As ever, the new season brings with it new anime shows from Japan, and this time around one of the best picks is one called Heroic Age. Unsurprisingly the show's name is a play on words, being both a description of the show's general atmosphere and also a reference to the main character whose name is Age (pronounced "Eiji"). The plot has elements that are somewhat reminiscent of Stargate; a long time ago, the Golden Tribe were preparing to depart this space-time continuum, and they sent out a call for tribes who might some day become their successors. Three tribes answered the call: the Silver Tribe, the Bronze Tribe and the Heroic Tribe. Some time later, not long before the Golden Tribe were due to leave, a fourth tribe also answered the call - humanity, which became known as the Iron Tribe.

Unfortunately, the Heroic Tribe became caught up in a terrible interstellar war and almost wiped themselves out. The remaining five members of the tribe were contained by the Golden Tribe and made to serve the other Tribes as penance for their actions. The Golden Tribe implanted the Heroic spirits into members of the other Tribes, and the fifth and strongest one, Bellcross, was placed into an infant from the Iron Tribe, who was then raised by the Golden Tribe themselves on the ruined planet Oron. The people who were bonded with the Heroic Tribe in this way were known as "Nodos".

For some reason which has yet to become clear, the Silver Tribe turned the Bronze Tribe against the Iron Tribe, and Earth was invaded and conquered, leaving the remnants of humanity to flee to other parts of the universe. We join the story in the first episode with the starship Argonaut in search of Oron and the fifth Nodos. They find him in good health on the planet, although he seems somewhat simple and confused since the only "person" he's had to talk to for many years has been the computer of the ship which had crashed on the planet. However, things quickly take a turn for the worse as the Bronze Tribe turns up and attempts to attack the Argonaut in orbit and her personnel on the planet below. Fortunately, Age's power manifests itself and he transforms into Bellcross and destroys the Bronze Tribe contingent, but his work won't be complete until the Bronze and Silver Tribes are completely defeated and Earth is retaken.

The music in Heroic Age creates a suitably epic atmosphere, and the artwork is interesting and well done. The show is definitely worth a look if you like space opera.

Heroic Age is not currently licensed in North America and is being fan subtitled by Y-M Fansubs. Please support your domestic anime market by purchasing this title when it becomes available in your territory.