The Heroic Legend of Arslan
Encyclopedia
is the title of a Japanese fantasy
novel
series. The author, Yoshiki Tanaka
, started writing Arslan in 1986 and is still writing it as of 2008, with the current number of books at 13 novels and one side story in the official guidebook Arslan senki tokuhon. It was made into a manga
(which went ahead and came up with an ending on its own), two anime films, and a four-part, unfinished anime
OVA
.
. Many characters have names originating from the Persian epic
of Amir Arsalan
.
s nor the manga
of The Heroic Legend of Arslan have been translated into English; therefore, this summary deals with the anime
OAVs. As it directly focuses on the events of the first OAV, the characters names as they are translated there will be used (see "Names" below).
Arslan has two qualities that make it unique among anime fantasy
tales. While the world in which it takes place is one where magic
obviously exists, said magic is of an extremely limited nature. Until the end of the anime, the only magical happenings involve a few rare occasional spells and a giant, humanoid monster
. There are none of the races typically associated with a fantasy realm, such as elves
or dwarves. It is, at the core, a war
story taking place between human
nations. In addition to this, there is an underlying theme of exploring the repercussions of slavery
on a society, having an absolute monarch who treats the poor as cattle, and religious obsession.
The story opens with a battle between the armies of Palse and Lusitania. The king of Palse, Andragoras, is quickly proved to have poor judgement and a quick temper, as he demotes one of his most loyal servants, Daryoon, on the word of a man who proves to be a traitor, Kharlan. In this first battle, the Lusitanian army deliberately leads the Palsian forces into a seemingly simple assault. The assault turns into a bloodbath, as the Lusitanians booby-trap the battlefield by soaking the ground in oil. Not only do the Palsian war-horses slip and break their legs, but the enemy forces set the oil on fire, burning many of the soldiers alive.
Daryoon's uncle, Eran Vaphreze, takes it upon himself to lead the king away from the battlefield before Andragoras can be discovered and killed by enemy troops. Before he rides off, he commands Daryoon to dedicate himself to protecting the crown prince, Arislan. While Daryoon rides off to seek out the prince, Vaphreze and Andragoras attempt to escape. They are unsuccessful — Vaphreze is murdered by the leader of the Lusitanian army, an incredibly strong and enigmatic warrior who, because of his unique headgear, is known only as Silvermask. Silvermask declines to kill Andragoras, preferring instead to kidnap him and drag him back to his stronghold in Zahburu Fortress.
Having survived the Lusitanian assault, Arislan and Daryoon seek help for their cause, in the form of the philosopher/swordsman/tactician, Narsus. After a bit of trickery on Daryoon's part, they convince Narsus to help them in their cause. Narsus' young boy servant, Elam, goes with them.
As this goes on, Lusitanian troops march to the capital city of Ekubatana; in order to convince Queen Tahamine to surrender her city. An interrogator of the Lusitanians — a high-ranking cleric named Jon Bodan — tortures captured Palsian soldiers outside its gates, declaring to all who would hear that he will only stop when Ekubatana surrenders. While she refuses, the city is eventually invaded successfully. The Queen is captured, and the city's buildings, sculptures, and sacred writings are all destroyed.
As Arislan travels around, trying his best to avoid being located by the armies and agents of Silvermask, he meets two others who are convinced to join his cause of re-taking and rebuilding Palse. Pharangese, an aloof, cold priestess of Misra, is sent by her holy order to protect and serve the prince — a fact which she considers to be natural, as she is the wisest, most beautiful, and most deadly.
There is also the travelling musician and con-man Gieve who is no mean swordsman himself. Gieve actually makes his first appearance when he, defying both a strong wind and a long distance, successfully shoots one of Jon Bodan's victims, sparing the poor soldier anymore misery and humiliation. For his skills with a bow, Gieve is paid well, and is also offered the chance to serve as the Queen's bodyguard as she attempts to escape the besieged Ekubatana. While making their way out of the castle, Gieve learns that the "Queen" he is escorting is actually a double
for Her Majesty, in order to permit the real Queen to escape in a more secretive fashion. When she is captured by be city's attackers he escapes on his own, encounters Pharangese, and declares that he will dedicate himself to following her. She simply tells him to help protect the prince.
The most obvious stumbling block to Arislan's ability to re-take his kingdom is his utter lack of an army. As it is ironically observed at the conclusion of the first episode, with six fighters at his command, they have doubled their forces, and will only need to take on 50,000 enemy soldiers each. The subsequent episodes chronicle Arislan's plans on finding an army to back him up. They also cover wide and sundry sub-plots, Silvermask's identity and motives, how Andragoras came to the Palsian throne, and the introduction of various new characters.
What romance there is in the series appears to be entirely one-sided. Arfurido fawns over Narsus, who usually appears highly uncomfortable at the attention. Gieve constantly flirts with Pharangese, who, if she responds at all, is cold and uninterested. And while Princess Irina and Hermes do indeed love one another, their relationship is so convoluted that it is almost impossible for them to ever be happy.
The distinctly male-heavy cast, which also features several bishōnen
and biseinen characters, has led to a moderately strong (relative to the size of the fanbase in America) yaoi
fanbase. Supporters of this view tend to be fans of Daryoon/Arislan or Daryoon/Narsus.
Fans of het pairings usually support Gieve/Pharangese, or Arfurido/Narsus; it could also be argued that Arislan's interest in Estelle is due to a romantic crush on her. However, it should be noted that the story itself can be enjoyed without placing any emphasis upon romance at all.
When the first two episodes of the OAV were released in America by U.S. Manga Corps, all of the character and kingdom names were "translated" into equivalent-sounding names, primarily in Indian languages
and subsequently in Persian languages as well. When subsequent episodes were translated and released in America by a different production company, Central Park Media
, they came with a footnote stating that the Japanese company who owns the rights to the anime took issue with how the names were translated, and insisted upon a literal translation of the names as they are pronounced in the series. Thus, the official names of the characters sound more like Japanese mispronunciations than they do actual titles—such as Gieve becoming "Guibu". Others, however, have been returned to actual Persian,Indian and Central Asian names, such as Darün and Farangis.
