Customer Reviews

Last Exile: The Complete Series Box Set

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Last Exile is one of those anime series that's been floating around for a few years now that I repeatedly made mental notes of considering while shopping. With commercials and trailers that hinted to some kind of early-avionics days adventure, it looked interesting enough but always seemed to get passed by for some flashy-boxed mecha OVA or gritty, modern-day set series. Now that Funimation has picked up the Geneon property in its entirety, my days of putting off Last Exile have finally come to an end and let me just start by saying I should not have wasted so much time getting into this anime gem. But before I get too far ahead of myself, let's take a moment to discuss the packaging and physical presentation.

Last Exile the Complete Series consists of 26 episodes across 4 discs and comes packaged in a stylish cardboard slipcase containing a pair of thin packs. The artwork is stunningly appropriate, with a purposely-weathered look that includes the yellowing of the parchment and near-black & white quality to the portraits. Faded images of the pilots, decked out in their antiquated flight gear, standing proudly before their weathered open-cockpit aircraft have a look about them that just nails the look and feel of the early 1900s.

Coming in at a total runtime of 625 minutes, Last Exile wears a very conservative TV14 rating. This is nearly general audience material with a slight hint of adult undertones (war and aerial combat) but the show contains no real violence, suggestive content, or foul language worth parental concern. Like real wars, some characters (even beloved by the end) do lose their lives to the cause. However, Last Exile is never graphic in its portrayal of death nor does it glorify themes of violence.

Language options are solid with the original Japanese dialog perfectly preserved (English subtitle option) and an English dub that can truly be called worthy of the incredible scope presented within.

Last Exile is the product of the revered Gonzo Studios and made its broadcast debut over Japanese airwaves back in 2003. I mentioned earlier that the artwork (and show itself) go a long way to accurately portray what we consider the early days of humanity's aviation experience (think barnstormers from The Golden Age (1918-1939)), however the events presented take place entirely in a fictitious world called Prester and while the culture habiting this world appears nearly identical to that of our own early 1900s, there is more to the story than what initially appears.

The planet's surface-dwellers are basically divided into two factions: The Anatoray and the Disith. The Anatoray most closely resemble our definition of modern society (so much so in fact that our main two protagonists happen to be members of this group) while the Disith, though similar, are a bit more primitive in nature (think fighting with spears and shields).

However the two feuding nations quickly discover that they share a common bigger threat in the form of the vastly technologically superior elf-like alien race orbiting the planet known as the Guild. Separating the aliens' massive battleships from the people living below is a patch of never-ending nasty weather called the Grand Stream. I should also mention that it is this violent storm that keeps the surface-dwellers living in perpetual darkness with the minimal of natural resources (including clean water).

The core of the story is told from the perspective of a pair of orphaned teenagers who make a living as courriers from the cockpit of their deceased fathers' beat-up vanship (this would be the equivalent to our old biplanes). However gasoline engines and massive wings to create lift are foregone in this world in favor of a concept called the Claudia engine, which somehow operates on a system of pressurized blue-glowing fluid.

The story really picks up when our appropriately likable duo (Claus and Lavi) end up taking on a mission to deliver a little girl named Alvis to the captain of a warship called the Silvana.

Fans of my reviews may have noticed that I strive to not give away too much of the plot in my critiques because, after all, if you already know the entire story, what's the purpose of bothering with the show? Instead I like to draw comparisons to other works to establish a sense of what makes the series worth viewing. That said, Last Exile could best be described as a blend of Star Wars, a Tom Clancy novel, and maybe even a slight touch of cultural intricacy found in Star Trek. Now I realize that sounds like a lot of space-movie comparisons but make no mistake, Last Exile borrows only from the better traits of these titles. There are moments of vanship racing that really ring of the pod race sequence in Episode One, The Phantom Menace. There is no shortage of military strategizing on an absolute grand (and quite flawless) scope throughout. There's a bit of romance and comedy spread across an absolutely massive cast that is surprisingly easy to keep separate.

Pacing is just spectacular once you establish the slightly slow-going rhythm of the first few episodes. However the show's greatest strength lies in its presentation: Subtleties such as lighting and sounds are consistent and often subliminally establish mood more effectively than many big-budget Hollywood feature films.

Gonzo's reputation as being one of the premiere anime studios comes through in this work in the form of flawless shifting of scale throughout the story arc. In other words, the story starts out a small, personal tale of a pair of children struggling to find their place in the world, expands to portray an unthinkably massive war for survival between a planet and its invaders, then tightens to become a personal affair in the end. There is an air of confidence in Gonzo's pacing and presentation that simply invites viewers to let go and trust in their ability to tell their tale and in this case, that faith pays dividends.

Last Exile is a simply stunning anime work that starts to reveal its charm visually but continues to dazzle by doing nearly everything right; pacing, scope, sound work, story depth, science integration, nail biting action, lovable cast, it's all here and done to perfection as only a seasoned studio like Gonzo could pull off.

