Customer Reviews

Escaflowne - Fate & Fortune (Vol. 6)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't normally write online reviews, but I felt strongly enough about this one to endorse it.

First of all, if you have not seen volumes 1-5, please do not sit down in the middle/end of the series and expect to know what is going on. As with Gundam Wing (another excellent anime), one must start at the beginning to avoid being totally lost. Plus, you will rob yourself of so much wonderful plot and animation.

This whole series has a very rich plotline, and I would even say it is a mature plotline. I watched the whole series in English and with subtitles (same time), and I think Escaflowne was originally intended for a slightly older viewer (i.e. 13+). There is mild swearing, and there are a few sexually suggestive scenes throughout, but everything is done tastefully. And, one actually cares about the characters. They become a part of you.

The animation flows beautifully, and it is done so well that sometimes I found myself forgetting that this is an anime. The dubbing was even pretty good, such that one is not distracted when the characters speak. They actually look like they're saying what they're supposed to say. The scenery is gorgeous, and if absolutely nothing else, this series is a feast for the eyes.

Finally, this particular DVD (Vol. 6) leaves the viewer in a very anxious place. .... Overall, the story alone is worthy of any novel. The animation is absolutely beautiful, and I will be so sad to see this series end. I recommend this to anyone who likes a little bit...ok, a lot of romance, unbelievable sword fighting scenes, magic, mystery, and the list could go on. It is relatively easy to follow in comparison to other animes, and you will not be any worse for watching it, I promise. The characters are not one-dimensional, and you begin caring about all of them, even the not-so-nice ones. This series shows that no one is purely evil (well, maybe Dilandou, but that's just my opinion)....

Yes, the PS2 is my primary DVD player, so I can't watch this right now. But there is good news. This summer, with the release of GT3 and the Sony PS2 DVD remote control, Sony will also be releasing updated DVD drivers that can be installed and will fix this and many other glitches.

Even with the fact that I can't watch this DVD, it still gets 5 stars for content, thanks to top-notch animation, gorgeous music, and a great great great story.

Episode 18: This episode has it's ups and downs. The first part is rather boring cause they just talk. Dorenkirk eplains to Hitomi, Van, and Allen, how he came to be in Gaia. The second part is much more interesting. Dorenkirk's people begin to tear Escaflowne appart, but they don't know that Van is somehow conected to Escaflowne. As they try to pull off the 'heart' of Escaflowne, it's as if they were trying to do the same as Van. Only Hitomi can help save him. In that scene, you can reall see the conectio between the two, even Allen sees it.

19: This episode will leave you at the edge of your seat the whole time! Folken and Dorenkirk alternate the future with a machine (forget what it's called) that affects the life of Hitomi and Allen. This will lead them to kiss and affect a dection Hitomi will make in the future. Yoko Kano's music really creates the atmosphire for this episode.

20: Hitomi does a Tarot card read for Millerna about the wedding. They tell her Drayden isn't the one for her, Allen is. Hitomi loves Allen and tries to switch cards so Millerna will have a happy marriage. Zaibouk comes, and because of what she did, she causes more trouble.
There's are some scene in here that's well worth seeing. When Eria and Naria are sword fighting. The animation is very smooth. What's really interesting is how one of them wins. After that, they show a scene of them when they were young, remember their past. This is the most beautiful part of the whole DVD. The mood is set by the music and espcially they be tan lighting affect.

Escaflowne is a wonderful anime. There's not many anime's that make you feel like your really there (as someone said before). This is the kind of anime that you really get into.

The great twist and character are worth every penny, the mystry and slight romance keeps you interested and begging for more, one can only hope that more to the series will come out and the saga could continue! Go Van! *.^

Van, Hitomi and Allen gets transported to the very heart of the Zaibok empire, and meet Dornkirk. Allen realizes that Dornkirk is "Issac" that his father met. Dornkirk locks them up in separate cages. The three escape with the aid of Escaflowne. Dornkirk realizes that Hitomi is a problem to the ideal future.
Dryden and Millerna get married, but the man for Millerna is really Allen (who Hitomi loves). Zaibok attacks and asks for Hitomi Kazaki, the girl from the mystic moon, or they'll destroy the city. Hitomi gives herself up at the end of the final espiode.

In this, the 6th volume of The Vision of Escaflowne, Millerna and Dryden reveal there engagment to the others after they return from Dornkirk's fortress. Fate takes a turn as Folken activates the Fate Alteratin Engine on his Vione and with the help of the leopard twin Eryia, they redirect all of Hitomi's feelings toward someone other than Van(oh, guess who! Allen! Isn't it obvious? There aren't any other guys around!)Now how will Gaea be protected from the machinations of Dornkirk and his slimy sorcerors?

So far, the Zaibach Empire has remained shadowed, led mysteriously and manifesting in the field as a military presence. Suddenly and energist triggers Escaflowne, Van, Hitomi, and Allen directly into the Zaibach center, in a confrontation with Dornkirk, who is the emperor on Gaea, and was called Isaac Newton on Earth. Dornkirk is fixated on understanding and controlling the forces of destiny - master not only the present, but the future as well. However, Hitomi helps Van harness his power over Escaflowne, and the Emperor of Zaibach discovers that she is his true enemy.

Driven by their fear, Dornkirk and Folken put together their own plan to drive a wedge between Hitomi and Escaflowne. Aiding their efforts is the complicated web of romance that is growing between all the main characters. Not only Hitomi, but Millerna as well, are conflicted about their own desires. Millerna acts impulsively and choses Dryden, triggering the series of events that foreshadow disaster. All of this feeds into Folken's plans, and the destiny engine is brought to bear.

Up to now, the romantic element in Escaflowne has provided a light backdrop to the deeply serious politic situation, but now politics, science and romance mix - and not very well. Destiny now takes its place as the major theme of the series, not only as fate, but as a weapon as well. This is the true menace of the powers of Atlantis, unleashed on a world before their time. How far can Dornkirk's engine reach? Can events on Gaea influence Earth?

One think you can never accuse this series of is oversimplification. The plot is built in layers, mixing the magical with hard science. In doing so, Escaflowne creates its own genre, with a far broader appeal than was originally anticipated. It has not received the wide acceptance in the US it received in Japan, mostly due to poor marketing. I continue to encourage viewers to consider this set as an excellent example of what commercial anime can be when the highest production standards are applied.

this movie is great from episodes 18-20
so if u don't wanna spoil ur fun don't read.
this movie is great and the cliff hangers unberable on episode 18 they discover dorn kirks identity and were he is from and van a hitomie look like they are getting closer and allen well.... and on 19 there is a false truth of love were hitomi is confuse and kisses some one and some one shows up i can't tell u so sweat it out ^_~ on 20
ohh hitomi messed up she made me so mad she should of told the truth and now every thing is a mess so go get it and see what i am saying cause it is worth every penny ^_^ bye bye.

Since I have already written many Escaflowne reviews, I will keep this one short.

This series is excellent.
It's for you people who like dragons and knights and Mecha.
Mecha?-You ask.. Well, if you thought dragons and knights couldn't mix with mecha, here's the proof that you were wrong.
It has a real enchanted whismical feeling.
I can never just watch one episode, I have to watch the whole thing or I feel like I am missing something.

Escaflowne is a great series. It's wonderfully animated, has an epic plot, well developed characters, and plenty of backstories. But this particular tape was pretty disappoiting. When they finally met Emperor Donkirk it was very anti-climatic. I suppose you should expect that from anime, though. And it seems like as the series progresses the romance gets more heavy-handed and physic power thing gets more ridiculous. I haven't even bothered watching any tapes after this one, but I hope it gets better again.