The only exceptions to the naming theme is Narsus/Narcasse and Hirmes. Hirmes may be an alternate name of Hermes
, which is the name of a god; although he is Greek
in his origins, the Greeks
were well-known to the Persians
, as the Persian Empire was in conflict with the Greeks during the Greco-Persian Wars
, Alexander the Great's conquest, and the Roman-Persian Wars
. Narcasse's name is neither Persian, Central Asian nor Indian; the closest equivalent appears in Greek, with the name "Narcissus
". Though the name might be equivalent to the Persian Shah Narseh
during the Sassanian dynasty whose name has been spelled as Narses, Narseus and Narsus as well.
, and on an epic poem dating from the mid-19th century, which is itself loosely based on the Shahnama. The anime story displays many other Persian historical, mythical, and religious icons, entities, and events. Listed below are some of the more notable cases:
. Though he is primarily a novelist, Tanaka's works have been 'translated' into manga and anime forms before. His novel Ginga eiyu densetsu became Legend of the Galactic Heroes
, and Sohryuden became Legend of the Dragon Kings
. There are eleven novels in the Arslan Senki storyline thus far. These novels were illustrated by manga artist and character-designer Yoshitaka Amano
(whose other works include the character design for several Final Fantasy
games and for Vampire Hunter D
).
The popularity of the Arslan Senki novels was so great that it became natural for it to make a transition to manga form. The thirteen-volume manga was written by Tanaka and illustrated by Chisato Nakamura. The additional popularity of these manga led to the creation of a series of OAVs with character designs adapted by Sachiko Kamimura
. The first two OAV episodes were released as "movies", which is why each one is an hour long, rather than the traditional half-hour.
Because of the aforementioned issues regarding translations and names, as well as possible issues with funding the project, it took an extremely long time for the Arslan anime to make its way to the United States. While they originally began production in 1990, as of 2006, they have still not completed the story. Even so, the final two chapters of the OAV arc were not made available until years after the first four had been released, in 2002.
A video game has been released in 1993 for Mega CD.
Yoshiki Tanaka's novels have no relation to the 1976 novel called Arslan written by M. J. Engh
which is set in the present.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
series. The author, Yoshiki Tanaka
Yoshiki Tanaka
Dr. Yoshiki Tanaka is a Japanese novelist. He was born in Kumamoto Prefecture and took his doctorate degree in Japanese Language and Literature in the Graduate School of Gakushūin University in Tokyo....
, started writing Arslan in 1986 and is still writing it as of 2008, with the current number of books at 13 novels and one side story in the official guidebook Arslan senki tokuhon. It was made into a manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
(which went ahead and came up with an ending on its own), two anime films, and a four-part, unfinished anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
OVA
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
.
Origin
In the 19th century, Naqib ul-Mamālik (نقیب الممالک), royal story teller of Nasereddin Shah's court, king of Iran, became popular for creating the tale "Amir Arsalān-i Nāmdār", and the Japanese story is set in a fantasy setting resembling historical PersiaHistory of Iran
The history of Iran has been intertwined with the history of a larger historical region, comprising the area from the Danube River in the west to the Indus River and Jaxartes in the east and from the Caucasus, Caspian Sea, and Aral Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and Egypt...
. Many characters have names originating from the Persian epic
Persian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
of Amir Arsalan
Amir Arsalan
Amir Arsalan-e Namdar is a popular Persian legend which was narrated to Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, the Qajar Shah of Persia in the 19th century, by a storyteller named Mohammad Ali Naqib al-Mamalek...
.
Plot summary
Neither the novelNovel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s nor the manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
of The Heroic Legend of Arslan have been translated into English; therefore, this summary deals with the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
OAVs. As it directly focuses on the events of the first OAV, the characters names as they are translated there will be used (see "Names" below).
Arslan has two qualities that make it unique among anime fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
tales. While the world in which it takes place is one where magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
obviously exists, said magic is of an extremely limited nature. Until the end of the anime, the only magical happenings involve a few rare occasional spells and a giant, humanoid monster
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
. There are none of the races typically associated with a fantasy realm, such as elves
Elf
An elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
or dwarves. It is, at the core, a war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
story taking place between human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
nations. In addition to this, there is an underlying theme of exploring the repercussions of slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
on a society, having an absolute monarch who treats the poor as cattle, and religious obsession.
The story opens with a battle between the armies of Palse and Lusitania. The king of Palse, Andragoras, is quickly proved to have poor judgement and a quick temper, as he demotes one of his most loyal servants, Daryoon, on the word of a man who proves to be a traitor, Kharlan. In this first battle, the Lusitanian army deliberately leads the Palsian forces into a seemingly simple assault. The assault turns into a bloodbath, as the Lusitanians booby-trap the battlefield by soaking the ground in oil. Not only do the Palsian war-horses slip and break their legs, but the enemy forces set the oil on fire, burning many of the soldiers alive.
Daryoon's uncle, Eran Vaphreze, takes it upon himself to lead the king away from the battlefield before Andragoras can be discovered and killed by enemy troops. Before he rides off, he commands Daryoon to dedicate himself to protecting the crown prince, Arislan. While Daryoon rides off to seek out the prince, Vaphreze and Andragoras attempt to escape. They are unsuccessful — Vaphreze is murdered by the leader of the Lusitanian army, an incredibly strong and enigmatic warrior who, because of his unique headgear, is known only as Silvermask. Silvermask declines to kill Andragoras, preferring instead to kidnap him and drag him back to his stronghold in Zahburu Fortress.
Having survived the Lusitanian assault, Arislan and Daryoon seek help for their cause, in the form of the philosopher/swordsman/tactician, Narsus. After a bit of trickery on Daryoon's part, they convince Narsus to help them in their cause. Narsus' young boy servant, Elam, goes with them.
