anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...

Gonzo Gonzo may refer to: People * Gonzo (nickname), a list of people with the nickname * Radislav Jovanov Gonzo (born 1964), Croatian music video director Radislav Jovanov, also known as Gonzo * Matthias Röhr (born 1962), German musician whose stage ...

Range Murata is a Japanese illustrator and manga artist, known for his unique style combining dieselpunk and japanese Moe (slang), moé elements. He is best known for his conceptual design work on anime series ''Last Exile'' and ''Blue Submarine No. 6''. He ...

TV Tokyo JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network.aerial vehicles known as vanships as a means of transportation. On this world, which is divided in eternal conflict between the nations of Anatoray and Disith, sky

courier A courier is a person or organization that delivers a message, package or letter from one place or person to another place or person. Typically, a courier provides their courier service on a commercial contract basis; however, some couriers are ...

s Claus Valca and Lavie Head must deliver a girl who holds the key to uniting the two factions. Although Prester itself is not a representation of Earth, it features technology reminiscent of nineteenth century Europe at the dawn of the

Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...

. Many of its designs were also inspired by Germany's technological advances during the

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...

. The series was licensed in North America by

Geneon Entertainment (abbreviated as NBCUEJ) is a Japanese music, anime, and home entertainment production and distribution enterprise that is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, owned by American telecommunications/media company Comcast headquartered in Akasaka, Min ...

in June 2003, two months after the first episode aired in Japan.

Funimation Funimation was an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming service. Launched in 2016, the service was one of the leading distributors of anime ...

began licensing the series after Geneon ceased production of its titles, later licensing the sequel series. It was also licensed for English releases in the United Kingdom, originally by

ADV Films A.D. Vision Holdings, Inc. (known simply as ADV and also referred to as ADV Films) was an American multimedia entertainment distributor headquartered in Houston, Texas, and founded in 1992 by video game fan John Ledford and anime fans Matt Gr ...

until its closure in 2009, and is now licensed by

Manga Entertainment Manga Entertainment was a producer, licensee, and distributor of anime in the United States and the United Kingdom. Originally founded in the UK in 1991, the UK branch became Funimation UK and Ireland in 2021, also currently known as Crunchyr ...

, and in Australia by

Madman Entertainment Madman Entertainment Pty. Ltd., also known as Madman Films, stylized as MADMAN, is an Australian film and television production, distribution, entertainment, and rights management company headquartered in East Melbourne, Victoria, specialising ...

. Other published media included two soundtracks, two manga, and artbooks. ''Last Exile'' has received widespread critical acclaim and is considered to be one of Gonzo's best works. It has been praised for its narrative, visuals, themes, soundtrack and production values.

Setting

''Last Exile'' is set on the fictional world of Prester. Prester's two nations of Anatoray and Disith are separated by a turbulent region of the sky known as the Grand Stream and are engaged in conflict according to the code of chivalric warfare. A superior faction known as the Guild enforces these rules. It also provides the two nations with technology but, unknown to them, has dishonorable intentions, to preserve the status quo and enforce its dominance of both sides. Although the story is set in the future, the technology employed differs from that in a typical

space opera Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes Space warfare in science fiction, space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, i ...

. Instead, the show's

retro-futuristic Retrofuturism (adjective ''retrofuturistic'' or ''retrofuture'') is a movement in the creative arts showing the influence of depictions of the future produced in an earlier era. If futurism is sometimes called a "science" bent on anticipat ...

setting resembles nineteenth-century Europe at the height of the

Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...

. Inhabitants of Prester operate aerial vehicles known as vanships in the world's Golden Age of Aviation; although the technology is primitive, the aerial vehicles use a form of antigravity (developed by the Guild) and lighter-than-air methods of flight rather than the use of

wing A wing is a type of fin that produces both Lift (force), lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform (aeronautics), planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-d ...

s. Various scenes in the series also show existing tension between the upper and lower classes. Anatoray's nobility and military officers generally believe that commoners do not understand their codes of chivalry. On the other hand, the lower class also despise the aristocracy for their monopoly on resources. This tension extends to the accessibility of clean water, which varies in price according to purity grades. In the larger story, the advanced Guild society is portrayed as degenerate and lazy, while the people of Anatoray and Disith are creative and industrious. The series introduces viewers to a wide range of naval and military vocabulary. More primitive navigational methods such as

dead reckoning In navigation, dead reckoning is the process of calculating the current position of a moving object by using a previously determined position, or fix, and incorporating estimates of speed, heading (or direction or course), and elapsed time. T ...

and instruments such as the

sextant A sextant is a doubly reflecting navigation instrument that measures the angular distance between two visible objects. The primary use of a sextant is to measure the angle between an astronomical object and the horizon for the purposes of cel ...

are also used in the series.

Plot

''Last Exile''

The story revolves around fifteen-year-old pilot Claus Valca and navigator Lavie Head, who fly their vanship as sky

courier A courier is a person or organization that delivers a message, package or letter from one place or person to another place or person. Typically, a courier provides their courier service on a commercial contract basis; however, some couriers are ...

s in the nation of Anatoray. Although they usually take up missions of relatively low difficulty, they are one day asked to complete the mission of a dying courier. The mission, rated seven stars out of ten, is to deliver a young girl named Alvis Hamilton to the mysterious battleship ''Silvana''. Despite their fears, Claus and Lavie deliver Alvis to the battleship but decide to remain aboard to keep her safe. Claus and Lavie are initially treated as intruders but eventually befriend the crew of the ''Silvana''. They learn that the Guild intends to capture Alvis for reasons unknown to them. In the first battle between the ''Silvana'' and Guild forces, Guild member Dio Eraclea takes an interest in Claus's flying skills and his signature move, the

Immelmann turn The term Immelmann turn, named after German Empire, German World War I Eindecker fighter ace Leutnant Max Immelmann, refers to two different aircraft maneuvers. In World War I aerial combat, an Immelmann turn was a maneuver used after an attack ...

. Wanting to learn more about Claus, Dio willingly allows himself to be captured. He reveals to the ''Silvana's'' captain, Alex Row, the existence of one of four Mysteria which act as a key to something known as ''Exile''. When the ''Silvana''s executive officer, Sophia Forrester, is revealed to be the Emperor's daughter and heir, she returns to Anatoray at the request of the prime minister. Sophia assumes the throne after the Emperor is killed during a surprise attack at the capital by the Disith nation and pleads for an alliance with Disith in order to capture ''Exile'' and end the Guild's control. Sophia reveals to Claus that Alvis is linked to the Mysteria, but as preparations for the assault are made, Alvis is captured by the Guild. Delphine Eraclea, the Maestro of the Guild, reveals that ''Exile'' is a colony ship used by those who first settled their world, and she intends to use Alvis and the Mysteria to take control of it. However, Claus and Alvis escape the Guild stronghold and are reunited with Lavie when the alliance fleet attacks. As the fleet follows ''Exile'' past the Grand Stream and enters Disith, it is able to destroy Delphine's forces. After Claus and Alvis recite the four Mysteria, ''Exile'' reveals itself as a starship that will carry people back to their old home world.

''Last Exile: Travelers from the Hourglass''

A manga set right after the events of ''Last Exile'' and before ''Fam, the Silver Wing'', ''Travelers from the Hourglass'' continues the story of Claus, Lavie, Alvis, and the others who left Prester and settled on Earth, their ancestors' home world. As they get used to their new home, Al is pursued by the Earth Guild.

''Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing''

Taking place two years after the events of ''Last Exile'', ''Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing'' is set on Earth, the original home world of the colonists of Prester. The new story focuses on Fam Fan Fan and Giselle Collette, two vespa vanship pilots who work as Sky Pirates, capturing and selling battleships for a living. Fam and Giselle get into an adventure when they and the Sky Pirates rescue Liliana il Grazioso Merlo Turan and her younger sister, Millia Il Velch Cutrettola Turan, Princesses of the Turan Kingdom, from the clutches of the mighty Ades Federation. The Federation, led by Empress Sārā Augusta and Premier Luscinia Hāfez, is on an all out war against nations who descended from immigrants who came back to Earth by Exile ships. As Ades was the only nation to stay on Earth when it was in a state of chaos and ruin, Luscinia believes that the Exile immigrants have no right to return to Earth since their ancestors abandoned Earth when it was in chaos only to return when Earth was viable to live on again and force the original inhabitants of Earth off their lands to form their own nations. To return these lands to their original inhabitants, Luscinia leads the Ades Federation to conquer the immigrant nations and destroy their armies, with Turan being one of them. After Luscinia kidnaps Liliana, who has the ability to control an Exile, Luscinia summons an Exile to destroy Iglasia, the capital of Turan, killing its soldiers and the King of Turan, leading to the surrender of Turan to Ades. With everything she cared for lost, Millia is given refuge by the Sky Pirates, where Fam promises to help Millia regain her kingdom.

