Heroic Age is a mecha based anime that was produced by XEBEC and directed by Toshimasa Suzuki. The twenty-six episodes of Heroic Age aired on TV Tokyo and on TV Osaka from April 1 through September 30, 2007. FUNimation Entertainment holds the licensing rights for the series in the United States.

The series is set in the distant future, and the human race is on a quest to find the messianic individual that has the power to save mankind. Age, the main character and the savior, is the only human to be raised by the Golden Tribe before their departure from the universe. Dhianelia, the princess of the humans, along with the crew of the Argonaut, find Age on a ruined planet called Oron. After fending off an attack by the Bronze Tribe, Dhianelia and Age lead a journey of salvation.

The Golden Tribe is a primeval race that has the ability to create planets and to see into the future. They called on primitive beings from across the galaxy to explore the universe. The races that responded were referred to as the Silver Tribe, the Bronze Tribe, and the Heroic Tribe. Shortly before the Golden Tribe moved on to another universe, humankind answered the call. Humankind was given the name “Iron Tribe.”

The Heroic Tribe instigated an interstellar civil war, and in the process, destroyed thousands of planets and stars. The Golden Tribe was angered, and they captured and punished the five surviving members of the Heroic Tribe. Bellcross, one of the members of the Heroic Tribe, entered the body of a boy from the Iron Tribe (which was Age), and he was raised by the Golden Tribe on Oron.

Age is in the body of a 17-year-old boy, but he is actually 120 years old. He is wild by nature, but is also good-natured. He has the essence of Bellcross inside of him. When Bellcross is summoned, Age’s body is enveloped with Bellcross. Dhianelia is the heroine of the story, and she takes it upon herself to search for the Iron Tribe’s savior. She has psychic and telepathic powers, and also has the power to create spiritual projections.

Iolaous Oz Mehelim is the leader of the Yunos Knights, a squadron of robot fighter pilots. He is uptight but responsible, and is very loyal to Dhianelia. He has the ability to teleport himself and another when he touches them. Iolaous has a set of twin sisters, Tail Ol Mehelim and Mail Al Mehelim. The twins have telekinetic abilities, and are skilled engineers and mecha pilots. However, they are a bit childlike and irresponsible. They are put in charge of “babysitting” Age, but they are often involved in Age’s childish antics. Mobeedo Oz Mehelim is the military commander of the Argonaut, whose mission is to protect the princess. He is the father of Iolaous and the twins.

The theme of Heroic Age is based on stories in Greek mythology, especially the stories about Heracles and his Twelve Labors. The tribes featured in the series are loosely based on Hesiod’s Five Ages of Mankind.

Story-wise, Heroic Age has a lot of potential. However, the 3D animation that is incorporated into the production doesn’t look very good, and the mecha designs look like they were lifted straight out of Super Dimension Fortress Macross. Personally, I would recommend Heroic Age to anime viewers who are thirteen or fourteen years of age and older.