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Schwarzesmarken (シュヴァルツェスマーケン) is a series of light novels set during the early years of the BETA invasion. It replaced the Muv-Luv Alternative Total Eclipse serialization in the Tech Gian magazine. The series is written by Hiroki Uchida and illustrated by CARNELIAN.

The series was followed in Tech Gian by it's prequel, Bernhard im Schatten.

Plot Summary[]

The story follows the East German Army's 666th TSF Squadron in its battles and political conflicts in 1983, during the BETA's westward push into Europe.

The 666th TSF Squadron Schwarzesmarken (Black Marks) are a special-response unit tasked with assaulting BETA forces through unconventional tactics; specifically, they target Laser- and Heavy Laser-class BETA to deny their enemy the immense ranged firepower of those particular species. Their orders are given the topmost priority, such that it is common practice for the 666th to ignore allied distress calls that will result in deviation from their original mission, even if only for a short moment.

Events[]

Moonlight Night Incident: A failed coup d'etat five years prior to Schwarzesmarken where anti-establishment officers tried to bring down the German SUP and Stasi. The ringleader was Katia's father.

Main Characters[]

Cast measurements a9073c014c086e069eaae7f108087bf40bd1cbad

Light Novel[]

SchwarzesmarkenVol1

Vol.1 cover

Schwarzesmarken was originally published in Tech Gian magazine and later compiled into seven light novel volumes. Two extra volumes, titled "Requiem," were compiled from various Schwarzesmarken related short stories found in TSFIA and Cross Operation.

Title: To the Ground of the Dead Corpses (released 30/05/2011, ISBN 978-4-04-727306-1)

  1. Chapter 1 - Ground Red from Slaughter
  2. Chapter 2 - Girl Who Came from the West
  3. Chapter 3 - Under the Gray Sky
  4. Chapter 4 - For Whom is that Right Hand?

SchwarzesmarkenVol2

Vol.2 cover

Schwarzesmarken was originally published in Tech Gian magazine and later compiled into seven light novel volumes. Two extra volumes, titled "Requiem," were compiled from various Schwarzesmarken related short stories found in TSFIA and Cross Operation.

Title: To the End of Pure Desire (released 30/09/2011, ISBN 978-4-04-727528-7)

  1. Chapter 5 - While Waiting For the storm
  2. Chapter 6 - Moment of Parting
  3. Chapter 7 - In the Pot of Blood and Corpses
  4. Chapter 8 - Promise Again
  5. Chapter 9 - Never Forget (original publication title - "At Least Until Winter's End")

SchwarzesmarkenVol3

Vol.3 cover

Schwarzesmarken was originally published in Tech Gian magazine and later compiled into seven light novel volumes. Two extra volumes, titled "Requiem," were compiled from various Schwarzesmarken related short stories found in TSFIA and Cross Operation.

Title: To Beyond the Vast Purgatory (released 30/03/2012, ISBN 978-4-04-727932-2)

  1. Chapter 10 - Sparing the Horrors of War Part I
  2. Chapter 11 - Sparing the Horrors of War Part II
  3. Chapter 12 - Lis from Across the Border
  4. Chapter 13 - Baltic Strike Part I
  5. Chapter 14 - Baltic Strike Part II
  6. Chapter 15 - Baltic Strike Part III
  7. Chapter 16 - However, Only Some Courage Part I
  8. Chapter 17 - However, Only Some Courage Part II

Fb shvart4

Vol.4 cover

Schwarzesmarken was originally published in Tech Gian magazine and later compiled into seven light novel volumes. Two extra volumes, titled "Requiem," were compiled from various Schwarzesmarken related short stories found in TSFIA and Cross Operation.

Title: To the Unforgiven Vow (released 29/10/2012, ISBN 978-4-04-728419-7)

  1. Chapter 18 - Turning the Table
  2. Chapter 19 - Feelings at Twilight
  3. Chapter 20 - Whiteout
  4. Chapter 21 - Last Storm Part I
  5. Chapter 22 - Last Storm Part II
  6. Chapter 23 - Last Storm Part III

Schwarz5

Vol.5 cover

Schwarzesmarken was originally published in Tech Gian magazine and later compiled into seven light novel volumes. Two extra volumes, titled "Requiem," were compiled from various Schwarzesmarken related short stories found in TSFIA and Cross Operation.

Title: Inside the Crimson Funeral Bell (released 30/03/2013, ISBN 978-4-04-728802-7)

  1. Chapter 24 - Piercing the Shining Sky
  2. Chapter 25 - It's Almost as if it's a Fairy-tale
  3. Chapter 26 - Her Life Story Part I
  4. Chapter 27 - Her Life Story Part II
  5. Chapter 28 - Her Life Story Part III

Irisdina Vol6 Cover

Vol.6 cover

Schwarzesmarken was originally published in Tech Gian magazine and later compiled into seven light novel volumes. Two extra volumes, titled "Requiem," were compiled from various Schwarzesmarken related short stories found in TSFIA and Cross Operation.

