New Kawamori Series In The Works

[Final Vegeta]

I find Escaflowne the best mecha series for its outstanding mecha merits.

One of these is, for istance, the tactics. I don't mean tactics as a group of well co-ordinated soldiers, or the deploy of squadrons. These things fall in a military department I gladly couldn't care less. I mean tactics as the choices of attack, defense and counterattack. These choices don't need to be manifested to watchers ("He did that, now I'll do this"), like it was a Pokemon® match. They are simply there.

-When Alseides attack with flamethrower, Van draws back.

-When Alseides attack with Klima Claws (from mid-range), Van divert them with his sword.

-When Alseides attack with a sword, Van fight with his sword. These are the only chances Van has to hit the enemies.

-When Alseides use Stealth Mantle, Van has to find a way to defeat it.

And so on.

Every action has a different graphic countermeasure. Every move and countermove flows incessantly without they focus on it. Obviously, there can be other animes that do tactics better than Escaflowne, but I still have not found them. Escaflowne established an own awesome battle system.

Other than that, there are some aspects which constitute a good mecha series from the point of mecha. I think that Kawamori focus on one aspect over the others in each series.

In Macross TV the goal was creating many different type of realistic and somewhat new mechas: there are the variable humanoid mechas, the walking tanks, the non humanoid mechas, and the power armors. There are even numerous spaceships and a lot of non mecha units, like AI controlled fighters, AWACS units and so on.

In Macross 7 Kawamori focused on an alternative technology. Starting from an unusual premise sound equipments, somewhat self-parodistic, get a foothold, and for both armies they become now a key factor. This series explores also the way this technology affects people. It's the Murphy's first law of combat: "If it is stupid, and it works, then it wasn't stupid".

In Macross Plus, the goal was realism in technology. There are realistic jet manouvres, with some designs which seem like futuristic planes while in fact they are based on existing designs. Even an advanced feature like mind control system is presented in a feasible way, contrary to SRish mind control system.

In Escaflowne the focus was on the path of progressive skills. Van must learn not only how to fight well, but even how to countermove some particular weapon. In Escaflowne figures like Balgus and Allen give a sense of scale in how Van is become more skillful. At the same time, there is also the psychological aspect of being a warrior.

But talking about mecha is somewhat self-indulgent. I say Escaflowne it is the best series Kawamori has done because of quantity of inter-relations and chara-development, lack of filler scenes (not episodes, scenes) and abundance of plays of simmetry. Escaflowne wins for storytelling. And it has also a nice epic scope indeed, I found in Escaflowne the most beatiful death scenes.

Escaflowne is unique in anime because the leading character is in a mecha world but she doesn't ride a mecha; even in similar animes like Rayearth and Leda the protagonists, albeit female, always get a mecha. This is something only Kawamori can do, other authors stick the protagonist in the best mecha, whether he is actually a good pilot or not.

Escaflowne annoying, predictable? Well, every show I know has had someone talking good about it and someone talking bad about it. It is sorta good that are personal points of view so different, but usually they are too personal to be really meaningful.

Escaflowne weird? The Hell if Kawamori don't like to be weird In his works everything is feasible according to the premises, and there are a lot of actual technology undeniably feasible, but Kawamori like to show reality from a different point of view with an own sense of wonder. Even when his trust in technology was at his best, Kawamori never portrayed that technology alone could win.

Realistic Robot? Well, the ones in Escaflowne are mostly realistic even for our world. That's why Escaflowne isn't a proper fantasy but rather a steampunk. They simply aren't military mechas. The whole premise of totally eliminate guns is one way to resolve gun combat. Star Wars had espers diverting laser beams with light swords, Gundam had Minowsky particles reducing combat to sight range, Evangelion had psychic barriers against ranged attacks and Matrix had limbo style moves to evade bullets. I think that Americans have an hystorical warrior figure, the cowboy. I am not American, I don't think that guns are that cool. Deadly close combat is the most spectacular one, but it's not always justifyed; in Escaflowne it was. Final note: as Einstein said, "I don't know with what World War III will be fought (Valkyries?), but the fourth will be fought with clubs, and the fifth with Guymelefs"

I could rambling for hours talking about Escaflowne, about his meanings, about some little details that can't be learned on Compendium, about the bounds between Escaflowne and the other works of Kawamori, but I think that this would be too OT in this forum, and besides I am not English mothertongue so I don't know if I am intelligible enough.

