is a Japanese space opera novel series written by Yoshiki Tanaka between 1988 and 2015 and released in five volumes. The series is about people who try to liberate the galaxy from the rule of the Tytania-clan and seek refuge with a rebel force. It has been adapted into manga and anime in 2008–2011.
Plot In a future where mankind is scattered across the stars, the Empire of Valdana is under the control of the Tytania clan, which forged its influence through intimidation and economic might. In the year 446, Tytania dispatches a large fleet to seize a new piece of technology from the city-state of Euriya. Much to everyone's surprise, Euriya decides to resist and wins. Their isolated act of rebellion sets into motion a sequence of events that strains the careful alliances and treaties within the empire as various factions seek to exploit the situation to their own advantage. In the ensuing turmoil, ambitious members of the Tytania nobility begin moving against each other in an effort to settle old grievances and seize control of the clan. What started as an act of rebellion by Euriya, quickly expands into a civil war – with the wealth and power of the empire up for grabs to whoever is bold enough to seize it.
Meanwhile, Fan Hyulick, the man responsible for Euriya's victory, finds himself the target of an imperial manhunt, one he can only escape by continuing to fight an empire that controls entire worlds.
Characters
Nobility
The "Landless Lord" Ajman Tytania is the current head of the Tytania clan.
Jouslain Tytania is one of the four dukes in line to succeed Ajman Tytania as the clan's next Landless Lord. His flagship is the Austra.
Idris Tytania is the youngest of the four Dukes in line for succeeding as the head of the clan. His flagship is the Fire Phoenix.
Ariabert Tytania is one of the four dukes in line to succeed Ajman Tytania as the head of the Tytania Clan. He commands the flagship Golden Sheep.
Zarlisch Tytania is one of the four dukes in line to succeed Ajman Tytania as the head of the Tytania Clan. Zarlisch's flagship name is the Typhoon.
Lydia is the second princess of the Elbing Kingdom. She currently resides on Uraniborg under the custody of Jouslain Tytania.
Resistance
Fan Hyulick is a former admiral of Euria, who inflicted the first defeat to the Tytania clan in 200 years.
Lira Florenz is part of the resistance force on Emmental seeking to restore the Principality of Casabianca.
Miranda is part of the resistance force and princess to the Principality of Casabianca.
Media Novels The first volume was published in 1988 by Tokuma Shoten under the Tokuma Novels imprint, but the series was discontinued after the third volume was released in 1991. More than 20 years later, volume 4 was finally published in September 2013. In the meantime, the series was republished by Square Enix under the EX Novels label. Additionally, starting in September 2008, a revised edition was released by Kodansha Bunko to coincide with the anime broadcast. After the anime concluded, a special limited edition compiling the three volumes—bundled with a DVD of the anime's first episode—was released by Kodansha Novels in April 2010. + Book List Title Publication Date ISBN December 31, 1988 November 30, 1989 May 31, 1991 September 25, 2013 (began printing September 26, 2013) February 4, 2015 (began printing February 5, 2015)
Manga
Anime
The anime adaptation of Tytania was produced by Artland and directed by Noboru Ishiguro. It aired on NHK's BS-2 satellite channel from October 9, 2008, to March 26, 2009.
Reception In September 2008, the series had 670,000 copies culminating of the Tokuma Novels version. And in January 2015, there were 15 million comics culminating.
The first part of the show (DVD vol. 1) was reviewed for Anime News Network, where the reviewer awarded the show a B score, writing that "the series definitely gets better as it delves more into the personalities and plot threads in play. Calling it a truly good series may be a stretch, but those who favor sci fi anime with a grand scope which includes action, but is not a slave to said action, may find this one to their liking". Another reviewer wrote that the show "can be summed up in five words: talkative pretty boys in space. You're either on board for this or you're not [...] Tytania is a surprisingly decent show compared to similar, more incoherent female fan service fare".
In The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, the entry about the anime notes that "The reception [...] was muted. Reviewers praised the layered court politics and realistic, flawed characters, but faulted the slow pacing, uneven tone, generic worldbuilding, and cost-saving visuals. Comparisons with highly praised LoGH were inevitable and usually unfavorable: fans of Military SF were disappointed that space battles often reduce to capital ships trading beams rather than tactically staged set-pieces; Fan Hyulick feels similar but less compelling than LoGH's Yang Wen-li, and compounding these issues, the anime adapts only the opening arc of the novels, ending without closure – a familiar issue when animating unfinished prose sources. The problem was exacerbated by the prose cycle's long hiatus (early 1990s to 2013). Ishiguro reportedly hoped to continue once the books resumed, but his death in 2012 ended those prospects. Judged on its own terms, however, Tytania, while hardly a masterpiece, plays as a competent court-intrigue Space Opera (or at least its opening act).".
References
External links for the anime series
Tytania info on The Anime Network, streaming begins July 15, 2010.