How do you get people interested in a show that came out nearly two decades ago and has largely fulfilled the desires of many fans outside of a lack of a high-definition release? Funimation believes they have the idea with a new Kickstarter now underway to raise $150,000 to bring the show a new full English-language adaptation that will be truer to the material than the version we had before, which was geared towards broadcast at the time.
“For $150,000, help create a new 20th-anniversary experience of The Vision of Escaflowne in its perfect form with a Blu-ray release of a brand-new English dub that finally matches every second of the complete uncut Japanese HD materials!”
“We aren’t attempting to raise the entire production costs of a new dub, but rather to demonstrate the extent of fan interest—is it enough to warrant the creation of this dub? If the demand is truly there, then you can think of this Kickstarter more as a pre-order campaign rather than a fundraiser. If the project meets the goal of $150,000, we’ll be releasing The Vision of Escaflowne television series on Blu-ray and DVD with both the original uncut Japanese HD with English subtitles, and a brand-new English dub matching those materials.”
With reward goals that can take you all the way to a trip to Funimation and some voice work, there’s a lot of potential to be had here. There are also some stretch goals:
$200,000 – In addition to the series’ new dub, The Vision of Escaflowne Part 1 will be upgraded to include a special feature of the new English cast, including behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. This will be added to the Kickstarter Edition of Part 1, the standard edition available outside of this Kickstarter, and the Collector’s Edition.
$250,000 – The Part 1 Kickstarter Edition release will receive a second upgrade—the art cards will be upgraded to a saddle-stitched art booklet, and the chipboard box that houses the release will get special foil printing. Remember that this is only on the Kickstarter-specific release!
$500,000 – You’re invited to a VIP backer-only Escaflowne party! We’ll arrange a U.S. visit for original director Kazuki Akane at a major U.S. anime convention, and provide an exclusive VIP party for Kickstarter backers only. (Transport and lodging are not provided.)
Plot concept: High school student Hitomi is transported from Earth to the magical world of Gaea, where she meets boy prince Van Fanel, and is caught up in his quest to unite the countries of Gaea against the ominous Zaibach empire. On the way, she discovers an hidden ability and strives to unravel layers of mystery surrounding Van, his past, and the giant machine known as Escaflowne.
