Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This movie does not stand alone well., October 4, 2004
I noticed an interesting trend in the negative reviews this Movie was getting. By and large, people who found this movie slow or boring did not watch the original series. Well folks...that explains it.
Unlike most Anime movie tie-ins, I.E. Cowboy Bebop or Blue Gender, the Escaflowne movie is really a re-imagination of its progenitor. While in the series the Escaflowne armor was a royal heirloom, in this it is the embodiment of destiny and a living being. And while Hitomi was painfully innocent and upbeat in the series, here she is dark, lonely and suicidal. Best of all, Van is equally dark and has lost the heroic stoicism for apathy and a-moralism. All these things are so different from the series its like watching Alice in Wonderland then playing American Magee's Alice (which, if you haven't seen or played, you should).
I will admit that when I first bought this DVD I too was disappointed. The action was neat and all but the story dealt too much with ethereal Fate and Destiny, thing I really could care less about. But then I watched the series, which brings in these subjects a little less jarringly and I found the whole idea much more edible. And, while I was initially disgusted with the characters of this DVD, namely Hitomi and the cat girl, when I understood the origins of these characters, I loved the change. The basic story you can get from the other reviews, I hate to give stuff away. But while the series focused on Van's travel and growth into a warrior, the Movie focuses on the dark prophecy to which he is chained.
But if you really want an endorsement from me, here it is. Escaflowne the Movie is an awesome experience for the initiate to the series. Escaflowne the Movie is a sub par experience for those who are bereft of the Series. But above all else, Escaflowne the Movie is worth watching for the absolutely amazing music, which really steals the show. If nothing else, then rent this DVD and stick in a system with surround sound. Then turn off the TV and crank the volume...you will not be disappointed.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Anime, August 3, 2005
I purchased the Escaflowne Movie (Ultimate Edition), three years ago. The first-edition packaging of this set included a relatively large, and sturdy 6 x 8 x 3 inch folding box. Stored in this box were three disks (two DVDs and one CD), and a miniature art booklet. The outside of the collectors box was a beauty to behold, as the artwork on the back and front sides were done in a glossy finish. Only 10,000 units of the first edition were ever made.
The upcoming second-edition release of this set, will include everything as the original release (except the collectors box). All three disks will be stored in a standard plastic casing.
As for the content of the disks, they are quite enjoyable. There are two DVDs, one containing the movie, and the other containing extras (music videos, cast interviews, etc.). The music CD contains a whopping 25 tracks, and includes some beautiful vocal performances from Maaya Sakamoto, and Shanti Snyder.
The Escaflowne Movie sets a much darker tone, and takes place in an alternate-universe to the TV series. For those who are new to Escaflowne, you will feel welcomed, as the movie is stand-alone from the rest of the series. All in all, the movie is an awesome experience, and I highly recommend it for anyone's anime collection.
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A stunning re-telling, May 11, 2002
By A Customer
The best advice to give anyone seeing this movie who is a die-hard fan of the series is to let the series go for an hour and 40 minutes. For those of you who are not familiar with the movie, it is not a sequel or a prequel. It is more of an alternate telling of the Escaflowne story. The story cannot possibly maintain all of the plot lines of the series (which is about 13 hours in total). However the themes remain the same: lonliness, friendship, honor, love, family, and redemption are all integral parts of both the movie and series. Some of the key characters had to be omitted for brevity's sake and it is my opinion that this was a wise decision. It stripped down the plot and concentrated on the development of Van and Hitomi's relationship (for details read the amazon.com editorial review). Now, I haven't seen the American DVD release but I do own the Japanese limited edition DVD. I also saw it both dubbed and subbed in the theater. The dub (both translation and voice acting) is a bit of a dissapointment. Although the voice acting is improved from the series dub it still pales in comparison to the Japanese cast and I just didn't feel that the intensity of the on screen situations was conveyed well. The animation is superb, some of the best I've ever seen in an animated feature film (that's all animation not just anime). To top it all off, Yoko Kanno does another breathtaking job with the score. So please, when watching this movie, sit back, relax, and enjoy one of the best films I've seen in recent years - and by all means watch it in Japanese!
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