Last Exile - Discovered Attack (Vol. 3)
Claus and Lavie participate in a major race, while Alex obtains an Exile, a mysterious and fabulously valuable object. The Exile and its accompanying spell are also linked to Al: the orchidaceous Lord Dio pronounces Al "the real thing" after testing her formidable but latent powers. Alex's refusal to surrender Al brings him into conflict with the Emperor, who  dispatches a squadron of warships to intercept theSilvana, and a deadly battle rages amid the aerial reefs of the Dragon's Fangs. Although the story is finally generating some momentum as the series approaches its midpoint, the story feels padded and needlessly oblique. All the characters are aloof, taciturn, and/or of mysterious origin, and the filmmakers allude to plot points, rather than explain them. But the elegant designs and well-choreographed air battles continue to win fans. (Rated 13 and older: violence, minor profanity, alcohol and tobacco use)--Charles Solomon