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The Vision of Escaflowne Episode 22 – How to Blame Your Dragon

Damned Dimensional Rift Attuned Gargantuan Organic Neutotypes. Always ruin everything…

Things pick up for this marked improvement over last week’s. I have always remembered this is the episode where Folken officially defects to an actual side of the conflict. However, this is also an episode with a whole slew of other things I noticed I forgot since my last viewing of it. It is disappointing, since it is not just the plot of the episode that is great (never mind the music), but the world building and especially the animation. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
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Otaku Evolution Episode 71 – Arcade Gamer Fubuki

Stack those quarters up and grab a slice, because we’re gonna get the controls greasy and play… er, I mean watch, a little ecchi comedy called Arcade Gamer Fubuki, about a girl whose panties give her the ability to GIT GUD. Japan, you’re so forward-thinking, a girl gamer who doesn’t mind showing off the goods. Empowered by her underwear, literally! Progress marches ever onward. Also, for some reason, she’s friends with Excel from Excel Saga (or, at least a character played by her). read more

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The Vision of Escaflowne Episode 21 – Elegiac Nekomancy (Or: Don’t Put Your Catgirls in the Fridge)

This is one of the weaker episodes of Escaflowne for me. To be sure, it isn’t TERRIBLE, but after a rather exceptional cliffhanger (which in the original Bandai release bookended Volume 6), it’s underwhelming. Picking up right after her surrender, Murphy’s Law is revived due to Van’s intervention, and messes up Naria and Eriya’s luck, revealing the flaws of the fate alteration experiments. The events of the first few minutes are sortof anticlimactic, not just because of the aforementioned cliffhanger, but also after that Next Episode preview with only one line from Folken: “Why don’t you understand, Van!?” read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
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The Vision of Escaflowne Episode 20 – The Hitching Hour

Ah the great Royal Weddings of our time…

Prince Charles and Lady Diana…

Prince William and What’s-her-face…

Shining Armor and Princess Cadance…

…are couples that will never see “Dryden and Princess Millerna” near their names at any time in the future. Obviously, the wedding does not end up well for them (I mean c’mon, the episode is titled “False Vows”), but it is done in a way that only can happen in the world of Escaflowne. If you have only got here: No, this is not a bad thing. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
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Otaku Evolution Episode 70 – Heroic Legend of Arslan (OVA) (Episodes 3-4)

Ugh. Do you know how many times I had to tweak “Adagio for Strings” so it wouldn’t be flagged by YouTube? Three times. I guess that specific performance was licensed. Don’t forget folks, that despite classical music being largely public domain, the people who actually perform it tend to have contracts and copyrights and such. I only needed a few seconds, though, FFS.

Anyway, enjoy my second look into the OVAs for The Heroic Legend of Arslan, based on the books by the dude who made Legend of the Galactic Heroes! Surely it is just as good, though, right? Riiiight? (No.) read more

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The Vision of Escaflowne Episode 19 – A ‘Shipper’s Worst Nightmare

Can there be anything worse for somebody who ships two people, especially in real life, than a machine that can alter fate in such a way to put one with ANOTHER person should not be the other’s bae? In my more advanced age where I am aware of the various idiosyncracies of popular w00b culture, be it dating sims or the aforementioned ‘shipping, I cannot help but think playfully in this regard. It is good fortune, however, Escaflowne handles it with quite the serious tone, since Dornkirk is quite aware of Hitomi’s powers. It is also amusing since Dilandau and his Dragonslayers were the first to notice her, yet the former being incapacitated and the latter being all dead put the kibosh on Dornkirk being informed beforehand. Is this ANOTHER element shifted around during the series shortening? Maybe? Who knows, who cares, what we get is still good. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•
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Otaku Evolution Episode 69 – Baccano!

In this special episode for my birthday, I’ve decided to cover a favorite anime of mine (though, I’ve already covered four favorites this year, kind of being easy on myself), Brain Base’s Baccano!, based on a series of Japanese light novels written by Ryohgo Narita. I also did a bunch of difficult production flourishes and animations for this one, so I’d appreciate feedback (read: praise). What happens when a bunch of gangsters, thieves, and psychos vie for control of a train? Well, find out! It’s the show that skips around in time but is always compelling, and I think you’ll be satisfied by what you see. read more

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The Vision of Escaflowne Episode 18 – Apple Advisory Episode

…Why else would Isaac Newton, fresh after discovering gravity, start research on destiny and its properties if it wasn’t for some rogue apple knocking his noggin? Or maybe this entire series is all just a dream, a fever dream of a dying scientist who never figured out how fate works? If it is a just a dream, how is he including 20th century Japanese high school girls in it, nevermind also speaking Japanese, hell why is he imagining himself as a Japanese product meant for television in the particular year of 1996? read more

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The Vision of Escaflowne Episode 17 – Angstaflowne

First off, lemme say how being an adult animation (never mind animu) fan makes you notice things you never did back when you were young. When I was young, I saw only the story in this block of episodes. As an old fogey, I see not just the story but also one dealing with a very low budget. Take a gander up at those four featured shots, and it pretty much entails a good portion of this episode. A character is in the foreground or background, and either is alone or conversing with the person on the other side.  Had this been a lesser show, it would have been a rather underwhelming episode. Yet since this is Escaflowne, a show always trying its damndest to be topflight no matter what, even as they skimp on animation. read more

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The Vision of Escaflowne Episode 16 – Papa Dryden’s Storytime

Seems legit. Before our heroes go to the Mystic Valley, where the formerly great Atlantis once resided, we have an entire episode inundated with lore from a very distinct individual: Allen’s father. The seeds planted as far back as Episode 5 (where we find that Allen has daddy issues) have now taken root. How this takes place is another great example of building from long ago laid foundations. Our first instance of Allen thinking about his dad once again is in Episode 14 when he thought to himself about how all these revelations remind him of ‘him’, then Dryden asked for his father’s journal the next episode, and now it is snowballing into a full on confrontation with Allen’s past. It’s a very natural progression, and the speed it acquires does not feel in the slightest bit shoehorned, since it ties so well into the plot. read more

Juu-kuchiby Juu-kuchi•