I first watched Escaflowne around 2000, back when I was in grade school. It stood out to me because at the time, all the other anime shows were dubbed in Tagalog, but for some reason, Escaflowne was broadcast in English.
The local network at the time had this insane programming block where they would air a different anime show every weeknight, and Escaflowne would air on Friday nights. I was a high achieving schoolgirl at the time with a strict mom, and my TV hours were strictly regimented. But on Fridays, I could relax!
I remember the first episode immediately hooking me. Even back then, I could tell that the show was so tightly plotted because I wouldn’t even realize that the half-hour block was up. The first few episodes had really well-executed cliffhangers too. I couldn’t wait until Fridays and would rush home from school every week.
Pre-teen me would get really into it. Like REALLY into it - I would spend the commercial breaks writing down names of the new characters and countries just so I could remember. Also a lot of squealing in my room. I was in full-on fan-girl mode. I fangirled with my friends at school too.
Sadly, I didn't even finish the series upon first watching. I was so upset when it got cancelled/the timeslot changed/??? for some reason. This was way back in the early 2000s and there was no YouTube, the internet barely had anything. I remember being so upset that I was indignantly saying I would literally WRITE to the broadcast network that cancelled it and demand that they put it back on the air (LOL). I don’t remember when they stopped but I think I stopped just before Hitomi left Gaea the first time.
Some time later, I found an anime store (in SM North Edsa) and they had bootleg copies of the series on VHS tapes. I eventually got to finish the series. I still love the ending. (Thoughts on that incoming in another post)
In 2016 it got Kickstarted for a re-dub and I’m so glad that 20+ years on, enough people still hold it very dear to their hearts and showed support! I joined in on that campaign too, of course.
Nowadays I rewatch the show every few years or so. And I make sure to have at least 2 copies stored in different devices at all times.
fifteen? really? the main love interest? fifteen? i don't even care that ridiculous ice murder is happening or that her room is wallpapered in stalker photographs, this is such a huge jump into sheer garbage
1968
Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #1
Otoko Ippiki Gaki-Daisho by Hiroshi Motomiya
1969
Dr. Toilet by Kazuyoshi Torii
1970
The Gutsy Frog by Yasumi Yoshizawa
1971
Tezuka Manga Award 1st Edition
Samurai Giants by Ikki Kajiwara & Ko Inoue
Boy of the Wilderness Isamu by Soji Yamakawa & Noboru Kawasaki
1972
Astro Kyudan by Shiro Tōzaki & Norihiro Nakajima
1973
Play Ball by Akio Chiba
Hochonin Ajihei by Jiro Gyu & Jo Big
1974
Akatsuka Manga Award 1st Edition
1975
The Circuit Wolf by Satoshi Ikezawa
Doberman Deka by Buronson & Shinji Hiramatsu
1976
Toudai Icchokusen by Yoshinori Kobayashi
Kochikame by Osamu Akimoto
1977
Ring ni Kakero by Masami Kurumada
Susume!! Pirates by Hisashi Eguchi
1978
Cobra by Buichi Terasawa
1979
Kinnikuman by Yudetamago
1980
Dr. Slump by Akira Toriyama
1981
Captain Tsubasa by Yoichi Takahashi
Cat's Eye by Tsukasa Hojo
Stop!! Hibari-kun! by Hisashi Eguchi
1982
High School! Kimengumi by Motoei Shinzawa
1983
Fist of the North Star by Buronson & Tetsuo Hara
Ginga -Nagareboshi Gin- by Yoshihiro Takahashi
1984
DRAGON BALL by Akira Toriyama
1985
City Hunter by Tsukasa Hojo
Miraculous Tonchinkan by Koichi Endo
Sakigake!! Otokojuku by Akira Miyashita
1986
Saint Seiya by Masami Kurumada
