Last Exile

In the world of Prester, flight is the dominant mode of transportation, made possible by Claudia Fluid: a liquidized form of the crystals that are produced on the planet. An organization known solely as "the Guild" has absolute authority over the skies, with a monopoly on the engines that make use of this fluid. Moreover, as ecological disasters destabilize the warring countries of Anatoray and Disith, the Guild also arbitrates in the disputes between the two. Caught in the middle of the conflict are Sky Couriers, piloting small, two-person vanships that fly freely through the sky.

Last Exile follows the adventures of two teenagers who dream of surpassing their parents: Claus Valca, son of a famous vanship pilot, and Lavie Head, Claus' best friend and navigator. Their job as couriers entails passing through an air current called the Grand Stream that separates the hostile nations, which even standard airships struggle to survive. However, when they take on a high-rated delivery to bring an orphan girl named Alvis Hamilton to the battleship Silvana, they get dragged into a much greater conflict that pits them against the might of the Guild.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Eraclea, Dio Main

Noda, Junko Japanese

Head, Lavie Main

Saitou, Chiwa Japanese

Valca, Claus Main

Asano, Mayumi Japanese

Hamilton, Alvis E. Main

Shiraki, Anna Japanese

Row, Alex Supporting

Morikawa, Toshiyuki Japanese

Wisła, Tatiana Supporting

Kitamura, Eri Japanese

Lucciola Supporting

Hanba, Tomoe Japanese

Shetland, Mullin Supporting

Miki, Shinichiro Japanese

Forrester, Sophia Supporting

Yamazaki, Wakana Japanese

Eraclea, Delphine Supporting

Neya, Michiko Japanese

Birukawa, Hiroyuki Producer

Imamoto, Naoshi Producer

Chigira, Kouichi Director, Series Composition

Tsuruoka, Youta Sound Director

Reviews

Aug 12, 2010

Archaeon

Recommended

Every anime studio has their ups and downs, their highs and lows, their hits and misses. There's not a single one that hasn't produced a decent title without producing something ... less than average (Manglobe came close, until they made a certain show about a Blacksmith). Surprisingly, many anime fans consider Gonzo to be one of the worst offenders, as while they have made some excellent shows, they have a catalogue of average to sub par (or worse), titles to their name as well.

Thankfully Last Exile is a one that, for the most part, they got right, but then again, the series was made to ... celebrate Gonzo's 10th anniversary so it's understandable that they made the extra effort.

The show follows the adventures of Claus Valca and Lavie Head, two childhood friends who are determined to follow in their father's footsteps, and become the best vanship couriers around. Like their respective parents, Hamilcar Valca and George Head, Claus is the pilot and Lavie is the navigator, and their entry into the Norkia Cup race signifies the beginning of their journey, one which will change both their lives.

One of the things that people complain about with Last Exile is that the first half of the series offers very little explanation about the events that occur while adding more and more layers to the plot. However, the more patient viewer will be rewarded as the answers are forthcoming in the second half of the show, and while there is a nice amount of complexity to the story, this is nowhere near enough to confuse people. In truth, I found the show was pitched in a manner that would appeal to many viewers as there is always enough going on to keep one interested.

What is most interesting about the show though, is that it is one of the few steam punk themed anime available. There are a number of aspects and designs that are clearly influenced by the Industrial Revolution and Germany during the time between the two World Wars, and more references are forthcoming when one looks closer at the series. There is also a clear influence from two classic Ghibli movies, Nausicaa and Laputa: Castle in the Sky, although neither of those titles is as heavily steam punk as Last Exile.

With regards to the look of the show, it's interesting to note that the visual production of the series relied heavily on CG. In particular, Gonzo used non-photorealistic rendering as a method to combine traditional hand drawn animation and CG, and the benefits of this technique are clearly visible throughout the anime. The quality of animation is extremely good throughout, and together with the designs of the characters, ships, equipment, and scenery, affords Last Exile a look and feel that is superior to most anime around.

That said, one of the issues with the series is that the rare colour clashes can sometimes be a little hard on the eyes.

