Last Exile (2003– )

Stars:

Mayumi Asano, Chiwa Saito, Paul St. Peter

Cast

Series cast summary:
Mayumi Asano	...	Claus Valca (26 episodes, 2003)
Chiwa Saito	...	Lavie Head (26 episodes, 2003)
Paul St. Peter	...	Additional Voices (26 episodes, 2003)
Crispin Freeman	...	Alex Row (26 episodes, 2003)
Yukana Nogami	...	Title Narrator (24 episodes, 2003)
Wakana Yamazaki	...	Sophia Forrester (22 episodes, 2003)
Anna Shiraki	...	Alvis Hamilton (21 episodes, 2003)
Toshiyuki Morikawa	...	Alex Row (21 episodes, 2003)
Eri Kitamura	...	Tatiana Wisla (21 episodes, 2003)
Unshô Ishizuka	...	Godwin (20 episodes, 2003)
Naoki Makijima	...	Kostabi (19 episodes, 2003)
Tomokazu Seki	...	Ethan (19 episodes, 2003)
Kiyoyuki Yanada	...	Gale (18 episodes, 2003)
Shin'ichirô Miki	...	Mullin Shetland (18 episodes, 2003)
Natsuko Kuwatani	...	Alister Agre (17 episodes, 2003)
Junko Noda	...	Dio Eraclea (17 episodes, 2003)
Yasuhiko Tokuyama	...	Dick (15 episodes, 2003)
Shigenori Sôya	...	Campbell (15 episodes, 2003)
Michiko Neya	...	Delphine Eraclea (14 episodes, 2003)
Tomoe Hanba	...	Lucciola (13 episodes, 2003)
Hozumi Gôda	...	Vincent Alzey (13 episodes, 2003)
Kazuhiro Yamaji	...	Reciuse (13 episodes, 2003)
Tony Pope	...	Emperor of Anatoray (13 episodes, 2003)
Masaki Aizawa	...	Benjamin (12 episodes, 2003)
Toshihide Tsuchiya	...	Chief of Staff (12 episodes, 2003)
Kôji Tsujitani	...	Giece (11 episodes, 2003)
Ken Yamaguchi	...	Greyhound (11 episodes, 2003)
Kenta Miyake	...	Jim (11 episodes, 2003)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

anime | steampunk

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Animation | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [jp] Official website

Country:

Japan

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

6 April 2003 (Japan)

Company Credits

Production Co:

G.D.H., Gonzo, Victor Entertainment

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the theme song, the only main character that isn't featured is Luciola. Although it is thought that Queen Delphine does not appear either, she does towards the end of the series when there is a slight change to the animation during the theme song. This occurs right after the line "...I will be the light." She is visible for a split second.

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Quotes

Alex Row: Fire on the fleet.
Sophia Forrester: Which one?

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Connections

Followed by Last Exile: Gin'yoku no Fam (2011)

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Soundtracks

"Over the Sky"
(Ending theme)
Performed by hitomi
Composed by Hitomi Kuroishi

User Reviews

A Brilliant Series that Could Have been More

"Last Exile" was a series I yearned for for a long time, a story focused on characters and subtly engaged within a profound and fantastical world. However out of a need to finish the plot, the character development necessary to bring the story full circle falls short.

I loved this series for really taking the time to show who the characters are and really let them take hold of the story. The tone and pacing of most of the episodes reminded me of the HBO series "The Wire" which also let the story fall together one pebble at a time. The series is brilliant for capturing small moments between characters that hint at their growing bonds and frustrations like a scene in a crowded elevator at a casino, a soldier chanting before a battle and when one character puts on the clothes of another in the desert. The two leads Claus and Lavie's relationship portrays itself as a chameleon jumping from comrades to partners, childhood friends, surrogate siblings and repressed lovers. The central bond though lies with Claus and the shy, mysterious girl Alvis who hold and drive the characters and the story together throughout the series.

"Last Exile" seems quite conventional in terms of plot, but it is only when it supersedes the characters that the series falls flat. For most of the show's running time that does not happen though. It bears a unique sense of drama that I find hard to see in other forms. Nowhere but in anime or Greek tragedy could you a see a person fall in love and heart break in the same moment.