This is must-see anime in the purest sense of the concept and kudos to Funimation for refusing to allow such a well-constructed title to slip through the cracks.

Gonzo is a studio that has had a very diverse range of shows that it has made but Last Exile is by far the best, and one of the best animes out there. It has a steampunk aesthetic which always adds a hint of mystery and romance to the setting, which is great considering the plot requires just that. It is an uplifting story with a lot of heart, sure to make new and old fans alike enjoy.

Warning: This anime actually has plot, character development, and depth. This is not for folks that want plenty of blood and guts fights, sword and sorcery, and/or fan service from unrealistically proportioned female characters. This is one of the classiest shows out there.

I can not tell you anything that the other reviewers have not. I had not picked this up because it looked like something more for a younger audience. Well while there is very little blood and there is no nudity or fan service to really speak of yet this is something that I was very surprised with.
Visually this is a thing of beauty because of the CGI, the animation itself is well done. Yet it is the blend of the two that makes it stand out in my mind. The story line moves ahead at a good pace and you get so many very well developed characters. Take for instance Dio, whom was my favorite sub character, although he did not have the biggest part he added so much more to the story.
This story is about a teenage boy and girl who have lost everything except each other and their Van Ship. They start out as air delivery messengers and are happy with that then they deliver a message that brings them into the problems of war. From that point on you are meeting new characters that bring new problems.
As I said...this took me by surprise. It has a rich story and is a beautiful thing to watch which also means replay value. When it is all said and done everything is wrapped up for a well done ending.
I would highly recommend this.....that is if anyone really cared...grin.

As many avid anime watchers are aware, the Japanese have a fascination with making great series...and then destroying them with terrible endings that usually try to wrap up everything in five minutes. Animes with a truly satisfying ending are few and far between. Fortunately, Last Exile broke out of the mediocre ending mold.

The epilogue aside, this anime had a refreshing focus on character development - these were characters in which you could actually get attached to and had realistic reactions to events in the series. The voices (not talking about dubbed) fit their personality and each added an interesting perspective to the series.

Many series recently have focused primarily on action and explosions with little emphasis on plot...this trend did not stem from Last Exile. While there is action and battle scenes, there is a focus on plot and mystique which is enough to keep the viewer interested all the way through the whole series. Best of all...there are no filler episodes.

I would say that if you have no interest in the series by episode 5, then it's not an anime for you...but most people are hooked before 5.

Cheers.

Anything with the name Range Murata attached to it is an instant lure for me. One of the most talented people working in the world of Japanese manga, his art-magazine series Robot is always full of the most stunning and unique images. His work in anime is rare and always worth checking out.

"Last Exile" reunites Range Murata with the four-episode OVA Blue Submarine, No. 6 team of Studio Gonzo and director Koichi Chigira (Brave Story). "Blue Submarine No. 6" was hailed as Japan's first "CG Anime" although more truthfully it blended both 3-D computer graphics with traditional technology. Whereas "Blue Submarine No. 6" was adapted from a 1967 manga series by Satoru Ozawa, "Last Exile" is an original story created as a celebration of Studio Gonzo's tenth anniversary.

The world of Prester sits in the Golden Age of Aviation, where swift two-seater Vanships flit their way in and out of the spaces left between the mighty flying battleships that pound each other with cannon broadsides. The two nations Anatoray and Disith face off in eternal conflict obeying rules of chivalrous combat laid down and enforced by the technologically advanced Guild.

Two vanship couriers, Lavie Head and Claus Valca, get caught up in this world when they accept the job to deliver a message to Duke Mad-thane of Anatoray's military. Escaping from the battle, the two discover a small child named Alvis E. Hamilton who they take charge of. Alivis is being hunted by everyone, and so the three are forced to take refuge in the undefeated rouge vessel of outlaw Alex Row. Row himself is a mystery, at first appearing to be little more than a successful pirate but soon revealed to be tracking down the rumored four Mysteria where are said to be keys to the greater mystery of something known only as Exile.

It took me awhile to get into "Last Exile." The first several episodes are pure set-up, leading us into the world of Prester, of vanships and air battles. The focus is heavily on Claus and Lavie, touching little on the politics that will later come to dominate the series. It is not until the third episode, when Alvis E. Hamilton makes her appearance, that the story starts to deepen, and several more episodes while I was fully hooked. The first mention of the "Exile" that the series takes its name from does not even appear until around episode ten, well into the second disk in the series.

From the box cover and synopsis, I was expecting something along the lines of Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky, but instead I got an updated world of Matsumoto Leiji's dramatic space opera universe of Captain Harlock. This is not a bad thing, as I love political space opera, but "Last Exile" is definitely not the light and fluffy series I was expecting.

Like "Blue Submarine No. 6," "Last Exile" merges computer animated 3D with traditional 2D animation. This also reminded me of Matsumoto Leiji, who uses a similar tactic of 3D animation for his ships and 2D for his characters. I always find this combination jarring unless it is down flawlessly, and it is not flawless here. But fortunately this style settles down after the first few episodes.

