

Copyright © 1996, 1998 Sunrise * TX

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by Charles McCarter
THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE was a revolutionary anime television series. It
proved that indeed, a good story could be told well despite the financial
and time limitations of a television series. Immediately it became a fan
favorite, and soon fan subtitlers all over the United States were cranking
out their "own" versions of this epic show. So when Bandai decided to
release it domestically in North America under its fledgling Anime Village
label, the anticipation was palpable. Since some of the marketing and sales
tactics used by Anime Village were a little unorthodox, many people
wondered: "how did the finished product come out?"
First impressions aside, it is nicely done. The packaging, however, for
this titleand indeed for all Anime Village titles to dateis
substandard. The plastic clamshells used are very cheap, and the colors on
the color cover inserts are sometimes a little skewed and seem to be
low-quality color copies. But the product inside is still very satisfactory.
The story revolves around a young high school girl, Kanzaki Hitomi. She has
normal high school hopes and dreams. She has a best friend whom she tells
everything, and she has a crush on an older boy. So imagine how she must
feel as her life is turned upside down when a mysterious boy named Van and a
dragon materialize on the high school track. And as if that's not bad
enough, when the battle's over, Hitomi is transported back with Van to his
homeworld of Gaeaa world where you can see the Earth in the night sky!
Now, Hitomi has become involuntarily involved with Van's war to protect his
people. (For more information, see the article on Escaflowne in the
now-classic EX 1.2).
The first several episodes establish both the major characters and the
background for the main story. In addition to Hitomi and Van, there is
Merle, the jealous catgirl who likes Van, and the master Swordsman Vargas.
In the first volume, viewers will also meet the dashing Allen Schezar, head
of a neighboring kingdom, and see Van's powerful mecha Escaflowne engage in
combat against enemy forces. And viewers will also see who is behind those
enemy forces when they meet Dilendau and the enigmatic Folken.
Some of the biggest names in anime today worked on this project, and it
shows. Kawamori
Shouji provided the story, while Yuuki Nobuteru
did the character designs and Kanno Youko composed the music. The result is a show
that fans have not stopped talking about since its debut.
The Anime Village release is good quality. The colors are clear and bright,
with no bleed, and the sound remains at a consistent level and clarity. The
subtitles are readable and accurate, although sometimes the translations
seem a bit awkward. Fans may take issue with the spelling of certain names
and places and the like, but then that is nothing new.
In short, this title is sure to become a favorite with American fans. In
bringing THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE to the United States, Anime Village has
provided American anime fans with a title they have been longing for, and
they have also laid the cornerstone for a potentially very successful
release schedule of some of Bandai's best
titles. 
Released in North America by AnimeVillage
Volumes 1-9
English subtitled
98 mins (vols 1 and 2)
75 mins (vols 3-9)
$24.99 each
Box Set (vols 1-8)
$150.00
Available now
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