Schwarzes Marken

Schwarzes Marken (シュヴァルツェスマーケン) is a Japanese light novel series written by Hiroki Uchida and illustrated by CARNELIAN. It serves as a prequel to the Muv-Luv Alternative game franchise. Set in 1983, it follows the story of the 666th Tactical Surface Fighter Squadron “Schwarzes Marken” of the East German Army during their battles against the alien BETA and their political conflicts. This squadron specializes in unconventional tactics, prioritizing the destruction of Laser-class and Heavy Laser-class BETA to deny the enemy’s ranged firepower. Their missions are of the highest priority, even at the cost of ignoring allied distress calls. The series was initially serialized in Tech Gian magazine and later compiled into seven light novel volumes, two visual novels, and a 12-episode anime series. The anime aired in 2016, produced by Liden Films and ixtl. It revolves around the protagonist, Theodor Eberbach, and his teammates as they navigate the threats of the BETA and complex political machinations.