As hard to believe as it is that the anime has been acquired, the original novels are coming to North America as well. Viz Media has announced the acquisition of the series with the first three volumes being picked up to be distributed through their Haikasoru novel imprint, which is focused on Japanese science fiction. The frist volume is planned for a spring 2016 release and over the course of the first three volumes they’ll evaluate whether to go after more of them. The original light novel series ran for ten volumes as written by Yoshiki Tanaka.
- Dawn (黎明篇)
- Ambition (野望篇)
- Biding His Time (雌伏篇)
- Strategem (策謀篇)
- A Hero’s Chance (風雲篇)
- Soaring High (飛翔篇)
- Great Upheaval (怒濤篇)
- Chaos (乱離篇)
- Resurgence of Power (回天篇)
- Sunset (落日篇)
There’s also a four volume prequel series and five short stories that are uncollected at this time. The original ten novels were produced between 1982 and 1989.
Plot concept: The story is staged in the distant future within our own Milky Way Galaxy, approximately in the 35th century. Unlike other science fiction stories, there are no alien civilizations. A portion of the galaxy is filled with terraformed worlds inhabited by interstellar traveling human beings. For 150 years two mighty space powers have intermittently warred with each other: the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance.
Within the Galactic Empire, based on 19th century Prussia, an ambitious military genius, Reinhard von Müsel, is rising to power. He is driven by the desire to free his sister Annerose, who was taken by the Kaiser as a concubine. Later, he wants not only to end the corrupt Goldenbaum dynasty but also to defeat the Free Planets Alliance and to unify the whole galaxy under his rule.
In the Free Planets Alliance is another genius, Yang Wen-li. He originally aspired to become a historian, and joined the military only because he needed money for tuition. He was rapidly promoted to an admiral because of his demonstrated excellence in military strategy. He becomes the archrival of Reinhard, though they highly respect one another.
As a historian, Yang often narrates the rich history of his world and comments on it. One of his famous quotes is: “There are few wars between good and evil; most are between one good and another good.”
