It’s a much-delayed new episode of Otaku Evolution, starring myself, guest-starring Pen Pen, and special thanks to… I dunno, you maybe, if you contribute to my Patreon! I take a look at strangely decently-CGed air battle-featured Sentō Yōsei Yukikaze, a five-part OVA that features some of the best aircraft in anime! Enjoy, rate, share, subscribe, etc.
– Penguin Truth
(2016)
If that article subtitle doesn’t seem at all special it’s because you’re not having the small jingle played during most intros of Team Fortress 2’s “Meet The” videos pop up in your head as you read it.
In any case, yeah the scene where Dilandau tries to snipe Van from afar with that one Crima Claw is one of the great moments in the show. It does so much for it, establishing how far Dilandau will go to kill off Van whenever he has a chance, his noticing of Hitomi’s continued presence, how his actions clash with the diplomatic Folken, and the limits of Zaibach’s guymelef technology. It sticks with you, and it helps it is the only time you’ll ever see a guymelef do such a thing, thus cementing its memorability. It’s how Dilandau rolls on the battlefield and even in the capital of a country that is an ally to Zaibach.
If you’ve been paying attention to the show, the revelation in this episode shouldn’t come as a surprise. After mentions from Episode 1 (Van moments before going off to slay some dragons) and Episode 3 (the conversation before meeting with Emperor Dornkirk), it is finally revealed Van and Folken are brothers. The former’s pretty pissed off that the brother he thought died during the very ritual he went through episodes ago is on the other side, and the latter just likes to be enigmatic as all get out because of some big Gaea-saving Plan the dear Emperor has. It cements all those floating bits of info into one of the major conflicts of the show in a natural way that unveils quite a bit but not TOO much.
Aight. Now that Van and Allen got their little spat out of the way, it’s time for them to confront the true antagonists of the series: Zaibach!
…Or it should be if what happened at the very tail end of last week’s episode came true. Instead, we’re reintroduced to catgirl Merle (who was last seen at the end of Episode 2 yelling her signature line), then Hitomi gets stricken with fever for the first half. Another nice, slow, burn is to be had here. Why? It leads to some great moments with not just the aforementioned ladies, but also Van and Allen. While Merle can be unsurprisingly considered annoying, take note of how Van reacts when she’s brought in by Allen’s men. The moment when Merle tells him the fate of Fanelia, he holds her tightly and with sadness. At the very end of her story, he reveals his gratitude how she is alright. This is a nice tell on how her character may not be as annoying as thought. Through Van treating her seriously and with kindness, the series tells us to do the same as well.
Finally, the news I’ve been waiting for… G Gundam is finally get a remaster and BluRay release!
G Gundam will be released in two box sets, ¥34,000 a piece… which is roughly $310 US. If you didn’t already know, Japanese BluRay box sets are ridiculously expensive for various, somewhat nonsensical, reasons. Good news is that there are some subbing groups who will likely release rips, potentially with the original US dub for your nostalgic pleasure. Still no word on whether RightStuf/Sunrise/Whomever will be releasing it stateside. I think it’s a sure thing we’ll be getting one, but probably not until mid to late 2017 at the earliest.
If there’s any Top 10 List of anime characters who are the greatest in being foils to protagonist whether in life or in love triangles, Allen Schezar has to be in it. Like Hitomi and Van, from the get go Allen leaves a positive impression. His nobility is endearing in its unflappability, he’s easy to look at and listen to (thanks Nobuteru Yuuki and Miki Shinichiro), and he is such a welcome diametric opposite of Van. Where Van is impetuous, inexperienced, and not really sociable; Allen is reserved, worldly, and congenial. Like Hitomi and Van, Allen’s reputation is established by the way his subordinates act around him. Despite their churlishness, their respect for their commander is palpable. Once more my lovelies, we have another main character who is not some strange, social outcast or weirdo who gets sucked into something because of some preordained fate or whatever.
A review by my good friend Banchō Truth, on accounta my “accident”. What’samattahyou?
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– Penguin Truth
(2016)
First off, hard to believe the stupid losers at Saban and Fox would start here when it aired the butchered Escaflowne on Fox Kids. You’d think censorship and it treating you as stupid (what with all the forced flashbacks) is bad, but the worst part is what they did with the music. No they didn’t replace Yoko Kanno’s score; they kept it, but shifted it around so much that it no longer felt right in the very show it was made for. Even worse, they overused the most iconic BGM in the series, and made it legit tiresome to listen to. That’s like… a war crime, man.
Cameo by Batman!
Not to be crude, but when last viewed, Cassandra was screwed, Mother came unglued, and our heroes barely subdued Mother’s brood (she’s so rude!), but the story concludes and the villain’s subdued, and with allies accrued, Batman’s a popular dude! All this includes a confidence that’s renewed and I’m in the mood for the grand finale of DC’s second weekly Batman comic, Batman & Robin Eternal. Harper makes her (pretty predictable) decision on Mother’s offer, Azrael actually does something that contributes to the plot, the Robins reunite to show the melevolent matriarch she doesn’t know shit about Robins, Cassandra becomes an orphan, and Batman returns (not to be mistaken for the movie Batman Returns directed by Tim Burton)! There’s a lot to say, so let’s get started!
To celebrate 20 Years of Escaflowne, I’ll be following the original schedule of the Japanese run and doing weekly write-ups for its episodes. If you’ve been following my Cross Ange and Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans reviews you know what to expect. Also though, expect with each episode an extra section where I cover a memorable piece of music from the series by the legendary Yoko Kanno. Hope you enjoy.
Is it okay to wax panegyric on a show’s first episode, right from the get go? In Escaflowne’s case it’s definitely okay, because it is one of those shows that make an immediate, positive, first impression. To quote bishounen pretty boy Amano: it focused everything it has got, and launched itself forward. To its great fortune, it didn’t have something to get in its way of being a success, like say… a traveler from another world.
