▪	RELEASED BY:		FUNIMATION ENTERAINMENT
		▪	ASPECT RATIO:		16:9 ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN
		▪	AUDIO:		ENGLISH DD 5.1 AND JAPANESE DD 2.0
		▪	RUNNING TIME:		315 MIN
		▪	RATING:		TV PG
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		07/07/2009
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		07/02/2009
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		HOLLY ELLINGWOOD

As the conflict escalates, a feral boy named Age labors for humanity’s freedom, wielding the ferocious power of the Tribe of Hero against other beings who share his mystical strength. With the enemy closing in, Princess Dhianella searches for the key to unlock the secrets of the Tribe of Gold before destruction claims the entire cosmos.

Contains the second half of the series, episodes 14 to 26, on 2 discs in one slim box set.

REVIEW:
The second half of the series begins with the climatic end to the battle between Age and the other two Nodos. Age has entered into a frenzy, the madness all fear overcomes Nodos when they are in too long a proximity in battle together. Around Age, Karkinos and Lecty, the battle between the Iron Tribe and the Silver Tribe with Bronze at their beck and call continues to rage on. Dhianeila’s fool brothers continue to recklessly pit their fleet in harms’ way, heedless of the cost. Others beg Dhianeila’s intervention but she will not raise a hand to overthrow her royal brethren. But when the loss of life gets higher and higher, will she at last forego her gentle demeanor to do what is necessary?

The epic science fiction saga comes to a grand finale that is built on a struggle between hope and despair, service and sacrifice. The Silver Tribe has selfishly horded what technology and powers lingered from the Gold Tribe so that Silver could rule all, serving only themselves. Dhianeila risks herself in her service to her people and for peace to bring a message of hope to all tribes for the betterment of all. Age follows her in complete faith that she is the one who will end the war and find a way to open the pathway of stars and locate the power of the Gold Tribe to create new worlds and nurture life everywhere. However, the Silver Tribe is filled with those whose despair of Gold’s abandonment has turned to hate, like a poison it has affected reason and infected the soul. The Silver who rules the four Nodos risk destroying the galaxy over their resentment at having been left behind so long ago.

The second half of he anime has many massive space fleet battles, and at the core of them, the hearts of the people involved. When things go wrong for the Nodos, it raises open speculation by the Nodos and some of the Silver Tribe about the true nature of not only the Nodos, but the intent of the Gold Tribe in leaving them behind, and the true nature of the Labors. This doubt opens dialogue between the gracious Prome with her Nodos Lecty and Dhianeila. Unfortunately, Rom Ror remains strongly against any alliance. He desires to hold all the power of Gold out of spite and under his control is perhaps the most powerful and dangerous of the Nodos, the arrogant Yuty.

Yuty fights Age. She has the Tribe of Hero Kervius, the Nodos of Darkness within her. She is like a child but within her is all the power of destruction incarnate that may be too much for even the brave Age to fend off. Meanwhile the attempt by the Yunos fleet to invade Codomos ends in disaster. A forced retreat is hastily in order but Dhianeila continues onward to the planet to strengthen a possible alliance with Prome. The final setting is at Elysium, the planet of the now departed Gold Tribe. There, a terrible battle ensues between the Nodos as Rom Ror goes to nightmarish lengths to punish everyone for his own pain, using Yuty to terrible ends and perhaps consigning them all to oblivion. It is only through the intervention of the Nodos that hope resides. There is a key and a door and it remains until the final moments as to what – or who - they are. Peace and the hope of the universe reside in the hearts of two people, Age and Dhianeila, but can they have the strength to save universes?

It is an exultant finale to the series, sending a clear message that “with no heart, there can be no future”, that power without conscience is a wasted end, and that ruling without serving leads to eventual oblivion. There is an old saying that the Earth endures because it serves Heaven. It would appear that the anime Heroic Age borrows heavily from this belief to provide a message of magnanimous means leading to benevolent ends.

The animation in the final three episodes contains some of the most imaginative and innovative science fiction imagery that has been seen in sci-fi anime in ages. The protections and technology surrounding Elysium is the stuff of wonder and the events that unfold in the end challenge the viewer at times intellectually as well as elevating the spirit.

EXTRAS:
Bonus features include trailers, reverse cover art, and clean opening and closing animation.

IN SUMMARY:
The series concludes with harsh battles, wondrous visuals in the final moments, and a heartfelt message of hope and peace.