Last Exile #3: Discovered Attack (DVD)

Connect to Facebook/Twitter, recommend via email and much more.

---

Video:
The video aspect ratio is anamorphic 1.78:1 (full-screen on 16:9 monitors). The colors and quality is absolutely perfect. I was surprised to see the video aspect ratio, as that ratio is usually reserved for films. When it comes to films, they use a wider aspect ration because the screen is larger, and your eyes can focus on objects that are wider than tall. For TV, the screens are all pretty similar in size with respect to where you sit, so making the anime in a different screen ratio than the what the TV screen is results in empty space on the TV screen. In the end, the results depends on the directing of the feature. For "Last Exile", the aspect ratio is used to good effect, as wide shots are used to show off the spacious vistas of the fantasy world. Still, I can´t help but wonder if this decision was perhaps made to save money (the less screen spaced used, the less animation that has to be drawn).

Audio:
You can watch the show in either Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo Japanese or DD 2.0 stereo English. There is an option for English subtitles. I watched it in Japanese with English subtitles. I couldn´t hear any problems in the audio. In a show with so many mechanical wonders, you expect the sounds effects to be diverse, and in "Last Exile" you will not be disappointed. Perhaps not blown away, but at least the flying and shooting sounds don´t sound like the effects in every other science fiction flick.

Extras:
There are just about no extras on this disc. The single, solitary on-disc extra is an image gallery. The gallery is self-paced, and there are twenty-five pictures, just like on any other disc. Lame.

--Miscellaneous--
The DVD comes with a single-page, fold out colored insert with chapter listings on the back. The front is a nice color sketch of Alex Row and the captain of one of the Emperor´s Naval ships. On the inside are several schematics of an Urbanus-class ship, the new capitol ship in the royal fleet. There is also a paper model of Claus and Lavie´s vanship. Considering that the pieces aren´t perforated, there are tons of them, and it apparently requires glue, I don´t see myself putting this together anytime soon.

Film Value:
The world of "Last Exile" continues to expand, perhaps faster than comfortable. Little is explained, and any explanations are quickly followed by new mysteries. Who is Alvis? What is the Guild? How did they get their exalted position? What is Exile, and why is it important? I suppose the answers will just have to wait for future volumes.