ESCAFLOWNE (Theatrical Feature) Original Soundtrack

While I was never really too much of a fan of either the Escaflowne TV series or movie, the music stands alone as one of the strongest soundtracks in anime history. Of all of the anime I've seen for which Yoko Kanno has composed the score (Earth Girl Arjuna, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Cowboy Bebop, etc.), all of which were extremely impressive , I would argue that this soundtrack, though short, has such a high concentration of her masterpieces that it could be labeled her best work. Escaflowne has been known for its fierce, driving battle music accented with swift violin and passionate chorus, and Dance of Curse II and especially Black Escaflowne epitomize this fervor, the latter making you feel the drums in your chest as the slowing but still-pounding heartbeat of the loser draws its finals pulses before the life is snuffed out of it. Of further note, the title song Yubiwa is one of the most heartfelt love ballads I've ever had the joy of hearing, heartbreakingly describing the plight of a long lost first love. My favorite lines of the song (as translated by me) are, "Don't ever forget you're not alone. Though far apart, we still hold hands. It was the first time that I loved that I first came to know that such sorrow could exist." Similarly, Into Gaea does a wonderful job of transporting you into the new world and hints at the theme and most hauntingly beautiful song of the entire soundtrack (and my favorite Yoko Kanno piece I've ever heard), Sora. Though the lyrics simply recount the prophecy in the movie, the melody is truly bewitching and eases you into a perfectly blended mix of Shanti Snyder's vocals, piano, harpsichord, steel drum, and what I can only assume is a calliope before swiftly culminating into its shocking climax and just as quickly fading away. The majority of the score is sweeping orchestra accented with a few rather different pieces that, in fact, further enhance the soundtrack. The shrill horns and percussion of Horse Ride are decidedly a little different from the rest of the score, but Kanno expertly ties the fast-paced march into a thrilling climactic end. While I do not espouse that every piece in this soundtrack is a masterwork, I wholeheartedly consider this to be Kanno's best soundtrack (perhaps only rivaled by the first Arjuna soundtrack) and recommend it to anyone who has been moved by music.