"Heroic Age" is an anime series that has aired from April 1 and will finish airing its original run on September 30, 2007 in Japan. It’s currently airing on TV Tokyo, TV Setouchi, and TV Osaka. The series will run for twenty six episodes. Heroic Age starts out as the narrator explains the existence of a race of beings known as the "Golden Tribe" whom are primeval with powers to create planets and seeing into the future. It says that the Golden Tribe named the three other tribes: Silver Tribe, Bronze Tribe, and the Hero Tribe. Then the narrator proceeds to talk about the Iron Tribe.
As the Golden Tribe leaves to explore the rest of space, humans are threatened with the possibility of extinction. After the Golden Tribe leaves, the Silver Tribe becomes the dominant of the other tribes calling themselves their successors. Mankind is dubbed as the Iron Tribe. The main protagonist in the beginning is a princess named Deianeira who is looking for the only human to be raised by the Golden Tribe. It seems to be inspired by Greek and Roman mythology with the Golden Age, Silver Age, and Bronze Age.
If anybody that is familiar with mythology should know what those ages meant. Golden Age represents the perfect humans. The Silver Age of humans weren’t that perfect. The Bronze Age of humans were the more savage counterparts. In a sense, these are what those tribes seem to represent in Heroic Age.
The other protagonist is a boy named Age who seems to be the only human on the ruined Planet of Oron. He lives on a crashed spaceship as the ship’s computer acts as the "mother" figure. Whenever Age asks the computer something like a person would ask a parent, it answers with "the code is invalid" or "the statement is invalid, please speak more clearly." Having of heard about the only human that seems to be raised by the Golden Tribe, Deianeira along with soldiers go out to find him.
Interestingly enough, Age is age peace with this create with tentacles called Fuut. They feed each other. Fuut lets Age eat a piece of his tentacle. In return, Age feeds him with a piece of these trees growing in front of the spaceship. It seems that Fuut looks to be Age’s only friend. They interact with Age but he seems to be immune to many things such as a energy force field. But the introduction is shortly interrupted by the arrival of the Bronze Tribe that attacks. It shows the importance of Age as he displays abilities that may hold the key to humanity’s survival and salvation.
The Bronze Tribe are very much savages like the Bronze Age of humans. These beings of the Bronze Tribe are merely insect-like creatures with limited intelligence and can easily be manipulated and controlled. It’s revealed that both the Iron and Silver Tribes are given a set of labors.
The twelve labors are parallel to the labors that Heracles was forced to carry out. They are charged with fighting off the Hero Tribe, Bronze Tribe, and the Silver Tribes who wish for nothing more than to conquer and wipe out the Iron Tribe whom are the weakest of all the tribes. These labors seem to be the basis of Heroic Age with Age being the key to it all. Age is contracted to follow those labors as he seems to be the personification of Heracles this series.
To help Age in these labors, he uses a humanoid mecha called Bellcross. It stands about fifty feet tall. It is revealed that Earth was attached by the Bronze Tribe and was left in ruin. Asides from preserving humanity, Age is also charged with the task of reclaiming Earth for all humans. The various names and characters are derived from terms found in Greek technology.
The main spaceship that they use is called the Argonaut derived form "Jason and the Argonauts." Deianira comes from the third wife of Heracles. That could hint a possible relationship between Age and Deianira. Iolaus comes from the Theban hero, Iolaus.
Age proves to be very "primitive" as he doesn’t have the concept of technology, paint, and many other things. As a result the twin sisters of Iolaus: Tayl and Mayl are charged with the task of "babysitting" Age.
The creators of Heroic Age seem to have a deep interest and fascination with Greek mythology as just about everything from the tribes and the names are derived from various mythological legends, heroes, gods, and monsters. It’s a very interesting anime series to say at least as it’s the anime personification of Greek mythology.
Heroic Age is still airing in Japan and it looks as if it will not officially be released to North America possibly until 2009.