Muv-Luv

Muv-Luv was released on February 28, 2003, on Windows CD-ROM, and re-released on DVD-ROM on April 30, 2004.[1] A fandisc, called Muv-Luv Supplement containing a number of short stories, computer wallpapers, audio clips, and a trailer for the upcoming Muv-Luv Alternative. The limited edition DVD was released on December 17, 2004, and the regular edition was released on December 24.[2]

Muv-Luv Alternative is a sequel to Muv-Luv and taking place after the events of the Unlimited arc in the original game. The DVD version of the game was released on February 24, 2006, and the CD version was released on March 3, 2006.[3] A Muv-Luv Alternative fandisc, Muv-Luv Altered Fable, was released on August 31, 2007, containing an alternate version of the Extra arc from Muv-Luv along with a radio drama, a Senjoki vs. BETA strategy RPG, computer wallpapers, and a Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse short story.[4]

"All-age" versions of Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative with the adult content removed were released simultaneously on September 22, 2006.[5][6] In 2011, both games were ported to the Xbox 360 by 5pb. and simultaneously released on October 27, 2011.[7][8] Both titles were also released for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita in 2012 and 2016, respectively.[9]

In the early 2010s, Mangagamer attempted to negotiate an English-language release of Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative, but talks broke down, and the translator unilaterally released an unofficial fan translation patch, effectively ending Mangagamer's efforts.[10] In 2015, âge partnered with Degica to launch a Kickstarter campaign to officially release the Muv-Luv series in English.[11] The campaign succeeded in late 2015 after raising over US$1.25 million, against an initial goal of $250,000. The campaign also met all of its stretch goals, including ports to PlayStation Vita and Android and English localizations of photonflowers* and photonmelodies♮ side-story collections.[12] The English localization of the first Muv-Luv visual novel was released on Steam in July 2016, and Muv-Luv Alternative was released in September 2017.[13] PS Vita versions of both games were released in June 2018.[14] The English version of photonflowers* was released on Steam on August 3, 2019,[15] and the English version of photonmelodies♮ was released on July 30, 2020.[16] The English versions of Muv-Luv Unlimited: The Day After episodes 00 through 03 were released via Steam on February 5, 2021,[17] marking the first English release of a Muv-Luv visual novel not directly funded by the 2015 Kickstarter. In addition to the crowdfunded Android version, the iOS port was also created.[18] Mobile versions of Extra and Unlimited are planned to be released worldwide in Spring 2022, with Alternative set to release at a later date.[19]

At the conclusion of an October 2019 live event, âge presented the on-screen title “Muv-Luv Alternative in Animation”, followed by a clip of new animation, seemingly indicating an anime adaptation of the original Muv-Luv Alternative visual novel.[20] It was later announced that the new anime would be a television series.[21] The series is animated by Yumeta Company and Graphinica, with production by Flagship Line, and is directed by Yukio Nishimoto, featuring Tatsuhiko Urahata handling the series' scripts, Takuya Tani designing the characters, and Evan Call composing the series' music.[22] It aired from October 7 to December 23, 2021, on Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block.[23][24] V.W.P performed the series' opening theme song "Rinne" (輪廻), while STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION performed the series' ending theme song "Tristar". Crunchyroll licensed the series outside of Asia.[25] Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia.[26]

At the end of the series' episode finale, a second season was announced. It aired from October 6 to December 22, 2022.[27][28][lower-alpha 9] JAM Project and Minami Kuribayashi performed the opening theme song "Akatsuki o Ute" (暁を撃て), while V.W.P performed the ending theme song "Saikai" (再会).[30]

Muv-Luv and its sequel Muv-Luv Alternative have been adapted into three manga series by MediaWorks (later ASCII Media Works) and were serialized in the manga magazine Dengeki Daioh through 2018.[31] In 2020, âge announced it would digitally self-publish an English translation of the Muv-Luv Alternative manga.[32]

In addition, Shueisha has published a seven volume novel series based on Muv-Luv and Muv-Luv Alternative.

In an October 2019 livestream producer Koki Yoshimune announced he was working on a new sequel to Alternative, called Muv-Luv INTEGRATE, but was not sure at that time what form the project would ultimately take or when it might be released.[33]

Muv-Luv Unlimited The Day After continues the story of Muv-Luv Unlimited, showing what happens after the end of that story and prior to Takeru's backward time-skip that begins Muv-Luv Alternative. Currently incomplete, TDA was released episodically (as episodes "00" through "03") as part of the Muv-Luv Alternative Chronicles series of side-story discs. In 2020, âge announced that it will release episodes 00 through 03 in English, and that work has begun on episode 04,[34] which was subsequently retitled Muv-Luv Resonative.[35]

Muv-Luv Alternative Total Eclipse
Cover art of volume 1
Genre(s)	Mecha
Novel series
Published by	Enterbrain
Magazine	Tech Gian
Demographic	Male
Original run	February 2007 – March 30, 2013
Volumes	6
Manga
Written by	Takashi Ishigaki
Published by	MediaWorks
Magazine	Dengeki Daioh
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	2009 – 2011
Volumes	3
Anime television series
Directed by	Takayuki Inagaki (1–2) Masaomi Andou (3–24)
Written by	Takayuki Inagaki
Music by	Seikou Nagaoka
Studio	ixtl Satelight
Licensed by	AUS: Hanabee NA: Sentai Filmworks UK: MVM Films
Original network	TV Tokyo, TVO, TVQ, TVh, AT-X, TSC, TVA, Nico Nico Douga
English network	NA: Anime Network
Original run	July 2, 2012 – December 23, 2012
Episodes	24
Game
Developer	5pb. Games âge
Publisher	Mages (PS3, 360) âge (PC)
Genre	Visual novel
Platform	PlayStation 3 Xbox 360 Microsoft Windows
Released	PS3, Xbox 360 JP: May 16, 2013 Windows JP: September 26, 2014 WW: July 20, 2022

Muv-Luv Alternative Total Eclipse is a spin-off story set parallel to Muv-Luv Alternative, following a new cast of characters while retaining the setting of the original visual novel. It focuses on the development of experimental TSF craft and the relationship between Yuuya Bridges, a Japanese-American test pilot and Yui Takamura, a leading figure in the development of a new generation TSF, which may be able to change the course of the war.

