Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
emberreviews
Last Exile is immensely a product of its time, to both good and bad extents. To start with the most obvious point, yes, the CG is really bad, coming from an era when CG assets in anime finally became a practical application for TV productions on a large scale. Purely on the level of compositing and color design, the CG is outright gaudy, and yet I can’t bring myself to fully dislike it because the mechanical aspects of the designs are so solid. Borderline impractical in terms of physics sure, but be it the iconic vanships blending aspects of single-engine planes and early automobiles or the eclectic assortment of different battleship configurations, the CG is just really cool to look at regardless of whether or not it’s well-composited with the 2D artwork around it. The fact that said artw…
Read at the sourceriz_76
It saddens me to see this show's rating being so low and gradual disappearance form collective memories.
There really aren't that many steampunk(or related) shows around to watch or enjoy. This could have been more popular or became a cult classic. (The followup 2nd season did no help one bit, it was lackluster to say the least.)
This anime(1st season) did arrive with some real hype, and studio Gonzo was in their phase of trying something unique and different from their usual catalog, 3D computer animation being one of them. The problem with using CG in anime, things can look or feel dated after a while. The creators perhaps didn't predict CG to get so advanced in the upcoming years. This is a shame because the other elements of the animation still stands the test of time.
They did a r…
Read at the sourcemendelwn
First of all - OP is a banger.
I found characters appealing, and even though the story is indeed cliché, it was the relationship between characters that kept me glued to my seat.
Yes, protagonist kun is fairly devoid of personality - but he's likeable and everyone else around him have strong well defined motivations.
That is pretty much what got me into the show - everyone there had a reason to be there - good or bad. There was abuse, and healing and misfits getting together to survive something that was way bigger than they were.
Yes, I'm aware we have captain Ahab, yes I'm aware this is not perfect by any means. But it has a Gibbli feeling to it, beautiful animation (considering WHEN this came out) and I had fun. I loved the air battles and I could feel the dispair of the soldiers…
Read at the sourceJastereich
Although I find the steampunk genre interesting, I haven't had many opportunities to watch or read it. Steampunk anime isn't particularly common either, so I was surprised to find myself liking it.
The story in Last Exile holds up pretty well, in my opinion. It starts off by immersing you in the world with little explanation and gradually reveals more information as the mystery of the Exile unfolds. While I appreciate this method of world-building through "show, don't tell" rather than exposition, I personally had some difficulty following the story at times, especially when I took breaks between episodes. It sets up a great premise and world but has flaws. The vast world around us begs for exploration, but the main characters spend too much time sitting on a ship in a fair number of epis…
Read at the sourceThota
I have watched this anime 14 years back, I was too young and I didn't grasp the end at that time, now on 27th age, I would say that "Last Exile" is a capitative anime that skillfully weaves together elements of adventure, steampunk aesthetics, and intricate world-building. With its richly detailed visuals and compelling narrative, the show transports viewers to a fantastical realm where skyships rule the skies and characters embark on a journey that challenges not only their physical limits but also their perceptions of the world around them.
One of the standout features of "Last Exile" is its unique blend of technology and a bygone era's charm. The creators have ingeniously crafted a universe where clashing empires vie for dominance in the skies, utilizing airships that evoke a sense of…
Read at the sourceDameKiss
Without a doubt, the strong point of this series is the construction of its universe. While the character development isn't bad, it's not really a standout point either. That's why some people might find it boring.
But I still enjoyed it quite a bit, even though, as I mentioned, it can get boring at times. But what it does have, it does well.
I think this series never really reached its full potential, which is a shame. Either way, I recommend that everyone should give this series a chance, especially people who are a bit older. I wouldn't recommend it to very young people due to the lack of action and comedy.
Read at the sourceAatihoNora
Last Exile starts with the main characters doing courier jobs using vanship—A small two-seater plane vehicle in a distorted world. Where there are wars over water that are examined and judged by "The Guild'' a superpower nation of elites.
