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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 everyone will get behind, but it is never explained to why what they do is a good idea, or even what it is they are doing. The main reason for this problem is probably the lack of explanation and presentation of the world of Last Exile. Things are mentioned briefly throughout the series, and by picking up the little things the setting can be better understood and established. This requires more work than it should, and not everything can be picked up in only one viewing.

What can be picked up of the setting, however, is what makes Last Exile worth while. The combination of colonial era uniforms and military structure with steam-punkish airships, and the poor natural resources that makes drinking water a valuable commodity creates a unique and memorable universe for the series to take place in. The freedom of the skies enjoyed by the vanship pilots, who carry out odd jobs and act as couriers gives the pilots a sense of release from the structured rule of the military.

Last Exile is a series worth watching, but is not memorable enough to go out of the way and see. read more