Hitomi Kanzaki has disturbing visions of another world.  She is about to learn that those visions and the world she dreams of are more real and true than she would have ever imagined.

Journey to the fantastic world of Gaea with Hitomi as she finds herself in the middle of a war against the treacherous Zaibach Empire.  Van Fanel, the prince of a ravaged kingdom, might be able to stop the destruction if he can retrieve the legendary god of protection - Escaflowne.

At first seeing, Escaflowne may seem rather a cynical concoction of tried and popular elements, ie school sports, robots, medieval fantasy, romance, with some rather odd character designs. Stick with it though, and its virtues will start to grip you. Not many anime series have such a complex and developing dramatic storyline, in which a great deal can happen in the course of an episode. With a fantastic musical score to boost, Escaflowne will grow on you.

Not many anime have such subtle and sophisticated direction, in which apparently inconsequential details are deployed for symbolic effect, and in which stunning fantasy sequences (like Ban's walk among the dead) appear. There is plenty of character interest, so the series should appeal equally to male and female viewers. And those character designs? They grow on you; and often look very good in freeze-frame.

Visions of Escaflowne Review