There is only one way to describe the scope and scale of Heroic Age: operatic. Far from the derogatory connotations of "Space Opera" championed by other anime such as Sekai no Senki (Banner of the Stars), it is a grand yet personal series which is ceaselessly ambitious, frequently breathtaking and always graceful and poised in its delivery. It is as diverged from the trappings of pulpy space opera as can be by excelling at both the intimate moments and the monumental battles.
From Angela's typically vast opening through the orchestral stirrings comprising the bulk of the soundtrack to the tender melody of Ishikawa Yui's closing, even the audio of the series is grandiose, evocative and fitting as battles are fought, lives lost and emotions plucked. The most prominent part of Heroic Age is the epic battles fought across light-years and planets, yet even this is but a small part of the series as it never allows itself to be nailed down to one narrative device, switching seamlessly from a light hearted fish-out-of-water story to the machinations of the deity-like antagonists. The surprisingly large cast of characters are expertly fleshed out and range from fatally stupid to dashingly honourable; Deianeira, the protagonist and a royal princess, is pitched as the prototypical naive leader, however her astute decision making rightly inspires the most indomitable loyalty and by the climax her role as a strong, impassioned woman is unquestionable.
The series wears its Ancient Greek influences with pride, starting first with names such as the Argonaut and Deianeira right through to the five frighteningly powerful Nodoss musings on philosophy and their obvious mythological influences; never used as a gimmick it lends a layered depth to the proceedings that perhaps would have taken the series longer to establish were it absent. One of the series rare stumbling blocks is the pace at which it moves: an inexorable amble, never rushing or dawdling over matters; skirmishes spanning days and journeys lasting hours pass with equal aplomb. On paper this may sound like a boon, yet its staunch refusal to quicken or linger mean parts such as the ending can drag while some of the denser metaphysical dialogues feel underdeveloped; these are few and far between though and for the most part the pacing is superb and lends a welcome consistency to each episode.
Development is something Heroic Age does well, deftly turning opponents to allies and zealousness to civility without ever feeling artificial. Perhaps the greatest detractor is its softly-spoken narrative, favouring silence over exposition and meandering thoughts versus concrete conclusions, the latter third of the series is the worst offender for this with abstract concepts awkwardly avoiding explanation; the culmination of this comes in the ambiguous final minutes of the show which, while not series-breaking, could alter perceptions of key characters if misconstrued. This, like the pacing, is obviously purposeful and forces one to engage with the series on a more than cursory level; those looking for an easy to follow interstellar road trip will be sorely disappointed. Emotion is something that is conjured skilfully throughout the series, however it is Deianeira who usually guides each scene with broad strokes, sometimes leaving other characters to work through their mechanical reactions rather than development their sentimentalities.
The best way to describe the series aesthetically would be consistent; XEBEC occasionally cut corners but the all important characters are unique and usually well sculpted, this is obviously helped by the fitting use of CG for most all of the exterior ship and mecha interaction. Vast battles do have a tendency to similarity, laser barrages can only be interesting so many times, yet the attention to detail in the detritus and backdrop of space is par excellence. The antagonists are the easiest target for criticism, with their iconic silver colour theme it is easy to muddle faces, not helped by the fact it isn't until far into the series that the delineation between them is necessary for understanding. There are the odd hiccups in character design, most notably the lack of realistically breasted females, the worst offender being Nilval whose breasts could kill a contingent of clowns given proper heft.
All these feel like minor-nitpicks given the universally excellent series and it's hard to vocalise just how epic and awe-inspiring it is without detailing the entire plot in reference. Suffice to say Heroic Age is an amazing work with little in the way of faults which are more than made up for by the continual wonderment it delivers. For those wanting a more immediate and viscerally gratifying experience, this series isn't it, but for those who like an excellent story well told, look no further.