Escaflowne - Forever & Ever (Vol. 8)

Escaflowne - Forever & Ever (Vol. 8)


Starring:Kirby Morrow, Kelly Sheridan, Brian Drummond, Jocelyne Loewen, Andrew Francis, Paul Dobson, Richard Newman, Terry Klassen, Venus Terzo, Ward Perry, Don Brown, Saffron Henderson, Lisa Ann Beley, Nicole Oliver, Alvin Sanders, Dillon Moen, Willow Johnson, Sean Smith, Rice Honeywell, Scott McNeil
Director: Kazuki Akane
Studio: Bandai
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
This popular "magical girl" series reaches its conclusion as the battle between the Alliance and the Zaibach Empire reaches a fever pitch that includes the deployment of deadly and unexplained new weapons. After a brief visit to Earth--where she's reunited with Amano, whom she nurtured a crush on 23 episodes ago--Hitomi returns to Gaea, despite her distaste for its wars. The story by Hajime Yatate and Shoji Kawamori takes some odd turns and leaves a number of plot points hanging. Its most serious flaw is the failure of any of the heroes to eliminate Dornkirk/Sir Isaac Newton, the evil emperor of Zaibach. Viewers have seen him launch unprovoked invasions, dispatch murderous dopplegängers, conduct sadistic psychological experiments on kidnapped children, and attempt to subjugate an entire planet: a more powerful resolution is needed than a chat about the nature of human desire with Hitomi. The attempt to fuse elements of the magical-girl, mecha, and sword-and-sorcery genres may have been too ambitious an undertaking for the filmmakers, or Dornkirk's real fate--and some of the other unanswered questions--may be dealt with in the Escaflowne feature. Rated 13 and up for violence. --Charles Solomon
Description
Wishing to get away from all of the fighting, Hitomi finds herself suddenly transported back to Earth on the very day that she originally left. She has one chance to get back to Gaea, but it will mean endangering her friends again. Meanwhile on Gaea, the war continues unabated as the Doomsday Weapon is deployed. But this means little to Dornkirk, who seems to be on the verge of achieving his goal. The fate of Gaea lies in a white dragon and the heart of a girl from Mystic Moon! DVD Highlights: DVD Interactive Menus, Dolby Digital Audio, English/Japanese audio tracks with English subtitle option, Extras - Club Escaflowne/Staff Interviews/Bonus Materials/Trailers. "An Amazing Show" - Animerica
Escaflowne - Forever & Ever (Vol. 8)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Still good but.....
  • Awsome
  • Be Careful What You Wish Forý
  • WHAAT???
  • Nearer the end of the story
 Escaflowne - Forever & Ever (Vol. 8)
Starring: Kirby Morrow , Kelly Sheridan , Brian Drummond , Jocelyne Loewen , and Andrew Francis
Director: Kazuki Akane
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video
EscaflowneEscaflowne | Characters & Series | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video
BandaiBandai | By Studio | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $7.49DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( E )( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. Escaflowne - Light & Shadow (Vol. 7)
  2. Escaflowne - Fate & Fortune (Vol. 6)
  3. Escaflowne - Paradise & Pain (Vol. 5)
  4. Escaflowne - Past and Present (V.4)
  5. Escaflowne - Angels and Demons (V.3)

ASIN: B00005B1VW
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Amazon.com

This popular "magical girl" series reaches its conclusion as the battle between the Alliance and the Zaibach Empire reaches a fever pitch that includes the deployment of deadly and unexplained new weapons. After a brief visit to Earth--where she's reunited with Amano, whom she nurtured a crush on 23 episodes ago--Hitomi returns to Gaea, despite her distaste for its wars. The story by Hajime Yatate and Shoji Kawamori takes some odd turns and leaves a number of plot points hanging. Its most serious flaw is the failure of any of the heroes to eliminate Dornkirk/Sir Isaac Newton, the evil emperor of Zaibach. Viewers have seen him launch unprovoked invasions, dispatch murderous dopplegängers, conduct sadistic psychological experiments on kidnapped children, and attempt to subjugate an entire planet: a more powerful resolution is needed than a chat about the nature of human desire with Hitomi. The attempt to fuse elements of the magical-girl, mecha, and sword-and-sorcery genres may have been too ambitious an undertaking for the filmmakers, or Dornkirk's real fate--and some of the other unanswered questions--may be dealt with in the Escaflowne feature. Rated 13 and up for violence. --Charles Solomon

