The end of "Escaflowne"

Okay, I managed to finish up this series with disc 8. And I really don't have a lot to say about it, I suppose.

It's definitely a "girl's series" in a lot of ways, but that's most evident in the eyes and expressions of the various characters. An interesting point of study for me, but not really something that grabbed me at more than an observational level.

I liked the storytelling overall, and the characters and animation quality delivered that extra bit of "spark" I like, so that kept me with it despite the long gaps between short episode-count discs. But all-in-all, I don't feel the need to ever watch it again, thus I don't have any desire to buy it. It's still one of the few series that stands out above the majority, but it's not something that goes further than that for me.

In other anime-related watching activities, I finished my re-rewatch of "MADLAX" disc 5, and posted my observations over on Bee Train Fan. Besides what I said over there, I'm brewing another one of my "crackpot theories", but I really need to see the next disc to shape that one out a little. But a sneak-peek hint: it involves Friday Monday and Margaret's father.

I also rewatched disc 3 of "Kino's Journey". It has my favorite episode -- though they're all superb, this is the one I enjoyed the most -- the first one on the disc with the young lady who builds a flying machine. Her character is completely enthralling to me. That, and Kino's summation of wonder at the end: "It flies!". Fine stuff.

It also has what is probably the most mind-twisting (but in a good way) episode of the series -- the second one with the Library. And the Author. The stories fold into each other, and carry on a whole meta-discussion about books and creation and experiencing them, and make you question the "universe" of the entire series. The line that struck a chord, though? The one where the Author describes the confusion between the characters and the readers, and the solution to that conflict: become the Author.

Ahhh.