Last Exile #3 effortlessly confirms what a fantastic series this is turning out to be.

Gonzo and it's team of creative artists should be proud, they have dreamt up such an immersive experience in Last Exile, leaving me in awe of both the beautiful visuals and the expert, country-spanning story telling on display. Last Exile has nothing left to prove to me, I'm just a fan now; one that is desperate to know where this treat of a show will carry him next.

It pains the cynic in me to hand out such plaudits, but Last Exile #3 is well worth such praise; this is a volume full of highlights. We tag along for an enthralling mountain-side vanship race and watch as the rivalry between Dio, Claus and Tatiana reaches new heights, witness Lavie's perspective slowly change- hinting at any number of possible love triangles. Even the estranged Silvana captain Alex Row gets in on the action, coolly settling a score with a powerful new enemy, taking part in a spectacular auction for a mysterious item linked to the all-powerful "Exile" and managing to upset his slighted superior officers- leading to a hard fought air-ship battle between previous comrades. Suffice to say; a lot happens in these four episodes; with both the character development and story progress stepping up a gear or two.

Without wanting to take too much emphasis away from the rest of this superlative volume, the star of these episodes is undoubtedly Dio. His presence consistently demands our attention; not only does he look weird; we are constantly left guessing about his intentions, his power and his personality. His unnatural smiling hints at an unhinged, insecure character, someone who is bound for an intense mood swing sooner or later. Dio is also our only connection to the mysterious ruling body of this universe, "the Guild". With each passing volume, we are teased with a few more quick glimpses at this civilization and I often find myself left with the feeling that these are people simply playing a cruel game with the rest of mankind.

The volume ends on a massive cliff-hanger after a tour-de-force of animated air-ship warfare. The outstanding art and animation is still a big factor in the success of Last Exile, providing ample mood and atmosphere where needed. My favourite moment was during Claus and Lavie's heart-to-heart after the vanship race; the vibrant fireworks exploding in the background perfectly adding to the warm mood of the scene.
For a series as action-packed and epic in scope as Last Exile, it's great that the story takes the time to delve into the more personal aspects of these characters.

In Summary

It would be fair to say that I was enthralled by Last Exile #3; a volume that encompasses epic air-ship battles, intriguing political movement and tender character development.

So far, this has been an outstanding series and given the painful way in which this volume closes, I'm left desperately looking for my next fix.