Production

''Last Exile'' was created by

Gonzo Gonzo may refer to: People * Gonzo (nickname), a list of people with the nickname * Radislav Jovanov Gonzo (born 1964), Croatian music video director Radislav Jovanov, also known as Gonzo * Matthias Röhr (born 1962), German musician whose stage ...

in celebration of the company's 10th anniversary. It featured a production team led by director Koichi Chigira, character designer

Range Murata is a Japanese illustrator and manga artist, known for his unique style combining dieselpunk and japanese Moe (slang), moé elements. He is best known for his conceptual design work on anime series ''Last Exile'' and ''Blue Submarine No. 6''. He ...

, and production designer Mahiro Maeda. The three had previously worked together to create '' Blue Submarine No. 6'', one of the first CG anime series.

Art design

Conceptual designs were created by

Range Murata is a Japanese illustrator and manga artist, known for his unique style combining dieselpunk and japanese Moe (slang), moé elements. He is best known for his conceptual design work on anime series ''Last Exile'' and ''Blue Submarine No. 6''. He ...

, who was given complete freedom to create the setting. He began drawing detailed sketches of machines and everyday objects from a daily newspaper. His research was given no constraints with the exception of production deadlines. Gonzo initially intended for ''Last Exile'' to be shown in a space setting, but producers did not want the characters to wear sterile

space suit A space suit (or spacesuit) is an environmental suit used for protection from the harsh environment of outer space, mainly from its vacuum as a highly specialized pressure suit, but also its temperature extremes, as well as radiation and ...

s. Murata believed the design took "the course the story had laid out". His character conceptualization included a great amount of time spent on

costume design Costume design is the process of selecting or creating clothing for a performers. A costume may be designed from scratch or may be designed by combining existing garments. "Costume" may also refer to the style of dress particular to a nation, a ...

. Wanting to portray each character's personality more fully, he "tried to draw in the kind of material that would have been used in creating their clothes and try to represent the stitches connecting the fabric." In contrast to crewmembers of the battleship ''Silvana'' who wear modern and utilitarian uniforms, other characters wear traditionally aristocratic attire. High amount of attention was given to character animation. Animators especially experienced difficulties with Alex Row's hair and flowing cape. Production of ''Last Exile'' relied heavily on 3D

computer animation Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating Film, moving images. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both still images and moving images, while computer animation refers to moving images. Virtu ...

. Of the 350 shots used in the first episode, more than 200 included computer-generated animation. In comparison, Gonzo's previous work, '' Vandread'', used an average of 40 to 50 computer-generated shots per episode. Animation was also supplemented with

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

flourishes. In order to combine hand-drawn animation with computer-generated ones, the production team used a technique for

non-photorealistic rendering Non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) is an area of computer graphics that focuses on enabling a wide variety of expressive styles for digital art, in contrast to traditional computer graphics, which focuses on photorealism. NPR is inspired by other ...

, which could not be used for ''Blue Submarine No. 6'' because of a stylistic conflict. At the 2003

Anime Expo Anime Expo, abbreviated AX, is an American anime convention held in Los Angeles, California and organized by the non-profit Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA). The convention is traditionally held annually on the first we ...

, Maeda, who also worked with

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio based in Koganei, Tokyo."Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment". ''Studio Ghibli Collection - Madman Entertainment''. Retrieved 2020-12-14. It has a strong presence in the animation industry and has exp ...

's production of ''

Castle in the Sky also known as ''Laputa: Castle in the Sky'', is a 1986 Japanese animated fantasy adventure film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. It was produced by Isao Takahata, animated by Studio Ghibli, and distributed by Toei. The film stars t ...

'', commented that " 'Last Exile''is very advanced in how it will incorporate the two mediums".

