Escaflowne Favorite Esca Pairings

Do you have a favorite couple from Escaflowne, or a favorite non-canon pairing? What do you think of the canon couples, like Van/Hitomi or Dryden/Millerna? Are there any pairings that you think are stupid, implausible, or just plain icky?

Personally, I've always loved the potential of Folken/Dilandau. It's not canon, but they're both incredibly complex personalities who seem to have a sort of tolerance for each other - and, on Dilandau's part at least, a jokingly-antagonistic rapport. Given that both of them have painful pasts, have been manipulated by Zaibach, and bear scars with deep emotional significance, they have a lot in common - even if they seem, at times, to be complete opposites. Folken is the stability which Dilandau lacks, and Dilandau provides the vitality and impulsiveness which Folken needs.

Mind you, it's not a very plausible pairings within the bounds of the series - both characters are too caught up in the pursuit of their superficial goals, and their professional relationship as commander and subordinate creates a lot of friction.

Dilandau also works well with some of the Dragonslayers. But I can't stand the idea that he'd be using them like some kind of private harem - it's just not possible. If he were treating them like that, there's no way they would have been so loyal. And, again, the professional relationship would be an impediment. Still, under the right circumstances, all the qualifiers of a good relationship are there.

 

Yeah, but it's fun imagining that they are his harem. :anime: Moving on, I'm a fan of Van/Hitomi. They just stike me as a good fit. They're both teenagers who have been through Hell together and I believe that they can have a lasting relationship. Not the most intense couple, but a sweet one.

 

Yeah, I've never seen Van/Hitomi as a pairing that would be (or would need to be) physically passionate. More than anything, they have a spiritual connection born of shared troubles and a deep understanding of each other, achieved after a lot of denial and diversion.

I always thought it was interesting that Merle, as young and as seemingly immature as she is, was able to see their feelings before either of them did.

 

that's actually a good point! how about merle with someone...

nah, maybe a bit too immature

but van/hitomi pairings my fav

 

Y'know, the only Merle pairing I've ever actually thought had much potential was Merle/Celena. They're close in physical age, but Celena would've been mentally about five at the end of the series. I think she could catch up quickly - she's not stupid - but I don't see her having any kind of healthy sexual or romantic relationship with someone much more than a year older than her physical age. (To my mind, she'd be a little bit behind developmentally for probably a good portion of her life.)

So, anyway, the great thing about Merle for Celena is that they would both be in the same mindset - still largely innocent, but old enough to develop some real feelings for each other, possibly. This has always struck me as a good alternative to the popular Van/Merle (which I don't think is likely, since Merle recognizes and accepts Van's feelings for Hitomi). It would also skirt around the issue of Allen's overprotective nature. I think he could more easily accept the idea of his sister with another woman, rather than with a man - because we all know Allen has one hell of a brother/protector complex. XD

 

I've always disliked Vahn/Hitomi. Back when I first watched Escaflowne, I was ten or something, and my first impressions always influence me a little. Hitomi always annoyed me a little bit, I can't really say why. I think it's her general character that bothers me a little. She plays "Come save me Heroine". -_- But, I do think Hitomi and Vahn at the end really have something. But it could've been any girl who went through that, not just Hitomi. Although, I do LOVE the way they are with each other. Their relationship, the way it began, the way it turned out. But that's mainly a Vahn and adventure reaction, if that makes sense. It'd be so intresting to see Hitomi and Vahn with other personalities. I kind of don't like Hitomi and Allen together. I mean, geez, he's like... a rapist. I don't think the big brother thing (to the extent that he took it) makes a good intimate relationship. A brother-sisterish relationship is cute, though. I never really minded Vahn/Merle that much... I don't think you're giving Merle enough credit, there. Even though she may act mature, she proved at the end that she really is a LOT more mature. She's not that young, either. I guess that's another reason I held a grudge against Vahn/Hitomi a little. xD I luff all the characters like they were my own mama, so I don't like when one is underestimated. x33 *is a weirdo*

Anyway, you bring up a good point with Celena! I never thought much about her. Actually, I think that if she actually wasn't Dilandau, they'd be good for each other. With such an explosive, abusive personality, Dilandau would need someone as innocent as Celena. And Celena would learn so much from him.