Description

Wishing to get away from all of the fighting, Hitomi finds herself suddenly transported back to Earth on the very day that she originally left. She has one chance to get back to Gaea, but it will mean endangering her friends again. Meanwhile on Gaea, the war continues unabated as the Doomsday Weapon is deployed. But this means little to Dornkirk, who seems to be on the verge of achieving his goal. The fate of Gaea lies in a white dragon and the heart of a girl from Mystic Moon! DVD Highlights: DVD Interactive Menus, Dolby Digital Audio, English/Japanese audio tracks with English subtitle option, Extras - Club Escaflowne/Staff Interviews/Bonus Materials/Trailers. "An Amazing Show" - Animerica

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Still good but............2007-01-13

I loved the whole series, but I really have to take issue with the last couple of episodes. Who the heck were the Nuclear bomb people? Now I know that Japan has war issues, but where did those people come from? They weren't mentioned at all in the series until the last 6 episodes, but suddenly they appear, have uber weaponry and then try to take over. And I hate that.. it's a plot device for someone to say "War is Bad!!"... like we don't know that. There was no other reason for that to happen, save for the 'message' that the creators were trying to convey.

If these guys were mentioned earlier in the series, then fine I would agree with the inclusion at the end, but it seemed to me they were created just to bang us over the head with the 'message'.

A typically bad japanese ending to a great show (would it kill them to have some semblence of a happy ending, I guess I should be grateful that the main cast survived)

5 out of 5 stars Awsome.......2004-12-06

The ending is awsome! I cried so hard when it was over. This is one of the most emotional volumes.

5 out of 5 stars Be Careful What You Wish Forý.......2003-07-12

These are the last stanzas in what is one of the monuments of Japanese anime, a rich fantasy story as memorable as any other notable series. Hitomi, after fleeing Gaea back to earth finds that her experiences have left her with many unresolved feelings. When Van flies Escaflowne across the gap between the worlds to retrieve her she joins him, even though it is to return to the middle of an horrific war. Hitomi realizes that she can run no longer - that if Gaea is to heal, she must do her part.

By this DVD it is clear to the viewer that fate, and its changing, is the underlying theme of this series. Isaac Newton attempts to manipulate it so that the Zaibach Empire will rule the world, nearly repeating the mistake of the Atlantean forebearers of the Gaeans. Tarot cards reveal futures that seem inevitable. And the intertwining of the characters defies the rules of coincidence.

Into this apparent march to cataclysmic disaster and tragedy enters Hitomi, the most atypical of anime heroines. Thin and athletic rather than lush, cute rather than pretty, it is her inner nature rather than any physical ability that gives her the power to challenge the inevitable. Hitomi's special skill is the power to believe. And in doing so, she reveals that fate is far from ineluctable, that simply humans can change outcomes with their minds and hearts.

Hitomi's confusion about her feelings towards Van and Alan Schezar, her hatred of the continuous stream of violence that mars life on Gaea, and the struggle she has to accept what she can do make her a warm and accessible character to the viewer. This is true of all the protagonists of Escaflowne, making what would otherwise be a pompous fantasy concoction into a compelling, life affirming drama.

As endings go, this one starts a bit too slowly and ends too soon. I would have liked to see a stronger focus on the dynamics between Hitomi and Van as they realize their love for each other and must confront the roadblocks in their way. There is room for an entire additional episode, although the movie version of Escaflowne fills in much of this touching connection between two people separated by worlds. Even so, this is a fitting end to what has been a delightful series - one which I will always recommend without question.

2 out of 5 stars WHAAT???.......2003-03-20

My wife and I started getting the Escaflowne DVD's on a whim after having seen the show on Fox Kids. We were blown away by how utterly fantastic and engaging the original version was - so much so that we anxiously awaited each installment (couldn't afford to get them all at once).