As this goes on, Lusitanian troops march to the capital city of Ekubatana; in order to convince Queen Tahamine to surrender her city. An interrogator of the Lusitanians — a high-ranking cleric named Jon Bodan — tortures captured Palsian soldiers outside its gates, declaring to all who would hear that he will only stop when Ekubatana surrenders. While she refuses, the city is eventually invaded successfully. The Queen is captured, and the city's buildings, sculptures, and sacred writings are all destroyed.
As Arislan travels around, trying his best to avoid being located by the armies and agents of Silvermask, he meets two others who are convinced to join his cause of re-taking and rebuilding Palse. Pharangese, an aloof, cold priestess of Misra, is sent by her holy order to protect and serve the prince — a fact which she considers to be natural, as she is the wisest, most beautiful, and most deadly.
There is also the travelling musician and con-man Gieve who is no mean swordsman himself. Gieve actually makes his first appearance when he, defying both a strong wind and a long distance, successfully shoots one of Jon Bodan's victims, sparing the poor soldier anymore misery and humiliation. For his skills with a bow, Gieve is paid well, and is also offered the chance to serve as the Queen's bodyguard as she attempts to escape the besieged Ekubatana. While making their way out of the castle, Gieve learns that the "Queen" he is escorting is actually a double
Political decoy
A political decoy is a person employed to impersonate a politician, in order to draw attention away from the real person or to take risks on their behalf...
for Her Majesty, in order to permit the real Queen to escape in a more secretive fashion. When she is captured by be city's attackers he escapes on his own, encounters Pharangese, and declares that he will dedicate himself to following her. She simply tells him to help protect the prince.
The most obvious stumbling block to Arislan's ability to re-take his kingdom is his utter lack of an army. As it is ironically observed at the conclusion of the first episode, with six fighters at his command, they have doubled their forces, and will only need to take on 50,000 enemy soldiers each. The subsequent episodes chronicle Arislan's plans on finding an army to back him up. They also cover wide and sundry sub-plots, Silvermask's identity and motives, how Andragoras came to the Palsian throne, and the introduction of various new characters.
Characters
Arslan is an epic tale, and like all epic tales, it has an overwhelmingly large cast of characters.Major characters
- Prince Arslan/Arislan: The fourteen-year-old prince of Palse, around whom most of the action and fighting in the series is taking place. Arislan is frequently misinterpreted by those around him as being a weakling, because of his effete appearance, naivete, compassion, and optimism. While these are true to a point, Arislan is also philosophical, intelligent, and charismatic, able to rally even the most apathetic of people to his cause. He is dedicated to his friends, especially Daryoon, at one time threatening to kill an ally who had got Daryoon into a particularly nasty situation.
- King Andragoras III: The ruler of Palse, and father of Arislan. Andragoras is disliked by most of the main characters, and not without reason. At different times, he is cold, hot-tempered, acts without thinking his actions through, and even paranoid.
- Daryoon/Darün: Formerly a high-ranking military officer, Daryoon is demoted from his position in the opening of the anime. His new mission is to protect and serve Arislan. Daryoon and Arislan become close friends. In the style of samuraiSamuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
, Daryoon is loyal to a fault, and at point tells Arislan that whatever his true origins may be, Daryoon regards him as his prince. His fighting skills are so legendary that, at one point, Prince Lajendra praises him as the greatest warrior in both Palse and Shindra.
- Narsus/Narcasse: Narsus was once a chief adviser and tactician under Andragoras, but because he spoke out against the king's continuing practice of slaverySlaverySlavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, he was removed from his office. In addition to being a brilliant tactician, Narsus is also an incredible swordsman, an intelligent philosopher, and a not-so-skilled painter. He is Arislan's advisor, and Daryoon's close friend.
- Eran/Elam: A youth whom Narsus bought out of slavery, Elam intends to serve his 'master' until he is old enough to live on his own. Cunning in his own way, he acts as spy to gather useful information through various disguises. He faces something of a struggle with Afurido for the affection of his master Narsus.
- Gieve/Guibu: Gieve is the only player who does not make a strong allegiance to any side in the various battles that take place. While he self-identifies as a musicianBardIn medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
, it would be more apt to say that Gieve is a rogue-of-all-trades. He is the most versatile fighter in the series, capable of using a sword, a bow, or a lance, and also claims that he can play any instrument in the world. Gieve is also known for breaking the fourth wall: when he is alone, he will address the audience and narrate his thoughts on what is going on in the story (though it could be said that he is merely talking because he loves the sound of his own voice).
- Pharangese/Farangis: Aloof, defiant, strong, and cool; Pharangese is both a dedicated cleric to the goddess Misra, and the most-skilled female fighter on the planet. She maintains her mystique throughout the course of the story, so that little is known of her personally. According to her own account, she was the most beautiful, intelligent and capable member of her order; when a prediction was made that a servant of Misra must protect Prince Arislan, the other clerics selected her to go, out of jealousy.
- Silvermask: In the beginning, all that is known about Silvermask is his obsessive desire to torture and kill both Andragoras and Arislan. He is serving as the leader of the Lusitanian forces but is in fact a Palsian himself and soon commands a regiment of collaborators. He is so named because of the ornate silver helm he wears; it has large silver bull-horns attached to it, and completely obscures his face. He later reveals his face to Andragoras, now his prisoner, who recognises him as Hermes, the son of King Osiris, Andragoras' brother and predecessor. Hermes' face is partly burnt by a fire he accuses Andragoras of setting as part of the coup that made him King.
- Bajon: An ancient necromancer who is in the service of Silvermask. Though he serves Silvermask, it is obvious from the start that Bajon has his own agenda, and is merely waiting for the right moment to implement it. His importance to events in the story grows as time goes on. He is also, interestingly, the only villainous character (other than Jon Bodan) who has no human or redeeming qualities.