Also, Celena and Folken. Celena reminds me a bit of Folken's catgirls. I think he would have a soft spot for her, especially her personality and terrible past. Even if it wasn't a couple-relationship. x3 Ooh! And then we'd get to see some nice emotions whirling between Folken and Allen. xD xD

And what of the Princess Millerna? In movie or series?

 

The reason I don't like Allen/Hitomi is that it's not a romantic relationship. It's one based on Hitomi's shallow crush (yes, it IS shallow, she's a teenage girl with the hots for the dashing knight and that's about it XD), and on Allen's need to atone for past events (the loss of his sister and the death of his mother, and his failed relationship with Marlene - he was unable to be there for her because of their difference in status) which he considers, erroneously, to be entirely his fault.

But I don't know where you're getting the rapist idea. Fifteen is a valid age to be romantically involved on Gaea - Millerna is fifteen, and is/was engaged to Dryden, who is twenty-one (same age as Allen). That doesn't necessarily make it a good idea for a fifteen-year-old and a twenty-one-year-old to be together, but Allen's just acting within what's culturally acceptible.

He's also only had one sexually intimate relationship that we know of, and the impression there is that it didn't last long.

Well... yeah. XD But even Allen eventually realizes the truth of his feelings about Hitomi, and doesn't pursue the relationship.

Well... Merle's birthday is actually placed during the series, so we don't know if she turns thirteen or fourteen during it (since her official age is given as thirteen - she could have been twelve at the beginning). If she'd just turned thirteen, I still say that's a bit young for her being with Van. You have to consider that the mindset of a thirteen-year-old and that of a fifteen-year-old are VERY different, because up until the twenties, a person does a lot of maturing and their persective is bound to change dramatically over just a year or two.

It might work - but I also think that Merle's posessiveness is more a mix of sisterly feelings and hero worship than true romantic feelings for Van. They grew up together, after all.

*hackles raise* She isn't Dilandau. *gives you the stare of DOOM* XD

I tend to think that Dilandau works better with older characters. He's VERY dominant, but that's because he feels he HAS to be; it's compensation for his lack of control over himself and his emotions. Basically, he needs someone who can temper his volatility, but who also has the experience to make it tolerable for him to be supported by them. He wouldn't take the "it's OK, I'm here for you" attitude well from someone his own age - there would be too much jockeying for the alpha position.

And as you point out, he is abusive. Another reason he needs to be with someone he would have a harder time intimidating or injuring.

Yes, like swearing and how to crush someone's windpipe with your thumb... XD

Don't get me wrong - I love the potential for Dilandau/Celena interaction. I just can't see them as a romantic pairing. More like siblings - Dilandau does have a protective side, and I think Celena would bring that out.

Can't see that as a romantic relationship. Folken's ten years her senior, and I think she'd be a bit too immature psychologically to bridge that gap. (Where Dilandau possibly could - because he, unlike Celena, had been living an adult life.) But yes, I agree that Folken probably would have a "soft spot" for her.

Series-Millerna, I think, would be a good fit with Dryden after she's matured her attitude a bit. She's very independant, something that he would most likely approve of (where Allen might not... remember the "birdcage" remarks he makes about Hitomi). Likewise, Dryden's very easygoing and fun, someone who would probably enjoy Millerna's mix of indepence and femininity.

Can't say much about Millerna in the movie. We don't really see enough of her, in my opinion, to really judge her romantic potential. The movie gives the impression of an Allen/Millerna relationship being a possibility, but Allen hardly gets any screentime either.

 

Well, I don't mean age-wise, but... have you ever met a rapist? Weird question, I know. x3 I've never been raped or anything (I'd beat the crap outta him!) but I know people, and they all have this creepy, I'll protect and watch over you thing going. I guess it dosen't make sense unless you've ever actually met a pervert like that. xP It reminds me of this hilairous commercial spoof I watched. It was McDonalds ad, and it was perfectly normal until the end where the clown hugs a kid and he goes to eat some happy meals. Then Ronald smiles and looks up saying, "Remember kids, I'll always watch over you. Especially when you're in the bathroom."
It just seems weird to me to have someone who "watches over you" and talks about "keeping you in a birdcage" to get intimate.

