Last Exile #1: First Move (DVD)
APPROX. 100 MINS. - PROD. YEAR: 2003 - MPA RATING: MA13
" I am not entirely sure what to say about “Last Exile”, mostly because the show has not given itself away yet.
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"Last Exile" is a newer release from Studio Gonzo. The last Studio Gonzo series that received as much hype here in America as "Last Exile" was "Blue Submarine 6", an abysmal mix of obvious computer animation, uninteresting characters, and an off-the-shelf plot. It seems that, in "Last Exile", Studio Gonzo managed to work the bugs out.
The first disc is titled, appropriately enough, "First Move". It contains four episodes, "First Move", "Luet Vanship", "Transpose", and "Zugzwang".
I am not entirely sure what to say about "Last Exile", mostly because the show has not given itself away yet. In the first two episodes, we´re introduced to the main two characters, Claus and Lavie. A boy and a girl, respectively, they live together in poverty, as members of the Vanship Guild. A vanship is what Studio Gonzo has chosen to call the unique and interesting personal planes showcased in the show. Although there have been a few hints, I still know only a little about their pasts after watching this disc. It seems that Claus´ father was a great vanship pilot, but that´s about it.
The world of "Last Exile" is definitely a visual treat. It seems to consist of floating chunks of land in a sea of clouds. While there are personal vanships to get around in, there are also massive air ships. Those get the most screen time during a highly ritualized battle between two nation-states. While the war progresses, an obviously technologically superior craft, which looks sort of like four gyroscopes attached to a cross, floats above the battle, unscathed by the fire below. A few of the people in the fight refer to the mystery ship´s owners/crew as the Guild, although who or what the Guild are, beyond smug looking people with white hair, is still a mystery.
Equally as mysterious is the one airship that does not seem to belong to any particular nation-state, the Silvana. It is first seen at the start of the first episode, firing on and then retreating from a group of white airships. No idea how it will fit into the overall scheme of things, but I like the captain. I don´t recall his name ever being mentioned, but he reminds of Space Pirate Captain Harlock, or Matsumoto-verse fame. They both captain renegade ships, both have long hair, and both wear a large cape.
How does it all add up? The answer is, it´s too early to tell. If all of these disparate pieces some together, "Last Exile" could have a story really worth telling. However, it´s equally likely that the whole mess could fall apart. I have to admit, the fact that the show has no definite direction is one of the things that has drawn me in. By the end of the disc, there are about three plot threads taking shape. Any would be sufficient for a mediocre series, so maybe they´ll come together for a great series.
