Welcome to LivingSocial: TV Shows

The Vision of Escaflowne is not like any other anime show out there. It's a mecha show that's built on emotion and romance, a love story that is overflowing with action. Unlike most anime, which fall into the lump genres of shojo (for girls) or shonen (for boys), Escaflowne firmly refuses to be either. It is a beautiful sweeping fantasy about a girl who appears in a land on the brink of total annihilation that happens to have mecha suits and catgirls, but it does not stoop to cliche, using an... (show more)

The Vision of Escaflowne is not like any other anime show out there. It's a mecha show that's built on emotion and romance, a love story that is overflowing with action. Unlike most anime, which fall into the lump genres of shojo (for girls) or shonen (for boys), Escaflowne firmly refuses to be either. It is a beautiful sweeping fantasy about a girl who appears in a land on the brink of total annihilation that happens to have mecha suits and catgirls, but it does not stoop to cliche, using any tried trope to its own advantage. It is an exercise is fabulous storytelling, where every character has a full range of emotions and motivation, and everyone's individual threads tie together somehow. The story is complimented by its uniquely angular animation style which is, like the plot, unlike anything ever seen in anime, but still gorgeous to behold. All of this is topped off by Yoko Kanno's epic orchestral and choral arrangements. It is cursed with an unfortunate English dub, but since it (along with other mid-90s anime such as Cowboy Bebop and Trigun), has become a definitive piece of influential anime, it is easy enough to find in either version for your viewing pleasure. It is intelligent, and occasionally waxes psychological, and certainly has a thing or two to say on the subject of human nature as well as the everlasting power of love, but it is never so cerebral that it loses its heart, nor is it so passionate that it loses its head. This is not to say it is perfect, as I have several nitpicks relating to several character decisions, the occasional tone switches, and the nature of the villain, but they are just that, nitpicks. Overall, it's truly a masterpiece of the anime art, and not one to be missed. (show less)

Dreaming of a dinner party with Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, Richard Dawson, Betty White, Gene Rayburn ... that would be a total blast. Sadly it would have to be part seance, but I look upon Match Game reruns as "comfort" television. It takes me back to my youngster years when they were my company on school sick days and summers, and elicits oodles of clean, not so clean laughs (if you're cued in to the extensive use of double entendres). And if you can overlook Gene's m... (show more)

Dreaming of a dinner party with Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, Richard Dawson, Betty White, Gene Rayburn ... that would be a total blast. Sadly it would have to be part seance, but I look upon Match Game reruns as "comfort" television. It takes me back to my youngster years when they were my company on school sick days and summers, and elicits oodles of clean, not so clean laughs (if you're cued in to the extensive use of double entendres). And if you can overlook Gene's massive ego and fanaticism over his designer duds, and not convulse when he whips out his Binaca and forces his traditional initiation kiss on every new female on the panel - it's actually a rollicking good time. Happily, you can count on Charles to drag him down to earth with some deflating witticism when he gets too carried away with himself. This show definitely gets high marks if you're not expecting anything too challenging, but just feel like getting comfortable and having some laughs with some familiar faces. Seems like they're dipping into the liquor cabinet; so probably more fun if you have too! (show less)