Historical references

Real-world historical designs were also adapted for the fictional world. Flying battleships of the Anatoray and Disith nations included components of Japanese

dreadnought The dreadnought was the predominant type of battleship in the early 20th century. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's , had such an effect when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", ...

s in commission at the turn of the twentieth century. Uniform designs for Anatoray's

musketeer A musketeer ( ) was a type of soldier equipped with a musket. Musketeers were an important part of early modern warfare, particularly in Europe, as they normally comprised the majority of their infantry. The musketeer was a precursor to the rifl ...

s were based on

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

's army and

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

soldiers. On the other hand,

Soviet Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of Peop ...

fur coats provided the basis for Disith uniforms. Another inspiration for creators came from a

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

of the airship '' Hindenburg'', which depicted the aircraft's

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO) is an object or phenomenon seen in the sky but not yet identified or explained. The term was coined when United States Air Force (USAF) investigations into flying saucers found too broad a range of shapes ...

-like silver-plated design in contrast to the traditional buildings below. This imagery was reproduced in the series. Producers selected a specific historical time frame to serve as a point of reference. Several characters were also named after historical figures. The name of Claus Valca's father was derived from

Hamilcar Barca Hamilcar Barca or Barcas (; – 228BC) was a Ancient Carthage, Carthaginian general and statesman, leader of the Barcid family, and father of Hannibal, Hasdrubal Barca, Hasdrubal and Mago Barca, Mago. He was also father-in-law to Hasdrubal the F ...

, the leading commander of Carthaginian forces during the

First Punic War The First Punic War (264–241 BC) was the first of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the early 3rd century BC. For 23 years, in the longest continuous conflict and grea ...

and father of the talented tactician

Hannibal Hannibal (; ; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Punic people, Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Ancient Carthage, Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War. Hannibal's fat ...

. An Anatoray general was named after

Vitellius Aulus Vitellius ( ; ; 24 September 1520 December 69) was Roman emperor for eight months, from 19 April to 20 December AD 69. Vitellius became emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of civil wa ...

, who led the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

for several months during the

Year of the Four Emperors The Year of the Four Emperors, AD 69, was the first civil war of the Roman Empire, during which four emperors ruled in succession, Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. It is considered an important interval, marking the change from the ...

.

Media

Anime

''Last Exile'' premiered in Japan on April 8, 2003, and aired on

TV Tokyo JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as is a Japanese television station that serves as the flagship of the TX Network. A total of 13

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

compilations were released by

Victor Entertainment is a subsidiary of JVCKenwood that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It is known as JVC Entertainment in countries where Sony Music Entertainment operates the RC ...

from July 23, 2003 to July 21, 2004. A complete seven-disc boxed set was released on November 21, 2004. The deluxe edition of this set included a model of Tatiana's and Alister's red vanship, a short story on the fictional Battle of Otranto;In episode 11, " Develop", Vincent Alzey reveals that he and Alex Row once served together in the Anatoray military during the Battle of Otranto. unpublished articles on the series, and illustrations by character designer Range Murata. Pioneer Entertainment (later

Geneon Entertainment (abbreviated as NBCUEJ) is a Japanese music, anime, and home entertainment production and distribution enterprise that is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, owned by American telecommunications/media company Comcast headquartered in Akasaka, Min ...

) licensed the series in June 2003, two months after the first episode aired in Japan; and the first compilation DVD was released on November 18.

TechTV TechTV was an American cable television channel with a focus on technology. It was launched as ZDTV on May 11, 1998, by computer magazine publisher Ziff Davis, Ziff-Davis following two short-lived technology-based programs by the company. Init ...

premiered the series in English during its Anime Unleashed programming block on March 8, 2004. The first thirteen episodes aired nightly until March 14; and remaining episodes premiered on December 6 after channel was merged into

G4techTV G4techTV was a short-lived American cable and satellite channel resulting from a merger between Comcast-owned G4 and TechTV. The network officially launched on May 28, 2004. History On March 25, 2004, Comcast announced its plans to purcha ...

, with new episodes airing each weeknight until the series concluded on December 22. All 26 episodes were also aired in a marathon broadcast on Christmas Day.

AZN Television AZN Television (formerly called International Channel) was an American cable TV channel which promoted itself as "the network for Asian America". It was run by International Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. The channe ...

and G4techTV Canada also broadcast the series in 2007. After Geneon ceased distribution of its licensed titles in North America, rights to the series were transferred to

Funimation Funimation was an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming service. Launched in 2016, the service was one of the leading distributors of anime ...

