The year was 1996 and with the success of « Evangelion » and Gundam’s 90’s peak, this series had the right credentials to be a success both in Japan and in the USA. While it didn’t reach the legendary status of the aforementioned shows, it did gain a special place in many hearts.
Now, « Escaflowne » is by no means a bad product, however to see it often compared to the likes of its contemporaries leaves me quite perplexed.
First, a quick rundown of the plot.
Hitomi, a schoolgirl with a passion for running and a talent for reading tarots, gets transported into another world, or better, to another planet, Gaea. Her newfound psychic powers quickly become a key part in the conflicts ongoing in this world.
But this is also a shojo, after all, and, as such, our heroine not only has to navigate war and political intrigues, but also the difficult passions of the heart.
It’s a premise with the potential to attract a quite large demographic: it borrows many elements from its predecessors anc clichés, after all, can be quite reassuring and cozy.
Let’s start with what’s good about it.
From a visual standpoint, it’s absolutely stunning. Some people might be (reasonably) put off by the dated artstyle – and, admittedly, those long noses are quite a weird sight – but the fluid, excellent animation, the memorable character designs and the stunning backgrounds might fascinate even the less accustomed viewers. The mecha design is especially detailed, with the titular Escaflowne being arguably one of the most unforgettable giant robots in the genre.
It’s also worth noting that, although many directors, storyboarders and writers worked on different episodes, the series never suffers from drastic tonal shifts, aside from the occasional, tiny change in character design, at least as far as art direction goes.
Another very strong point lies in its soundtrack, but that’s expected when you get someone as talented as legendary composer Yoko Kanno (from « Cowboy Bepop », « Ghost in the Shell : SAC » and many others, but you already knew that) involved.
A shame that, sometimes, the greatness of the soundtrack does not match what’s happening on screen.
Now, the sore points (contains light spoilers!).
Primarily, thematic ambiguity.
The story puts great emphasis on “destiny”, whatever that might mean, but never sets a clear view on it. Can destiny be changed or can we only go along with it? The series swings between “yes” and “no” pretty often and, by the end of the story, we’re left with no clear answer.
Actually, the trend of not giving clear answers seems pretty constant all throughout. Several plot points are raised (Atlantis and its people, Allen’s sister and father whereabouts, Hitomi’s grandma…), but are always given very superficial, brief and unsatisfying answers. Instead, the series focuses on a plot that, at a certain point, stops being about war intrigue and starts resembling a soap opera, featuring not just a love triangle, but – hear that! – a love pentagon, illegitimate children and lost sibilings.
Secondly, Hitomi herself.
Our main character reaches Gaea as a wide-eyed, naïve and confused high school girl. During the first part of the series, following her is quite fun: the discovery of a rich, intriguing new world is enlivened by her lighthearted bickering with her two new companions, prince Van and Merle.
Her instantly falling in love with a guy that resembles her senpai back on Earth is worth an eye roll, but we’ve seen romances set up in worse ways (looking at you, Tomino).
However, one deus ex machina after the other, the viewer starts realizing that Hitomi doesn’t change with the events around her, that she doesn’t learn nothing from them. If anything, she starts rejecting them.
But hers is not Amuro’s terrified rejection during the One Year War, nor Shinji’s desperate call for help in Evangelion. Mostly because she doesn’t actually fight and just implores other people not to, spouting generic “war is wrong”, “I don’t want to see people hurt” nonsense.
The story acts as if her action are vital to the world around her, while she’s nothing but a passive, reactionary bystander. Even her own powers don’t seem to activate of her own volition, but only when the plot requires them to.
All of this leads to an ending which I won’t spoil, but I can only describe as “extremely unsatisfying”.
Overall, the best moments of the story are when it focuses on other characters, particularly Van, the brave prince that wants nothing but the best for his people and whose relationship with his family should have been simply developed more.
Now, I must note that the series was initially intended to have 39 episodes, later cut to 26 due to the lower budget. While this explains the rushed plotlines, the problem might have been solved by simply cutting down on the more soap opera-like elements of the romance.
In conclusion, “Escaflowne” is a series with plenty of visual charm and an intriguing premise that crumbles down by focusing too much on romance clichés instead of the actual story. The great worldbuilding of the first episodes builds up to a disappointing amount of unanswered questions and zero payoff.
A shame, but the series is still worth a watch, mostly because of its relevance in the history of the community. It being often juxtaposed with the likes of "Evangelion" and "Cowboy Bepop" might create expectations within the viewer that probably won't be met, but if you go into it simply looking for a fun time, you will not be disappointed.