I knew that not all like Escaflowne, but Kawamori's animes themselves give me the strength to go against consolidated critic systems. My favourite character is Basara (he teachs us that being a badass is not about killing people) Besides, this thing is sort of funny because Kawamori is retaliating: Shin Kudo is the Van Fanel of Macross

As for proto-Escaflowne, on www.mahq.net I saw that even VF-9 and VA-3 were intended to be in it (Kawamori has so much designs and so few animes). There is even an unseen mecha, small enough in size to be an obvious cannon fodder, which transforms in a YAK-36/F-104: maybe it was originally one of the lightweight VF after VF-4 Knowing Imagawa I think though that Air Chronicles would have been not only medieval, but even wuxia

About Kawamori's new anime, I have liked every work of Kawamori I have seen, for it had been done by Kawamori (ie, I dislike Macross II. Even the Escaflowne movie had only little Kawamori in it). I am a gifted, a blessed. So, everything Kawamori will do, I'll like. By the way, was it an Escaflowne sequel, and I would be glad of it, I think Kawamori will do it Macross way, that is Hitomi and Van won't be in it. This is the best thing to do, and Kawamori knows it and already did it.

[Abombz!!]

there is not better looking animation out there

*cough* Stand Alone Complex *cough*

Of course, SAC is so expensive to produce, they're only doing 22 episodes or so.

Bsu..... Stand Alone Complex is a pay per view series... you can't compare.

[Abombz!!]

Fair enough, Abombz!! I suppose you could argue that for a lot of animes, games, or anything really. I know sometimes I'm the minority because I like Megaman...

As for Starust Memory, I'll have to watch it again. I don't remember anything special about physics or any special animation quality... I just remember spectacular mecha battles. But then again, that was back in the days before DVD... I don't remember a heck of a lot from back them.

But getting back to Kawamori... for some reason (and I think it's possible, although maybe not likely) I still feel like Kawamori is working on a Gundam, possibly to go on after SEED's replacement. Don't ask me why, it's just a hunch. And you know what? I don't think it'd be a bad thing, although I really wish it was a new Macross TV series.

Oh! You are far from being in a minority as far as Megaman is concerned.... many many ppl like Megaman. It has a huge following of hard core fans and casual fans (due to EXE).

Well... there was nothing special about the physics.... just that it is the only Gundam to portray them correctly.

As for Kawamori working on Gundam.... many Gundam fans have been expecting a Kawamori written Gundam show... if its true, they will not be disapointed.

[Isamu Atreides 86]

As for Kawamori working on Gundam.... many Gundam fans have been expecting a Kawamori written Gundam show... if its true, they will not be disapointed.

if it is, i hope its UC, and not AU......

[Angel's Fury]

On the other side though why the heck isn´t he working full time on Macross Zero damnit !!??   , he´s forgotten about us 

I hate to say it, but Mr. Kawamori might have used Mac 0 as a template, or prototype for his new series.

I'm guessing he might use the F-22 Raptor as his reference for one of his new and improved high manuverable valk that's even better than the YF-19/VF-19A and the YF-21/VF-22.

[Angel's Fury]

It wouldn't surprise me at all if the new series was a sequel to Escafowne!

Graham

Ewww! ....Nooooo Sorry...But am I the only one who doesn't like Escaflowne?

Melissa

Nope. I'm with you and Abombz!!, Escaflowne was a peice of crap. Kawamori needs to stick to sci-fi mecha, not fantasy mecha.

Same here. Escaflowne didn't grab me, and what I saw of Arjuna turned me off (the environmental message, while laudable, was s subtle as a freakin' 2X4...).

Escaflowne isn't that good or bad to watch. It's not at all catchy. By the way, why should they make a sequel to that show? Hitomi back in her own world, Allen's kingdom is at peace, and Van becomes a wonderer, just like Heero in GW, so what's there to tell?

