^{Last Exile} is a 26 episodes anime show, created by Gonzo in 2003 to celebrate the company 10th birthday. And they certainly hit the jackpot with this one! Last Exile is a steampunk anime, something rarely seen in this genre and what's more, after you watch Last Exile you'll agree with me in praising it as an EXCELENT steampunk anime, which is even rarer!

Last Exile was directed by Koichi Chigira and produced by Mahiro Maeda. But, contrary to most of my reviews, I have to include one more name and give it due credit. Range Murata, Last Exile's character designer, did a fabulous job in this anime. He was the main responsible for creating all the little (and indeed, all the BIG) details that gives Last Exile it's unique feel.

From the incredible flying machines, to fighting uniforms and everyday objects, Murata combined a series of influences and styles and managed to make it not only believable, but also stunningly beautiful. You'll notice influences from pre-world war Germany or Japanese dreadnoughts in the aircrafts. On the uniform department, for instance, you'll see examples of the American civil war period and Red Army soviets. At times, it's gonna look like you're in the middle of the Victorian era - with a touch of art deco. But what's more surprising is... it all blends in nicely!

Last Exile's is a steampunk anime, don't ever forget that. The industrial revolution never ended here. There's no electronics or digital devices anywhere (well, except maybe the Guild, but that's another story and I'm well set against spoilers in reviews, as you should know ^_^'), so all the main characters work with analogical devices. Machines runs on clockwork and steam and their workings are given a great detail, so if you're a gizmo lover, you'll love Last Exile!

The plot of Last Exile is complex and multi-layered. In a complete alternative world, called Prester - where the resources are scarce (water is as precious as gold in some cases) and the high society literally lives well above sea level - there are two major nations, Anatoray and Disith, that struggle in a long war, which is mediated by the Guild, curiously the owner and supplier of more evolved technology to both nations. Smells suspicious, doesn't it? ;)

Caught in the intrigues and hidden agendas of all factions (and independent forces, as well) we'll follow the adventures of Claus and Lavie, two vanship couriers (think of them as flying postmans) that by force of destiny embark on a seven-stars mission to deliver a very special cargo... one that can change the world!

I won't say much more, because half the fun of this show is finding out about things as it goes on. Let me just add that Gonzo done a fairly good job with development of the main characters in terms of depth. You'll see them growing as time goes by, discovering a new and exciting world while battling their own inner feelings. Many people that saw Last Exile reported an immense feel of empathy towards the protagonists of Last Exile and that is an accomplishment in itself for an anime show.

However, to be fair, I have to express my opinion: there are some characters that aren't that well rounded, particularly the secondary ones. They looked to me like they were there to fill their roll, either as actors to a plot twist or just comic relief. Even the main characters have some aspects in them that can be considered cliche - Claus, being the quiet but versatile boy and Lavie the impulsive and practical girl - this kind of duo is sooo used (Cloud and Tifa from Final Fantasy VII comes to my mind, among many other examples) it gets a bit tiring. But hey, it's a duo that works! Tried and true ^_^'

Another feature that distinguishes Last Exile is the extensive use of computer-generated (CG) animation scenes. The flying and combat scenes in particular are ultra heavy on CG - in fact in all my years of anime watching I've never saw so much CG in any other serie. But this doesn't harm the show, on the contrary! The mix that Gonzo managed to achieve with CG and hand-drawn animation is fantastic and provides for larger than life scenes, that will give a great sense of reality and believability to a science fiction show.

Maybe the only thing less positive that I can point out in the animation is the surreptitious frame cuts that are present. At least to me it was pretty obvious that Gonzo tried to squeeze at maximum the frame per second rate, particularly when CG entered the picture - probably for budget control purposes. But to be fair, chances are the average anime viewer won't even notice it. It's just one of those things that tickle my fancy and I had to mention it.

Music of Last Exile fits very well and ít's another of the things this anime show is well praised for. Shuntaro Okino's "Cloud Age Symphony" featured in the opening of Last Exile is absolutely gorgeous! Hell, that whole opening sequence is awesome! Hitomi's(!) "Over the Sky" is also a fantastic ending theme. All the other soundtrack fits very well the scenes from the anime, providing a fine ambiance that fits the steampunk style perfectly.

To sum it up, Last Exile is one of those anime's that achieved the epic status. It's reception worldwide was excellent (even in the USA, it was recommended by the New York Times). It has good story, great animation and music! The issues it revolves around, the values it conveys and the great care it was put by Gonzo to avoid showing violent or sexual scenes makes it an excellent anime for kids to enjoy. The originality of the theme, brilliance of it's details and a good story overall guarantees adults to have a great experience as well!

Last Exile is for everyone! Yes, it's that good!