World of Gaea
The anime series follows a teenage high school girl named Hitomi Kanzaki, who finds herself pulled from Earth to the planet Gaea when a boy named Van Fanel appears at her school during his fight with a dragon. Hitomi finds herself caught up in the middle of a war as the Zaibach Empire attempts to conquer all of Gaea, even though all she wants to do is find her way home. Hitomi befriends many Gaeans, and together they uncover the mystery of Atlantis. Her mysterious psychic powers become the key to stopping Zaibach's plans.
Setting
Gaea is the planet on which the events of The Vision of Escaflowne and Escaflowne take place. Hitomi Kanzaki is transported to Gaea in a pillar of light after her pendant reacted to Van's drag-energist following his completion of the Rite of Succession.
Gaea exists in an alternate dimension from Earth, and is a replica with oceans, continents, and even the ruins of ancient civilization. Its size, mass, atmospheric composition, temperature belts, and even seasons are essentially similar to those of Earth, though given some of the jumping and acrobatic feats of some of the show's characters, it is possible that the gravity is slightly lower than Earth's. However, although people on Earth cannot see Gaea, people on Gaea see both the Moon and Earth in their nightly expanse.
Gaea was created by the combined wish from those on the doomed Atlantis once they had realized that their ways were the end of their own civilization.
Over a hundred different countries exist on Gaea.
Statistics
- Circumference at Equator approximately 40053 km
- Circumference through North and South Poles approximately 40009 km
- Density 5.5 times water
- Surface 510,000,000 km2
- Volume 1,100,000,000 km3
Countries
Over a hundred different countries exist on Gaea.
Fanelia
Although its legendary god of protection is a fabled Ispano Guymelef, Fanelia is considered a otherwise unremarkable country of farmers and townspeople. However, the Guymelef captures the attention of the Zaibach emperor Dornkirk, and an encounter between Fanelia's young king-to-be Van and a girl from the Mystic Moon bring this country into the forefront of events affecting the entire world.
The models for Fanelia on Earth are Asian countries, particularly Meiji-era Japan. The motif of its crest represents the stylized head of a flying dragon.
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| King Goau Fanel Deceased. |
Queen Varie Fanel Deceased. |
Prince Van Fanel |
Swordsman Balgus Ganesha |
Merle |
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| General Asona |
General Luva |
General Yurizen |
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Asturia
King Aston established this relatively recent kingdom from a cluster of formerly ununited towns and villages and transformed it into a thriving merchant power. Much of the economy of Gaea flows through Asturia, especially through the splendid bays and canals of its capital Palas.
Locations in Asturia include the capital, Palas; the port town of Rampant; Fort Castelo, which is an outpost on the border with Fanelia; and the Floresta Mountains, the birthplace of Naria and Eriya.
The model of Asturia on Earth is Italy's Venice. The motif of its crest represents sea dragons.
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| King Grava Efud Aston |
Queen Therese Aston Deceased. |
Princess Marlene Erisha Aston |
Princess Ereis Aria Aston |
Princess Millerna Sara Aston |
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| Knight Leon Schezar Deceased. |
Lady Encia Schezar Deceased. |
Knight Allen Schezar |
Lady Celena Schezar |
Gaddes |
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| Reeden | Kio | Teo | Ort | Pyle |
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Freid
This ancient country with deep spiritual root is currently ruled by the Duke Mahad dal Freid. For ages, the monks residing in the Fortona temple on the outskirts of Freid have safeguarded the sword which unlocked the history and power of Atlantis.
The models for Freid on Earth are Thailand and Cambodia. The motif of its crest represents the Atlanteans.
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| Duke Mahad Dar Freid |
Duchess Marlene Aston Freid |
Prince Chid Freid |
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Zaibach
Zaibach is a powerful empire ruled by Emperor Dornkirk that possesses advanced technology. It was once a small and frail land. People were facing hunger, sickness, neighboring attacks, and living in constant fear. As a well-educated man of science, Dornkirk used his knowledge to rebuild Zaibach into one of the most respected and feared countries in Gaea.
People of Zaibach have committed their lives to the vision of Dornkirk. They seek to create a new era of peace by controlling the world.
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| Emperor Isaac Dornkirk |
Tactician Folken Fanel |
General Adelphos Gein |
Assassin Eriya |
Assassin Naria |
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Dragon Slayers
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| Captain Dilandau Albatou |
Dragon Slayer Dallet |
Dragon Slayer Gatti |
Dragon Slayer Miguel Lavariel |
Dragon Slayer Shesta |
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| Jajuka |
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Basram
Basram is Gaea's first country to employ a republican form of government. It leads the wave of modernization gradually enveloping Gaea, and rivals Zaibach in the ominous application of technology.