The overall quality of the series extends to the music and effects too. The various tracks used throughout the series are often well chosen, whilst the numerous noises and sounds are well choreographed, and pitched at a level that rarely overwhelms the viewer. The OP, "Cloud Age Symphony" by Okino Shuntaro, is a strange piece of music that may not sit well with some viewers due to its more experimental approach. This is also true of the ED, "Over the Sky" by Kuroishi Hitomi, a track which is far more melodic than the OP, but retains the same off-kilter feel.

As for the acting, both Asano Mayumi and Saito Chiwa are in fine form as Claus and Lavie respectively, whilst Morikawa Toshiyuki is suitably taciturn as the enigmatic Alex Rowe. Each of the seiyuu portray their characters well, although there are one or two moments when the delivery seems a little forced, something that only really occurs during heavy action sequences.

One of the things that really sets Last Exile apart is the quality of its characters. Many people talk about things like "realism" and "believability" when it comes to characters, but in truth this is simply an attempt to explain how well the characters work in the context of the story, and also how well the characters follow certain patterns of behaviour that many know to be the average for people (and by this I mean how would the average, real world person react in a similar situation).

Its nice to see then, that Last Exile uses the characters very well. Both Claus and Lavie behave in a manner that is reasonable and understandable, and both are allowed to develop rather well over the course of the show. This is also true of a number of other characters, including Alex Rowe, who is akin to a modern day Harlock in some respects.

That's not to say that every character is great though, as there are on or two who don't seem to serve any real purpose, and are nothing more than window dressing. While it's true that there are always characters like this in any half decent story, the last place you should see them is on a battleship.

As a fan of steam punk, I found myself warming to Last Exile almost immediately. The plot, pacing and designs are very well handled and presented, and the story is easy to follow while retaining a degree of suspense and complexity - something which isn't easy to achieve. The series would easily appeal to fans of Nausicaa and Laputa, however fans of shows like Sakura Taisen, Steamboy, Giant Robo, or any anime about flying may find this rewarding viewing.

This is one of those rare titles that has something for everyone, but fans of steam punk should definitely give it a try.

Granted there are some minor niggles here and there, but overall Last Exile is well told story that looks and sounds great. A great deal of thought has gone into this series, and it shows in a number of ways. It's easily one of the more imaginative titles to appear in anime, especially as it's one that isn't based on a manga/novel/game/etc. It may not appeal to everyone, but those willing to give it a try may not be disappointed.

I just wish they'd make more imaginative shows like this instead of all the school based pap we're being served these days.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Feb 24, 2011

Adules

Mixed Feelings

Characters- unoriginal, shallow motivation, acted as plot devices more than anything, character development was random and unnatural, relationships between characters were spontaneous and poorly developed.

Dialogue- boring and stifled

Art and music- both fine, but art is kind of stiff and boring, especially during dog fights

Story and Setting- Cliche, and terrible. I have not been so uninterested in the plot since pokemon. Plus the pacing was just so horrendous. Scenes that should be fast are slow and boring. Scenes which could develop characters are random, misplaced, and sometimes a bit confused. Everything about the pacing is poor.

Comments: I compare this show to stuff like Robotech. But the ... reason why robotech was so awesome, was because of it's focus on characters. The character dichotomies and relationships were realistic and organic. There was nothing forced. The plot was basic, sure, but it was a character based series, which was surprisingly well written. The development and progression of the characters, relationships, and plot were done perfectly. Meanwhile, this seems like a bad knock off. Here's a comparison to detail what I'm talking about. In Robotech, you watch as Rick excels at piloting over a course of time. He isn't great at first, but he gets better and better and rises through the ranks as he proves himself. In The Last Exile, the main character flies the weaponized van-ship. At first, he does not do so well, but it does show him starting to get used to flying. You would think that he would prove himself in later battles as the show continues, but no. It implies that he got better, but ultimately we only see him fly the damn thing a handful of times. There is NO development.