Minor characters
- Queen Tahamine: The Queen of Palse, and Arislan's mother. For a mother, she is very cold towards Arislan. The reason for that is revealed later in the series.
- Alfreed/Afurido: Afurido has a rather fantastic entrance, in which she attempts to assassinate Silvermask as revenge for him slaying her clan, the Zotto. Afurido is assisted by Narsus, who, she decides, she is in love with. She follows Narsus around, but does little else, other than fight with Elam for Narsus's attention.
- Valphreze: Daryoon's uncle, and one of the leaders of the Palsian army. He's quickly shown to be both loyal and wise, which makes his almost-immediate death all the more tragic. After his murder at Silvermask's hands, Valphreze still remains, after a fashion, as a source of inspiration for Daryoon.
- Kharlan: Formerly a high-ranking military officer for Palse, Kharlan betrays his kingdom in the opening scenes of the first OAV. In spite of his betrayal, Kharlan claims that he is utterly loyal to his kingdom. His vague statements regarding the true identity of the rightful king of Palse both confuse and cast doubt in the other characters.
- Guiscard/Guiscarl: The younger brother of Inocentius, the king of Lusitania. Guiscarl is dedicated to the idea that he might one day rule the kingdom officially, although he already does so 'under the table'; he is intelligent, forceful, and well-loved by his underlings. His forces are allied with Silvermask's, although the two men's goals are opposed to one another. In spite of this, both are united in their desire to see Arislan dead.
- Lajendra/Rajendra: One of the two crown princes of the nation of Shindra, a country bordering Palse. Lajendra is feuding with his brother, Gardeep, over who gets control of the nation when their ailing father dies. Lajendra's claim to the throne is based solely on his charisma; as he is a bastard the king sired with a mistress, and Gardeep is the son of the king and queen, he has far less of a legitimate claim to the throne. Lajendra is conniving, wicked, duplicitous, and highly amused at the world, known for saying outrageous and horrible things with a carefree laugh.
- Gardeep/Gadevy: One of the two crown princes of the nation of Shindra. While Gardeep's claim to the throne is legitimate, he is no less heartless or conniving than his brother. Gardeep also is unable to balance his ruthlessness with charm, and is even willing to defy the gods if it will seal his ambitions to rule.
- Quishward/Quishwald: Along with Bachman, Quishward guards Peshwald Fortress, one of the few Palsian strongholds that does not collapse under the might of the Lusitanian army. A dedicated fighter, Quishward has perfected an ambidextrous fighting style. He also goes to battle with his pet eagle, Azrael, who has been known to both attack enemies and warn its master of danger with a piercing shriek.
- Bachman: One of the other lords who maintains the Peshwald Fortress. Bachman is a torn and haunted man, burdened with the secret of Silvermask's true identity.
- Lucian: Another one of Palse's feudal lords. Lucian arrives on the scene while the group is staying in Peshwald Fortress, and offers his services to Arislan. Though he has a grand entrance, he is not a very actively exploited character, as he prefers to work behind the scenes.
- Jon Bodan: A twisted and evil cleric of Iarudabohdo, the continent's only monotheistic religionMonotheismMonotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
. Bodan is the religious leader of Lusitania, and his word holds an inordinate amount of sway over the actions of the Lusitanian forces. His introduction into the series shows him mercilessly torturing a soldier outside of the gates of Ekubatana. He also orders the burning of the sacred writings kept in Ekubatana, because they are loathsome and "paganPaganismPaganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
". Jon Bodan is one of the few villains who is unsympathetically evil.
- Estelle/Etoile: A religiously fanatical Lusitanian who attempts to assassinate Arislan. She is captured and imprisoned. Instead of having her executed, Arislan spares her life, and is interested in finding out what her motivations truly are.
- Isfan: Little is told of Isfan, other than the fact that his brother, Shapool, was the man being tortured by Jon Bodan in the first OAV. He arrives in the third OAV in order to take Shapool's place as one of the ruling lords of Palse. When Isfan learns that Gieve "murdered" his brother, he does not take to the idea very well.
- Osiris: The identity of Osiris becomes a pivotal plot-point in the series.
- Qbad/Kubard: A minor character, one of the former lords over the Palsian army. Though he lost both his rank and his army, Qbad dealt with it all with good humor, and became a simple wanderer. He is featured in a sub-plot involving Princess Irina.
- Merlein: Afurido's older brother, and the only other member of the Zotto tribe who has survived. Merlein had many problems with their tribe, as his father—who openly despised him—made it clear that Afurido would inherit leadership of the clan, and not him. One day, when the clan left to go pillaging, it left him behind, and never returned. Merlein went to find his missing clan, and along the way, he ran into Qbad and Princess Irina. He makes it his new mission to escort Irina to her destination.
- Princess Irina: An incredibly sheltered girl, Irina is the princess of Maruyamu, another kingdom which was successfully invaded by the Lusitanians. She is wandering from her conquered kingdom on a quest to find a man called Hermes, with whom she is in love. It is notable that Irina is blind, and is led about by a handmaiden who 'sees' for her.
Relationships
As stated above, Arslan is a war story, and as such, romantic relationships are essentially non-existent. The overwhelming majority of the large cast consists of soldiers of all stripes, most of whom are at least in their 30s, and none of whom has a wife or a girlfriend who is mentioned. They are portrayed as men being married to their careers and to their country. The only exception is Gieve, who, when he goes to collect his reward for sparing Shapool from torture at Jon Bodan's hands, is accused by one of the Queen's handmaidens as being a liar. He apparently told her that he was a wandering prince in order to get into her bed.What romance there is in the series appears to be entirely one-sided. Arfurido fawns over Narsus, who usually appears highly uncomfortable at the attention. Gieve constantly flirts with Pharangese, who, if she responds at all, is cold and uninterested. And while Princess Irina and Hermes do indeed love one another, their relationship is so convoluted that it is almost impossible for them to ever be happy.