The story focuses on the development and goal of the main characters and how they get entangled with the most infamous ship. The build-up of the story at times seems slow but it is worth the while. The characters are well written but still have a little room for improvement. The character interaction was the most concerning part of the anime. Sometimes things between characters happened too fast and in other instances, they left the relational development on a halt without a proper reason. The plot was very rich to the point the story felt like not justi…
Read at the sourcewlitsch
I won't repeat what other people have said since I have disagreed with half of it and agreed with the other half, so I'll add something new, something that no one that watches anime ever seems to care about, which is sad. What are they teaching people or expecting people to believe when they write this stuff. I would have given this show a 9 if I wasn't so annoyed with the piss poor moral calculus of the writers and some of the characters that we are clearly lead to believe are cool. Alex Row numerous times tries to kill the two kids who are main characters. In the beginning he tries to shoot them out of the sky even though he knows they are kids, they are civilians, they are heroes who saved a child he calls 'cargo', and he knows that they are the the children of his mentors. He tries to…
Read at the sourcepaintpixie
I happened upon this show by chance, and I was very glad that I did. It quickly became one of my very favorite anime. It's the type of anime that I would recommend watching a second time, too, because you will have more of an understanding and can enjoy the show in more depth. That is not to say that it is too complicated to watch the first time, just that you will get more from it if you watch it again. It won't be boring the second time.
The colors are very muted, which is something untypical of the anime I normally watch, but it works really well for this anime. The thing that really makes this show wonderful is the characters, and the depth they have. They aren't merely stereotypes, and you really get the sense that they could be real people. The villain is especially well-done.
I ha…
Read at the sourcesoupfries
watched for the first time many years ago and liked it, though I was super confused towards the end. But I recently re-watched it and actually tried to understand what was happening and it makes a lot more sense. I really love this anime, maybe I'm biased because it was one of the first anime I had ever seen, but if you take a moment to understand the ending, definitely worth the watch. Made me cry.
The setting is probably one of the coolest part of the anime, it's got diesel punk airship battles; imagine naval ships/ aircraft carriers, but in the air.
And the plot deals with a dystopian future and overthrowing corrupt people in power.
Read at the sourceAnimaniac2020
QUICK REVIEW: Last Exile is a wonderful example of hybrid animation. The CG and cell animation are distinct, keeping CG for mechanical devices and cell for living beings. The two work very well together.
You will grow to root for Klaus and Lavie which really keep the story moving forward. The story, the world and the characters will keep most anime lovers engaged.
The biggest drawback of the series is "The Mystery". It is not until the final episode that we learn what the true purpose of Exile and the Grand Stream are and how the two countries of Dissith and Anatoray relate to each other. It's not particularly satisfying and the fact that you must wait 26 episodes means that for 97% of the show you are left in the dark. If you have to wait that long, the payoff should really be amazing a…
Read at the sourceilluminatibg
From time to time there are anime in which you could dive into another world. That fairy feeling of a world with a different rules than our own is one of the reasons movies and books like Lord of the Rings become famous. The only anime I had the same feeling from was the "Made in Abyss". Of course no fantasy world would be interesting without a dark part.
Unfortunately, this is also the weak part of the story. You start the story of two people in this world, with like zero explanation what are the rules. There was initial battle of flying and some talk for "chivalry" and people fighting and some guild observe them? In fact I did not know the pre-story until the second recap from the "Fam the silver wing", which explains everything. It is good to dive into a new fantasy world, it is bad to…
Read at the sourceRaymondSaint
Cons, there's a lot of them:
● Painfully poor dialogues, 90% of them is filler, you can safely skip most of them
● Worthless plot with a lot of holes and convinient coincidences
● There's null tactical sense in the capital ship battles, they are there just for the pretty pictures
● Pathetic 3D graphics even for 2003, and below average production value in 2D scenes
● One-dimentional main characters . Complete lack of character development
● Poorly developed universe and politics of the planet/continent. There's some hints, but you can't really root for anyone in the show because you don't know how justified the wars they wage (maybe they're the bad guys or just stupid? we'll never know)
● No comedy relief or relatable supporting cast
● The show is about capital ships and fast 'oneships', b…
Read at the sourcezimonov
I love this show, it is my top 1 fave show of all time and one of the few trye anime epics out there. It has an amazing world building, good lore, great designs, an amazing soundtrack, characters that range from great and enjoyable to medioclre and bland, good action, a lot of mystery explained through small details up until the end that reward the keen eyed viewer and a lot of very touching moments.
