OK, I'm just going to tell you that this series is one of my two favorite anime series, the other being Slayers of course. This series is one of the best anime that's out there. The characters have deep personalities, the storyline is amazing, and the animation is beautiful. The music is also a major accomplishment. The music is wonderful, and if I ever get an mp3 gallery up, music from Escaflowne will be one of the first up. Well, now to the information about the series.
Name in English: Vision of Escaflowne
Name in Japanese: Tenkuu no Escaflowne
Main Characters (in order of appearance): Hitomi Kanzaki, Van Fanel, Merle, Dilandau, Allen Schezar, Folken Fanel, Princess Milerna of Astoria, Dr. Dornkirk, Dryden
Info About the Characters:
Hitomi
Kanzaki - Hitomi is an average girl from an average school in an
average part of Japan. Or so it seems. During track practice, she
sees an image of a young man, Van Fanel, and several other
mysterious visions. Later that night, Van appears before her, who
mysteriously came to Earth from another place. In the ensuing
fight with a dragon, Hitomi sees a vision of Van getting killed
by the dragon. She is able to save him by warning him just in
time. After the battle, she is warped back to Van's planet. A
mysterious world called Gaea, where the Earth and the moon are
seen together in sky. On Gaea, Hitomi is referred to sometimes as
the Girl from the Visionary Moon. That's what they call Earth.
While on Gaea, Hitomi develops a crush on Allen Schezar, a
gallant knight. Hitomi possesses advanced mental powers. She is
able to see the future, and predict a person's future, past, and
tell things about him or her using Tarot Cards. She gets visions
of the future from time to time, which come true. She can also
see the invisible. She's the heroine of the story.
Van
Fanel - Van is the king of a small country called Fanelia, on the
world of Gaea. He's to be the future king at any rate. He's also
only about 17 or 18. After he slays the dragon, and accidentally
brings Hitomi back with him, he is to be crowned the new king.
However, during the coronation ceremony, an enemy attacks, huge
mechanical weapons called Guymelefs, or Melefs, (they're like
Gears, if any of you have played Xenogears) which are piloted by
a person inside them. Every country has them, but this enemy,
from the Zaibach Empire, has the ability to use cloaking capes
and become inivsible. Van brings forth Fanelia's most powerful
melef, Escaflowne, a mystical melef with great power. Van
attempts to save his country, but to no avail. He watches his
country burn and many of his friends die, he fights, and is
surrounded by the Zaibach forces. He and Hitomi, who's riding the
melef and telling him where the invisible melefs are,
accidentally taps into a hidden power and they are transported
away in a column of bright blue light. And so the adventure
begins.
Merle
- Van's childhood friend, Merle is half cat, half human. She is
much like a young teenage girl, full of energy. She tends to be
mischevious around anyone she perceives as a threat to getting
her man, Van. She has a serious crush on him. Merle is jealous of
Hitomi it seems, especially later on in the series. She thinks
she's weird, and finds her psycic powers creepy. But the two seem
to form a kind of friendship through the series, even though its
one of those on and off deals. Merle's total loyalty lies with
Van, and she'll do anything for him.
Dilandau
- Dilandau is the commander of the Zaibach force that invades
Fanelia and burns it to the ground. While he isn't the leader of
Zaibach, or the second in command of it, he is probably the most
evil chracter in the entire series. As the story develops,
Dilandau becomes more and more insane, and corrupted with
vengeance. He's incredibly vain, and when Van cuts his face,
Dilandau nearly goes screaming off the deep end. He makes several
attempts to kill Van, all of which Hitomi foils. He's also the
one to find out for Zaibach that Hitomi is from the Visionary
Moon, and starts Zaibach's efforts to capture her. Later on, he
sees many of his comrades fall in battle, and that sends him into
the abyss of insanity. He is definately one of the most dangerous
characters, for he feels no remorse for what he does, and
considers everyone who isn't a member of the Zaibach Empire as
inferior.
Allen
Schezar - A Sky Knight of the Astorian Empire, he is considered
to be the perfect example of a knight in shining armor. He is
chivalrous, polite, and has a honeyed tongue. He's also handsome,
which can be seen from the fact that three girls all have the
hots for him. Well, one did, but she's dead now. The other two
are Princess Millerna of Astoria and Hitomi. He is also a
talented swordsman, and an incredible guymelef. There is almost
nothing this guy can't do. Well, almost nothing. He can't really
stay with one girl. Oh well. There's a large surprise which comes
from this later on in the series, but I won't spoil it for you.
Allen regards honor and justice above all else, and even will
eventually betray his country to help stop the Zaibach Empire.
Princess
Millerna - Millerna is the youngest princess of Astoria. Her
older sister, Millana, died some time ago. Her second oldest
sister takes after the King of Astoria, in being totally
entrenched in royal tradition. Millerna is extremely independent,
and has a large crush on Allen. Making matters worse, she has
been bethrothed to a man named Dryden, the son of a wealthy
merchant. (The guy has a fleet of airships) Millerna is the most
unprincess like of the family. While she has good manners and
dresses well, like a princess, she has tastes outside of the
castle. She was in medical school for a time until her father
pulled her out so she could concentrate on becoming a princess.
She also goes off after Allen leaves, to chase after him and
follow him in his adventures.
*****The profiles of Dryden, Dr. Dornkirk, and Folken Fanel are not given . They contain a little too much spoilage*****
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