I know ID isnt new, I started collecting the dvds a long time ago. The Stage 1,2,3...etc episode i've never seen before. Just wondering if they are a different take on the series.
Hmm, hard so say without knowing what you've seen, but there's only one take on the series.
Stage 1 beginning 26 episodes,
Second Stage 13 episodes,
Extra Stage 1 side story,
Third Stage movie to bridge 2nd and 4th,
Battle Stage 1 like a remastered compilation of battles from previous stages in preparation for Stage 4,
Fourth Stage 24 episodes brings us to the end of the story so far (in anime, the manga is still going and may get to a stopping point within a year, so we'll probably get a Fifth Stage in 2013),
Battle Stage 2 another remastered recap of battles,
Extra Stage 2 another side story.
All the main stages are worth rewatching, extras and battles not so much imo.
Edit: Just bought Vexille on Blu-Ray online. Any insight?
I use Anime News Network as a reference. Users there gave Vexille a 7/10 on average (just making the top third of the list). Never heard of it myself.
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Just finished rewatching Escaflowne since it's been about a decade since I'd last seen it (on VHS!) Still great.
Started Angelic Layer a few days ago and it's good so far.