The animation and story of this series is easily the best I've ever seen -as engaging as the original Robotech and far surpassing it in intelligence and beauty. The characters are likable, the music is stirring, and the story highly compelling -

UNTIL-

What the heck happened in this last disc? Its like another writer took over. What was a wonderful story gets abruptly ended with some kitty girl pseudo lesbianism (which was kind've a downer considering we were watching the show with our kid and there'd been nothing like this in the entire series up until this point), and a tacked on nonsensical psychobabble ending (think: Akira).

We were VERY disappointed by the conclusion to this series, because the rest of it is HIGHLY recommended. Of course if you've been following the series this long, you've got to get this one too, but man what a let down. And don't bother with the movie either...ugh.

5 out of 5 stars Nearer the end of the story.......2002-12-17

I was almost sad when I put this DVD in because I did not want the story to be over so soon. I was not disappointed in the ending. In these last episodes bonds grow stronger just as they are about to break. More amazing fights bring this story to the end. This series is amazing and is one I feel is quite rewatchable.

keep the faith,
dExtrosien
Escaflowne - Forever & Ever (Vol. 8)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Still good but.....
  • Awsome
  • Be Careful What You Wish Forý
  • WHAAT???
  • Nearer the end of the story
 Escaflowne - Forever & Ever (Vol. 8)
Starring: Escaflowne
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video
EscaflowneEscaflowne | Characters & Series | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video
BandaiBandai | By Studio | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $7.49DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
AnimeAnime | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
All DealsAll Deals | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( E )( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. Escaflowne - Light & Shadow (Vol. 7)
  2. Escaflowne - Fate & Fortune (Vol. 6)
  3. Escaflowne - Paradise & Pain (Vol. 5)
  4. Escaflowne - Past and Present (V.4)
  5. Escaflowne - Angels and Demons (V.3)

ASIN: B0001DCY2S
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Amazon.com

This popular "magical girl" series reaches its conclusion as the battle between the Alliance and the Zaibach Empire reaches a fever pitch that includes the deployment of deadly and unexplained new weapons. After a brief visit to Earth--where she's reunited with Amano, whom she nurtured a crush on 23 episodes ago--Hitomi returns to Gaea, despite her distaste for its wars. The story by Hajime Yatate and Shoji Kawamori takes some odd turns and leaves a number of plot points hanging. Its most serious flaw is the failure of any of the heroes to eliminate Dornkirk/Sir Isaac Newton, the evil emperor of Zaibach. Viewers have seen him launch unprovoked invasions, dispatch murderous dopplegängers, conduct sadistic psychological experiments on kidnapped children, and attempt to subjugate an entire planet: a more powerful resolution is needed than a chat about the nature of human desire with Hitomi. The attempt to fuse elements of the magical-girl, mecha, and sword-and-sorcery genres may have been too ambitious an undertaking for the filmmakers, or Dornkirk's real fate--and some of the other unanswered questions--may be dealt with in the Escaflowne feature. Rated 13 and up for violence. --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Still good but............2007-01-13

I loved the whole series, but I really have to take issue with the last couple of episodes. Who the heck were the Nuclear bomb people? Now I know that Japan has war issues, but where did those people come from? They weren't mentioned at all in the series until the last 6 episodes, but suddenly they appear, have uber weaponry and then try to take over. And I hate that.. it's a plot device for someone to say "War is Bad!!"... like we don't know that. There was no other reason for that to happen, save for the 'message' that the creators were trying to convey.

If these guys were mentioned earlier in the series, then fine I would agree with the inclusion at the end, but it seemed to me they were created just to bang us over the head with the 'message'.

A typically bad japanese ending to a great show (would it kill them to have some semblence of a happy ending, I guess I should be grateful that the main cast survived)

5 out of 5 stars Awsome.......2004-12-06

The ending is awsome! I cried so hard when it was over. This is one of the most emotional volumes.