Enterbrain published Total Eclipse in its Tech Gian magazine. This was followed by a manga adaptation titled Total Eclipse published by ASCII Media Works. Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse was later adapted into the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 visual novel by âge and 5pb. in 2013. A Microsoft Windows version was released in 2014 in Japan, and was released worldwide on July 20, 2022.

On July 24, 2011, a teaser website announced that an anime television adaptation of the novels is in the works.[36] Produced by ixtl and Satelight, it aired between July 2 and December 23, 2012. Crunchyroll has acquired the streaming rights for the series, with Sentai Filmworks licensing the anime for digital and home video release.[37][38] The first 13 episodes were released on January 20, 2015, on Blu-ray and DVD.

Schwarzesmarken
Cover art of volume 1
Genre(s)	Mecha
Novel series
Published by	Enterbrain
Magazine	Tech Gian
Demographic	Male
Original run	May 30, 2011 – March 29, 2014
Volumes	7
Novel series
Schwarzesmarken Requiem
Original run	July 30, 2012 – July 29, 2013
Volumes	2
Novel series
Schwarzesmarken Bernhard in the Shadow
Original run	September 30, 2015 – January 1, 2016
Volumes	2
Game
Developer	âge
Publisher	âge
Genre	Visual novel
Platform	Microsoft Windows
Released	JP: November 17, 2015[lower-alpha 10] JP: October 28, 2016[lower-alpha 11]
Anime television series
Directed by	Tetsuya Watanabe
Written by	Tatsuto Higuchi
Music by	Evan Call (Elements Garden)
Studio	ixtl Liden Films
Original network	TV Tokyo, TVO, TVA, AT-X
Original run	January 10, 2016 – March 27, 2016
Episodes	12

Schwarzesmarken[lower-alpha 12] is a series set in the Germany of the Alternative universe, during the early years of the BETA invasion in 1983. The protagonists are the 666th TSF squadron of East Germany, who fight both the BETA and opponents from the corrupt Stasi (Ministry of State Security).

Schwarzesmarken replaced the Total Eclipse serialization in Tech Gian magazine. The series is written by Hiroki Uchida and features character designs and illustrations by CARNELIAN. The novel was compiled into seven volumes following a 41 chapter run from 2011 to 2014. The series was followed in Tech Gian by its prequel, Bernhard im Schatten.

A visual novel adaptation by âge was released in late 2015 for Microsoft Windows in two parts: Kouketsu no Monshou and Junkyoushatachi.[39] Between the release of the two parts a Steam release and English localization of the visual novel was considered. However, despite this version of the game being approved via Steam Greenlight, it was ultimately not released.[40]

On September 18, 2015, a teaser website announced that an anime television adaptation of the Schwarzesmarken novels by ixtl and Liden Films was scheduled to air in January 2016.[41] The series began airing on January 10, 2016. Crunchyroll has acquired the rights to stream the anime outside of Japan.[42][43][44]

Several other prose spin-offs were published as short stories in Tech Gian magazine. In addition, two fandiscs were also released, Muv-Luv Supplement[lower-alpha 13] and Muv-Luv Altered Fable,[lower-alpha 14] containing alternate scenarios, short stories, computer wallpapers, and audio dramas. Other spin-off material appeared as short visual novels in re-releases of earlier games, and in the Muv-Luv Alternative Chronicles series. Some of these visual novel segments for PC were assembled into the collections photonflowers* and photonmelodies♮ for the PlayStation 3 in 2014, later ported to PC via Steam.

Aside from the visual novels, several other styles of games based on Muv-Luv have been released over the years. The browser game Muv-Luv Alternative: Next Answer launched in February 2015, and remained in operation for about a year.[45][46] Muv-Luv Alternative: Strike Frontier, available initially as a browser game and later for iOS and Android, launched in September 2016, and shut down in July 2018.[47] In October 2019, âge showed a demo of Project Mikhail: A Muv-luv War Story, a TSF-focused action game, released for Steam, iOS, and Android in October 2021, and available in Japanese, English, and Chinese.[48]

Immortals: Muv-Luv Alternative, a free-to-play mobile action RPG developed by aNCHOR, was released in Japan on March 17, 2022, for both Android and iOS. Set in an alternative universe of Muv-Luv Alternative, the player plays as the director of the Immortals Private Military Company and leads a team of TSF mercenary pilots to battle the Beta. While the game has original characters, many of the characters from the Muv Luv franchise are also available to recruit which includes those from Muv Luv Alternative, Total Eclipse, Euro Front and Schwarzesmarken.[49] Immortals was shut down approximately four hours after it was released due to an exploit, and was re-released in 2023 under the name Muv-Luv Dimensions.[50]

• âge (February 28, 2003). Muv-Luv (Windows) (in Japanese).
• âge (April 24, 2006). Muv-Luv Alternative (Windows) (in Japanese).