The distinctly male-heavy cast, which also features several bishōnen
Bishonen
is a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful youth ". The equivalent English concept is a "pretty boy".The term describes an aesthetic that can be found in disparate areas in East Asia: a young man whose beauty transcends the boundary of gender or sexual orientation...
and biseinen characters, has led to a moderately strong (relative to the size of the fanbase in America) yaoi
Yaoi
In careful Japanese enunciation, all three vowels are pronounced separately, for a three-mora word, . The English equivalent is . also known as Boys' Love, is a Japanese popular term for female-oriented fictional media that focus on homoerotic or homoromantic male relationships, usually created by...
fanbase. Supporters of this view tend to be fans of Daryoon/Arislan or Daryoon/Narsus.
Fans of het pairings usually support Gieve/Pharangese, or Arfurido/Narsus; it could also be argued that Arislan's interest in Estelle is due to a romantic crush on her. However, it should be noted that the story itself can be enjoyed without placing any emphasis upon romance at all.
Nations and Tribes
Much of the storyline is intimately related to the lay of the land in Arslan. This is because many conversations between characters involve discussions of battle-tactics and the movements of armies. Such discussions are difficult to follow until later in the series, when Narsus draws a map of the continent from memory. The narrator of the series then refers to this map when describing the action in subsequent episodes.- Palse: The largest kingdom of the unnamed continent. It is located in the center of the continent, and is bracketed by Shindra and Lusitania. Palse is regarded as the shining star among the other nations, it being superior in size, artistic output, and in peacefulness. Palsians have a feudalistic monarchy, in which the will of the king is carried out by various lords. They are a nation, based around the ParsiParsiParsi or Parsee refers to a member of the larger of the two Zoroastrian communities in South Asia, the other being the Irani community....
s of Persia. It is ruled in the beginning by Andragoras III. Its capitol is Ekubatana; other important locals include the Bashuru Mountain range (where Narsus and Kharlan both live), the Peshwald Fortress, and the port city of Giran. In keeping with the themes of Amir Asalan, Palse is probably modeled after ancient Persia which is called Pars or Parse in PersianPersian languagePersian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
.
- Lusitania: A smaller nation, Lusitania is regarded as an inferior kingdom to Palse. Lusitanians are all religious fanatics who are determined to convert the rest of the world to their religion by the sword. They are more barbaric and less cultured than any other nation. Because of this, they can dedicate themselves more readily to war—though they go to war with no allies to speak of. They are officially ruled by King Inocentius, but in reality, the kingdom is run by his brother, Guiscarl. Lusitania finds a historical precursor as a western-Iberian civilization. In the mythos of the Heroic Legend of Arislan where many place-names rhyme with their real world counterparts, Lusitania may refer to MacedoniaRepublic of MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, the arch nemesis of ancient Persia. Since, symbolic personification often derive inspiration from multiple events/people, the European names of the Lusitanians hints that their religious zeal may also have been inspired by the CrusadersCrusadersThe Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
. Alternatively, it could also incorporate the embodiment of Rashidun Caliphate in the 7th century CE.
- Shindra: Another, smaller nation; little information is actually provided about Shindra, other than details about its princes. Generally, the Palsians view the Shindrans as being selfish and untrustworthy; however, the Shindrans are also fearsome warriors who use elephants instead of war-horses in battle. They are ruled by a theocratic monarch—the king's most powerful advisors are his high priests, and their gods are charged with deciding which prince may rule the kingdom. As regards the country's real-world model, it is most heavily based on SindhSindhSindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
or the Indus Valley.
- Maruyamu: A minor country, even in comparison to the others. Maruyamu is most notable for its non-existence: in order to fuel the army being put together to invade Palse, Lusitania first invaded its smaller neighbor. Maruyamurs worship the same monotheistic god as the Lusitanians, though they are noted for being less barbaric and violent. When they were invaded, the king parlayed with his captors, bargaining to turn his country over to them in exchange for his life and the lives of his family members. After he signed Maruyamu over to the Lusitanians, they murdered both him and his wife. Their two daughters, Irina and Johanna, managed to escape to Palse. It is based loosely on the Eastern Roman Empire.
- Zotto Clan: A nomadic tribe, the Zotto's origins are not made clear in the anime (though it is possible that they are meant to be a representation of the SakaSakaThe Saka were a Scythian tribe or group of tribes....
or Scythians who were renowned for their horsemanship as well as skilled archery. The Sakas and related tribes were nomadic/semi nomadic and fiercely independent. Historically they resisted encroachment by the Persians as well as the Greeks, linguistically though they were related to the PersiansPersian peopleThe Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
. In the beginning of the second OAV, in fact, the Zotto have already been wiped out by Silvermask. The only survivors are Arfurido and Merlein.
Naming confusion
The fictional world of this story created in the anime, manga, and its novels is heavily based on Persian art, history and culture and those as well of Central Asian art, languages, and religions. This is quite clear in the naming of the characters (the names of most Parsian characters comes from ancient Persian legend, such as 'Shahname'), although there is some controversy over how each character's name should be spelled and pronounced. In the manga, for instance, the title character's name is actually spelled in several different ways, and in turn the anime pronounce characters differently in order to fit his or her speaking style. The main protagonist has been referred to as "Ars'laan", "Arislaan", "Aslaan", and "Arisulan" depending episode, language used and country being broadcast in. Likewise, the character of Daryoon has had his name spelled/pronounced differently from "Darün" to "Dariun".When the first two episodes of the OAV were released in America by U.S. Manga Corps, all of the character and kingdom names were "translated" into equivalent-sounding names, primarily in Indian languages
Languages of India
The languages of India belong to several language families, the major ones being the Indo-European languages—Indo-Aryan and the Dravidian languages...
and subsequently in Persian languages as well. When subsequent episodes were translated and released in America by a different production company, Central Park Media
Central Park Media
Central Park Media was an American multimedia entertainment company based in New York City, New York, that was active in the distribution of East Asian cinema, television series, anime, manga and manhwa titles in North America prior to its bankruptcy in 2009...
