Last Exile : Fam the Silver Wing Part 1
Released By: Manga Entertainment
Rating: 12
Running Time: 175 Mins
Audio: English DD 5.1 & Japanese DD 2.0
Release Date: 2/12/2013
Reviewed By: Sandra Scholes
Once the planet had become almost dead, their people had left, only to return to it later once life had regrown. Fam and her friend Giselle are Sky Pirates who travel around the planet having adventures and seeing the sights when their real job is to find and sell airborne battleships. Though regarded as nothing by some, to others they are the best of friends, especially Fam with her cheeky charm and fast wit.
How many moons does one planet need? At least six in this anime series, but that's nothing - when you see what happens at the start of the first episode. With Fam dangling from the Vespa Vanship - hoping once she's had so much fun they don't leave her there, but she's about to have much more fun once they get to their new destinations. Although Last Exile isn't the first to use the steampunk look in their anime (Trinity Blood contains some elements) it does look effective along with the array of Bishonen men who crop up with alarming regularity. Even the evildoers who come along to gatecrash the peace treaty they have only just agreed to look sexy, and that's no joke.
The basic plot of the anime is Fam and Giselle helping a princess, Liliana il Grazioso Merlo Turan from certain death when she is trying to get a peace treaty through to unite her people and others. The Ades Federation want to scupper any chances of this happening, so our two plucky Sky Pirates rescue her from their clutches, but at the same time get caught up in the ensuing war. Empress Sārā Augusta and Premier Luscinia Hāfez of the Ades Federation believe that the ones who left the original Earth have no right to return to the planet now that it is progressing, so they see their war as protecting their own interests. For the inhabitants of Turan, their water and planet is sacred, and the princess feels the Ades invasion is a way of them hurting the planet and offending them. The empress doesn't care for what others feel and sees only her own solution to what she sees as her problem with the new immigrants who have come to the planet seeking refuge.
Aquarion is one of the anime nearest to this one as it has the same charm and interesting story. As well as the sort of animation that is attractive to those who enjoy watching shojo style characters in a shonen anime, there is something for everyone here, humorous moments followed by fierce battles and warm moments where the princess is taken in by the Sky Pirates, and sees the world through their eyes. Last Exile: Fam the Silver Wing Part 1 is a thought provoking story of one planets life through the eyes of its inhabitants now that they have returned.
Bonus Material: Select Episode Commentaries, Spinoff Anime CM Series Friday Night #01-07, FAM Event Opening Movie, Commercial Collection, Text less Songs, Trailers.
Verdict: Last Exile is a mixed bag of what makes anime fun and special.
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