15 Animes Similar to Last Exile

Last Exile is celebrated for its stunning steampunk aesthetics, gripping underdog narrative, and willingness to subvert genre expectations. Set in a world of epic sky battles and political intrigue, it stands out for richly drawn characters navigating complex power systems and uncertain alliances.

Yet, other anime echo Last Exile’s blend of ambitious world-building and nuanced storytelling—but have slipped beneath the mainstream radar. Here are 15 often-overlooked series that deserve more recognition from Last Exile fans.

1. Blue Submarine No. 6 (1998)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll, RetroCrush
• Episodes: 4
• MAL/Platform Rating: 7.01 (MAL)
• Notable Staff/Studio: Studio Gonzo, Mahiro Maeda (Director)
• Awards: Notable for early CG animation
• Plot: In a submerged post-apocalyptic world, humanity battles genetically engineered sea creatures.
• Similarities: Features a war-torn world, underdog heroes, and a distinctive blend of 2D and early 3D animation, echoing Last Exile’s technological flair and ambiguous morality.

2. Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet (2013)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll, HiDive
• Episodes: 13
• Rating: 7.41 (MAL)
• Studio: Production I.G; Gen Urobuchi (Story concept)
• Plot: A soldier from a militaristic future awakens on a tranquil water-world.
• Similarities: Explores clashing worldviews and societies, with complex political powers and a reluctant hero, reminiscent of Last Exile’s narrative.

3. Children of the Whales (2017)

• Streaming: Netflix
• Episodes: 12
• Rating: 7.13 (MAL)
• Studio: J.C.Staff
• Plot: On a sand-locked “ship,” psychic children navigate war, secrets, and betrayal.
• Similarities: Unique vessel-bound society, power systems, lush world-building, and subversion of shounen tropes.

4. Xam’d: Lost Memories (2008)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll, Funimation
• Episodes: 26
• Rating: 7.49 (MAL)
• Studio: Bones; Masayuki Miyaji (Director)
• Plot: A young man is transformed by alien technology and swept into a hidden war.
• Similarities: Airborne travel, complicated conflicts, and evolving protagonist confronting oppressive systems.

5. Simoun (2006)

• Streaming: Funimation (availability varies)
• Episodes: 26
• Rating: 7.25 (MAL)
• Studio: Studio Deen
• Plot: In a world where gender is decided at adulthood, priestess-pilots wage a holy war in biomechanical craft.
• Similarities: Sky warfare and social themes blend with genre fluidity, character growth, and moral ambiguity.

6. Toward the Terra (Terra e…) (2007)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll, HiDive
• Episodes: 24
• Rating: 7.92 (MAL)
• Studio: BONES, Minako Shiba (Character Design)
• Plot: Telepathic outcasts rebel against an oppressive AI-led government while searching for a promised land.
• Similarities: Underdog story, ensemble cast, militaristic society, and generational struggle.

7. Now and Then, Here and There (1999)

• Streaming: HiDive, RetroCrush
• Episodes: 13
• Rating: 7.65 (MAL)
• Studio: AIC
• Plot: An optimistic boy is transported to a militarized dystopia where children are forced to fight.
• Similarities: Unflinching social commentary, stark power imbalances, and triumph against authoritarian regimes.

8. Flag (2006)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll (limited regions)
• Episodes: 13
• Rating: 7.13 (MAL)
• Studio: The Answer Studio
• Plot: War photographers cover a civil conflict through the “lens” of a mecha unit.
• Similarities: Realistic, documentary-inspired storytelling, focus on shifting allegiances and perspective, underdog journalistic heroes.

9. Mōryō no Hako (2008)

• Streaming: Funimation (limited)
• Episodes: 13
• Rating: 7.26 (MAL)
• Studio: Madhouse, Ryosuke Nakamura (Director)
• Plot: Intertwined mysteries and supernatural horrors befall 1950s investigators.
• Similarities: Subverts genre expectations with layered narrative structure and slow-burn character development.

10. Fantastic Children (2004)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 26
• Rating: 7.66 (MAL)
• Studio: Studio Nippon Animation
• Plot: Ageless, mysterious children search for a girl across centuries and identities.
• Similarities: Unfolding mysteries, steampunk flourishes, and deeply personal journeys around fate and agency.

11. The Pilot’s Love Song (2014)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 13
• Rating: 7.19 (MAL)
• Studio: TMS Entertainment
• Plot: A deposed prince joins a flying school to search for a legendary land and his lost love.
• Similarities: Airborne adventure, social uprising, class struggles, and redemption arcs.

12. Gunparade March (2003)

• Streaming: Funimation (availability varies)
• Episodes: 12
• Rating: 6.69 (MAL)
• Studio: J.C.Staff
• Plot: Teenagers pilot mechs in a desperate last stand against an alien invasion.
• Similarities: Realistic take on war, ensemble cast, emotional realism in the face of overwhelming odds.

13. Last Hope (2018)

• Streaming: Netflix
• Episodes: 26
• Rating: 6.99 (MAL)
• Studio: Satelight; Shoji Kawamori (Director)
• Plot: In a biotech-driven disaster future, a pilot and allies fight to restore humanity’s survival.
• Similarities: Technological innovation, multi-faction conflict, and uncertain alliances.

14. Le Chevalier D’Eon (2006)

• Streaming: Funimation (availability varies)
• Episodes: 24
• Rating: 7.21 (MAL)
• Studio: Production I.G
• Plot: In pre-revolutionary France, a spy avenges his sister—blending real history and the supernatural.
• Similarities: Political intrigue, shifting allegiances, and historical inspiration paired with genre subversion.

15. Kaiba (2008)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll, HiDive
• Episodes: 12
• Rating: 8.14 (MAL)
• Studio: Madhouse; Masaaki Yuasa (Director)
• Awards: Japan Media Arts Festival Excellence Award
• Plot: In a world where memories are traded like commodities, an amnesiac drifter seeks his identity.
• Similarities: Daring visual style, questions of selfhood, and unconventional narrative structure, challenging expectations at every turn.

Why These Anime Work for Last Exile Fans

Fans are drawn to Last Exile for its balance of high-stakes adventure, nuanced characters, and surprising narrative turns—in worlds that feel both alien and intimately human. The series above echo those strengths through inventive settings, complex societies, and thoughtful exploration of power, underdog journeys, and the courage to challenge fate. Whether through spectacular air battles, political thrillers, or philosophical mysteries, these hidden gems offer Last Exile fans new frontiers—and reasons to root for the unlikely hero.