Aside from the slow start, once "Last Exile" gets going it is a fantastic series. Range Murata's unique designs are brought to life beautifully, and it is clear that he spent quite a bit of time on the detail of each character. Some of the Steam Punk influences are incredible, like the musketeers lining the deck of the flying battleships and using steam-powered muskets while fighting and dying in strict formation. The vanships themselves take a bit of getting used to, as no such vehicle could every truly fly, but their speed and sleekness soon takes over any awkwardness of design.

Funimation's collection of "Last Exile" is perfect, with the entire twenty-six episode series put on four disks packed in two slimline cases. This release is not part of their Viridian Collection, but offers the same value for an affordable price.

The first few episodes of this show are a little slow, but it when it picks up you'll wish the ride never ended. I really adore the character designs. Any comparisons to Miyazaki are accurate. Both the original Japanese and the English dub are fantastic. I love the opening theme as well.

My only gripe is somewhat minor. Some of the 3D computer graphics aren't well integrated with the standard 2D. Sometimes it comes out great, but other times I wish they had just left it out.

I love this series, and I've been looking for a box set of it for a long time. The quality is excellent, and the box is as memorable as the anime. Great product!

This was the most recent "new" anime i've seen, and it was so great! The story, animation, characters, all of it was fantastic. Proof that great anime is still being made among all the bad ones.

Last Exile is a fun anime series, and though it might not have a high re-watch value, its extremely enjoyable while it lasts.

Studio Gonzo has made some of my favorite anime, and Last Exile proves the studio is capable of making movie-quality material. Everything from the music to the special effects is crafted neatly, and as a result the series shines on many occasions.

Story: 9/10
-The story isn't perfect, and some of it isn't new, but its still quite epic and at times very touching. The pacing is great and each episode does a good job at establishing characters and moving along the plot. I won't tell what the story is about because surprise works well with this series.

Characters: 10/10
-The main 2 characters are good people, but I found myself falling in love with everyone else. Especially the bad guys. In Last Exile and enemy is The Guild, a large group of people that resemble a mix of government and religion. (Some might view this as controversial, but its not too edgy). Anyways, I liked the Guild best, especially the two main bad guys Luciolla and Dio (weird names). They're sexy, stylish and mysterious, but they're human in the sense that they have feelings and come to realize consequences.

In fact, every character in the series is well-rounded and awfully realistic. Perhaps this category is where the show truly shines.

Art: 9/10
-I've seen better, but its still good. The quality of animation hardly changes, which is a very good thing. Some might describe this type of animation as "steampunk".

Music: 9/10
-Fun, and it does it's job at creating tension when needed. The opening song might be one of the best I've heard.

English Dub: 7/10
-This might be the worst part of the show. For the most part everyone does a good job. But then some characters simply begin to grate on your ears over time, especially the main girl character, Lavie. She's loud, screams and cries often, and is just not fun to listen to. Still, the dub is good for the most part. I love Lord Dio's voice!

Overall: 9/10
-A great entry from Studio Gonzo, Last Exile tells a memorable story with plenty of twists and turns, intriguing characters, and exciting action sequences; the perfect anime series for that lazy afternoon. Its fun while it lasts, but some might not care to watch it again and again. Still, I loved it and am glad to own it.

Rating: TV-14
-Accurate rating. Its basically PG-13. There is some swearing, and violence tends to be bloody. There is also some brief nudity, including mild fan-service (focus on the female breasts) and one scene where a guild member is bathing. She splashes water in the air, and the camera zooms out, but the water is preventing us from seeing much. Also, some of the characters are gay. Last Exile isn't for young children, but for those 13 and up I'd say its fine.

There's not a lot we all want to watch together, middle aged and elementary schoolers at the same time.

This fit the bill, however. Partly because the middle aged folks are anime fans, sure, but partly because Last Exile is a heck of a lot better imagined, written, directed, and produced than most anime available in English.

Some of the dub was stilted - probably due as much to the conventions of anime writing and direction as to the voice talent. I liked watching it in Japanese, as well, but not everyone likes subtitles.

The story's pace is good, with a good balance of action, drama, dialogue, tasty visuals, etc. The characters are rendered as 2-d, with 3-d CG animated mecha (don't worry - no giant robots in this one, if you're tired of them). The animation failed to impress me at a half dozen spots in the movie, but the overall quality was really high.

The slim dvd case is pretty easy to use, but the pins are delicate, so don't bend it. Pretty case art and kind of a cool package design overall add to the fun.

The adult themes are so light here my very young child had no problems, and neither did we. There are a few kisses, and there is a little blood, but people aren't shot onscreen.

The only things I can think of that might bother some people are an effeminate male character (but in context, our cultural cues are all wrong) and the creepy behavior of the villain. It doesn't last long, and everyone watching knows who the villain is.

Oh, and if you like "steampunk," this is a fun variation. Great sci-fi, action, drama anime!