Last Exile

Last Exile
A red-haired girl holding a canteen and a boy in a pilot suit looking up at her
Cover art of the Japanese volume 1 compilation DVD for Last Exile, featuring main characters Lavie Head and Claus Valca
Genre
Created byGonzo
Anime television series
Directed byKoichi Chigira
Produced by
  • Hiroyuki Birukawa
  • Naoshi Imamoto
Written by
  • Koichi Chigira
  • Gonzo
Music byHitomi Kuroishi
StudioGonzo
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original networkTV Tokyo
English network
Original run April 8, 2003 – September 30, 2003
Episodes26 (List of episodes)
Manga
Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing
Written byGonzo
Illustrated byRobo Miyamoto
Published byKadokawa Shoten
MagazineYoung Ace
DemographicSeinen
Original runJuly 4, 2011 – October 4, 2012
Volumes3
Manga
Last Exile: Travelers from the Hourglass
Written byGonzo
Illustrated byMinoru Murao
Published byKadokawa
MagazineNewtype Ace
DemographicShōnen
Original runSeptember 10, 2011 – June 10, 2012
Volumes2
Anime television series
Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing
Directed by
  • Yukio Takahashi (Chief)
  • Koichi Chigira
Produced by
  • Hiroyuki Birukawa
  • Tadashi Hoshino
  • Masami Abe
Written byKiyoko Yoshimura
Music byHitomi Kuroishi
StudioGonzo
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original networkCBC
English network
Original run October 15, 2011 – March 24, 2012
Episodes21 (List of episodes)
Anime film
Last Exile -Fam, the Silver Wing-: Over the Wishes
Directed byYukio Takahashi
Written byShūichi Kōyama
Music byHitomi Kuroishi
StudioGonzo
ReleasedFebruary 6, 2016
Runtime120 minutes
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Last Exile (ラストエグザイル, Rasuto Eguzairu) is a Japanese anime television series created by Gonzo. It featured a production team led by director Koichi Chigira, character designer Range Murata, and production designer Mahiro Maeda. The three had previously worked together in Blue Submarine No. 6, one of the first CG anime series. It aired on TV Tokyo from April to September 2003. A sequel series, Last Exile -Fam, the Silver Wing- (ラストエグザイル～銀翼のファム～, Rasuto Eguzairu Gin'yoku no Famu), aired from October 2011 to March 2012. A film adaptation of the series, Last Exile -Fam, the Silver Wing-: Over the Wishes, was released in February 2016.

The story is set on the fictional world of Prester, where its inhabitants use 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 couriers 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. Many of its designs were also inspired by Germany's technological advances during the interwar period.

The series was licensed in North America by Geneon Entertainment in June 2003, two months after the first episode aired in Japan. Funimation 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 until its closure in 2009, and is now licensed by Manga Entertainment, and in Australia by Madman Entertainment. 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.

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