Granreis 

The Metaverse—the cradle of humanity and an eternal paradise. There was a particular reason this artificial paradise was created.

Resources were drying up, and the sky and sea were polluted. Restoring the desolated ground would take tens of thousands of cycles. Humans were reaching the limit of how long they could continue to live on Earth.

Two different approaches were devised to protect the seeds of humanity from the polluted Earth and ensure their survival. One was to coexist with machines. Humankind migrated into the electronic paradise of the Metaverse, built by the artificial god Eclair.

The migration was successful, and the Earth was to be purified by Omega Quintus, the god responsible for creation and the surface's restoration. However, Omega Quintus was perhaps too faithful to its mission, and the purification's scale ended up larger than planned, raising new questions.

"As is, we may not be able to restore the surface successfully."

Twelve programs called Origins, who ruled the Metaverse after the divine ancestor Eclair's departure, decided to develop two approaches to manage this risk.

The second approach...was to seek out a new world where humans could live in outer space.

From the Origins, Brislichte the Purifier and Holberg the Conqueror were chosen to lead the space migration project. They proceeded with the rapid development of the colossal planetary migration ship Granreis. This Granreis was also a weapon, to be piloted by the two of them. The name of "titan" was worthy of its giant form.

The titan Granreis was installed with certain data—the structural data of Tiamat, collected after the great battle. Tiamat was a god of ruin created by the humans of the present day, and there were some parts not even the Origins could analyze. Even so, Brislichte and Holberg deemed that Tiamat's weapon, Ultima Vortex, would be immensely beneficial for Granreis to have when traveling outer space, where unknown threats lurked. Thus, they decided to structure Granreis after the wings of ruin.

When Granreis was finally complete, Brislichte and Holberg activated it and chose an uninhabited planet.

"This planet isn't suitable for humanity to live on, but it's plenty spacious, so we can be as reckless as we want!"

In contrast to the hot-blooded optimist Brislichte's, cool-headed Holberg sighed and replied, "...Then please, don't make it do anything reckless. A sudden breakdown on a trial run is no laughing matter."

"Yeah, I know!"

Then, the two of them commenced the trial run of Granreis. Granreis worked as they expected at first, exploring the uninhabited planet smoothly. There were no issues with the sharpness of its standard-issue beam sword, and the results were enough to convince Brislichte and Holberg that they could begin their difficult journey through space.

However...

"...Hey, Holberg. What's up with this gauge in the middle of the cockpit?"

"The program in charge of development didn't seem to know, either. It apparently appeared on its own when Tiamat's structural data was ported."

"Hmm, there's a sign that says Nu Epsilon Mu Epsilon Sigma Iota Sigma... That's long! Let's call it the Nemesis gauge from now on!"

"How simple..."

As their exchange went on, an emergency alert suddenly blared from the cockpit.

"What!?" Brislichte cried.

"L-Look! The Nemesis gauge!"

The Nemesis gauge had started rising on its own. At the same time, Brislichte and Holberg lost control of Granreis, and it went on a rampage.

"Damn it! What's happening!?"

"N-No! At this rate...!"

Granreis continued rampaging, broke through the critical point on the Nemesis gauge, and activated its Ultima weapon. With a beam weapon bearing a close resemblance to the Ultima Vortex that Tiamat once unleashed, it tore through the ground, destroying the planet.

Its overwhelming power left Brislichte and Holberg stunned speechless for some time.

"No way... For it to escape our control and activate such a weapon all on its own..."

Holberg paled as he stared at the planet now reduced to rubble. Brislichte patted him on the shoulder to cheer him up.

"Don't worry about it! Accidents happen, right? It's actually kinda reassuring! Means Granreis's weapons are way above our expectations."

"Right... That much is true, but it is far more dreadful than I imagined... This Granreis is an even more fearsome weapon than we thought," the ever-cautious Holberg said.

But Brislichte laughed heartily. "It's all good! We've gotta hold on tight to the reins! ...Come on, let's start our voyage into the great depths of space!"

And so, with a hint of unease, Brislichte and Holberg embarked on their journey aboard the colossal migration ship Granreis.

