Under appreciated? Last Exile.

H

Hokum

Straw Hat Pirate
Having just finished re-watching this series on DVD i'm impressed with it. In fact i think i enjoyed it more this time than when i first watched it.

For those who haven’t seen the series, Last Exile is a series following a courier pilot, Claus Valca and his navi, Lavie Head. The series has a nice ambiance, kind of steam punk meets 1920’s with alternative fuel meaning that there isn’t propeller aircraft but Vanships which have some kind of gravitational locomotion. Set against the backdrop of a long running war between the nations of Disith and Anatoray where large fleets of flying warships vie for control over the land.

The series has a concise and well thought out plot which doesn’t suffer the issues many have with muddy thinking being based as an original work and not a Manga-Anime adaptation. That isn’t to say there aren’t many twists and turns plus some unanswered questions but nothing like the Hellsing original series which follows one plot then leaves the Manga behind and heads off else where.

The characters, are also believable and you actually feel for them as their lives intertwine, and their ambitions succeed or fail. The world on this it is set is also well realised, and its not until you really look at things that you notice things like the landscape where they live and the jumble of low and high tech.

Overall I think it’s a well known series which I think more people should own as it covers many areas from relationships to political intrigue and the ongoing war. In fact it would also probably interest people who aren’t usually into anime too.
 
Last Exile is really good, but I thought it did suffer from a couple of inexcusable plot holes (or more accurately things which were just never cleared up) and a bit of a rushed ending.

The most pervasive feeling I took away from Last Exile was that it's the non-mecha show most mecha shows can only dream of being. As you say, you actually come to care about the characters a lot and the conflict and intrigue are well thought out. The battles and use of vanships are also different to what we're used to seeing, and to me, were better at holding my attention. It doesn't resort to cliches either - I'd certainly recommend it to just about anyone as well.
 
For me Last Exile never quite lived up to the hype around it. I found it to be consistently enjoyable, but I kept feeling disappointed as the plot seemingly built up momentum for something exciting and then fell flat at the last moment. There are tons of great ideas in it though and much of the design is beautiful, even if the CG is looking slightly dated now.

I guess most of my disappointment with the series can be linked to my lack of emotional connection with its characters. Somehow the setting failed to immerse me or become involving in the way I'd hoped.
 
I recently watched it for the first time and I really enjoyed it - it has a really epic heroic journey quality to it, and as has been previously stated you end up really caring for each and every character. I didn't really think the ending was rushed as the final climactic battle was stretched over the last 4 or 5 episodes, but there were a few events in the last 15 minutes that seemed to flash past before your able to take it in.

The only thing I didn't like about it was the copious amounts of CGI - I love Gonzo, but they sometimes use way too much where its not needed.

Other than that it gets a solid 9/10 from me - looking forward to watching it again.
 
Okay first of all what the hell is "steam punk"? I first heard this word last week and now I'm seeing it everywhere.

Anyhow the problem with last exile is that ultimately it was just an excuse to show a bunch CGI air ships shooting at eachother. Anything based solely on that ambition isn't likely to be very inspiring in terms of plot or character development.
 
Steam Punk in the basic sense is what would have happened if we had not discovered electricity and everything was still powered by steam including all of today's inventions. Usually it is accompanied by Edwardian or Victorian dress.
 
Steampunk has been around for years, Ark. Easiest way to describe it is as a kind of fetishism for mechinical technology.

And I have to disagree. The CGI battles were a part of the show, but by no means the biggest part, or the focus of it. As I said above, compared to just about any mecha show (to which it followed a similar storyline) the depth of Last Exile's characters and world was infinitely greater.
 
Another area i should of mentioned in the OP is the score of the series, the music is largely fitting and adds to the emotional impact of many scenes.

Tracks such as "Chivalry Spirits", "Make advantage", "Morning in Norkia" and "Coronation" bring scenes from the series flooding back to mind.

On the whole i dont mind the CG scenes as the colour palette stays consistent so doesn't jar with the cell animation unlike other series from the earlier 00's.

As you say ayase, i think most mecha fans would find the series appealing.
One of my friends who isnt into anime but likes world war II aircraft loves the show. Being a flight sim and wwII fan myself the series fits well with me on many levels.

Ark, Steam punk has been used as a term since at least the early nineties (when i heard it first) if anyone is into that i highly recommend "http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/" as this is one of the best comics i've seen in the genre.
 
Plays to me like Laputa via Steamboy. I'd rank Escaflowne alongside it as the kind of series many will enjoy, but few will fall head over hills in love with. It's just not as original or exciting as it's supposed to be, it's just solid.
 
I will be honest. Despite the amount of recommendations i've been given to watch it, i've never found the motivation to grab the DVD's. Its been stuck in my "To Watch" list for a good while now. If i can find the set cheap and such then yeah, i'll pick it up asap, but at present, i doubt i could get it any other way. I will admit, the opening is one i've taken a liking to. Cloud Age Symphony is very nice, i guess i like the addition of the pipes to it as well.
 
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