BUT
There are some cons:
Claus is a fairly stock and bland main character
Lavie being pushed to supporting cast
The forced love triangle
Pace problems
one-dimensional villain
rushed ending
unexplained golden face in the intro of the first 13 episodes that later get removed.
But apart from that i think that this is an amazing show and a true to heart epic unlike most other anime shows i've se…
Read at the sourcegiannis85
When Last Exile was first released more than a decade ago, it was an anime ahead of its time and became an istant hit, making a lot of money for the studio Gonzo, while it was also received critical acclaim - especially from the western audience who demanded an anime ''not too violent'', but also ''not too child-friendly''! By today's standards, it looks now somewhat ''dated'' (especially considering that the ''steampunk'' genre isn't for everyone anymore), but it should still be considered ''a modern classic'' for years to come! But, let's see it in detail:
Story:
Taking place in a world where the mankind totally rules the skies, wars fought with airships and messages carried exclusively with planes, the viewers will enjoy an adventure that not even the two protagonists trully expected!…
Read at the sourcesintrixx
Airships are awesome.
Characters are pretty legit.
Animation is solid.
Adventurous.
I enjoyed this anime quite a bit. It kind of reminded me of some of the early snes final fantasy games with Cid, Cecil, etc etc.
Also there is a sequel and I'm about to jump into that right about now...
I must write a longer review... ughhh. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW. NOT EVERY ONE WANTS A LONG REVIEW.
Read at the sourcebmoore07
For as long as human beings have existed, we have prided ourselves in being a species of innovation and success, and our successes have led us to imagine reaching more prestigious accomplishments than before; eventually, our dreams not surprisingly ventured into the skies. Since the dawn of time, humans gazed upward at the birds gliding under the clouds and we desperately desired to soar as well. In ancient Greece, one of the most enduring myths from that time is the tale of Icarus, who attempted escaping prison with his father by donning a pair of wings. In Italy during the Renaissance, the famous Leonardo da Vinci crafted elaborate designs for aviation but hid them for years, fearing that influential people would have corrupt uses for them. All of these ideas and more eventually culminat…
Read at the sourceFake_Williams
Extremely good opening and ending song. The latter is something most anime at its time lack even the good ones. Massive scenery pornography. While there is not much character development, the story was good enough to explain the problems that were encountered in the word. To top it off, the animation was done by a animation industry known for good picture production.
Story revolves around poverty and how characters strive to pilot the sky in search of freedom and redemption.
The anime itself is extremely underrated as it has no connection to any famous authors or correlate to mainstream anime. However it is definitely worth one's curious eyes to see
Read at the sourceValeCactus
No stereotypical stuff in here. This is one of the first anime I had ever watched and I have yet to find anything quite like it. The story is completely unique and interesting. The art is beautiful and unique to the show. This is a fantastic show that is really quite underrated. The opening is really good as well and I listened to it every episode. The only thing I thought could improve is the character development for the main characters, I would have liked more background on them.
There is a sequel to this show but I wouldn't bother watching it... it's really bad.
BTW I recommend watching this dubbed. It has a really good dub.
Read at the sourceKorReviews
I’ve never been all that into steampunk personally, not that it doesn’t interest me, but merely that I haven’t had much opportunity to watch or read it. From what I’ve seen, steampunk isn’t exactly a common genre in anime either, so this was rather surprising. And you know what? I really liked it. Despite the fact that they did use pretty much entirely CG for the ships, which now looks fairly dated, it still looks a heck of a lot better than a lot of CG I’ve seen used in currently airing shows, and the shots that they get with it are brilliant.
Using overlays and effects, as well as some smart shots and with the animation of the ships themselves, they manage to make it so that half the time you’re not even thinking about the fact that it’s not 2D. We get some really amazing panning and fl…
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