, they came with a footnote stating that the Japanese company who owns the rights to the anime took issue with how the names were translated, and insisted upon a literal translation of the names as they are pronounced in the series. Thus, the official names of the characters sound more like Japanese mispronunciations than they do actual titles—such as Gieve becoming "Guibu". Others, however, have been returned to actual Persian,Indian and Central Asian names, such as Darün and Farangis.
The only exceptions to the naming theme is Narsus/Narcasse and Hirmes. Hirmes may be an alternate name of Hermes
Hermes
Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...
, which is the name of a god; although he is Greek
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
in his origins, the Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
were well-known to the Persians
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
, as the Persian Empire was in conflict with the Greeks during the Greco-Persian Wars
Greco-Persian Wars
The Greco-Persian Wars were a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire of Persia and city-states of the Hellenic world that started in 499 BC and lasted until 449 BC. The collision between the fractious political world of the Greeks and the enormous empire of the Persians began when Cyrus...
, Alexander the Great's conquest, and the Roman-Persian Wars
Roman-Persian Wars
The Roman–Persian Wars were a series of conflicts between states of the Greco-Roman world and two successive Iranic empires: the Parthian and the Sassanid. Contact between the Parthian Empire and the Roman Republic began in 92 BC; wars began under the late Republic, and continued...
. Narcasse's name is neither Persian, Central Asian nor Indian; the closest equivalent appears in Greek, with the name "Narcissus
Narcissus (mythology)
Narcissus or Narkissos , possibly derived from ναρκη meaning "sleep, numbness," in Greek mythology was a hunter from the territory of Thespiae in Boeotia who was renowned for his beauty. He was exceptionally proud, in that he disdained those who loved him...
". Though the name might be equivalent to the Persian Shah Narseh
Narseh
Narseh was the seventh Sassanid King of Persia , and son of Shapur I ....
during the Sassanian dynasty whose name has been spelled as Narses, Narseus and Narsus as well.
Actual historical references
The events of The Heroic Legend of Arslan are based on Iranian historyHistory of Iran
The history of Iran has been intertwined with the history of a larger historical region, comprising the area from the Danube River in the west to the Indus River and Jaxartes in the east and from the Caucasus, Caspian Sea, and Aral Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and Egypt...
, and on an epic poem dating from the mid-19th century, which is itself loosely based on the Shahnama. The anime story displays many other Persian historical, mythical, and religious icons, entities, and events. Listed below are some of the more notable cases:
- Andragoras: In the year 245 CE, the satrapSatrapSatrap was the name given to the governors of the provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their successors, such as the Sassanid Empire and the Hellenistic empires....
of ParthiaParthiaParthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
--the Persian equivalent of a viceroyViceroyA viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
--revolted against the newly crowned Seleucid emperor, Seleucus II. The satrap was named Andragoras. Andragoras openly defied the Seleucid emperor by issuing coinage displaying his own image wearing the royal diademDiademDiadem may refer to:*Diadem, a type of crown-Military:*HMS Diadem was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line in the Royal Navy launched in 1782 at Chatham and participated in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1787...
. As it happens, his rebellion spelled out his own doom. The ParniParniThe Parni or Aparni were an east Iranian people of the Ochus River valley, southeast of the Caspian Sea...
, a nomadic tribe native to the region, took advantage of the chaos created by Ecbatana's revolt against the empire and invaded the nation. Two years after the original revolt, the Parni tribe successfully took Parthia, killing Andragoras in the process. - Arislan: The epic poem itself, titled "Amir ArsalanAmir ArsalanAmir Arsalan-e Namdar is a popular Persian legend which was narrated to Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, the Qajar Shah of Persia in the 19th century, by a storyteller named Mohammad Ali Naqib al-Mamalek...
", was told to the ShahShahShāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
of Persia by a naqqalNaqqalThe Naqqal are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as the Kashmiri Bhand and recently as Kashmiri Shaikh. The Naqqal are a sub-group within the larger Bhand community. -Origin:...
(storyteller) named Muhammad 'Ali Naqib al-Mamālik. Muhammad never transcribed the poem himself, but the daughter of the Shah, who also loved the tale, eventually transcribed it and preserved it for history. The story begins with the Banu of Rum ("Lady of ConstantinopleConstantinopleConstantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
" in Persian). Rum (also called Arz-e-Rum) is the name Persians used in midieval times to refer to AnatoliaAnatoliaAnatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
. It is still used today as a geographical name in TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
as the province of ErzurumErzurum ProvinceErzurum Province is a Province of Turkey, in the Eastern Anatolia Region of the country. It is bordered by the provinces of Kars and Ağrı to the east, Muş and Bingöl to the south, Erzincan and Bayburt to the west, Rize and Artvin to the north and Ardahan to the northeast. The provincial capital is...
. In the story, Rum is conquered by European invaders, and its pregnant Banu forced to flee for her life. She becomes wedded to an Egyptian merchant and gives birth to her child, Arsalan. The merchant claims the child as his own. Eventually of course, Arsalan learns of his royal origins and takes it in his mind to reclaim his throne. - "Arislan" refers to Arsalan.
- "Arslan" (or Aslan) is the Turkish word for 'Lion'. It is also used in the Chronicles of Narnia, straightforwardly, as the name of the lion.
- "Bachman" refers to BahmanBahmanBahman may refer to:* Bahman, the Zoroastrian Amesha Spenta* Bahman, the 11th month of the year in Zoroastrian & Iranian calendars, named after the Zoroastrian concept* Kai Bahman, a mythological king of Iran...
, a character from Shahnama. - "Bahador" refers to the Bahador in the Shahnama.