Ah, very true, but Merle's views and maturity changed pretty rapidly throughout the series. Also, if you're with someone older, you mature faster. And Merle, despite the way she acts sometimes, DOES understand Vahns feelings. Afterall, being by his side so long, she basically experienced his whole life along with him.

My point exactly. The I-married-the-girl-next-door is a common relationship in every society. What's wrong with that?

o.0 Did I miss something? ^_^;;

And being with an older character makes him feel dominant how?
(Although I do agree that he works better with older characters...)

Well, I don't think she would give of much of a "I'm here for you" kind of attitude at all. More of a... Huh? WTF? attitude. Which gets me thinking... it would be almost like raising a child. Sure, that's gonna be on effed up kid, but what would it do for Dilandau? And her, even? That would lead into an interesting chain of emotions. It would be like Chii and Hideki from Chobits. (Whom I detest, btw...)

I guess you'd think it would be like him and his Dragonslayers again, but he DOES care about them. He just has a weird way of showing it. They're loyal to him, too. Weird as it may sound, there are a LOT of people out there who don't mind, or like being abused. Or, don't know better, in Celena's case.

LOL *imagines that*

Maybe not blood-siblings, but if Dilandau was forced to take care of Celena or something, I think that relationship would be pretty interesting.
I think Celena would make Dilandau realize a lot of things about himself, and the way he is. If he had to care for Celena, watched her mature, loved her (in whatever way), and saw how he had influenced her... that could have a huge effect on him. But then again, this IS Dilandau we're talking about. And Celena would then seem kinda like a toy. But people who mature in emotionally rough environments learn the most, so it does good.

If I remember correctly, he did like her personality. In fact, he really liked her period. *scratched head* Can't believe it's been five years since I last saw this series... I think I'm gonna go find my Escaflowne DVDs, watch the series, and then come back to rant anew sometime. I always loved Dryden/Millerna. Infact, they're one of my favorite couples. x3 Along with Vahn/Hitomi. [/QUOTE]

I was surprised how much she changed in the movie! o_0 Might as well be a new character.

Hey... I just noticed something. Your name is Dilandau! xB
*That's why the call her A Little Slow Fairy Sugar*

 

Oh, I agree that Allen's got issues. He does NOT have a history of healthy relationships. But I think he means well - he just really needed to step back and look at himself, as he does later in the series, to realize that his romantic relationships were happening for the wrong reasons.

In short, he needed to stop looking for Celena.

Not a thing. ^^ I just don't see Van/Merle as being terribly plausible. It wouldn't surprise me if they wound up spending their lives together - but I don't know that it would be a terribly romantic relationship.

I guess we'd have to see an older canon Merle and Van to really know if they'd be a good match in the long run.

I just see Dilandau and Celena as seperate individuals, is all. ^^ Same body, but different minds/souls, if you will. And I've had to argue the "Dilandau is/n't a girl" point so many times it's not even funny. xx;

It wouldn't, that's the point. With an older character, I think Dilandau would be more comfortable in dropping some of his "I'm 100% in control of everything" facade, and he'd be more able to have a healthy relationship not burdened by his need to control everything.

Of course, it could also backfire and wind up with him constantly fighting with the other character. XD

Indeed it would - hence my aversion to Dilandau/Celena as a romantic pairing. But the character interaction itself would be very interesting.

Hell, I'd be the first person to agree with that. ^^ Dilandau clearly loved them very much - which I think was why he was so hard on them. If he drove them to reach the peak of their abilities, to be the best soldiers possible, there was less chance that they would be hurt or killed. Also, if you think about it, a slap is really a very effective form of discipline - it hurts like hell, but not for very long, and it causes very little actual damage.

But you also have to remember that Dilandau's relationship with his Dragonslayers was a commander/subordinate relationship, within a military context. A little abuse is almost expected there. And furthermore, his men were physically fit and used to being slapped around. A strike that would only make them flinch would knock Celena on her butt, more than likely.

