Schwarzes Marken

Germany was divided into East and West after WWII, where citizens of either treated the other side as enemies. In the midst of Cold War, however, the Earth was invaded by an alien life form landed on Kashgar, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, known as "Beta." Now, ten years after the first contact, East Germany, formally German Democratic Republic, has become the front line.

Schwarzes Marken is a Japanese anime mecha series adapted from a light novel, set in an alternate Cold War where Germany remains divided and the conflict escalates after alien machines land in Kashgar, Xinjiang. The story centers on a military unit in East Germany, a frontline border town that has lived under hostile occupation for a decade, where giant robots are the only weapons capable of answering the enemy. Marai Heisenberg, Theodor Eberbach and Lise Hohenstein anchor the cast, with Anett Hosenfeld and Inghild Bronikowski rounding out the principal group. Each episode blends mech combat with the political strain of a country split in two, and the grinding war against the invaders carries a constant sense of exhaustion and loss. The single twelve-episode season is serialized and grim, with an austere, heavy mood and a militaristic sensibility. Its emotional weight comes from soldiers pressed into duty by forces beyond their control, and the atmosphere stays tense and melancholic throughout. Fans of Evangelion and Full Metal Panic! will recognize its mecha action and wartime melancholy, though the show is more austere and less lush than its peers.

Reception is mixed to negative, with the single season seen as a mecha series with strong action and a promising premise, undercut by a weak story and uneven execution.

• Full Metal Panic!shared mecha giant robot military action with alien invasion stakes
• Evangelion (1995)shared alien invasion and giant robot warfare in a Cold War-tinged world
• Strike Witchesshared alternate Cold War setting with a divided Germany and military mecha combat

Release Date

2016-01-11

Episode runtime

24 min

Rating

6.1 / 10 (62)

What is Schwarzes Marken about?

A divided East Germany becomes the front line when an alien life form invades Earth ten years after first contact, and giant robots are the weapons of the fight.

What is Schwarzes Marken like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Schwarzes Marken as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is Schwarzes Marken violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Schwarzes Marken as moderate.

What did critics think of Schwarzes Marken?

Reception is mixed to negative, with the single season seen as a mecha series with strong action and a promising premise, undercut by a weak story and uneven execution.

Which shows are like Schwarzes Marken?

Shows with a similar feel include Full Metal Panic!, Evangelion (1995), and Strike Witches.

How long is Schwarzes Marken?

Schwarzes Marken: 1 season, 12 episodes.

Is Schwarzes Marken still running?

No, Schwarzes Marken has ended.

Where can I watch Schwarzes Marken?

In United States, Schwarzes Marken streams on Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel.