Story & Characters
I am no fan of any anime which main focus is on machines (gundams, aircrafts, spaceships etc) but Last Exile is an anime
featuring fights between airships that grabbed my attention until the end. This series is directed by Koichi Chigira,
with character designs by Range Murata and production design by Mahiro Maeda.
It all began with the introduction of the two main characters; Claus and childhood friend, Lavi going on about their
daily lives as couriers using an old rundown vanship their fathers left them. However, they have more in mind than just
being couriers. They have ambitions of flying over The Grand Stream; the place where their fathers lost their lives.
Entering an airship race led them nearer towards their goal. The beginning though, was just the icing of the cake and it
has little to do with the storyline. The real story began when they crossed paths with a dying man and a little girl,
Alvis Hamilton in a broken vanship. Thus, they helped him to finish his mission to deliver the girl to a formidable
battleship known as Silvana. Many of the crew of Silvana have a very interesting background especially the captain Alex
Rowe. Unknowing to them the significance of the little girl, Claus and Lavi found their destinies entwined with the
Silvana.
All of this took place in a world that is divided into several kingdoms and there are frequent wars among them but they
still abide the laws of chivalry. Well, most of them anyway.
Through this war, the Guild was introduced. The Guild had authority over the kingdoms as their technology is in its most
advanced form compared to others. A character from the Guild which I find really interesting is the leader of the Guild,
Maestro Delphine Eraclea. She is not your typical antagonist as something about her is very bewitching although there is
a sense of great evil, power and sickness surrounding her. Her younger brother, Dio Eraclea is also a very interesting
character as he is neither good nor bad. What happened to him was really unnerving though. Unfortunately this part
contains a spoiler.
Most of the interesting parts contain spoilers anyway....which is good since this shows that the anime is not
predictable. In fact, one of the main features of this anime is its unpredictability.
Rating: 9
Art
Gonzo is known for production high quality art and Last Exile is no exception. The buildings, airships and even the
scenery are all bursting with creativity. The art style may not be my cup of tea but it is nevertheless very impressive.
All structures are well defined and the characters' proportions are balanced. I noticed that the females of this
anime are drawn with a lack of feminine touch which suits this anime's theme of violence and raging wars.
It seems like Gonzo did his work well; the world of Last Exile is carefully planned out and beautifully drawn.
I do not really have much to comment here as I could not find a single flaw in the art.
Rating: 9
Sound
I watched Last Exile in English dub and it was surprisingly good considering most of the English dubs are terrible.
However, I find Dio's voice rather unfitting for his gender. I had problems in the beginning regarding his gender
(could not determine if he was male or female). However, his voice suits him character wise as all Guild members are
portrayed to be very elegant and civilized.
For Claus and Lavi's voice, they are given childlike voices yet the voices gave off a sense of maturity. Alex
Rowe's voice suited him as well since his voice gave a very commanding presence befitting of a captain.
As for the opening song "Cloud Age Symphony" by Shuntaro Okino, I find it really catchy though somewhat long
winded towards the end. You would have thought that the recorder got broken while recording it halfway. The ending song,
"Over the Sky" by Hitomi Kuroishi creates a very dreamy atmosphere which leaves you feeling very relaxed.
Overall, the theme songs are absolutely impressive and I find myself watching the opening and ending over and over
again just to listen to the songs which is unusual since I always fast forward towards the story. A must-listen for all
classical music fans.
Rating: 8
Presentation
Fun? This is why I watched Last Exile until the end in the first place. Every moment has a great amount of suspense and
drama not to mention a sense of grandeur. You can practically feel all kinds of emotions in this anime (except humor);
despair, happiness, sadness or just plain frustration.
Last Exile also gives you the feeling that you are altogether in a new world where flight plays a major role in our
lives. I would recommend this anime to you since it has left me feeling glad that I completed this anime (I have a habit
of stopping halfway through animes I do not like).
Last Exile however, is a rather complex anime and some of you might find it confusing at first. I had to pay real
attention to the anime to understand what it is all about but that is not a big deal since Last Exile can be quite
addictive.
One thing that brings this whole anime down is its ending. I do not mean that it is not good but I felt that there is a
loose end especially where a main character is concerned. It is like after all the character had done for them, they
seemed to have forgotten the character. Sadly, I could not dwell in this further due to spoilers again.
Overall, Last Exile is a very satisfying anime that challenges your imagination. A true masterpiece if it wasn't
for the last bit.
Rating: 7
Final Verdict
8.1667 (good)
Reviewed by Milkiyo, May 05, 2008