Despite the unexpected rampage at the outset, the trip went smoothly afterward. Granreis followed Brislichte and Holberg's word faithfully as they passed through many star clusters.

Eventually, in a cluster far away from Earth, they found a certain planet. It had lush greenery, plentiful water sources, solid ground, and had the optimal oxygen content for humans to breathe. The temperature was consistently mild as well.

"Wow! The environment here is close to Earth in its prime! Incredible!"

"Quite so! We've finally found our new world."

Still aboard Granreis, they flew into the planet's upper atmosphere. Then, their sensors picked up heat sources. They seemed to be this planet's natives.

"So this planet has native residents," Holberg observed.

"Well it's no wonder with all the nature here... But it seems like they only look similar to the humans from Earth."

The natives had thick hair and their bodies were muscular. They bore a strong resemblance to the creatures called "gorillas" that once existed on Earth. However, even though they looked like apes, they seemed to possess advanced science and technology. They were frightened by the mysterious titan that appeared in their sky and took up weapons to intimidate it.

"Whoa! Those are plasma weapons! ...What should we do?" asked Holberg.

"Let's talk to them first! If we can talk, I'm sure we'll reach an understanding!"

However, the natives wouldn't listen to what they had to say. They persistently told Brislichte and Holberg to leave, now.

"...Hmm, how 'bout a song!? Songs heal the heart!"

With his strong, passionate singing voice, Brislichte was hailed as the Metaverse's greatest singer.

"If they hear a song from the bottom of my soul, I'm sure we'll come to a peaceful resolution!"

Brislichte was full of confidence, but...

"...That won't happen. Can't you see that?"

In the end, the natives started attacking Granreis!

"N-Not good!"

Granreis had the ability to return fire, but they couldn't attack recklessly, recalling how it destroyed an entire planet before. Above all, Brislichte hadn't given up on communicating with the native people.

Suppressing Granreis while trying to persuade the natives would be a tough battle for Brislichte and Holberg.

The mysterious Nemesis gauge slowly rose in response to the natives' attacks.

"...This isn't good, Brislichte. Granreis may lose control again at this rate."

"Yeah, I know!"

Brislichte and Holberg deployed the small escort crafts called "Delta Quintus" around them, shooting down the natives' attacks to prevent damage to Granreis.

"...All right, first we gotta show 'em we aren't hostile!"

Brislichte and Holberg raised a white flag to end the pointless battle peacefully.

But that was only the beginning of tragedy. Among the native people, the white flag meant a declaration of war and intent to resist until the bitter end!

Their attacks grew even more intense, until one of the Delta Quintus was eventually shot down.

When Granreis saw the Delta Quintus burst into flames and crash, the Nemesis gauge rose to the max all at once!

"W-What's going on!? Granreis!"

"Turn it off! Stop!"

Brislichte and Holberg didn't know it, but the Delta Quintus were modeled after the God of Extinction that once razed the Earth's surface. When Granreis saw it spewing fire, it recalled the God of Extinction's judgement of humanity, and grew terrified.

"No! Granreis is going berserk!"

A dazzling light shot from the holy staff in the rampaging Granreis's hand! That beam, which would later be named "Mjolnir Sword," evaporated the trees and made the earth boil.

Brislichte and Holberg shook with fear.

"How...? We never developed such a weapon!"

"No way... Did Granreis itself create that!?"

Granreis was heavily influenced by Tiamat's structural data... Its control system matched the structure of Nemesis programs in places. It possessed the system known as "evolution," born from humanity of the present day. Granreis, likewise, had been pushed to its limits and evolved to create a means to protect itself.

"...But this is far too much."

"Yes..."

All that stood on the planet now was the artificial titan Granreis. The natives had all been wiped out by its Mjolnir Sword.

"What are we supposed to do now...?"

"...! Brislichte! Starboard, a large quantity of heat signatures! It's...an enemy army!"

"What!?"

Brislichte and Holberg had no time for surprise when a large army of natives appeared.

