EscaFlowne
US Theatrical Release from Bandai
Review
by : Troy Brownfield
Following the tradition of anime films that spin-out of television
series, EscaFlowne comes through as a thoughtful story punctuated
by moments of fantastic action. Stirring visuals are the order
of the day here, as incredible animation delivers a world
that offers the best mixture of science fiction and fantasy
elements. One plus is that you needn't be a fan of the series
to follow the plot; the film itself is done in a stand-alone
way, no doubt meaning to draw new fans to the beloved 26-episode
series (which is available in its entirety on 8 Bandai DVDs).
EscaFlowne
tracks the story of Hitmoi, a young girl who is worn by life
and entertaining thoughts of suicide. Events unfold that place
her on the world of Gaia, a fantastical kingdom from which
Earth and the moon as visible in the night sky. Hitmoi learns
that her presence on Gaia may signal her as the Wind Goddess,
a prophesized figure that may determine the fate of Gaia.
Crucial to this fate are young king Van, whose kingdom was
destroyed by the evil Black Dragon Clan, and the towering
titular entity EscaFlowne, a "dragon armor" of times past
that is to awaken for Van to use in the service of the Wind
Goddess. Got that?
Despite
the intricate set-up, the story is fairly easy to follow.
Fans of the series will no doubt have an easier time with
it, but that's the advantage of a tested property: old fans
will seek it out, and new fans might discover it. For the
casual observer, the real draw here should be the animation.
Stunning vistas, amazingly rendered air and groundcraft, and
the giant armors are just a few of the spectacular sights.
On early sword battle between Van and a group of Black Dragon
soliders really stands out, as sabers ring and blood flies
(this is perhaps the right time to note that the film is certainly
not for tiny children).
Honestly,
there are some drawbacks when somewhat reimagining a 26 episode
series into a 96 minute film. A lot of subtleties from the
series are lost, and many things are condensed, rushed or
changed. The suicide theme that we get in the beginning does
cast a deeper philosophical bent on things. In a way, this
style of anime film is the motion picture equivalent to a
DC Comics "Elseworlds" edition, wherein familiar characters
are taken in different directions.
Still,
this is a beautifully animated piece (direction by Nobuteru
Yuki), and if you enjoy this, then you'll definitely enjoy
discovering the series.
Troy
Brownfield is the Editor-in-Chief of Shotgun Reviews. Email
him at psikotyk@aol.com
|
