A million and a half years ago (around 2003 I think) my BFF gave me a mixed CD of anime songs that she liked. At the time she was watching several series online including Berserk, 12 Kingdoms, and Last Exile. The CD had no labels on it and did not come with a listing of what songs went with what anime, so I had to guess or hope that I would see something they were on, or try to get my wonderful, amazing, awesome, but sometimes rather forgetful BFF to remember what was what. I loved that CD and I loved pretty much every song on it, even though I never did find out (at the time) what shows they were associated with. And over the years since then I've gotten to be surprised and excited while watching anime because every once in a while a series will pop up that just happens to have one or more of those songs as their opening/ending themes.
Such was the case with Last Exile. Both the opening and ending themes were on that CD, and were in fact two of my favorite songs from that CD. I must have listened to them thousands of times, and used them in more anime-themed mix CDs over the years. I like to make soundtracks for novels that I'm writing - to help get me in the right frame of mind/mood - and I know those songs were on several of those soundtracks as well.
So when I heard them on the anime I was thrilled. Beyond thrilled, super bouncy excited even. The boyfriend kept staring at me like I'd grown a second head. I tried to explain why those songs had such an effect on me, but he seemed to still think I was crazy.
Oh well.
He's been obsessing over making a giant, paper mache teddy bear head that he can wear, ever since he watched Afro Samurai.
I'm the crazy one? Pffft.
Anyways, so the music for Last Exile is fabulous and worth watching for almost on its own. Oh yeah, speaking of crazy, lately the boyfriend has become disillusioned with his fave series, Bleach, and has taken to watching just the opening and closing credits for the theme songs, and skipping the rest of the episodes.
Seriously, I'm crazy? Me?
Whatever. Its obvious he's really the one with mental issues.
But moving on.
Last Exile has a pretty cool look to it - lots of flying ships that look more like flying engines than planes (there are no wings or propellers or anything you would normally associate with a flying vessel). Its reminiscent of steam punk without the ... steam. The story is complex and serious for the most part, though a bit of humor shines through during moments between the two main characters.
It certainly isn't a dark and graphically violent show like Afro Samurai. But it isn't bizarrely silly amidst creepy and serious like Corpse Princess either. It rests more in the middle, with a serious story set amidst warring nations, chivalric gun battles, and honor among children and pilots, that also happens to include some light-hearted teasing between heroic characters who have to live real lives along with their fantasy ones.
And it has great music. It totally gets points for that.
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