, it was successfully funded in less than 4 days.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/funimationprod/the-vision-of-escaflowne-a-new-hd-dub-for-the-clas/description

[Sandman]

Was it really necessary to have a kickstarter for escaflowne? From what i remember it was a pretty popular series.

[Big s]

I think it was popular in the 90's but newer viewers probably have not seen it. Most younger anime fans don't apear to be familiar with non gundam mecha anime. My daughter loves a lot of older stuff that I show her, but her friends have no clue when it comes to these shows. They mostly like high school comedies, or sports anime with a few liking things like One Punch Man or stuff like Tokyo Ghoul.

Any way I hope funimation can do a decent voice over. I haven't heard them do a good dub of a serious anime in a while.

[David Hingtgen]

A good transforming Escaflowne is still like the chogokin holy grail.

[technoblue]

Was it really necessary to have a kickstarter for escaflowne? From what i remember it was a pretty popular series.

It might not have been necessary because of the show's popularity, but it also wasn't getting done. The Japanese HD box set didn't include any alternate language sub/dub from what I understand. It's a shame too, because it was a nice box set.

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/BCXA-424

As long as Funi does right by this, western audiences should get a good HD box set too, but with the sub/dub tracks included.

A good transforming Escaflowne is still like the chogokin holy grail.

I would be stoked to see a nice modern, transformable Guymelef design.

Edited September 6, 2016 by technoblue

[kajnrig]

I'm honestly surprised (in a good way) that so much of us are as hyped as we are. I'd have thought my post would go with nary a response.

In response to Sandman, it might have been popular in the west, but I'm pretty sure it just came and went in Japan. The movie itself only happened due to Western demand; the creators and main audience were well and ready to move on to The Next Anime.

[Big s]

It is still one of my favorites. I loved the show and film. I hope one day we've some more products out of this.

[valhary]

a new version of the guymelef escaflowne would be nice

do not misunderstand me in its moment I love my yamato but a lot of engineering has advanced since then so we need a v2

are you listening arcadia

[Big s]

I like the idea of a transforming toy, but I've never seen one that looked very good. It may be due to a lot of anime magic in the series and film.

[kajnrig]

I like the idea of a transforming toy, but I've never seen one that looked very good. It may be due to a lot of anime magic in the series and film.

This. I think a fixed-mode 2-set would make for a better display piece anyway.

The major feat (and what would be an engineering marvel) is a working cape-to-wings mechanic, or a sword with working extendo-blade.

[Phobos]

Excellent! This is a definite must have for me. Hopefully they do the transfer justice.

[Nekko Basara]

Escaflowne was the first anime series my wife (to be) and I got into together, back in the days when you had to buy it a few episodes at a time on DVD. I still have a real soft spot for the show, even though the pacing goes all to hell towards the end (I gather that it was initially planned to be much longer). The movie is jarringly different, but so damn pretty. And, oh, such soundtracks!

I would love to see Arcadia take another pass at the Escaflowne Guymelef. The Yamato version was an ambitious attempt, but it's such a floppy and nerve-wracking mess to transform that I ended up buying two and just leaving one in each mode (its low aftermarket price is further evidence of its flaws). I think that only magic could create a perfect cape-to-wings transformation, though.

[areaseven]

I still have my Bandai Entertainment boxed set, which was autographed by Tomokazu Seki at Anime Expo '04.

And while many wish for a proper Escaflowne toy, I want Bandai to make a new model kit as an apology for this travesty.