Daedalus
Daedalus is a neighbouring country of Asturia.
Egzardia
Egzardia is a neighbouring country of Asturia known for its exquisite fashion and artstyle. Spoilers: Episode 23
- Note: Millerna Aston wears a style of pants from Egzardia, which does not share the same conservative views of women's clothing that Asturia (as a whole) does.
Technology
The world of Gaea is mostly similar to medieval fantasy worlds, with advanced industrial concepts, such as airships and blimps, as well as some unexplained 19th century Earth technology.
Guymelefs
A Guymelef is a powerful mechanized suit of armor used by warriors of Gaea.
There are two types of mechanized suits of armor on Gaea: Melefs, which stand four meters tall, and Guymelefs, which stand eight to ten meters tall. Both are powered by Energists and were originally built to fight dragons. They may be manufactured by the Ispano Clan, by Zaibach's mass production line, or by independent craftsmen. Until Zaibach began the mass manufacture of Guymelefs, it took decades or centuries to build an individual Guymelef.
Individuals who control Guymelefs are frequently high-ranking soldiers, but may also be other skilled fighters, such as the bounty hunters Van fights in Palas. Royalty or skilled warriors have the privilege of piloting a named Guymelef, such as Van (Escaflowne), Allen (Scherazade), and Duke Freid (Chafaris).
Guymelefs may have any type of weapon. Escaflowne and Scherazade use swords, but Melefs and Guymelefs are also seen with weapons such as lances, bows and arrows, and a ball and chain.
In the episode Dangerous Wounds, Dryden refers to the individual controlling a Guymelef as its "operator" and "master." Hitomi uses the more modern term "pilot." The chamber that the operator sits in is referred to by Allen as the "control chamber."
Crima Claw
The unique liquid metal extensions on Zaibach mecha that can shape themselves into swords, shields, and even projectiles. In addition, they can operate as flamethrowers when heated to extremely high temperatures.
However the Crima Claw is the most potent of weapon in the Alseides' arsenal. Five nozzles disgorge liquid metal that is then manipulated and controlled via mechanisms that are still not understood. The liquid metal can be shaped into virtually any solid weapon imaginable. Swords, claws and other blades are common sights. A continuous stream of liquid metal will result in a spear that can be used for ranged attacks. Dilandau launched such an attack at a distance of a mile or more. This material can either be retrieved and reconstituted into new weapons or it may be abandoned on the battlefield.
The liquid metal pervades the machine's entire structure; the machine is able to bond with the pilot to give them fluid movement in battle. However, if the pilot is killed or the part is severed, the Alseides will erupt to a blue flame upon its destruction, as seen when Van destroys the Alseides units outside Freid. The liquid metal technology can also be pushed to a limit and result in adverse effects. When Dilandau attempts to shoot down Van on the bridge in Asturia, he uses full capabilities, leading to his Alseides "burning out."
Invisibility Cloak
A cloaking device is a hypothetical or fictional stealth technology that can cause objects, such as spaceships or individuals, to be partially or wholly invisible to parts of the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum. However, over the entire spectrum, a cloaked object scatters more than an uncloaked object.[1]
Fictional cloaking devices have been used as plot devices in various media for many years.
Developments in scientific research[2] show that real-world cloaking devices can obscure objects from at least one wavelength of EM emissions. Scientists already use artificial materials called metamaterials to bend light around an object.[3]
Optical camouflage is a kind of active camouflage in which one wears a fabric which has an image of the scene directly behind the wearer projected onto it, so that the wearer appears invisible. The drawback to this system is that, when the cloaked wearer moves, a visible distortion is often generated as the 'fabric' catches up with the object's motion. The concept exists for now only in theory and in proof-of-concept prototypes, although many experts consider it technically feasible.
Fate Alteration Machine
Emperor Dornkirk's reproduction of the Atlantis Machine, used to alter fate. It is made of several components, including the causality-rate-detecting device, destiny accelerator, and the destiny vibrator.
Atlantis Machine
The legendary device created by the people of Atlantis which could turn thoughts into reality.
Trivia
Pointy noses.
- The movie is a retelling of the series; Hitomi, a girl suffering from depression, gets transported to Gaea, puzzled as to why everyone calls her the Wing Goddess. But with the help of Van, Merle, and the Abaharaki, she discovers her purpose on Gaea and in life.