Last Exile - First Move (Vol. 1)

Description

Noted designer Mahiro Maeda gives this sci-fi adventure a striking, muted look that mixes elements of Buck Rogers, Weimar Germany, and Napoleonic France. Childhood friends Claus and Lavie dream of becoming a top Vanship team: daring pilots who serve as mail couriers, flying their small ships to dangerous destinations. Just as they're about to win an important race and establish the reputation they desire, Claus insists they stop to aid a disabled ship. The pilot entrusts them with Al, a mysterious little girl who is being pursued by an angular mecha-ship. Although Lavie and Claus are clearly in over their heads, they promise to see Al is taken to safety. The storytelling in this new action-adventure is considerably less polished than its original visuals, and the filmmakers fail to set up the odd, war-torn world of the series satisfactorily. (Rated 13 and older: violence, minor profanity, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon