Aldnoah.Zero

, stylized as ΛLDNOΛH.ZERO, is a television and print series created by Olympus Knights and A-1 Pictures. It presents the fictional story of the Vers Empire's 37 clans of Orbital Knights' attempted reconquest of Earth—enabled by the empowering titular Aldnoah energy/drive technology—following return to Earth as a more technologically advanced people after a human diaspora to the planet Mars. Plotted by Gen Urobuchi with direction by Ei Aoki, the series features principal Japanese voice acting by Natsuki Hanae, Sora Amamiya and Kensho Ono, with animated relational and battle scenes set on or in the orbit of the fictional Earth of 2014, the Landing Castles of the Vers Empire's Orbital Knights, Vers bases on a shattered remnant of Earth's Moon, and occasionally, the Vers palace of its failing emperor on Mars. The series began in July 2014, and as of March 2015, had presented two 12-episode seasons, with Urobuchi, Katsuhiko Takayama and Shinsuke Onishi, and then Hiroyuki Sawano and Kalafina, respectively, receiving principal script-writing and music credits. Plot In an alternate 1972, during the Apollo 17 mission, an ancient alien artifact named the "Hypergate" was discovered on the surface of the Moon, allowing for near-instantaneous travel to and from Mars and the colonisation of Mars. After settlers discover additional alien technology on Mars (dubbed "Aldnoah"), they unilaterally declare independence from Earth to found the Vers Empire. Later, the Vers Empire declares war on Earth, and in 1999, a battle on the Moon's surface causes the Hypergate to explode, shattering the Moon and scattering the remnants of the Moon into a debris belt around Earth. Cut off from Mars, the remnants of the Vers Imperial Army establishes several massive orbital space stations within the debris belt and a ceasefire was established. 15 years later, in 2014, an attack on the First Princess of Vers during a diplomatic mission to Earth causes the Empire and its 37 clans of Orbital Knights to launch a new attack on Earth, this time determined to conquer it once and for all.