- "Daryoon" refers to the great general DariusDarius I of PersiaDarius I , also known as Darius the Great, was the third king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire...
. - "Demavand": In the story, "Mount Demavand" where "Lord Silvermask" seeks the mythical sword to destroy his enemies. In the Shahnama, the sword refers to the weapon used by FereydunFereydunFereydūn also pronounced Farīdūn or Afrīdūn , also called Apam Napat, "Son of the Waters", is the name of an Iranian mythical king and hero who is an emblem of victory, justice and generosity in the Persian literature.-Etymology:All of the forms of...
to slay Zahak The Dragon King. In Persian mythologyPersian mythologyPersian mythology are traditional tales and stories of ancient origin, some involving extraordinary or supernatural beings. Drawn from the legendary past of the Iranian cultural continent which especially consists of the state of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Central Asia, they reflect the...
, Zahak was buried at Mount DamavandMount DamavandMount Damāvand also known as Donbavand, a potentially active volcano and the highest peak in Iran, has a special place in Persian mythology and folklore...
. - "Dilam" (the port where the blind "Mariam" lands) refers to the south caspian coast of DeylamMazandaran ProvinceMazandaran Province is a Caspian province in the north of Iran. Located on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, it is bordered clockwise by the Golestan, Semnan, Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, and Gilan provinces....
for whom the Deylamid dynastyBuwayhidThe Buyid dynasty, also known as the Buyid Empire or the Buyids , also known as Buwaihids, Buyahids, or Buyyids, were a Shī‘ah Persian dynasty that originated from Daylaman in Gilan...
were named after. - EcbatanaEcbatanaEcbatana is supposed to be the capital of Astyages , which was taken by the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great in the sixth year of Nabonidus...
: In 245 BCE, the region of what is now IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
was ruled by a kingdom known as ParthiaParthiaParthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
. Parthia, whose capitol was EcbatanaEcbatanaEcbatana is supposed to be the capital of Astyages , which was taken by the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great in the sixth year of Nabonidus...
(now known as HamadanHamadan-Culture:Hamadan is home to many poets and cultural celebrities. The city is also said to be among the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.Handicrafts: Hamadan has always been well known for handicrafts like leather, ceramic, and beautiful carpets....
), was a loosely centralized kingdom. It dominated the region between 150 BCE and 226 CE, and is known for being one of the region's major pre-Islamic empires. In its original form however, Parthia was a far smaller area, composed of the northernmost areas of Iran (centered at NysaNisa, TurkmenistanNisa was an ancient city, located near modern-day Bagir village, 18 km northwest of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.Nisa is described by some as one of the first capitals of the Parthians. It was traditionally founded by Arsaces I Nisa (also Parthaunisa) was an ancient city, located near modern-day...
), and was a part of the Seleucid EmpireSeleucid EmpireThe Seleucid Empire was a Greek-Macedonian state that was created out of the eastern conquests of Alexander the Great. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan.The Seleucid Empire was a major centre...
. - "Ectabahana" refers to EcbatanaEcbatanaEcbatana is supposed to be the capital of Astyages , which was taken by the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great in the sixth year of Nabonidus...
. - "Jon Bodan" refers to the 16th-century French scholar and philosopher Jean BodinJean BodinJean Bodin was a French jurist and political philosopher, member of the Parlement of Paris and professor of law in Toulouse. He is best known for his theory of sovereignty; he was also an influential writer on demonology....
, who advocated the use of tortureTortureTorture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
in the course of rooting out suspected witchesWitch-huntA witch-hunt is a search for witches or evidence of witchcraft, often involving moral panic, mass hysteria and lynching, but in historical instances also legally sanctioned and involving official witchcraft trials...
. - "Lusitania" is an ancient name for a region of the Iberian peninsulaIberian PeninsulaThe Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
including Portugal. Alternatively, given that many place-names in the mythos often rhyme with their actual historical counter parts, Lusitania may refer to the nemesis of the Achaeminid Persian Empire: MacedoniaRepublic of MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. - "The second Mani" (Narsis) refers to ManiMani (prophet)Mani , of Iranian origin was the prophet and the founder of Manichaeism, a gnostic religion of Late Antiquity which was once widespread but is now extinct...
; the wise prophet, renowned in Persian tradition as a great artist. - "Misra" refers to MithraMithraMithra is the Zoroastrian divinity of covenant and oath. In addition to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an all-seeing protector of Truth, and the guardian of cattle, the harvest and of The Waters....
. - "Palse" refers to the name "Pars", which is a province in Iran and origin of the word Persia used to refer to IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. - "Peshawal" refers to PeshawarPeshawarPeshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
. - "Pharangese" refers to FarangisFarangisFarangis or Farigees is a female character in the Persian epic Shahnameh. She is the eldest daughter of Afrasiab, king of Turan. She is also the second and favourite wife of Siavash, the saintlike prince of Iran and mother of a legendary hero and later Shah of Iran, Kai Khosrow...
, a character from Shahnama. - "Tahamineh" refers to TahminehTahminehTahmeena, Tahmina or Tahmineh is a female character in the Shahnameh. Her name is mentioned as the wife of Rostam and as the daughter of Samanganshah, the sovereign of Samangan.-References in the Shahnameh:...
, a character from Shahnama. - "Yaldabor" refers to Yaldabaoth, a gnostic deity.
- "Zabol" refers to ZabolZabolZabol is a city in and the capital of Zabol County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. Zabol lies on the border with both Afghanistan and Pakistan. At the 2006 census, its population was 130,642, in 27,867 families....
. - The crystal ball used by the sorcerers of "Lord Silvermask" for scryingScryingScrying is a magic practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining spiritual visions and less often for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals,...
refers to the Persian mythical Cup of JamshidCup of JamshidThe Cup of Jamshid is a cup of divination which, in Persian mythology, was long possessed by the rulers of ancient Greater Iran. The cup has also been called Jam-e Jahan nama, Jam-e Jahan Ara, Jam-e Giti nama, and Jam-e Kei-khosrow...
