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ANIME REVIEWS

Copyright © 1996, 1998 Sunrise * TX




—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 title—and indeed for all Anime Village titles to date—is 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 Gaea—a 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
Where to buy


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