When they learned that their advance team was wiped out, the natives' army led an all-out attack on Granreis. Discussion was no longer possible.

"Ugh...! What should we do, Brislichte!? We're holding on for now, but if the attacks continue like this, we'll be in danger!"

"I know that!"

The Nemesis gauge slowly rose as if to prove his words right. The gauge appeared to rise when Granreis felt strong emotions like fear or anger. Once it exceeded the critical point, it would leave Brislichte and Holberg's control, making decisions on its own.

...We have to avoid massacres like the one just now.

But the natives' attacks continued with no time to breathe, only getting more intense with time.

"...Look! There!"

"A charged particle cannon!"

Not even Granreis's sturdy body could completely nullify the ray of subsonic charged particles that the natives fired.

"Gwah!?"

"Urgh!"

The cockpit shook violently, and the Nemesis gauge rose further still. Brislichte and Holberg felt the impending crisis.

Even in a dilemma and with Granreis damaged, Brislichte and Holberg still sought a path to harmony with the natives. But their way of thinking was already no more than a pipe dream. Holberg explained the bitter reality, his face pained.

"...We can't endure this any longer. We have to fight, too."

"But..."

"If we fall here, who will search for a new world!? Who will save Earth!?"

"Holberg..."

Holberg's cries finally dispelled Brislichte's doubts.

"...Sorry, Holberg. I made you say something so painful... Okay! Let's steel ourselves and fight! For the Earth's future!"

"Right!"

They had finally found a planet of hope on their long journey through space. They simply could not give up in such a place.

"Granreis! Full power permitted!"

Granreis's strength with all of its weapons authorized was overwhelming, annihilating the enemy with irresistible force.

"This should do it!"

"Yes! Now we can make a new world for humankind!"

They would make a new paradise flourish for mankind. That was the Mainframe's mission and their long-held desire.

Let us become enemies of God to fulfill that wish!

Brislichte and Holberg's hearts were as one.

Granreis had gained the advantage in battle when a similarly massive mobile weapon appeared.

"It's...completely different from everything else we've seen..."

"Yeah, better brace ourselves."

The especially large and powerful-looking mobile weapon radioed to Granreis.

"...I am Shiki-Hiro of the unified defense fleet 'Eichi.' Invaders, as the general of those who protect this planet, I shall eliminate you with my full strength!"

Shiki-Hiro's grand appearance suggested an equal level of strength.

"...What should we do, Brislichte?"

"Isn't that obvious? Destroy 'em!"

The planet's protectors versus Earth's protectors. The curtain rose on an unavoidable battle!

The battle between Shiki-Hiro and Granreis was a life-or-death struggle.

One side tried to burn everything down with reaction missiles, while the other tried to sweep away the opponent with a charged particle cannon. They used different technologies, but their power was roughly equal.

However...

"—Die, invaders!"

Shiki-Hiro fired his Vertex Cannon into Granreis's chest! Granreis took moderate damage!

"Gaaah!"

"Ugh!"

A blaring alert rang through the cockpit as Granreis lost balance. But Brislichte and Holberg were quick to regain control, and righted its posture. Then, they held out the holy staff toward Shiki-Hiro and unleashed the sure-kill Mjolnir Sword! However, Shiki-Hiro cancelled it out with his Vertex Cannon.

As the battle dragged on, the damage Granreis had just taken gradually drove it to a disadvantage. Even so, Brislichte and Holberg did not give up.

If we lose here...we lose the new world that holds humanity's future... That's the one thing we can't let happen!

Brislichte and Holberg resolved to fight until the very end. Just then... Granreis began to move strangely.

Driven into a corner, Granreis kept moving strangely.

"L-Look! The Nemesis gauge!"

The Nemesis gauge was rising right before their eyes.

"Shoot! Is it gonna rampage again!?"

Completely unaware of the two panicking in the cockpit, Shiki-Hiro fired a Vertex Cannon at maximum output to deal the finishing blow!

...There was no way Shiki-Hiro could have known—not that the Vertex Cannon bore a striking resemblance to Typhon's Cosmic Nova that once destroyed Tiamat, nor the unprecedented terror and rage surging inside Granreis!

