Imagine a story about gigantic fighting robots mixed with Teutonic chivalry, teenage angst, and tarot cards: that is the world of ESCAFLOWNE, a highly successful animated series that has been transformed into a stunning feature-length film. A more adult version of the animé, the film ESCAFLOWNE: A GIRL IN GAEA retells the events of the television series in a drastically different manner; no previous knowledge of the series is necessary. The story follows Hitomi, a dissatisfied teenager who is suddenly transported to Gaea. There, Van and his brother Folken fight for control of dragon armor, the most powerful mecha in the land; only one will emerge from the conflict alive. The motion-picture format is perfect for portraying the ethereal vistas of Gaea, floating airships, and the larger-than-life combat between the dragon armors. All of the series' main characters, plus a few new characters, make appearances, though the film's length forces the director to focus on Folken, Hitomi, and Van. Most of the personnel from the series worked on the film, including the popular composers Yoko Kanno and Hajime Mizoguchi, who deliver a beautiful, mystical score.

Theatrical Release: January 25, 2002

U.S. premiere (not a general theatrical release): June 30, 2000 at the Anime Expo 2000

Yasuhiro Imagawa was originally chosen to direct the television series. He is credited with coining the term "Escaflowne."

The original ESCAFLOWNE storyline was created by Shoji Kawamori (co-creator of MACROSS) in the early 1990s, after he was inspired by a trip to the misty mountains of Nepal. Following the formula of the highly successful MACROSS, which combined fighting mecha and pop singers, he decided to create a story that combined mecha and tarot cards.

A heavily edited, English-dubbed version of the television series aired on Fox in fall 2000.

"Just fade away."--Thought that keeps reoccuring to Hitomi

Excerpt: "Just fade away."--Thought that keeps reoccuring to Hitomi

UMD Features:
Note: This release is in the UMD format for Sony PSP players only.

Letterboxed - 16:9
Audio:
Dolby Digital (unspecified) - Japanese, English
Subtitles - English - Optional
Interactive Features:
Interactive Animated Menus
Additional Product:
Limited Edition Collector's ESCAFLOWNE PSP Screen Cover

Kazuki Akane: Japanese anime director: ESCAFLOWNE: THE MOVIE/HEAT GUY J

Masuo Ueda: Japanese anime producer
Minoru Takanishi: Japanese anime producer
Mashiko Minami: Japanese anime producer
Toyoyuki Yokohama: Japanese anime producer

Ryouta Yamaguchi: Screenwriter, COWBOY BEBOP
Kazuki Akane: Japanese anime director: ESCAFLOWNE: THE MOVIE/HEAT GUY J

Yoko Kanno: Composer - "Cowboy Bebop", "Brain Powered"
Hajime Mizoguchi: composer