[bob joe mac]

Escaflowne bad Maybe the dub and the last 4 eps were god aweful but the rest was a excellent show. I mean why not like it just cause its a pretty boy anime well so is Fushigi Yuugi, X TV, Wolf's Rain and those are all excellent anime. The mecha were very well designed (even though there were very few) and the battles were superb. Yoko did one kick@$$ job too with the music. Sure it had some fruity plot twists like allens sis. But what anime does not have some fruity twist like that?

Anyways to get away from escaflowne I hope the kawamori makes a GOOD show oh yeah that would be nice unlike Arjuna man that sucked.

[Bob_Coffee]

A new kawamori gundam series would be ownage. and you know what series he should do,or atleast take part in help making happen, Gundam:Sentenel. id love to see a 52 ep series of this done(with some sort of light shed on some pre CCA stuff), with kawamori's interpretations of the sentenel mecha, Tomino directing, and the good stuff.

However even more than that id kill to see a new macross tv series from the mind of his hory froatingness.Why? cause theres so much more to the macross universe that needs to be explained.especally the period of 2013-2040, and beyond that of macross 7. i think if people were given this,it would rekindle the fire of macross, and new people would be brought into the fold. and yamato would get more excuses to steal money from our wallets. a post mac7 series would be nice,it would give yamato a chance to give us macross7 mecha but without dealing with the whole can of worms that is the bandai owning the mac7 licence. Conversely a pre 2040 show, would show us some of the more underated mecha in action such as our old friend the VF-4, the Macross m3 mecha such as the VF-9 cutlass and the VF-14.

All in all, his hory froatingness is wise,what ever he blesses us with,will hopefully be great in its own right.

[mikeszekely]

Fair enough, Abombz!!  I suppose you could argue that for a lot of animes, games, or anything really.  I know sometimes I'm the minority because I like Megaman...

As for Starust Memory, I'll have to watch it again.  I don't remember anything special about physics or any special animation quality... I just remember spectacular mecha battles.  But then again, that was back in the days before DVD... I don't remember a heck of a lot from back them.

But getting back to Kawamori... for some reason (and I think it's possible, although maybe not likely) I still feel like Kawamori is working on a Gundam, possibly to go on after SEED's replacement.  Don't ask me why, it's just a hunch.  And you know what?  I don't think it'd be a bad thing, although I really wish it was a new Macross TV series.

Oh! You are far from being in a minority as far as Megaman is concerned.... many many ppl like Megaman. It has a huge following of hard core fans and casual fans (due to EXE).

Well... there was nothing special about the physics.... just that it is the only Gundam to portray them correctly.

As for Kawamori working on Gundam.... many Gundam fans have been expecting a Kawamori written Gundam show... if its true, they will not be disapointed.

A few 8 year olds that think Megaman began with EXE, and then myself (who's been a fan since his original NES adventure). That's the entire fanbase for Megaman for western PA. Rationally, I know there's more out there, or Capcom wouldn't keep making them, but sometimes I really feel like I'm the only one here. Well, here's hoping X7 changes that...

Personally, I think Kawamori and Gundam are a destined match. I know if I did movies or something, and was offered a chance to work on the sequel to what inspired me, I'd jump on that chance. And since he did say he's in the early stages of a new series, it really could work out that he's doing a series to air after SEED's replacement. As a Macross fan, I'm hoping that he's working on a new Macross, but as a Gundam fan, I definately won't complain to have a new Gundam by Kawamori. I won't mind if it's AU, because an AU series from Kawamori would probably seem more like early UC Gundam than the later UC series do. But yeah, I'd kinda prefer a UC Gundam. Just not another One Year War side-story, and something that he can work in before F91 (pre-CCA, even). Don't get me wrong, F-91 was good, but it didn't really feel anymore like UC Gundam than Gundam X.

[Abombz!!]

A few 8 year olds that think Megaman began with EXE, and then myself (who's been a fan since his original NES adventure). That's the entire fanbase for Megaman for western PA. Rationally, I know there's more out there, or Capcom wouldn't keep making them, but sometimes I really feel like I'm the only one here. Well, here's hoping X7 changes that...

Oh! But your scope is so smalle!

Megaman is quite big in Japan. In the US is has quite a large following too, not counting other countries, I would count that as a very good number.