The Five Star Stories takes its name from the Joker Star Cluster where the stories take place. The star cluster is made up of four stars: Eastern, Western, Southern and Northern. The "fifth star" is a large comet named Stant that passes through that sector of space every 1,500 years pulling with it its own collection of orbiting planets.
In the distant past the Farus Di Kanon Empire, now commonly known as the "Super Empire", controlled all 4 solar systems of the Joker Cluster. They enjoyed a level of technology much higher than is currently known and sent explorers to the far reaches of the Joker Galaxy. Around the year 9000 AD (Ammon Duul) the empire collapsed due to internal strife. The explorers were called home and what remained of civilization focused mainly on survival. Much technology and knowledge was lost by the time the imperial families of Amaterasu, Fillmore and Hathuha gathered and established the JC era. JC stands for "Joker Calendar" and was meant to give a common frame of reference to all nations to help foster a lasting peace. The JC calendar was adopted but the dream of peace was never realized.
The first story of The Five Star Stories begins in JC 2988. At this time interstellar travel is common and genetically engineered "fatimas" are well established as necessary co-pilots of the fearsome mortar headds that dominate the battlefields. Warfare between nations is commonplace and few still hope for peace.
Five Star Stories It is also Known as: ファイブスター物語, FSS, Five Star Monogatari
Genres: Science Fiction , Military , Mecha , Shipboard
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Top 5 Manga Like Five Star Stories [2026 List]
5. Code Geass: Hankou no Suzaku
The Empire of Brittania has invaded Japan using giant robot weapons called Knightmare Frames. Japan is now referred to as Area 11, and its people the 11s. A Brittanian who was living in Japan at the time, Lelouch, vowed to his Japanese friend Suzaku that he'd destroy Brittania. Years later, Lelouch is in high school, but regularly skips out of school to go play chess and gamble on himself. One day, he stumbles on terrorists 11s who've stolen a military secret and is caught by a member of the Brittanian task force sent after them, who is Suzaku. As the rest of the squad arrives, Suzaku is shot for disobeying orders, while the military secret, a young girl, gives Lelouch the power to make anyone obey any order. He takes command of the terrorists and leads them to crush the approaching Brittanian force. However, Suzaku is secretly made the pilot of Brittania's brand new test model Knightmare, Lancelot. Lelouch becomes the masked king Zero to lead the rebellion to defeat Brittania.
This series follows Suzaku's side of the story, while Lelouch of the Rebellion follow's Lelouch's.
Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack has finished publishing and it has 8 Chapters. It is also Known as: コードギアス 反攻のスザク, Code Geass: Hankou no Suzaku
4. Full Metal Panic!
Jindai High School was a relatively safe place, right up until Sousuke Sagaka transferred there. A total nut, he wreaks havoc on the school's student body and gets into a world of trouble with the teachers! But there's more to Sousuke than meets the eye—not just a hell-raising student, he's actually a member of an elite military unit, on an undercover mission to protect the beautiful schoolgirl Kaname Chidori from the KGB.
Full Metal Panic! has finished publishing and it has 72 Chapters. It is also Known as: フルメタル・パニック!, FMP
3. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin
Zeon ace pilot, Commander Char Aznable, thought he could foil the Federation's plan to build a mobile suit by attacking their research base on colony Side 7. He was wrong. With a prototype already active, the besieged Federation forces strike back using their new weapon, the mobile suit Gundam, with devastating consequences. Amidst the fighting, young electronics wizard Amuro Ray is determined not to let his friends and family die in the crossfire. But what can one boy do to repel a squad of mobile suit-clad invaders?
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin has finished publishing and it has 112 Chapters. It is also Known as: Kidou Senshi Gundam: The Origin, 機動戦士ガンダム THE ORIGIN, Amuro 0082
2. Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch
The Empire of Brittania has invaded Japan using giant robot weapons called Knightmare Frames. Japan is now referred to as Area 11, and its people the 11s. A Brittanian who was living in Japan at the time, Lelouch, vowed to his Japanese friend Suzaku that he'd destroy Brittania. Years later, Lelouch is in high school, but regularly skips out of school to go play chess and gamble on himself.
One day, he stumbles on terrorists 11s who've stolen a military secret and is caught by a member of the Brittanian task force sent after them, who is Suzaku. As the rest of the squad arrives, Suzaku is shot for disobeying orders, while the military secret, a young girl, gives Lelouch the power to make anyone obey any order. He takes command of the terrorists and leads them to crush the approaching Brittanian force. However, Suzaku is secretly made the pilot of Brittania's brand new test model Knightmare, Lancelot. Lelouch becomes the masked king Zero to lead the rebellion to defeat Brittania.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion has finished publishing and it has 40 Chapters. It is also Known as: コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ, Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch
1. Sidonia no Kishi
Outer space, the far future.
A lone seed ship, the Sidonia, plies the void, ten centuries since the obliteration of the solar system. The massive, nearly indestructible, yet barely sentient alien life forms that destroyed humanity’s home world continue to pose an existential threat.
Nagate Tanikaze has only known life in the vessel’s bowels deep below the sparkling strata where humans have achieved photosynthesis and new genders. Not long after he emerges from the Underground, however, the youth is bequeathed a treasured legacy by the spaceship’s coolheaded female captain.
Meticulously drawn, peppered with clipped humor, but also unusually attentive to plot and structure for the international cult favorite, Knights of Sidonia may be Tsutomu Nihei’s most accessible work to date even as it hits notes of tragic grandeur as a hopeless struggle for survival unfolds.
Knights of Sidonia has finished publishing and it has 78 Chapters. It is also Known as: シドニアの騎士, Knights of Cydonia, Cydonia no Kishi