, where wizards would use the magical object to observe the seven heavens with it. - In the final episodes, an actual Zoroastrian chant is heard in Persian languagePersian languagePersian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
with the Towers of silence in YazdYazdYazd is the capital of Yazd Province in Iran, and a centre of Zoroastrian culture. The city is located some 175 miles southeast of Isfahan. At the 2006 census, the population was 423,006, in 114,716 families....
in the background. - The "Great Continental Road" refers to the Achaemenid Royal RoadRoyal RoadThe Persian Royal Road was an ancient highway reorganized and rebuilt by the Persian king Darius the Great of the Achaemenid Empire in the 5th century BC. Darius built the road to facilitate rapid communication throughout his very large empire from Susa to Sardis...
. It may also refer to the transcontinental Silk Route. - The burning of books can refer to more than one incident. The library of PersepolisPersepolisPerspolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire . Persepolis is situated northeast of the modern city of Shiraz in the Fars Province of modern Iran. In contemporary Persian, the site is known as Takht-e Jamshid...
which contained royal inscriptions of the AvestaAvestaThe Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.-Early transmission:The texts of the Avesta — which are all in the Avestan language — were composed over the course of several hundred years. The most important portion, the Gathas,...
was burned by Alexander The Great as he entered Persepolis. During the Islamic Conquest of PersiaIslamic conquest of PersiaThe Muslim conquest of Persia led to the end of the Sassanid Empire in 644, the fall of Sassanid dynasty in 651 and the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia...
, the ArabArabArab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
conquerors reportedly burnt the Persian royal library, as recounted in Haji Khalifa's book "Kashful Zunoon." - The map that "Narsis" draws for "Arislan" is a correct depiction of the ancient Persian empire.
- The head gear of the "Lusitanians" may speculatively refer to the Arab ArmyRashidun armyThe Rashidun Caliphate Army or Rashidun army was the primary military body of the Rashidun Caliphate's armed forces during the Muslim conquests of the 7th century, serving alongside the Rashidun Navy...
during the Islamic conquest of PersiaIslamic conquest of PersiaThe Muslim conquest of Persia led to the end of the Sassanid Empire in 644, the fall of Sassanid dynasty in 651 and the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia...
. - The mass suicide by the zealots and followers of Jon Bodan may refer to the mass suicide committed by the Jews of QumranQumranQumran is an archaeological site in the West Bank. It is located on a dry plateau about a mile inland from the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, near the Israeli settlement and kibbutz of Kalia...
at Massada during a Jewish revolt against the occupying Romans.
Novels, Manga, and OAVs
The original novel, Arslan Senki, was written by Dr. Yoshiki TanakaYoshiki Tanaka
Dr. Yoshiki Tanaka is a Japanese novelist. He was born in Kumamoto Prefecture and took his doctorate degree in Japanese Language and Literature in the Graduate School of Gakushūin University in Tokyo....
. Though he is primarily a novelist, Tanaka's works have been 'translated' into manga and anime forms before. His novel Ginga eiyu densetsu became Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Legend of the Galactic Heroes
is a series of science fiction novels by Yoshiki Tanaka. An anime adaptation of the novels by Artland ran from 1988 to 2000 as well as a manga based on the novels, with art by Katsumi Michihara...
, and Sohryuden became Legend of the Dragon Kings
Sohryuden: Legend of the Dragon Kings
is a set of novels based loosely on Chinese mythology.It was written by Yoshiki Tanaka in collaboration with Japanese illustrator Yoshitaka Amano and manga artist group Clamp . It is written with a humorous and satirical tone...
. There are eleven novels in the Arslan Senki storyline thus far. These novels were illustrated by manga artist and character-designer Yoshitaka Amano
Yoshitaka Amano
is a Japanese artist. He began his career as an animator and has become known for his illustrations for the anime Vampire Hunter D and for his character designs, image illustrations and title logo designs for the Final Fantasy video game series developed by Square Enix . His influences include...
(whose other works include the character design for several Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
games and for Vampire Hunter D
Vampire Hunter D
is a series of Japanese novels written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano since 1983.To date, twenty-two novels have been published in the main series, with some novels comprising as many as four volumes...
).
The popularity of the Arslan Senki novels was so great that it became natural for it to make a transition to manga form. The thirteen-volume manga was written by Tanaka and illustrated by Chisato Nakamura. The additional popularity of these manga led to the creation of a series of OAVs with character designs adapted by Sachiko Kamimura
Sachiko Kamimura
is a Japanese animator. She is noted for her work with Sunrise, where she was the supervising animator and character designer for the City Hunter series and several others, mentoring future several Sunrise character designers and animators, including Toshihiro Kawamoto.-Biography:Prior to working...
. The first two OAV episodes were released as "movies", which is why each one is an hour long, rather than the traditional half-hour.
Because of the aforementioned issues regarding translations and names, as well as possible issues with funding the project, it took an extremely long time for the Arslan anime to make its way to the United States. While they originally began production in 1990, as of 2006, they have still not completed the story. Even so, the final two chapters of the OAV arc were not made available until years after the first four had been released, in 2002.
A video game has been released in 1993 for Mega CD.
Yoshiki Tanaka's novels have no relation to the 1976 novel called Arslan written by M. J. Engh
M. J. Engh
M. J. Engh is a science fiction author and independent Roman scholar. In 2009, Engh was named Author emerita by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. She is best known for her 1976 novel Arslan, about an invasion of the United States....
which is set in the present.
External links
- On The Heroic Legend of Arslan
- Review at THEMAnime
- Fansite
- Another
- The Encyclopædia Britannica's article on Andragoras
- A review of "Amir Arsalan", complete with a story summary
- Fan-site containing geographical locations in the anime, character information, and links to fanfiction
- fansite
- AnimeCafe's reviews of Arslan
- A small index of Arslan fanfiction