; and a four-disc boxed set was released on May 5, 2009; and again on June 14, 2011, under the "Anime Classics" line.

ADV Films A.D. Vision Holdings, Inc. (known simply as ADV and also referred to as ADV Films) was an American multimedia entertainment distributor headquartered in Houston, Texas, and founded in 1992 by video game fan John Ledford and anime fans Matt Gr ...

originally owned the license for the series' English release in the United Kingdom until its parent company's shutdown in 2009. It was then relicensed by

Manga Entertainment Manga Entertainment was a producer, licensee, and distributor of anime in the United States and the United Kingdom. Originally founded in the UK in 1991, the UK branch became Funimation UK and Ireland in 2021, also currently known as Crunchyr ...

, while distribution rights in Australia and New Zealand are owned by

Madman Entertainment Madman Entertainment Pty. Ltd., also known as Madman Films, stylized as MADMAN, is an Australian film and television production, distribution, entertainment, and rights management company headquartered in East Melbourne, Victoria, specialising ...

. ''Last Exile'' is also licensed for regional language release in France; Germany; Sweden; Russia; and Taiwan. It has been hosted at the streaming media website

Crunchyroll Crunchyroll is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming service owned by Sony, Sony Group Corporation. The service primarily distributes fi ...

. On February 1, 2011, Gonzo revealed that a new ''Last Exile'' anime was planned titled ''Last Exile -Fam, the Silver Wing-''; described as "a new series of ''Last Exile''

ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometers, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is i ...

new story,

ain Ain (, ; ) is a French department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Eastern France. Named after the Ain river, it is bordered by the Saône and Rhône rivers. Ain is located on the country's eastern edge, on the Swiss border, where it ...

characters, and mechanical designs." Koichi Chigira and Hitomi Kuroishi returned to direct and score the anime, respectively. The series aired in Japan from October 15, 2011 to March 24, 2012 and was also simulcasted on the same day in Asia by

Animax Asia Animax is an Asian pay television channel owned by KC Global Media Asia. The channel was originally owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, and took its name from the Japanese satellite TV network; which was then-majority owned by subsidiary Sony ...

, making it the fifth anime to be simulcasted the same time as its Japanese premiere on the channel, after '' Tears to Tiara'', '' Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood'', '' Inuyasha: The Final Act'', and ''

Maid Sama! is a Japanese manga series by Hiro Fujiwara. It was serialized in Hakusensha's monthly '' shōjo'' magazine '' LaLa'' from December 2005 to September 2013, with its chapters collected in 18 ''tankōbon'' volumes. A 26-episode anime adaptat ...

''.

Funimation Funimation was an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming service. Launched in 2016, the service was one of the leading distributors of anime ...

licensed the series for streaming and home video release and simulcast the series as it aired. A film adaptation of the series, titled ''Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing: Over the Wishes'', was released in theaters on February 6, 2016. The film recompiles the events of the television series with some newly animated footage.

Soundtracks

Two pieces of theme music were used for the series. "Cloud Age Symphony", performed by Shuntaro Okino, was used as the opening theme for all 26 episodes. It was released by

Victor Entertainment is a subsidiary of JVCKenwood that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It is known as JVC Entertainment in countries where Sony Music Entertainment operates the RC ...

as a

maxi single A maxi single, maxi-single, or maxi CD (sometimes abbreviated to MCD or CDM) is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an A-side song and a B-side song. Maxi singles are often mistaken for extended plays (EPs), especial ...

on May 21, 2003, and remained on the

Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...

music charts for six weeks, where it peaked at 52nd position. Hitomi Kuroishi's "Over the Sky" was used as the ending theme. Music trio Dolce Triade, which includes Kuroishi, produced two CD soundtracks for the series. ''Last Exile O.S.T.'' was released by Victor Entertainment on June 21, 2003, and remained on the Oricon music charts for seven weeks, where it peaked at 52nd position. It includes both theme songs and 17 additional instrumental tracks. The second soundtrack, ''Last Exile O.S.T. 2'' was released on September 3, 2003, and remained on the Oricon music charts for five weeks, where it peaked at 55th position. It includes an alternate version of the ending theme song and 19 additional instrumental tracks. Geneon Entertainment licensed both soundtracks for release in North America. The first soundtrack was released on February 17, 2004; and the second was released on April 13. Both soundtracks are out of print in North America after Geneon ceased production of its licensed titles in 2007.