That's very true. Celena is probably the only canon female character I could see Dilandau having any kind of constructive relationship with. I imagine that he would be a bit intimidated by her if he knew the truth of his own origins, but at the same time, that would also make him feel protective of her.

I think the two of them have a lot of potential for helping each other grow as individuals. ^^

Yup. When they're first reunited, Dryden basically says that he's surprised at how beautiful Millerna is, since she was such a tomboy as a child. XD But he does really seem to like everything about her, to the point that he decides he isn't yet good enough for her.

I know. It would have been nice if there was a little more of that personality in series-Millerna... I think fewer people would hate her, had that been the case. She DOES have her good points - it's just that they really only show up towards the end, and by that point, she's already made herself so irritating ("Alleeeen~!") that nobody wants to like her. XD

*LOL* XD Yes...

 

Ah, I was joking. xD xD

Yeah, wouldn't be terribly romantic, but she'd support him with all her heart, a point I think Hitomi lacks. She's got too many problems of her own.

Oh, I see. @_@ You had me thinkin' I'd gone crazy or something.

Good point. *nodnod*

Really? You think he'd be intimidated? I don't think he'd take it that way. Well... maybe. But he wouldn't show it.

Dryden's so sweet. xD *hugs* (And he's brown, too, uh-huh, power to the brown people of anime!)

For some reason, I didn't hate her. Maybe I was focusing my hate too much on Hitomi. x3 She is a good person, she just got the wrong side of her shown. I sympathize with her.

 

I'll give you that. Both Hitomi and Van still have a ways to go when the series ends - but then, they are teenagers. I guess that's another reason why I support the ending as it was - I've seen a lot of people complain "They should have kissed!" But I don't think so. I'd say that their relationship, such as it was, hadn't yet reached that point because neither of them were ready for it. A kiss, or any other kind of intimate contact with sexual undertones, would have cheapened it.

Well, how would you feel if you were suddenly confronted with a person who looked like you, whom you had apparently been created from, who had been living submerged in your mind for your entire life, and whose existence you had never known about? Add to this that Celena is female - and I don't think Dilandau has a lot of real experience with women as individuals, people, given that he's a career soldier raised in unusual circumstances and has probably been in a gender-segregated environment his whole life.

Celena would be one big unknown to him, representing everything in himself that he didn't know, didn't remember, or couldn't come to terms with, and all of the emotions and tendencies that he thought represented weakness. I think she'd scare him, repulse him, and fascinate him all at once. And when Dilandau doesn't know what to do... he either panics and does nothing (like when Van cuts his face, or during the mess in ep. 14), or he resorts to violence.

He is. ^^ It's a shame that we don't get to see him interact with more of the cast. I've always wondered how he and Folken would get along. (And I'm intrigued by the possibilities of those two as a pairing, honestly. They would have a lot of common ground, being intellectuals and tinkerers.)

I did originally. Then I rewatched the series and decided I'd been influenced by other fans too much. I'm kind of neutral on Millerna now - I only hate her when she's being overly clingy/whiny, or when she turns up in hentai doujinshi that involve Dilandau. XP Icky.

 

Amen to that. Have you seen these Doujinshi and fanart flying all over the net? And don't get me STARTED on the fanfic. They make Hitomi a complete ***** and make Vahn out to be a weakling that can't say anything. It's horrible. That's why I really say that fans always kill the spirit of an anime. :anger2:

True, but unlike most of his problems, Celena isn't something that can just go away. Even his scar was permanent, but it wasn't a living, breathing thing that he had to socially deal with. She's the undying symbol of his weakness. Except she's not really undying, because he could easily kill her. o_0;; Ya think he would, though? And how would that work? Wouldn't he be killing himself, killing his past? Have you seen Fight Club, btw? It could be a little like that, except then Celena would have to kill Dilandau. But I guess the bad guy wins sometimes. Like in Secret Window, Secret Garden. x3

As a pairing? Hmmm, I think both are the kind that lead in a relationship, and just don't add up too well romantically. But interaction, definately. Also, I always wanted more interaction between Dryden and Allen. They couldn've taken their relationship much farther, if time allowed. It's such a shame that they ran out of funding to continue the series. *sigh* I woudda given up all MY allowance. (Though I doubt that would help at all...)

o_o
That is disturbing. Where do you find this stuff?