Enjoyment: despite the fact that there is nothing good about this show, and I would traditionally drop it after the first few episodes, I continued to watch it out of some self hating boredom. I found a mild amusement out of this time waster, which keeps it from getting anything below a five. Ultimately, I don't recommend this series to anyone and I regret watching this pile of shit.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Jan 6, 2020

Nocturnia

Not Recommended

Preliminary (17/26 eps)

This is a review of a partial completion (17/26). I usually don't drop anime once I've finished so much of it, but I did in this case, and will try to detail why below.

First of all, I confess to having a certain bias against the aesthetic of Last Exile. It's an older anime, and it feels even older than it is when watching it. I'm also not a huge fan of steampunk. But while that may have influenced my personal enjoyment, I try not to let it affect anything else (for the record, the "Enjoyment" category got a 3/10).

I'll run through each of the ... review categories.

I gave the story a 3/10. This is because, honestly, I never felt I had any idea what was going on. So, our two main protagonists end up on an adventure and get involved in world-altering events. That's a pretty standard story. But that's neither good nor bad. What makes a story great is when there are clear and compelling bases behind not just the characters' actions, but behind the world. While the characters get a little bit of clear but not compelling support, the world gets next to nothing. I felt like I understood what was going on with at least Claus, Lavie, and perhaps Alex, but I was blank as to what was going on in the world. Locations feel similarly drawn out of thin air. Of the various locations we are taken to, none of them feel developed. And some of them simply aren't; I don't even know what the Grand Stream is by episode 17. That's an issue.

I gave the art a 7/10. I'm honestly not one to criticize art that much anyways. It has an old aesthetic. I don't think that aesthetic can really be judged. If poor art actually starts to affect my ability to comprehend what's going on, then I'll rate it lower (for example, the anime movie Hells has a very interesting art style, but it actually has a negative effect on being able to tell what's going on). Last Exile does not have this issue.

I gave the sound a 5/10. I didn't feel anything from the soundtrack. The music is appropriate for the scenes, as are the sound effects, but they don't really enhance it in any way either. Similar to art, however, sound is a very subjective category that is hard to rate.

I gave the characters a 4/10. As mentioned when I was covering story, the characters get some clear, but not compelling bases for their actions. Or at least, the major characters do. However, I felt the antagonists were one of the weakest aspects of the show, and were in large part the reason I felt compelled to stop watching. I have little patience these days for antagonists that speak or act in a meme-worthy "evil" manner. The best antagonists are the ones whose actions are justifiable from a certain perspective. Characters need to be believable. Even if we assume that such ridiculous antagonists are simply extreme narcissists, it still doesn't feel real without giving them counterbalancing traits that real narcissists have. Narcissism alone can't make a believable person.

Besides the poor character development, I also feel the need to mention the appalling state of the female cast. I don't intend to make this a feminist review, but I do feel that the way that Last Exile handles female characters is an issue. The show has an old aesthetic. Lots of shows may use an old aesthetic and therefore portray female characters in an older, more conservative sense. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Nor, for that matter, do I necessarily take issue with ecchi or harem shows that objectify women. Those shows are designed to cater to a particular audience, and generally don't feel like they're validating a view. They're made to be entertainment, not to explicitly validate what they are showing. Last Exile, on the other hand, gave off the impression that it was, because it felt like it was an honest portrayal of how the creators felt. The world of Last Exile isn't a historical period recreation. It's certainly not an ecchi or harem. It does have a somewhat historical feel from the steampunk aesthetic, but it doesn't authentically recreate 19th century society, and several female characters are placed in strong, commanding positions, with matching personalities to boot. Despite this, these characters are consistently portrayed as emotionally weak, having breakdowns from which they must be rescued by associated male characters. The male characters, meanwhile, never have breakdowns of their own. In this way, the anime gives off a rather sexist impression. In any case, if that kind of thing bothers you in anime, I strongly recommend not watching Last Exile.

Overall, I give Last Exile a 4/10. It has a world that I really did feel inspired by at first. I really wanted to get to know this world and the characters in it, and discover what fates awaited them. Unfortunately, Studio Gonzo fails to deliver a strong basis for these things, and the imaginative world they came up with drops like a Vanship with low Claudia pressure.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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