5 out of 5 stars Be Careful What You Wish Forý.......2003-07-12

These are the last stanzas in what is one of the monuments of Japanese anime, a rich fantasy story as memorable as any other notable series. Hitomi, after fleeing Gaea back to earth finds that her experiences have left her with many unresolved feelings. When Van flies Escaflowne across the gap between the worlds to retrieve her she joins him, even though it is to return to the middle of an horrific war. Hitomi realizes that she can run no longer - that if Gaea is to heal, she must do her part.

By this DVD it is clear to the viewer that fate, and its changing, is the underlying theme of this series. Isaac Newton attempts to manipulate it so that the Zaibach Empire will rule the world, nearly repeating the mistake of the Atlantean forebearers of the Gaeans. Tarot cards reveal futures that seem inevitable. And the intertwining of the characters defies the rules of coincidence.

Into this apparent march to cataclysmic disaster and tragedy enters Hitomi, the most atypical of anime heroines. Thin and athletic rather than lush, cute rather than pretty, it is her inner nature rather than any physical ability that gives her the power to challenge the inevitable. Hitomi's special skill is the power to believe. And in doing so, she reveals that fate is far from ineluctable, that simply humans can change outcomes with their minds and hearts.

Hitomi's confusion about her feelings towards Van and Alan Schezar, her hatred of the continuous stream of violence that mars life on Gaea, and the struggle she has to accept what she can do make her a warm and accessible character to the viewer. This is true of all the protagonists of Escaflowne, making what would otherwise be a pompous fantasy concoction into a compelling, life affirming drama.

As endings go, this one starts a bit too slowly and ends too soon. I would have liked to see a stronger focus on the dynamics between Hitomi and Van as they realize their love for each other and must confront the roadblocks in their way. There is room for an entire additional episode, although the movie version of Escaflowne fills in much of this touching connection between two people separated by worlds. Even so, this is a fitting end to what has been a delightful series - one which I will always recommend without question.

2 out of 5 stars WHAAT???.......2003-03-20

My wife and I started getting the Escaflowne DVD's on a whim after having seen the show on Fox Kids. We were blown away by how utterly fantastic and engaging the original version was - so much so that we anxiously awaited each installment (couldn't afford to get them all at once).

The animation and story of this series is easily the best I've ever seen -as engaging as the original Robotech and far surpassing it in intelligence and beauty. The characters are likable, the music is stirring, and the story highly compelling -

UNTIL-

What the heck happened in this last disc? Its like another writer took over. What was a wonderful story gets abruptly ended with some kitty girl pseudo lesbianism (which was kind've a downer considering we were watching the show with our kid and there'd been nothing like this in the entire series up until this point), and a tacked on nonsensical psychobabble ending (think: Akira).

We were VERY disappointed by the conclusion to this series, because the rest of it is HIGHLY recommended. Of course if you've been following the series this long, you've got to get this one too, but man what a let down. And don't bother with the movie either...ugh.

5 out of 5 stars Nearer the end of the story.......2002-12-17

I was almost sad when I put this DVD in because I did not want the story to be over so soon. I was not disappointed in the ending. In these last episodes bonds grow stronger just as they are about to break. More amazing fights bring this story to the end. This series is amazing and is one I feel is quite rewatchable.

keep the faith,
dExtrosien

DVD:

  1. Leatherman, Vol. 3
  2. Armored Trooper Votoms - Deadworld Sunsa Volume 3
  3. Escaflowne - Light & Shadow (Vol. 7)
  4. Jubei-Chan The Ninja Girl - Vol. 3: Heart of Steel
  5. Escaflowne - Fate & Fortune (Vol. 6)
  6. Imma Youjo: The Erotic Temptress, Vol. 1
  7. Bubblegum Crisis - Hurricane Live! (Vol. 4)
  8. Madara
  9. Armored Trooper Votoms, Stage 2: Kummen Jungle Wars, Vol. 4
  10. Virgin Fleet

DVD List

DVD

DVD

Understanding the Cell DVD

The Salton Sea

Playin' for the Kitty (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Ghost Ship/Thirteen Ghosts

Im Saalebogen Teil 2