T.A.O's: The Classics:

Review:

-Kazuki Akane's "The Vision Of Escaflowne" is a cinematic wonder to behold. It remembers a simpler time in animation, when characters were not slated as part of their backgrounds, but instead as born existents beneath it. Like most fairy tales, it relys on the melody of myth, though it is not one; never denying itself inherant realism. Above all odds it is like a towering love story. True and beautiful.

Few anime series come close to capturing gorgeous vistas and sheer cinematic worldly beauty better than Escaflowne. Utilizing every animation technique in the book, Director Kazuki Akane realizes a world and envisions it for us; without ever needing us to fill in the blanks for him. The execution of capturing such things is both shameless and glorious, and yet somehow never manages to show us enough.

In whole, the show itself is not so much about what is said, but indeed, what is not said. It tells the wonderful narrative of "Hitomi Kanzaki", a high school track star and diffident cutey. She is also the type who longs for her first kiss, and has a knack for reading fellow peers' fortunes via her "taro cards". Hitomi is also simple minded, though not unwise; you might say she carries the qualities for somebody housing a perhaps overtly cute school uniform.

This remains yet another otherworldly time-travel esque romp of sorts, customary in the anime realm's past few decades of Japanese animated differentia. It is seemingly cliché, but here it is widened and transformed into something special.

The audience first observes Hitomi as a seemingly content girl with unrequited feelings for her track team captain, a strapping young lad bearing a huge resemblence to a man she has yet to encounter during her otherwordly journey to the land of "Gaia".

A dignified sense of mystery and innocence exists during these scenes. They are foremost warm, dynamic and above all charming. With one gaze of "Yuki's" elegant character designs (Which recall subtle but distinct factors about the characters' facial features from the manga) we automatically can feel the characters' adolecent pain, their emotions of first love and dreams.

The timing of the human drama amidst these scenes, (Such as in episode 1 when Amano, Hitomi's track team captain speaks softly to Hitomi as she lies bedridden--though she is not sick; not yet anyway--I'm not spoiling anything!) are extremely effective, because they succeed in establishing the dramatic tone for the series. Which is above anything else, an incredible love story set to tense moments and situations. It is also amidst these moments that Akane succeeds in creating meaning without words, which is perhaps Escaflowne's greatest achievement.

While it would of course be a bit uncustomary to say that the show carries itself well enough to much avail without words or foundations, on the contrary, it is the show's storyline which has made it renowned; and has also sustained the test of time. Time of course is something which Akane displays apsolutely no trace of, as his masterpiece is one of multiple layers; existing without dimensions or limitations. Escaflowne is indeed one of our most timeless fantasy titles. And it shows.

I have always greatly admired the storyline of the series, and yet even still just slight standing next to it's wonderful emotion. How it succeeds in transporting us to unique worlds; yet it shows a great deal of respect for the worlds we have already visited. Making each vista and environment of the show unforgettable in every respect.

The same could be said about the characters in the series. We remember them because they don't wish to remember us (They are not alive, but human expressionism through animation can be a powerful weapon), rather than advocating blatant cartoonish antics to impress, the characters in Escaflowne are simply shown living their lives. They appear passive and distant, except to themselves and others surrounding them in their own worlds. Only upon their personal growth does the audience observe the wonder of cinematic expression. As a result, we grow even closer to them.

The very first instant we catch a glipse of the two characters we'll come to know well for the next 26 episodes together on screen, "Van Fanel" and "Hitomi Kanzaki", the meeting is blatant and furious and even somehow implied (Do these characters realy exchange feelings and glances for the first time? The audience is hardly given time to breath amidst the action).

This same first instance toward the middle of episode one follows young warrior prince "Van", decended from the heavens of Gaia (A land in turmoil--surprised?) amid a fight with a land dragon (A nasty little creature with huge lungs which spews and avalanche of flames at Van--this is a truly exhilarating sequence, and not the last).

Luckily, Van defeats the dragon claiming a luminating prize, a dragon's heart none other than a "drag energist", the foremost powering mechanism of towering monoliths of metal muscle called "guymelefs" (Don't ask, just watch the show and you'll understand). The most powerful one of these being that of "Escaflowne". An antediluvian mech-battle armor resembling that of a transforming dragon; hence the show's main title.

Now you're probably wondering where the other half of the title comes from. The show's main hero Hitomi is known by others in the story upon her arrival to the other world, for seeing visions of the future. Which would eventually aid Van in his quest to redeem the peace and conquest of his kingdom, "Fanelia".

The story of Escaflowne takes place in a world of immense size and beauty, where tirants rule and multiple kingdoms battle for conquest and survival. The worlds themselves resembling that of a permutation of medieval-century Europe and pseudo-post modern/ancient Japanse culture, are relatively original and timeless.

The same goes for the many, many characters (Human and non-human), whom are all gorgeously drawn, draped in tapestry-laden wonder and battle armor that would make even the cutest character appear to inflict a sense of malignity.

Often silence is utilized as an effective hearkening device, in order to convey emotion amid the backdrop of Kanno's majestic score; which deserves special recognition here for it's dead accurate conveyance of mood and feel. The music towers over the array of epic battle scenes, tenses the heat of the moment and sooths us during the love making (No, not that kind!--this show's for all ages).

But the true beauty of Escaflowne is simply found in one main character's ability to discover herself in which ever way possible. The plot of Escaflowne truly transcends itself past all inherant guises and boundaries, it remains incredibly honest in it's execution about a young girl who is transported to another world to stop a decaying war, and to fill in the voids left by lost dreams of the world's leaders and seemingly evil wights; who are first and foremost human beings.

Akane doesn't entrall us with cheap thrills or even unearned heroics of narrative, he utilizes genuine human emotion through his characters as a weapon of choice. He is patient, but follows all the rules he sets for his world and his characters. All forms of dialogue thrive, from the camaraderie of men in arms to the verbal montages of evil-doers aboard "Zaibach's" rein of terror; inflicting it's heart on Van and Hitomi, who must find it within themselves to triumph above all odds (There are several other crucial characters which I have declined to discuss for practical reasons. You'll just have to watch).

It is during this occurrence, when human emotion and drama is at it's peek, when Escaflowne starts to work it's true magic, and it never stops afterwards; making us beg for more. But it is indeed enough to satisfy even the coldest of critics, or the oldest of us all, who have not forgotten what it means to simply dream. That to which the series has transcended itself, becoming the influential modern example of epic dramatic fantasy; by which all others like it are compared.

Judging by this mere fact alone of production quality and continuity, "The Vision Of Escaflowne" is among the very best I've seen, but still just slight. In all my years watching it, I'm perhaps convinced that the show can be viewed and appreciated as a masterwork on many levels of film making. Perhaps even more profound and fantastic, should it be a 26-episode television show. Which asks us for it's precious time, but delivers to us a sense of wonder.

It will always remain one of my most personal favorites, and I believe I can say that most everyone I know who's seen it has liked it. Lastly, I think I will state that Escaflowne is simply one of those series that leaves a big smile on one's face. It is simply one of the very greatest I've ever seen to express words without ever using them.

Film fans let other fellow film fans know about movies to go see, and they watch and enjoy them. Animation fans inform fellow animation fans of great cinematic works, and praise their inherant glory and agree with one another. Any anime fan will tell you from one time or another, that another fellow otaku spoke of a little series called "The Vision Of Escaflowne", and of it's greatness.

Such embodiments of beauty on film prove that they were right.

~This Has Been Yet Another One Of "T.A.O.'s" New Reviews Of Classic Anime Titles.~