Title: From the Bitter Rivalry Hereafter (released 12/12/2013, ISBN 978-4-04-729297-0)

  1. Chapter 29 - Black Ripple
  2. Chapter 30 - Your Name Is...
  3. Chapter 31 - Path From Which You Can Not Return
  4. Chapter 32 - Unforgiven Life
  5. Chapter 33 - Scraping
  6. Chapter 34 - Memories of You Part I
  7. Chapter 35 - Memories of You Part II

SMVolumeVII

Vol.7 cover

Schwarzesmarken was originally published in Tech Gian magazine and later compiled into seven light novel volumes. Two extra volumes, titled "Requiem," were compiled from various Schwarzesmarken related short stories found in TSFIA and Cross Operation.

(released 29/03/2014, ISBN 978-4-04-729528-5)

  1. Chapter 36 - Last Gamble (originally published as "Last Storm")
  2. Chapter 37 - His and Her's Fourteen Verses Part I
  3. Chapter 38 - His and Her's Fourteen Verses Part II
  4. Chapter 39 - Fear's Limits, Emotion's Limits
  5. Chapter 40 - Don't Give Up on Your Wish
  6. Chapter 41 - Promise --- And Yet, You...
  7. Epilogue

Requiem 01

Requiem Vol.1 cover

Schwarzesmarken was originally published in Tech Gian magazine and later compiled into seven light novel volumes. Two extra volumes, titled "Requiem," were compiled from various Schwarzesmarken related short stories found in TSFIA and Cross Operation.

Title: Prayer (released 30/07/2012, ISBN 978-4-04-728214-8)

  1. In the City of Death
  2. A Flower on Scorched Earth - Reason for Happiness
  3. Steel Grave Shurtvenberg 1981
  4. Anett's Melancholy

Pham Requiem Cover

Requiem Vol.2 cover

Schwarzesmarken was originally published in Tech Gian magazine and later compiled into seven light novel volumes. Two extra volumes, titled "Requiem," were compiled from various Schwarzesmarken related short stories found in TSFIA and Cross Operation.

Title: Wish (released 29/07/2013, ISBN 978-4-04-729014-3)

  1. For the Two who Can't Go Home
  2. I Wonder, About Those Days of Happiness...
  3. A Smile's Worth
  4. Circe's Disaster

Visual Novel[]

Main article: Schwarzesmarken (VN)
SM VNPart01 Cover
Martyrs

A VN adaptation of the story was confirmed by age to be in development, with an expected release date of late 2015. In May 2015, Age announced that the VN will be split into 2 parts.

The first VN, Schwarzesmarken: Kouketsu no Monshou (シュヴァルツェスマーケン 紅血の紋章), was released on the 27th of November, 2015, covering the events of Volume 1 to Volume 3 of the Light Novel. light novel シュヴァルツェスマーケン ふたつの故郷、ひとつの道 with the game

The second VN, titled Schwarzesmarken: Martyrs (シュヴァルツェスマーケン 殉教者たち), was released on the 28th of October, 2016, and completes the story of Schwarzesmarken with three routes:

  • Our Hands: Katia Waldheim
  • Last Desires: Irisdina Bernhard
  • Lost Heaven: Lise Hohenstein

Pre-ordered versions of both games came with a bonus book:

  • Schwarzesmarken: Kouketsu no Monshou came with シュヴァルツェスマーケン ふたつの故郷、ひとつの道 126 pages.
  • Schwarzesmarken: Martyrs came with the bonus book シュヴァルツェスマーケン 幸せでありますように 105 pages.

Anime[]

Fest item01c
Main article: Schwarzesmarken (Anime)

A twelve episode anime adaptation of Katia's route from the second visual novel was produced by ixtl and Liden Films and aired from January to March 2016. While praised for being a tight production despite its modest budget and time limitations, being agreed upon by many fans to be better paced and directed than Total Eclipse, the anime still drew controversy for its deviations, particularly those involving characterization and character arcs.

Trivia[]

  • The title "Schwarzesmarken" is wrong written in German word, but this is intentional. In the story, a Soviet officer decided this name for the Unit. The correct German word would be "schwarzer Fleck" (black spot) or "schwarzes Zeichen" (black sign).
  • The title in particular is a reference to triage tags. A black tag is given to mortally wounded casualties from which no amount of medical attention can save. These casualties are thus passed over for other casualties who can be saved. The 666th ignore the pleas of their doomed comrades in order to complete their objectives (thus saving many more). Irisdina herself is given a black tag in the end, and on a grander sense, East Germany and Europe are wearing black tags and can only stave off the inevitable at best.

External Links[]


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