"Ohhhhhh!"

Granreis roared!

"Granreis is out of control! ...It's rampaging!"

The rampaging Granreis rammed into Shiki-Hiro and released a strange light from its body!

That tremendous light, "Mjolnir Gun," annihilated surrounding matter, and the immense storm of resulting energy destroyed everything—including Shiki-Hiro.

"Gahhh!? Why, you... I won't die for nothing! Glory to Eichi!"

Damaged beyond repair, Shiki-Hiro used his dying strength to launch a suicide attack at Granreis!

The force of Shiki-Hiro's suicide attack against Granreis was madness! When Granreis saw it, it raised its energy output again.

"Stop! Calm down, Granreis!"

But in its rage and terror, Granreis wouldn't listen to Brislichte and Holberg's instructions.

"Ohhhhhh!"

With a warcry of destruction, Granreis fired its Mjolnir Gun at Shiki-Hiro at maximum output!

...However, the Mjolnir Gun of ruin not only destroyed Shiki-Hiro, but pierced through him and destroyed the planet's core as well.

The entire planet was annihilated, creating a tremendous torrent of energy, causing Brislichte and Holberg to lose consciousness inside Granreis...

...When they regained consciousness, they realized they were drifting through the darkness of space.

"My goodness... It's all been reduced to dust."

"Our planet... And countless lives, gone!"

Brislichte and Holberg anguished, lamenting the gravity of their wrongdoings.

"...Even though...no, because we sacrificed so many lives, we cannot stop here. Don't you agree?"

"Yeah... You're right. Humanity's future is our responsibility to bear."

Brislichte and Holberg made a new resolution. "Find a new world for humanity without fail."

Granreis. The legendary titan created by artificial gods. A chariot that carried the gods themselves through space.

Even now, Granreis continues on into the vast sea of the cosmos, carrying humanity's hopes and future.

Granreis pays homage to 80s mecha anime, including three series that I was able to find direct nods to: Space Runaway Ideon, Blue Comet SPT Layzner, and Metal Armor Dragonar.

Ideon:

• A famously bleak series with a cult following that went on to influence series like Evangelion. Like Granreis's story, Ideon depicts a future in which humanity has begun to colonize space, and a mysterious, gigantic mecha with the power to destroy planets. Chunithm's art director Mainframe actually references this series when discussing Sibyl in one of his Chuni Penguin developer notes![link]

• The term kyojin (巨神), translated here as "titan," is borrowed from Ideon's Japanese title Densetsu Kyojin Ideon. I believe official translations of Ideon use "Giant God" for this term, a literal translation of the kanji, but it is also a homophone of 巨人, meaning "giant," in which "person" has been replaced with "god." I opted for "titan" here to preserve both the sense of grandeur and the implication of divinity.

• Episode 2's title, "Space Runaway," is a direct reference to Ideon's English title. I also found a quote from Be Invoked, the second film sequel, when looking into Episode 4's title, but I'm not as certain on this one.

Layzner:

• Layzner depicts a future in which the cold war continued into space and an alien threat forces the survivors of a UN peace program to cooperate with a half-human pilot to fight for peace. The series was unfortunately cancelled while airing, and concluded its story through a series of OVAs after a rushed anime finale.

• Granreis pulls some episode titles from Layzner, which I matched the official translation of when appropriate: Episode 3, "A Ship From Earth Has Come!" from Layzner Episode 11; Episode 6, "The Blood Was Red" from Layzner Episode 7 (pronouns altered for context).

Dragonar:

• A lighter, Gundam-esque series about three teenage pilots forced into an Earth-Moon conflict. Granreis Episode 11's title, "The Universal Victory," comes from Dragonar's final episode, so I matched the translations as well!

Mecha references aside, Shiki-Hiro and the Vertex Cannon are likely named after Sega Sound Team member Hiro and his song VERTeX from maimai.

The names Brislichte and Holberg are believed to be German translations of the kanji in Mitsuyoshi and Anayama, after composers Takenobu Mitsuyoshi and Daisuke Anayama!