Art book

A 136-page art book titled ''Last Exile Aerial Log'', was released in February 2005. It was published in Japanese and was never translated for English-language release. The book contains detailed character sketches and descriptions as well as technical manuals for aircraft that appeared in the series. It also includes exclusive interviews with members of the production staff.

Manga

There is two

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

series published in Japan. The first, is an adaptation of ''Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing'' written by Gonzo and illustrated by Robo Miyamoto, serialized in ''

Young Ace is a monthly ''seinen'' manga magazine in Japan published by Kadokawa Shoten, started in 2009. A spin-off web manga magazine titled ''Young Ace UP'' began publication in December 2015. Series ''Young Ace'' *''Akuma no Ikenie'' ('' Devil's Sacr ...

'' magazine and published by Kadokawa. The second, titled , tells what happened to the Claus and his friends after the events of ''Last Exile'' and before the events of ''Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing''. The manga was written by Gonzo and illustrated by Minoru Murao, one of the original animators of the ''Last Exile'' anime. ''Last Exile – Travelers from the Hourglass'' was serialized in ''

Newtype Ace is a monthly magazine originating from Japan covering anime and, to a lesser extent, manga, voice actors, science fiction, , and video games. It was launched by publishing company Kadokawa Shoten on March 8, 1985, and has since been released in ...

'' and published by Kadokawa.

Live-action film

On February 11, 2005, a report on

Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and ot ...

mentioned a possible

live-action Live action is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live action with animation to create a live-action animated feature film. Live action is used to define film, video games or ...

''Last Exile'' film. It was based on a blog post by

Patrick Macias Patrick Macias (born 1972) is an American author and co-author of several titles on pop culture fandom, specifically relating to Japanese culture and culture in America. Macias is also a correspondent for NHK World Television show ''Tokyo Eye' ...

, writer for ''

Animerica ''Animerica'' was a monthly magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), ...

'' and author of several books on Japanese pop culture and anime, which noted that while he was attending the

Tokyo International Anime Fair The Tokyo International Anime Fair also known as was one of the largest anime trade fairs in the world, held annually in Tokyo, Japan. The first event was held in 2002 as "Tokyo International Anime Fair 21". The event was held at Tokyo Big Sigh ...

, a Gonzo employee suggested that an unnamed

New Line Cinema New Line Productions, Inc., Trade name, doing business as New Line Cinema, is an American film production, film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, a division of the Major film studios, ...

producer was interested in adapting the series for a live-action production. On July 8, 2009, a concept art image was leaked on the Internet but was removed at the request of filmmakers. However, as of 2013, there has been no new news about the film, suggesting it has been canceled.

Reception

After receiving a respectable amount of attention in the United States, the series was licensed to Pioneer Entertainment (later

Geneon Entertainment (abbreviated as NBCUEJ) is a Japanese music, anime, and home entertainment production and distribution enterprise that is a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, owned by American telecommunications/media company Comcast headquartered in Akasaka, Min ...

) in June 2003, only two months after the first episode aired in Japan. It received numerous praises for its artwork and production, placing it as one of

Gonzo Gonzo may refer to: People * Gonzo (nickname), a list of people with the nickname * Radislav Jovanov Gonzo (born 1964), Croatian music video director Radislav Jovanov, also known as Gonzo * Matthias Röhr (born 1962), German musician whose stage ...

's best work. By integrating music and sounds of a European theme, the soundtrack contributed to the series' unique flavor. Divers Allen of

Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and ot ...

gave it an A, and describes the series as "''Last Exile'' is filled with breathtaking scenery, non-stop action and intriguing characters that will keep even the most casual anime fans glued to the edge of their seats. It is a stunning series that leaves viewers craving for more, it continues to shine as a TV series that has the production values of a theatrical animated film. A visual masterpiece with the story to back it up". ''Last Exile'' has been likened to

Hayao Miyazaki is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist. He co-founded Studio Ghibli and serves as honorary chairman. Throughout his career, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a masterful storyteller and creator of Anime, Japanese ani ...

