Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Thota
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 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 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 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 source5camp
Last Exile is a big classic adventure anime featuring a heavy steampunk aesthetic and dodgy early 00’s Gonzo CGI. It tells the story of Klaus and Lavie, two pilots of little messenger aircraft-type things called Vanships. They take over a mission to deliver a little girl called Alvis to a renegade sky ship called the Silvana. The story has a very natural progression in the classic adventure story fashion, to the point that you can practically plot its path exactly the same as the Lord of the Rings. First two episodes give you a broader understanding of the world and the scale the battles can be. Then we cut to the sleepy little town where the main characters are given a Powerful Artefact which they have to deliver to a council of colourful characters while being chased by what might as wel…
Read at the sourcejonathanlane
Last Exile is one of those shows with an amazing premise, some strong characters, good action, and an interesting lore and world for a story to take place in. Anime is a genra for strong imaginations, and Last Exile has that in spades, from the world the series is set in to the weapons of war which its nations use. So why only three stars? By all appearances LE has all the trappings of a great show, and has gathered quite the following, and for good reason. Don’t let my rating fool you, this is a good show which a lot of people will enjoy. It’s not one of those clearly overrated pieces of trash which I love to bash into (looking at you Elfen Lied) but it does have its share of flaws which, to me, held the show back considerably from living up to its full potential.
The premise is quite s…
Read at the sourceexplicit707
This is one of those animes that surprised me in quality. I normally don't watch anime like this so I expected to make it a few episodes in and maybe come back in the future to finish it in pieces. I found that I powered through all 26 episodes with anticipation as to what would happen next. I had trouble turning it off to go to bed at night when my eyes couldn't stay open any longer.
The story has a little of everything. The flight scenes are mesmerizing, and there's even some incredible fighting scenes (though not a lot. This is mainly aviation based). There is a slow down period about 2/3 of the way through the story, but the finish is so strong it makes up for it. It has plenty of tragedy to offset the heroic moments, and the main character never exceeds his abilities.
This is an an…
Read at the sourceToucanbird
Last Exile: Saving the Best for Last Exile
Okay, maybe it's a stretch to call Last Exile the best anime ever made. However, I think I might just come out and say that Last Exile just might be the most underrated anime I have ever watched. It is a captivating story with a very likable cast of characters, a beautifully animated and orchestrated masterpiece.
To me, the strongest aspect of this series was the atmosphere and mood. This goes back to the animation and music. They were intertwined so well and gave the series a historical, steam-punk feel. The animation was top notch and unlike most animes, I actually liked that there was very little color integrated into the animation. It had a vintage feel and I loved the vibe I got from it.
The orchestration/music was unbelievable. I've talk…
Read at the sourceEnigmatica
Last Exile is an interesting, but unremarkable anime. Rather than explain or explore a lot of parts of the anime that should be important, Last Exile shows the events and characters and requires you to make assumptions and guesses as to what is behind them, and why.
The characters feel like they should be interesting, but are not explored in depth enough to make them memorable. All of the characters have some sort of back story, or emotions that seem like they are important, but are not properly explained. Sometimes a character may do something, and you can look at what was briefly mentioned and can assume why they did such a thing, but other times its very difficult to understand their motive.
The story has similar problems as well. There will be a sudden change in events, that everyo…
Read at the sourceInushinde
With the announcement of a second series, Last Exile has joined the echelon of misleading titles hinting at no other entry in their respective franchises. This category, primarily encompassing the Final Fantasy series, is the subject of many jokes along the lines of “Durr hurr, why do they call it Final (Last, in this case), when they’re making another one?”
On that note, there is no joke in Last Exile. It’s a straightforward fantasy steampunk adventure that ranks as one of Gonzo’s finest efforts. The CG is incredible and still holds up eight years later, the plot is well done if not completely original, and the characters are relatable without being outright pandering.
Despite the criticism that I’m about to lay on thick against it, Last Exile is a very competent, beautiful show that…
Read at the sourceAdules
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…
Read at the sourcekekekeKaj
"Last Exile" is one of my absolute favourite anime, but it's one for which I often find difficult to justify why I like so much. For sure, most of the criticisms levelled at it is fair, even if there are ones I don't agree with. But despite being flawed in many ways, it's still an anime I simply love to bits.
