Vision of Escaflowne

There are a couple things that seem way to ‘well placed’ almost. For instance, is it just me or her carrying her bag with her into the other world was a smart move on the writers. It actually gives her a reason to be dressed up in her school uniform unlike every other show out there. Now there are some things in this show that remind me a lot of Inu-yasha. It’s the whole transportation thing. I really don’t like how they keep recapping the last episode. I feel they could have really gone without that. They do it in a way that reminds me of the opening to YuGiOh. I am happy about the very little fan service that is in this show. You rarely see anything that would be considered fan service except for the cat girl at some points.
The Artwork is interesting and very vintage, done pretty well for the time period that it was created as. The backgrounds feel almost oil based and rather pretty. Sadly, the stuff that is on the cell animation is lacking badly, and even when it’s supposed to be on the background or is seen close up, it’s again disappointing. The characters though are nicely designed. Some of the characters look like they are from other animes, such as the ‘wizard’ on the other side, Folken, looks like Vash and a side knight in Allan’s court, Getin I think his name is, looks a little like Wolfwood. It just makes me think of Clamp.
The voices in the English version are pretty good to me considering as well. Hitomi’s voice doesn’t make me cringe as bad as I would of thought, although, is it just me or does she sound a lot like Kagome from Inu-yasha? Sadly, the English and Japanese versions of the script differ a bit more then I would like sadly though they kept the just of what they were talking about. They had even cut out a lot some of the excess dialog. It’s bad when there is a little gap between when someone is supposed to say something and they are supposed to be interrupted. The Japanese seems a little better in that aspect.
The ending made me laugh so hard. It feels like it’s not supposed to be linked to this show. It’s also more up beat then the opening which doesn’t really make me get into the story.

This anime was the first anime I ever watched and it brought me into a whole new world. Even though I have watched many, many anime, this one is still my favorite. From the very beginning, Escaflowne captivates you and will keep you coming back for more. It has comedy mixed with fantasy and a good bit of romance. The stroy is great and the characters are amazing. I love this anime. If you have nto seen it, then you should definitely watch it as soon as possible.

Just after watching the enchanting opening sequence, I had a feeling that this was going to be one fabulous anime. I was right. To date, The Vision of Escaflowne is one of the best series I have ever experienced. That's right. It's more than just an audio-visual treat -- it's an experience.

The series starts with the introduction of Hitomi Kanzaki, the main character. We are given a peek at how her typical day in school goes, and how she relates to the people around her. But one evening, a strange young man and a dragon suddenly appear... literally turning everything upside down. Somehow, Hitomi gets teleported with the guy back to his home world of Gaea! The problem is, the guy turns out to be Van Fanel, soon-to-be-crowned king of a land called Fanelia... and evil forces are after Van because he possesses the most powerful weapon in Gaea -- Escaflowne. Hitomi finds herself knee-deep in a sticky situation, and after meeting some more people she becomes something of a resident psychic everyone consults for their next move.

Things develop at an exciting pace, and there's a good balance of just about every single element that makes an anime great -- fighting action (both mecha and non-mecha), romance, humor, magic... You won't let you feel the 26 episodes pass by because there is never a dull moment in The Vision of Escaflowne. Every episode is packed, yet despite everything that's happening, viewers won't get lost because the story is very clear. Character development is at a high level as well. There are no ornamental characters, everyone has a distinct personality and purpose in the story. The characters also exude a realistic feel: they are capable of being selfish, dishonest, and illogical... like actual people. Viewers will find it easy to identify with them.

Visually speaking, The Vision of Escaflowne will blow you away. From the character renditions to the magnificent mecha action, the art and animation are nothing short of superb. Some of the scenes are even enhanced with a bit of computer wizardry. The musical scoring and the songs are exquisite, effectively enhancing the mood swings of the plot. The Vision of Escaflowne was originally a 26-episode TV series in Japan, fortunately, it's now officially available on video and on DVD! Impactful and memorable, The Vision of Escaflowne is one of my all time favorite anime series.

For more: http://www.animetric.com/tuv/voe.html