Last Exile is a very special series for me as it really got me interested in Anime. The visuals are a combination of computer generated graphics and normal anime. Mostly, they are just amazing to look at.
Plot
The plot centers around Claus Valca and Lavie Head, two teenage orphans who have grown up together after the tragic death of their parents. They live in a world that is a strange mixture of advanced technology and 1920s steam power. They make their living delivering messages and such using a van ship. This ship is like a small plane, except it uses anti-gravity technology to fly instead of wings.
When the story starts, the nation the kids live in is at war. The series follows the adventures of Claus and Lavie as they get sucked into the conflict. As they story progresses they find out more about this conflict and their own past.
Thoughts
The world created in this series is very rich. But you are not spoon fed all the details, rather the creators throw you into the world, and kind of let you figure things out as the story plays out. I really enjoyed this, but if you like everything cut and dried, this series may not be for you. The story and world it takes place in are pretty amazing. You have everything from people fighting with muskets, to spaceships.
My guess is this series was designed for 8 or 9 year old kids in Japan. Maybe a little older. Although there isn't a lot of "scary" stuff in the series, there is a great deal of violence. I wouldn't consider Last Exile gory, but people get hurt and they die. The show does not hide the realities of war.
A great series that I highly recommend.
