Vision of Escaflowne Original Soundtrack

Album Title:	The Vision of Escaflowne Original Soundtrack
Anime Title:	The Vision of Escaflowne
Artist:	Yoko Kanno, Hajime Mizoguchi, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Maaya Sakamoto
Catalog Number:	VICL-769
Release Type:	Soundtrack
Release Date:	June 05, 1996
Purchase at:	Amazon, CDJapan, Apple Music

Escaflowne Soundtrack Review

The Vision of Escaflowne series was a dazzling delight that captured my attention through its story, its characters, and most of all, its music. Prior to Escaflowne, I hadn’t been exposed to anime music that swept me off my feet to such a degree with its heavenly choruses and the sense of grandeur that it imparted.

And that’s just the background music. The album starts with the evergreen “Yakusoku wa iranai”, which sees the working relationship between Maaya Sakamoto and Yoko Kanno in its early days, a relationship that will blossom magnificently with each successive (and successful) release. Here, Maaya Sakamoto’s vocals are simply incredible. The track has a joyous tone that carries across much of the soundtrack as it tells the tale of Escaflowne itself. That joyousness continues much later on with Sakamoto’s performance on the breezy “Poketto wo Karanishite”. The more somber pieces akin to “Deja Blue” and “Romance” convey the strife and despair that the actual series deals with.

With Yoko Kanno taking the helm for the first few tracks, the uplifting adventurous spirit of the album takes flight. “Flying Dragon” captures that vibe with a breathtakingly lofty melody that evokes a sense of majesty and elegance. The album then takes a darker turn with “Murder” and “Dance of the Curse” with their more foreboding and, in the case of the latter, action-packed auras that are gripping in their tension.

And then there’s “Angel”, a track that features a heavenly chorus that’s as heartfelt and beautiful as you might expect a track with that title to be. But for my money, nothing hits the grandiosity spot quite like “Gloria”. Though it starts off with a somber Gregorian chant, the piece segues into a magnificent procession for the crowning of a new king. The chorus’s delivery is that of a hymn, giving that section a regal air that closes with the triumphant “gloria”. Props go out to Hajime Mizoguchi for nailing the mood and atmosphere of both tracks.

Of the tracks, “White Dove”, is a bit of an eccentric, if pleasant listen. The beginning has that stirring morning sensation. Then the clapping sound comes in along with the rest of the instruments. Once the vocals begin, the poppy exuberance is a bit at odds with what came before, but I liked its cheerfulness. The guitar solo is really great as well, augmenting a solid cheerful song on an album chock full of ’em.

And yes, the less said about the TV ending “Mystic Eyes”, the better. This Hiroki Wada song features an electronic dance number paired alongside some really unpleasant vocals. If there was a way to extract this song from the disc, I’d be all for doing just that. Thankfully, “Deja Blue” serves as a nice ear cleanser to close things off. It takes the melody from “Yakusoku wa iranai” and sets it to a music box to remind you of all the solid pieces that came before.

All in all, Escaflowne over the Sky is one of my favorite albums. It’s worth getting simply for Maaya Sakamoto’s vocals, Yoko Kanno’s frenetic works, and Hajime Mizoguchi’s glorious orchestral pieces. The range of music captures the gamut of Escaflowne’s emotions, making this album one that must be experienced.

Rating: Excellent

Vision of Escaflowne Preview Tracks