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Escaflowne - The Movie Actor: Kazuki Akane Number of Items: 1 Format: Animated, Color, Widescreen, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Studio: Bandai Entertainment Product Group: DVD Release Date: 2004-03-02 Buy from Amazon

Customer Reviews: Total numer of reviews: 152 Average rating: 4.0 "The Other Side of Escaflowne" I am sick and tired of hearing everyone complain about this movie. It's just one movie, the world will not end if you watch this. This is the OVA, or original video animation, in other words it's the original story for escaflowne or alternate story. This has nothing to do with the series but I suggest you watch the amazing series first before you watch this. Overall the animation and music is superb. Spoliers. Since emperorer Dornkirk is out of the question most of the elements that drove the series foward is out of the question. I think they made this movie thinking about what characters really feel. In the series Hitomei is cheerful most of the time and becomes more cheerful once the series ends. In this she is depressed and normal like any other teen that doesn't know their way. Yes it does in fact use alot of the characters less but we know what they are all like in show. although they changed greatly in the movie. Folken is much more darker and more powerful in this and he leads the Black Dragon Clan. Thankfully they stayed true to Dilandu making him spastic and blood thirsty as ever and he is himself not allens sister. You just have to see this for your self. But appriciate this people. All it is, is a different look on the series with more darker relaistic characters. This boxset is worth it, i love the soundtrack and special features. Content wise it contains strong violence, language and mature themes involving adults so it's really not for children. Just have an open mind. The only thing is that i don;t like is it's short and they could have done more but that is it. Escaflowne the movie is great. And the critic should be you the veiwer only not someone with anger issues and problems conprehanding diffrent styles of anime throuhgout a series. Lets see those people make anime themsleves. Escaflowne is forever a classic. "it fits along with adult manga" The movie is better then the series cause of the animation and the action violence makes it a PG-13 rating no wonder it's good enough to come on Adult Swim. This has 3 disc and english voices sounds are 5.1 digital. "Sweeping anime epic (Minor spoilers)" This movie was great. I loved every minute of it. Being a huge fan of the tv series, I was looking forward to seeing this movie and was not disappointed. The movie differs largely from the tv series in that it is darker, more brooding, and is, in my opinion, more realistic. The inner turmoil of the characters is explored more fully here, and the "cuteness" of the tv series is overplayed with the more gruesome reality of sorrow, war and hate. Folken's character probably changes the most, as he is completely evil and his only goal is to kill Van and control Escaflowne (whereas in the series he still cared for Van). And I have to admit that after seeing the series (in which I was always waiting for Dilandau to get his come-uppance), I enjoyed watching Dilandau get blasted by Folken a couple of times in the movie. I did notice some similarties and common themes when compared with the tv show. For example, the same voice actors are used, which I was very glad to see because it made the story flow better (at least for me). There are also some scenes that look exactly like the series, such as when Van sprouts wings and saves Hitomi from falling, and when the Escaflowne goes black, submerging Van into a spirit world where Hitomi has to travel in order to save him. The ending was similar too, although instead of Hitomi rising up into a beam of light to return to Earth, she sprouts imaginary wings and then just disappears from Van's sight. It was a nice ending to the movie and once again, left me wanting more. Escaflowne 2 anyone? "A Girl in Gaia fails in plot but makes up for it in action " I've seen the series "the vision Esacflowne" and have to ta' say I liked it much better when it was Edited on FOX KIDS because it focused more on Van Fanel, although the uncut version wasn't bad but it didn't appeal to me. That said, you do not have to see the series to watch "Escaflowne: The movie" [Girl in Gaia-- Japanese title]. The movie is more of a retelling of the series with better animation and slightly better drawings with dimension to them. The plot is fairly different from the series, Hitomi's slightly the same wimpy high-school girl, with the exception that she has a Death wish no longer wanting to be apart of the world, but cannot will herself to commit suicide. Depressed and down on her luck, Hitomi unconsciously transports herself to the world of "Gaia" (which is the correct spelling of the word, not Gaea) where she meets Van Fanel; a survivor of small kingdom attacked and is apart of a small group consisting of Allen, Melerina, and the rest of the characters in the series, only this time everyone except Van and Hitomi have very minor roles. Everyone believes that Hitomi is someone called "The Wing Goddess" sent to help them in their time of need but Hitomi knows nothing of this. Thus, she begins her quest to find her way home and help the people of Gaia out in any way she can despite the fact she knows so little about what's going on around her. For a movie over 60 minutes, it lacks a strong plot and depth. The story is sort of shallow compared to the almost non-consitent series plot and it moves rather slowly at times and then sometimes too quickly to even keep up with the events that are going on, there is no character development either. For instance they never explain why Hitomi Kanzaki quits the track race, why she (or Folken and Van for that matter) are depressed and want so badly to die in whatever type of danger come's their way, or who, for that matter, the Wing Goddess is, her origins, and purpouse she had in the destruction or salvation of Gaia. And Lastly, why'd Folken attack his so-called homeland (aside from the reason they pointed out) Fanelia and who this character Sora is. The creators must've decided that the one thing that would keep you watching this movie is heavy and uneccesary useage of blood in all the action scenes, and a violent Van Fanel, blood thirsty and war hungry. The only improvement on Hitomi's character is that she doesn't object to Van killing his brother Dune or Folken of the black dragon clan or killing for that matter, but she still does nothing to protect herself when danger is afoot. She just stands there excepting Van or the others to save her (they do, naturally; she is their so-called savior). The relationship between Van and Hitomi is not romantic, its platontic this time thankfully. The English dub has gotten much better retaining all the original voices, the Japanese dub is not bad at all either, the special features consists of trailers, subtitles and language slection, etc. All in all the movie isn't bad, its a lot of fun to watch action-wise but lacks in depth and a good plot. [a 3 out of 5] "Great Movie" This was my first step in to anime from japan. It was a great movie it has action love magic and about anythong that a fantasy lover could ask for. It starts with A king who has lost his kingdom and he is stoping a ship from stealing a machine called Escaflowne Whitch is truly the God of Destruction. He is broght together with the Winged Goddess and from the the story unfolds. It is a great bye and would recommend to someone who would like to start the anime experiance.