Last Exile

From Zanecorpwiki

Not just a great anime, a great story. DVD

Summary

A great story, told with tender care and beautifully rendered, this is right up there with my favorite animes. Weird? Sure. It's a world of steam-punk retro-tech flying ships fighting an uber-tech enemy led by a madwoman. But for all the oddities of the backdrop, it's such an approachable, human story.

Details and Notes

At the heart of the story are a young boy and girl who just want to do the right thing and strive towards a better world. Like many of the best anime, it's mostly a character story, and with over 10 hours, we have time to see a number of the characters develop.

Klaus and Lavi, the two main characters exemplify the kind of humanity in the best sense of the word. Something that reflects the best in us. A strident, yet measured faith in the possibility of a better tomorrow and the courage to work towards it. They are exceptional, but not super-human.

What makes the story work, though, is just how well done everything is. The voice acting is just superb, the animation is spot on, the direction is strong, and the dialogue natural. Just top notch.