Last Exile is not a show which I have a lot to say about It is an old anime I decided to dive into because I was interested in its steampunk aesthetics. That being said its one of the FEW steampunk shows and is also considered to be a classic especially by the people who follow studio Gonzo. While I wont say I had expectations going beyond the roof about the show I did have some and the anime met a few of them. Setting Premise and Execution of Plot Extremely Interesting had me hooked in. And every single episode managed to entertain me even if I had very little idea as to where and why the story was going. The overarching plot about a messenger getting involved in a huge conspiracy involving aerial warfare between few countries was interesting. The series can be divided into two parts. Episode 115 dont really have any major plot developments and are there to introduce us to the world make us feel comfortable with the characters and get a very general grasp of the plot. It was like a steampunk slice of life with occasional hype scenes and a slow but steadily moving plot with an air of mystery to it. As in it entertained me while making me curious as to what would happen next. The second half was when the story actually started to surface. This is where I have my issues with Last Exile. I liked the feel of Last Exile. It is rare nowadays to see something like this. That alone gives it a good rating. Often you wont have any idea as to where this show is going but you are still invested in it regardless because it just does enough for you to be interested. The transition from the first half to the second half is quite sporadic. As the plot suddenly surfaces. Few twists occur there is a slight tone switch and its more apparent as to where the show is going. With the knowledge of the first part going into the rest of 11 episodes is quite hype. However Last exile doesnt capture the spirit of adventure that well in the second half. The issue is that the last arc of the show or the final 4 episodes while being quite satisfactory feel anticlimactic. It also becomes apparent that like wolfs rain the ending was rushed while the buildup leading up to it took far too much time. Which made the buildup feel flat and created an illusion where it felt the second half was rushed even more. Another issue I have with last exile is that while having a general sense of epicness to its plot it often fails to put it on paper. This is the most apparent in the final few episodes which move at a slow pace and turn out not to be as flashy and satisfactory. Compared to the first 20 episodes they were just plain boring even if they pretty neatly wrapped the whole series and its plot. And depending on how much a mediocre ending can affect you you will either love last exile or be disappointed that the turn the story took wasnt as epic. CHARACTERS they are fine really. I wont say they are the most well made but they are likeable. Animation and Music OST is fairly simplistic usage of the same soundtracks is apparent. Its OP and ED are heavily experimental and I like them. The Animation and Character designs are brilliant and the animation is just great as each character has a lot of expressions. Tone and Theme Last Exile is indirectly teaching the value of unity and the futility of war to a respectable extent which is really nice. The tone of the series is for the most part adventurous and chill. This can be both a turn on and turn off as most of the scenes lack buildup and just happen which can frustrate people looking for climactic moments Conclusion This show is considered to be Gonzos finest and it definitely has a lot of points which make it special. However the last 4 episodes were kind of a turnoff. With that said my final score is 81/100