Frequently Asked Questions
How
can I get a copy of the movie? Can you make me a copy?
The movie is not currently available for commercial purchase. It is still too new.
Bootleg copies of the film often appear on eBay, but Webmistress Lizzard highly recommends that you stay away from them. In addition to being illegal, the bootlegs being sold on eBay are of exceedingly poor quality. Trust me on this, folks. I have personally viewed the CD-ROM, VideoCD, and VHS bootlegs. Even though the sellers claim the quality is excellent, in reality most of the bootlegs are nearly unwatchable. Please do not throw your money away on these copies — you will be supporting an illegal industry and getting scammed in the process.
The movie will be released on R2 DVD on 4/25/2001 in Japan. This only benefits those with region-free or R2 DVD players, however. It is not yet available for pre-order, but when it is you can bet your ass that CD Japan will be the most reliable source.
I will not make you a copy of the movie for you. Do not ask. I do not have the time, bandwidth, resources, or inclination to act as a bootleg distributor.
If and when I find reliable resources for obtaining the film, I will post the information here.
When
is the movie being released in theaters and/or made available for purchase
in the US and Canada?
Rumor had it that if the Escaflowne TV series had performed well on Fox Kids, the movie was going to be released in North American theaters in the spring or summer of 2001. Fox Kids canceled the series, however, so that plan now seems to be out the window. Personally, I found a theatrical release unlikely even before the TV series was put on hiatus. No amount of cutting or editing could possibly make this movie child-friendly.
As far as domestic VHS and DVD goes, Bandai has stated that they will not release the film for purchase in North America until production is complete on the TV series DVDs. This will occur in June 2001, so we could see the movie available here as soon as the end of 2001. However, this is pure speculation. I repeat, the only statement Bandai has so far given about the movie's retail release in North America is that it will occur after the TV series is fully available on DVD. No further details are available at this time.
The movie will be released on R2 DVD on 4/25/2001 in Japan. This only benefits those with region-free or R2 DVD players, however. It is not yet available for pre-order, but when it is you can bet your ass that CD Japan will be the most reliable source.
Why
isn't the Escaflowne TV series on Fox Kids anymore? Will it ever be shown
on another channel?
This web site is about the Escaflowne movie, not the TV series, but for some reason this is one of the most common questions I receive.
Fox Kids stopped airing the Escaflowne TV series because they weren't pleased with the ratings. They still hold the US television rights to the show, so you will not see Escaflowne on another American TV station. It is possible that Fox Kids will resume showing the series at a later date, but at present they have not indicated any plans to do so.
The Escaflowne TV series is still airing on YTV in Canada at 9:30 PM on Mondays, 4:00 PM on Sundays, and 2:00 PM on Saturdays. New episodes are shown on Monday. The Sunday showing repeats the episode aired the previous Monday. Saturday showings are reruns. At present YTV intends to show the full run of the series, using the edited episodes they obtained from Fox Kids.
Those of you who lost your chance to see the end of the series on television can still see it on video and DVD. Click here to find out where to buy Escaflowne TV!
Where
can I buy the Escaflowne TV series?
People keep asking me this. I guess it's time I gave an answer. Pay attention now, because there are a lot of different versions of the show. Click the links to purchase the items.
These are not links to purchase the Escaflowne movie. The Escaflowne movie is not available to buy yet. Please click here for more information about obtaining the Escaflowne movie.
Uncut, Sub/Dub DVD
The Escaflowne TV series DVDs are uncut and include both English and Japanese language tracks. Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, and Volume 4 have been released in this format so far. Volume 5 and Volume 6 can be pre-ordered.
Uncut, Subtitled VHS
The most economical way to get the entire show on video is to buy the complete series box set. Alternatively, you can buy the volumes individually. Click to purchase Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4, Volume 5, Volume 6, Volume 7, and Volume 8.
Escaflowne Best Collection VHS
The Best Collection is a three-volume condensed version of the TV series in Japanese with English subtitles. You can buy all three volumes in a box set, or you can click to buy Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3 individually.
Uncut, English Dubbed VHS
This version of the show is uncut and dubbed in English. Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, and Volume 4 have been released in this format so far. Volume 5 and Volume 6 should be available for pre-ordering soon.
Edited, English Dubbed VHS (Fox Kids Version)
This version of the show is the edited, dubbed variation that was shown on North American television. Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, and Volume 4 have been released in this format so far. Volume 5 and Volume 6 should be available for pre-ordering soon.
Where
can I get the soundtrack on CD?
Which one do you want — the official CD or the bootleg CD? If you want the official CD, which you should because it's the only one that's legal, then I highly recommend you order from CD Japan or Amazon.com. Yes, the price is high — Japanese imports are always expensive.
On the other hand, if bootlegs don't bother you, then you will usually find plenty of them on eBay. Alternatively, you can get them at-cost (as if bootlegs weren't already cheap enough) from Beej's CD Shoppe.
Please consider getting the official CD rather than a bootleg.
Do
you have the lyrics for the songs on the soundtrack?
Go to the music page and click on the song titles to view available lyrics. Be sure to read the notes at the bottom of the lyric sheets! If and when I obtain lyrics to the rest of the vocal tracks, I will post them on the music page.
The
tarot cards in the gallery are so cool! Where can I buy them?
These cards are no longer available, as far as I know. Even when they were still being produced, they were sold only in Japan.
If you are supremely lucky, you might find some of the cards up for auction on eBay. On the other hand, you might not. I've only seen a few cards for sale there, and most were not complete sets.
What
information do you have about the Escaflowne radio drama and/or drama
CDs?
A radio drama based on the Escaflowne movie (and starring the same voice cast) was aired on FM Osaka, Japan, in May and June of 2000. This drama was later released on two CDs.
The Escaflowne Prologue 1: Earth CD was released on October 21, 2000 and focuses on Hitomi's life on Earth before she was transported to Gaia. Featured characters include Hitomi, Yukari, Folken, and Van.
Escaflowne Prologue 2: Gaea was also released on October 21, 2000 and deals with events on Gaia after Hitomi's arrival there. Featured characters include Hitomi, Van, Allen, Millerna, Gaddes, Merle, Folken, Dilandau, Jajuka, and Sora. The musical score for the drama CDs is borrowed from the original Escaflowne TV series, resulting in a rather odd juxtaposition of worlds. Both drama CDs use a shortened version of Call Your Name as the introductory theme, and a unique and very beautiful acoustic rendition of Yubiwa as the ending theme.
I'm afraid I can't give you any further details about the radio drama. I own the drama CDs, but have not yet been able to obtain translations. I don't speak enough Japanese to fully understand them on my own.
Amazon.com has the two discs in stock at the moment. Click to buy Prologue 1: Earth and Prologue 2: Gaea from Amazon.com. If Amazon.com runs out of stock, your best option will be to buy the discs from CD Japan.
Is
the name of the Escaflowne world supposed to be spelled Gaea or Gaia?
Either spelling is acceptable. I use Gaia throughout this site because that is how the original English-language promotional material spelled the name. However, there are other official items that spell the name Gaea — for example, the Escaflowne Prologue 2: Gaea drama CD.
Can
I link to your site? Do you have a banner/button for me to use?
Has anyone in the history of the Internet ever turned down a link offer? Of course you can link to the pages on this site. The only thing you cannot do is link directly to the downloadable files (MP3s, images, etc.) from your own web sites. That is called stealing bandwidth. It's rude. It pisses Webmistress Lizzard off.
I do not currently have a banner, but I have made a few buttons. If you wish to use one of these buttons, please download it and place it on your own web space. And thanks for the link!