's classic work '' Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'' and the early

steampunk Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retrofuturistic technology and Applied arts, aesthetics inspired by, but not limited to, 19th-century Industrial Revolution, industrial steam engine, steam-powered machinery. Steampun ...

novel trilogy '' A Nomad of the Time Streams''. Enoch Lau of THEM Anime Reviews gave the anime series 5 out of 5 stars. Lau praised the series for its great story, outstanding animation and characters. Saying that "resembling something from Miyazaki more than Gonzo, ''Last Exile'' looks different. From the faces of the characters down to the stylings of the battleships, it evokes a classic feel but all the while look entirely new. The vanships and battleships are rendered in CG, and so are the myriad of battle effects and the plot is quite solid and intriguing. ''Last Exile'' has one of the most interesting settings that I have come across in recent anime. It is a time of war, and chivalry dictates how the opposing forces battle. But instead of using horses and chariots, they use battleships". When Geneon's compilation DVDs were released, reviewers such as ''

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

'' praised them despite the use of Dolby Digital 2.0 audio mix over a 5.1 mix. "The separation is masterfully taken care of with voices, music, and sound effects leveled off very cleanly for both the Japanese and English audio tracks." In an interview with director Koichi Chigira given in July 2004, he was surprised to find that the series had reached a great level of popularity among fans in the United States.

TechTV TechTV was an American cable television channel with a focus on technology. It was launched as ZDTV on May 11, 1998, by computer magazine publisher Ziff Davis, Ziff-Davis following two short-lived technology-based programs by the company. Init ...

vice president Laura Civiello stated that ''Last Exile'' "had more universal appeal than other types of anime shown on the network, which often contained lots of references recognizable only by hard-core fans." When the series premiered on the network, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' recommended it for young audience as well with the headline "An Anime Marathon, and It is Not Just for Adults." The network moved its Anime Unleashed programming block into prime time to take advantage of the quality of the series; eventually launching it into a top ten position on the Nielsen VideoScan anime survey in the middle of 2004.

Sony Pictures Entertainment Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acquires, and distributes filmed entertainment (theatrical motion pictures, television programs, and rec ...

selected ''Last Exile'', ''

Blood+ ''Blood+'' (stylized as ''BLOOD+'' and pronounced "Blood Plus") is a Japanese anime television series produced by Production I.G and Aniplex and directed and written by Junichi Fujisaku. The series was broadcast on MBS and TBS fro ...

'', '' Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo'', and '' R.O.D the TV'' as part of its promotional campaign throughout 2007 and 2008 targeting a bigger audience. It streamed the four series throughout Europe, Latin America, and other parts of Asia on

Animax , stylized as ANIMAX in all caps, is a Japanese animation satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. Launched on July 1, 1998, Animax is the first 24-hour network in the world dedicated to anime.The Anime Biz' - ...

and

Animax Asia Animax is an Asian pay television channel owned by KC Global Media Asia. The channel was originally owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, and took its name from the Japanese satellite TV network; which was then-majority owned by subsidiary Sony ...

through various 3G mobile phone services.

Notes

References

* *

External links

''Last Exile''
at

JVC JVC (short for Japan Victor Company) is a Japanese brand owned by JVCKenwood. Founded in 1927 as the Victor Talking Machine Company of Japan and later as , the company was best known for introducing Japan's first televisions and for developin ...

Music official website
''Last Exile''
at

Funimation Entertainment Crunchyroll, LLC is an American entertainment company based in Coppell, Texas. It currently operates the anime-focused eponymous over-the-top subscription video on-demand streaming service. The company was founded as Funimation in May 1 ...

official website
''Last Exile''
at

Madman Entertainment Madman Entertainment Pty. Ltd., also known as Madman Films, stylized as MADMAN, is an Australian film and television production, distribution, entertainment, and rights management company headquartered in East Melbourne, Victoria, specialising ...

official website *
''Last Exile -Fam, the Silver Wing''
at Gonzo's official website * {{Young Ace 2003 anime television series debuts 2011 anime television series debuts 2011 manga ADV Films Adventure anime and manga Air pirates Anime with original screenplays Aviation television series Chess books Crunchyroll anime Geneon USA Gonzo (company) Kadokawa Shoten manga Muse Communication Seinen manga Shōnen manga Steampunk anime and manga Steampunk television series Television shows about chess TV Tokyo original programming