Last Exile
Publisher
ADV
Director
Koichi Chigira
Production
GONZO, TV Tokyo
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes
Year
2003
Last Exile vol 3: Discovered Attack (eps 9-12)
By John Huxley
3rd Jun 05  Now, I’m no expert, but I’d imagine that pacing a 25+ episode series mustn’t be an easy task. A film works within very tight time constraints which must come with its own set of difficulties, but surely nothing compared to the mammoth task of keeping an audience glued to the screen for months on end. Which is probably why so many full-length series simply can’t keep up the standards throughout, usually starting and ending strongly with a weak middle section (strangely coinciding with the ubiquitous recap episode). Few series, however, manage to keep the pace up from start to finish with hardly a break in-between. It may only be three volumes old, but Last Exile has thus far achieved that commendable feat. If it can maintain this impressive pace throughout the next four volumes remains to be seen... The first episode of this volume sees the latest crew members of the Silvana granted some unexpected leave time in order to partake in a vanship endurance race. Relishing the opportunity to get back on the race track, Claus and Lavvie are facing some stiff competition in the form of guild honcho Lord Dio and his accomplice Luciola and fellow crew Tatiana and Alistia. However, despite her competitive nature, Tatiana enters the race only to complete a secret mission - aiding ship captain Alex Row as he bids for the mysterious ‘Exile Door’. As the race unfolds this episode appears to be little more than another fun yet insubstantial filler episode. However, as the action shifts from the racetrack to the auction room it soon becomes apparent that this episode is anything but. Several interesting developments take place over the course of this intriguing episode, not least a tantalising glimpse into the secrets of the much mooted Exile as Alex Row (it would be a disservice to his sheer suaveness to call him by first name only) bids for the mysterious object said to be the gateway to the elusive enigma. A more subtle yet no less important development, this episode also furthers the bizarre relationship between Lord Dio and Claus. As an influential member of the Guild, it’s Lord Dio’s allegiance that gives his overly friendly advances towards the bewildered Claus a slightly sinister edge. This is something that continues into the next episode as Lord Dio and Luciola, in a quite unexpected move, take it upon themselves to actually board the Silvana in a bid to win Claus’ friendship. Although their motives remain unclear, it’s certainly an interesting turn of events that should help to add a little spice to their potential rivalry. Besides, the Guild were previously an underexposed and relatively unknown quantity, making this progression all the more welcome. How it will develop from here will surely make for some intriguing viewing. Despite this increased exposure for the Guild, Last Exile is careful not to neglect its established characters. Claus and Lavvie are given a good deal of attention during this volume as Lavvie’s lack of confidence puts a strain on their professional relationship, something that just happens to coincide with Alistia’s little paddy with the cold hearted Tatiana. As the vanship pilots play musical chairs, the XO proves she has a heart beneath that officious facade when she reveals her affection for captain Alex Row. A romance in the making? It’s all go aboard the Silvana! Which is, again, Last Exile’s great strength. Regardless of a relatively insubstantial beginning, Last Exile has gained momentum with each episode passed, keeping the viewers interest with layer upon layer of character, plot and intrigue. Despite all this, rarely are we left with the impression that a storyline or character is underdeveloped or unnecessary. It could be argued, quite successfully, that nothing Last Exile can offer is really that extraordinary to warrant such praise, yet I feel that would be missing the point somehow. Viewed as a whole, Last Exile is such a perfectly balanced experience that it really is greater than the sum of its parts. As long as you don’t examine everything in minute detail and allow yourself to enjoy the ride, you’ll find yourself having some fantastic fun with Last Exile. Besides, to counter, I’d argue that the beautiful, epic aerial action scenes are amongst the best anime has had to offer in recent years. They may lack the dynamism that distinguish many other anime yet their grandiose atmosphere is only ousted, in my book, by Laputa and a few other classics. What’s more, they’re frequent enough to really keep things exciting for the viewer, with at least a couple of major battler per volume thus far. If I were to level one criticism at Last Exile’s bountiful action scenes, I would point to the astonishing opening battle sequence which was viewed from the perspective of a individual soldier in the midst of a bloody and pointless battle. Unfortunately Last Exile has never managed to quite recapture the impact of this original approach, but I’m optimistic it will save this trump card for later in the series. Three volumes deep and, worryingly, we’ve hardly scratched the surface of the central storyline. Yet such is the perfectly balanced experience of Last Exile we’re barely given time to even care. Of course there’s plenty of time for things to go horribly wrong, but I sincerely hope Last Exile is able to maintain this fabulous momentum until we wave a fond farewell to Claus and Lavvie.
R2 DVD Notes
Features: English 2.0 and Japanese 2.0 audio, English subtitles, art gallery, character profiles, ADV previews
Release information: UK: ADV, 2005
Notes: The cover presents us with vanship pilots Tatiana and Alistia costumed in their rather fetching, if a little drab, pilot gear. I like the clean, simple composition of the cover and the unusually cold expressions of both Tatiana and Alistia, but again, this is slightly disappointing when compared to the first volume’s inspired cover design. The reverse print repeats the same artwork with a slightly altered composition. It’s a pity we couldn’t be treated to anything new, but I guess it’s better than nothing. The extras fall in line with the rest of the series, with only the art gallery and character profiles supporting the main feature. This is one of ADV’s better releases in recent months but by no means their best.
-- John Huxley 3rd Jun 05
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