 

Unfortunately.

I dunno. I've got nothing against the Van/Hitomi pairing, really, but peope need to learn to leave it alone. It had a sense of completion at the end of the series that most anime/manga relationships never reach. Anything beyond that point is really just unnecessary.

Maybe. If Celena and Dilandau were to somehow meet - either in person or within Celena's mind/dreams - it would be pretty touch-and-go. There are a lot of ways that it could turn out. (And somehow, smut/romance just doesn't strike me as one of them. I HATE that "he's narcissistic, so he'd want to screw her because it would be like having sex with himself!" idea. >_<)

Maybe. That would assume, though, that Dilandau would give the situation some thought first, and not just panic and lash out. He's not in the most stable mental state by the end of the series, after all.

Heheh. XD Yes, yes I have.

Well, I've never really seen it done or tried to do it myself - I dunno if it's very workable, but it IS interesting. You're right - both aren't the type to easily submit. That's another pairing that I think would be largely platonic.

Do you REALLY want to know that? XD

Actually... I tend to snap up any Dilandau-centric doujin I can find, and in the process of looking, I've come across hentai more times than I'd like. The one I was specifically referring to is called "Rebirth," and I found scans of it. It used to be up on the E-hentai site, I think.

Among the H-doujinshi pairings I've seen: lots of Van x Hitomi, two examples of Dilandau x Millerna, Van x Merle, Dilandau x Merle, Folken x leopard twins, Merle x Hitomi, and Millerna x Eries (I think - all I saw of that was the cover, thankfully). None of it was handled with any regard for the characters' personalities, of course.. >_<

 

What really struck me about this series was that the relationship just stayed kinda sweet, you know? I hate when characters are ALL OVER each other 24/7. That's pretty sick. Hitomi and Vahn had such an adorable relationship- the kind where you don't need any words. They do it so much in Fushigi Yuugi, and gawd, even in Aladdin the Disney Movie. Part one was good, but in part two, everytime you see Jasmine and Aladdin together, all that happens is that they say a few lines and Jasmine is all over him, talking in a seductive voice with her eyes half open like she's drunk. In a way, it was just a BAD fanfic that ignored all previously developed character. Blech.

I don't think he's THAT narcsisstic. In fact, in a list of qualities, I think that would probably be one of the later ones I'd list.

Was he ever in a stable mental state? xD

I think they'd probably be better as two detectives or some crap that are partners in an action movie. o_0

In a search for Esca FanStuff, I've unwillingly tripped across plenty of hentai. o_0 It dosen't bother me as much anymore, I hardly notice it. I use google most of the time. xD And it's like... every row. And I just kinda keep humming and hit "next". If anyone is ever sitting with me when I search, it's funny to see them freak out. Do you know any non-hentai based sites? x3 I don't mind if there's some, just as long as it's not 90% or sumthin. I LOOOOOOVE good fanart. I had a collection of like, 35 artists with tons of beautiful, gorgeous pictures on my old computer before it crashed. *tears* I'm tryin' ta build it all up again.

 

Agreed. The Van/Hitomi relationship was nice in that it wasn't over-emphasized, it wasn't physical. They didn't have to spend 10 minutes per episode looking deep into each other's eyes and nauseating us all with, "...Van!" "...Hitomi!" "Van!" "Hitomi!" XD

Agreed. Dilandau's body is important to him because that's all he has. It's not like he has any kind of domestic skills, y'know? Of course he's going to appreciate his own attributes. But it's just another trait of his that's been blown out of proportion in the fandom.

For what - fiction, doujinshi, fanart? PM me if you want links, I've got plenty. XD Most are for Dragonslayers-related stuff, though. And I do have a LOT of shounen ai and yaoi doujinshi scans, in addition to the usual gag-doujin. >_>

Unfortunately, I haven't seen very much good Esca fanart, aside from what's in doujinshi. :/ Reminds me that I need to scan "Deep of Heaven," though - it has some of the nicest full-page character sketches and illustrations I've found in Esca doujinshi.