I didn't really do a great synopsis, but saying any more would spoil the beginning, which is really good. Many things were left out, such as her pendant which is a very key item that pretty much moves the entire plot along. Speaking of the plot, the plot ROCKS. Love story, action, revelations into human nature, plot twists galore, and it actually requires you to THINK. The action is actually very well animated, and the mecha designs are also top-notch. The animation style will turn away many, however. It's very different from what you might be used to.

By the way, Hitomi is the main character, and she's a wonderfully developed character. Voiced by the great Sakamoto Maaya, Hitomi was a character always full of emotion, thanks not only to her voice actress but to the great cast of characters which complement her. In fact, all of the characters are very good. If you haven't watched this before, Escaflowne is the name of Van's mech. Oh, and another thing: cat girls are present. Any anime with cat girls automatically earns a 5.0 from me. As an added bonus, the cat girls are TWINS! (note: all cat girls are moderately dressed. No fan service is present!)