1987
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure by Hirohiko Araki
The Burning Wild Man by Tadashi Sato
1988
Bastard!! by Kazushi Hagiwara
Jungle King Tar-chan by Masaya Tokuhiro
Rokudenashi BLUES by Masanori Morita
Magical Taluluto by Tatsuya Egawa
1989
Weekly Shonen Jump reaches 5.000.000 copies in circulation
Dragon Quest: The Great Adventure of Dai by Riku Sanjo & Koji Inada
Video Girl Ai by Masakazu Katsura
1990
SLAM DUNK by Takehiko Inoue
Chinyuki by Man Gataro
Yu Yu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi
1992
Hareluya II Boy by Haruto Umezawa
1993
Tottemo! Luckyman by Hiroshi Gamo
Hell Teacher Nube by Makura Sho & Takeshi Okano
1994
Midori no Makibao by Tsunomaru
Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki
1995
Weekly Shonen Jump reaches 6.530.000 copies in circulation
Sexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoi yo!! Masaru-san by Kyosuke Usuta
1996
Hoshin Engi by Ryu Fujisaki
Yu-Gi-Oh! by Kazuki Takahashi
Kochikame 20th Anniversary & Chapter 1000
1997
I's by Masakazu Katsura
Seikimatsu Leader den Takeshi! by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro
ONE PIECE by Eiichiro Oda
1998
Rookies by Masanori Morita
Whistle! by Daisuke Higuchi
HUNTERXHUNTER by Yoshihiro Togashi
1999
Hikaru no Go by Yumi Hotta & Takeshi Obata
The Prince of Tennis by Takeshi Konomi
NARUTO by Masashi Kishimoto
2000
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean by Hirohiko Araki
BLACK CAT by Kentaro Yabuki
2001
Bobobobo Bobobo by Yoshio Sawai
BLEACH by Tite Kubo
2002
Strawberry 100% by Mizuki Kawashita
Eyeshield 21 by Riichiro Inagaki & Yusuke Murata
2004
Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata
Gintama by Hideaki Sorachi
Katekyo Hitman Reborn! by Akira Amano
D.Gray-man by Katsura Hoshino
Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation by Yoshiyuki Nishi
2005
Neuro: Supernatural Detective by Yusei Matsui
2006
To Love Ru by Saki Hasemi & Kentaro Yabuki
2007
Sket Dance by Kenta Shinohara
2008
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan by Hiroshi Shiibashi
Toriko by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro
Bakuman. by Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata
2009
Kuroko's Basketball by Tadatoshi Fujimaki
Beelzebub by Ryuhei Tamura
Medaka Box by Nisio Isin & Akira Akatsuki
2010
ONE PIECE New World Begins
2011
Nisekoi by Naoshi Komi
2012
Haikyu!! by Haruichi Furudate
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. by Shuichi Aso
Assassination Classroom by Yusei Matsui
Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma by Yuto Tsukuda & Shun Saeki
2013
World Trigger by Daisuke Ashihara
Isobe Isobee Monogatari by Ryo Nakama
2014
Hinomaru Zumo by Kawada
My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi
2015
Black Clover by Yuki Tabata
2016
Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs by Tadahiro Miura
Kimetsu no Yaiba by Koyoharu Gotouge
BORUTO by Mikio Ikemoto & Ukyo Kodachi
The Promised Neverland by Kaiu Shirai & Posuka Demizu
Kochikame 40th Anniversary and Serialization End
2017
We Never Learn by Taishi Tsutsui
Dr. STONE by Riichiro Inagaki & Boichi
2018
Jujutsu Kaisen by Akutami Gege
2019
Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto
Mission: Yozakura Family by Hitsuji Gondaira
2020
Undead Unluck by Yoshifumi Tozuka
MASHLE by Hajime Komoto
Ayakashi Triangle by Kentaro Yabuki
Me & Roboco by Shuhei Miyazaki
BURN THE WITCH by Tite Kubo
SAKAMOTO DAYS by Yuto Suzuki
2021
The Elusive Samurai by Yusei Matsui
WITCH WATCH by Kenta Shinohara
Blue Box by Kouji Miura
2022
Akane Banashi by Yuki Suenaga & Takamasa Moue