The Vision of Escaflowne (with Asher Sofman) [Shonen Exception #5]

Shojo & Tell: A Manga Podcast

This episode discusses all volumes (1-8) of The Vision of Escaflowne by Katsu Aki

The Vision of Escaflowne is the anime that got Shojo and Tell host Ashley into anime. It sparked one of only a handful of great obsessions in Ashley's life. It's probably the reason this podcast exists at all.

Katsu Aki's shonen manga version of the story is..... not like the anime you know and love.

It's explicitly billed as a shonen series, and it's all downhill from there. Instead of being a badass track and field star with short hair who saves Van and Allen more times than anyone in the series bothers to count, Hitomi is now a busty babe with glasses who's necessary to pilot the giant mech, Escaflowne. Prince Van is an annoying uncouth and unskilled swordsman. Sir Allen is a knight who is nothingness. Dilandau is — well okay, Dilandau is still a pretty crazy delight, honestly. But a different kind of crazy delight.

The Ashes discuss what this iteration of ESCAFLOWNE has to offer in comparison to the beloved TV anime and the gritty movie adaptation of the series.

REFERENCES

• Unfortunately (fortunately?), this manga is out of print. It was originally published in English by Tokyopop.
  • The anime is available from Funimation
  • As is the movie
  • The shojo manga version has never been licensed in English
• Other Escaflowne things
  • "Memory of Fanelia" song
  • ANNcast movie episode from 2015
• Other series mentioned
  • Digimon
  • Cardcaptor Sakura
  • Sailor Moon
  • Fushigi Yugi
  • Cyborg 009
  • Evangelion
  • Hot Gimmick
  • Darling in the Franxx
  • Sword Art Online
  • Dragon Ball Z (Master Roshi)
  • Bleach
  • Magic Knight Rayearth
  • xxxHolic
  • Spy x Family
  • Hunter x Hunter
  • Cowboy Bebop
• Misc. memtions
  • Avatar: The Last Airbender Fire Nation
  • The Hunger Games
  • Neo Yokio "Helena Saint Tessero is the plot."
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Shredder)
• Outro song: "The Streatham Hill Gods" by Danosongs

CONTACT US

• Shojo & Tell on Bluesky, Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter
• Ashley on Bluesky