My viewing experience for "Last Exile" seem to be opposite to a lot of other people's. For one thing, I didn't think the animation is the greatest thing ever. I liked it well enough, with its impressive CG capturing the feeling of a smokey steampunk world very well, but the characters faces often lacks consistency, and as much as the dreary, washed out colours matched the steampunk settings, I didn't find it particularly appealing... perhaps I just prefer bright and colourful things…
Read at the sourceArchaeon
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 foll…
Read at the sourceBishounen_Hunter
After this being my third or fourth time watching this series, I've come to the realization that I have yet to write a review for this show, Last Exile. And honestly, I've debated on whether I should or not because this is one of those shows that belong in that “special category” for me. Shows like ROBOTECH, Gundam SEED, Full Metal Alchemist, Cowboy Bebop and many more, where the word favorite doesn't really encompass the value or sentiment I have for them and besides, I have quite a few shows in this “special category” for them to be justly labeled as “favorites”. Needless to say that this show will get a perfect 10 from me, which is also another reason why I hesitate to write this review...because basically no one really respects a “perfect 10” review. It's usually written off as raving.…
Read at the sourceBrainless906
So brainless is back with another one of his random reviews, here it goes...
I've been avoiding this Anime like the plague for a long time only based upon the cover looking like a boy flying a blimp...but randomly i wanted to watch a few episodes of a show that i "wouldn't get very attached to" so i gave it a shot...
Ten episodes later i found myself forcing myself to go to sleep because i had class in three hours....
Story: The story was very good, though i felt it had a few holes in the start making it slightly harder to follow what was going on till you got five or six episodes in. Despite this the story-line was quite creative and by the end i wasn't sitting there asking myself "wait...but what about (insert random aspect of storyline here)?" That is to say in the end they tied ever…
Read at the sourceprimus202
While I love the aesthetic of the show, I'm a sucker for steampunk after all, the story ultimately fell a bit flat for me. Much of the world and many of the characters were left under developed. Many things are never explained in any sort of detail and characters often seem to do things for no apparent reason other than progressing the plot. The only real back story we get is on Dio (my favorite character) and the parents who aren't even main characters.
I kept expecting these issues to be resolved but they were never addressed. Lastly, the end was a bit of a disappointment and didn't really showcase some of the cooler aspects of the ships and their crew. Still though, the nice little epilogue at the end really got me.
Read at the sourceIsambard
It was in the fall of 2003 that I purchased the first volume of director Koichi Chigara’s Last Exile, the series released to commemorate Gonzo’s tenth anniversary. My first impression after watching those first four episodes was simply that “Last Exile was beautiful.” Steampunk happens to be a favorite genre of mine. Last Exile was the show that first introduced me to it, first gave me a name to go with this style that intrigued me. Almost five years later I stand by that initial assessment but only to an extent. Last Exile is indeed a beautiful program to watch and to listen to however its plot and characters are something else entirely. This is a show that was thrust onto the world incomplete, without being fully realized. This does not make Last Exile a bad show…
Read at the sourceMaster10K
In the world that huge ships roam the skies, “Last Exile” is a sci-fi, steam punk, action/adventure anime, which is set in a somewhat futuristic Imperial age. It follows the adventures of Claus and Lavie, two Vanship messengers who happened to take on a dangerous mission to transport a girl to a notorious mercenary ship (Silvana). There was then a series of events that led to them being part of the ships crew.
The beginning of the story is nothing special, as there is no real excitement or shocking moments. All this series is to begin with, a series of events with not much meaning to them. It is only till halfway into the series that the story starts to get interesting, with some developments in the storyline. The major downfall is that the major questions are not really answe…
Read at the sourceamaity
Since I was a kid I have always been a fan of aeroplanes and intrigued by the concept of flight. Like Area 88, Macross Zero, Last Exile pandered to the child in me in a way you watch an old Tom and Jerry cartoon that's playing on TV.
In terms of plot, yes there is something of a story, but you really have to pay attention to keep track of things. Besides, to be honest the story is quite inconsequentional. There is a bit of suspense and foreboding of impending disaster to keep you going from episode to episode.
The artwork was excellent, even by modern standards. The "vanships", the equivalent of an aeroplane and the huge zepellin like airships are superbly drawn.
The sound is appropriate and goes well with the visual images of vanships flying the corkscrew at high speeds. Plenty of expl…
Read at the sourceKayrhandros
I was looking forward to seeing Last Exile from all the rumors and good ratings that had cross my eye related to it, but the fact is: I expected much better. On to the review.
Starting with Story. A science fiction story that at first glance was joining up elements of advance technology (e.g. flying battle ships) and medieval element (e.g. musketeers; honor code from European battles). It reeled me in at first, as the first 2 episodes were intense and interesting. The third episode continued with good pace also ( this time bringing a race and it was not only this element but the junction of others from the first 2 which made me feel that this anime got many inspiration from Star Wars). But it\'s was in the 4th ep. that I first start seeing plot holes (eg. in character relationship, and b…
Read at the source