Following Disney’s takeover of the Star Wars franchise, the storytelling has completely declined epitomized with the absolute failure of The Last Jedi and subsequently The Rise of Skywalker and The Mandalorian.
Not only has the storytelling declined significantly, but the company also employs people who regularly attack its fans such as Rian Johnson and Pablo Hidalgo.
So there are plenty of reasons to ditch Star Wars, and there are a number of properties that can replace it.
1. The Saga of the Nano Templar
The Saga of the Nano Templar is a three book trilogy written by author Jon Del Arroz that includes Justified, Sanctified, and Glorified.
The series follows the Templar Drin as he finds himself on a desert world controlled by a tyrannical alien empire that has enslaved the native population. Against all odds Drin will take the fight to the Sekaran empire and work to liberate the desert planet.
Here’s the official description for Justified from Amazon:
“After years of fighting for justice with his deadly nanotech, Templar Drin abandons his post, crash landing on a desert world controlled by a tyrannical alien empire. Its inhabitants are forced into slavery, broken where a once-proud race cultivated its lands.
For the first time in Drin’s life, he has no backup, no support, none of his brothers.
He stands alone against evil.
Drin must face overwhelming odds to liberate millions of slaves from their captors and bring faith to a downtrodden world. But in his way stands the most dangerous weapon in the galaxy.
Can Drin use his Templar training to survive?”
The book can be purchased via Amazon as a paperback for $14.99 or $4.99 on Kindle.
2. Combat Frame XSeed
Combat Frame XSeed is a series of novels written by Brian Niemeier that takes place in a future where tensions are rising between the people of Earth known as grounders and space colonists that make up the Systems Overterrestrial Coalition.
As tensions rise the Systems Overterrestrial Coalition deploys giant manned robots called combat frames in an attempt to put an end to the growing violence.
The first set of novels includes Combat Frame XSeed, Combat Frame XSeed: Coalition Year 40, and Combat Frame XSeed: CY 40 Second Coming. Most recently he released Combat Frame XSeed S.
Here’s the official description for Combat Frame XSeed from Amazon:
“Civilization on Earth has collapsed. Oligarchs have established a new order in manmade space colonies at the Earth-Moon LaGrange points.
A group of powerful colonies form the Systems Overterrestrial Coalition to re-civilize the earth, but grounders view the colonists as hostile meddlers. The Coalition counters the rising violence with giant manned robots called combat frames.
The independent L3 colonies denounce the war on Earth. In response, Coalition Security Director Sanzen takes L3 leader Josef Friedlander’s wife and daughter hostage. Amid the tense standoff, Friedlander’s son Sieg launches an unsanctioned rescue mission to L1’s Byzantium colony.”
The first book can be purchased on Kindle for $.99. A paperback is $10.99.
3. The Ember War Saga
The Ember War Saga is written by Richard Fox and sees an alien race known as the Xaros set to wipe out all human lif eon Earth.
Fortunately, a mysterious intelligence has made contact with a scientist named Marc Ibarra and the two prepare a plan for humanity to survive the catastrophic invasion.
The Ember War Saga includes nine books beginning with The Ember War. The other titles include The Ruins of Anthalas, Blood of Heroes, Earth Defiant, The Gardens of Nibiru, The Battle of the Void, The Siege of Earth, The Crucible, and The Xaros Reckoning.
Here’s the official description for The Ember War from Amazon:
“A merciless alien race bent on human extermination has pointed its armada towards Earth. The countdown to their arrival begins.
A mysterious intelligence warns only a young scientist, Marc Ibarra, of our impending doom. Together, the two create a plan for humanity to survive the invasion. Even with the aid of advanced new technology, Marc is faced with a major problem. The plan—if it works—can only save a fraction of us.
Who survives? Who dies? How can humanity win the battle against almost certain annihilation?
With what will only be an ember of humanity left, will it be enough to rekindle our chance for survival and strike back at the Xaros?”
The first book can be purchased on Amazon in paperback form for $14.99. On Kindle it is $3.99.
4. Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino and first debuted as an anime series in Japan in April 1979.
The show lasted 43 episodes and followed the war in the Universal Century between the Principality of Zeon and the Earth Federation. It followed teenager Amuro Ray as he became the pilot of the Earth Federation’s newly built RX-78-2 Gundam.
The series would eventually be re-edited and released into three separate theatrical films. Tomino would also go on to write a trilogy of novels retelling the series and two manga adaptations would also be created.
The original series would eventually spawn an extremely popular line of toys from Bandi called Gunpla. With the toys becoming an almost instant hit, the Gundam franchise would evolve to tell more stories set within the Universal Century following new battles, new protagonists, and of course new mobile suits and Gundams.
There are dozens of Mobile Suit Gundam TV series, films, and OVAs. Some of the more popular include Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, and Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans.
You can begin to dive into the plethora of Mobile Suit Gundam stories on Right Stuf Anime, where they have a ton of stories to choose from whether its anime or manga!
5. Captain Harlock Space Pirate
Captain Harlock Space Pirate was originally a manga series written and illustrated by Leiji Matsumoto back in 1977.
The manga follows the titular Captain who becomes a Space Pirate after he rebels against Earth’s Government and humanity’s descent into sloth.
The manga would eventually be adapted into an anime series by director Rintaro that ran for 42 episodes.
Here’s the official description from Right Stuf Anime for the Captain Harlock Space Pirate Complete TV Series DVD:
“A society where humanity has entered into sloth, concerned only that its entertainment remain uninterrupted. An enemy capable of masquerading as beautiful women, yet burn like paper, hell-bent on invading Earth. A hero branded an outlaw, boasting a true man’s determination and unwilling to let his beloved planet fall.
When the alien Mazone murder his father, Tadashi Daiba finds himself confronted by a hostile and disbelieving government unwilling to believe his claims, let alone prepare to fight off an alien invasion. His only hope of revenge against this mysterious foe is by joining up with the most infamous of all possible allies: the stoic space pirate Captain Harlock and his eccentric crew of misfits aboard the good ship Arcadia.
With the Earth’s military holding Harlock’s final ties to Earth hostage on one side and the Mazone on the other, can the Arcadia’s crew overcome such overwhelming odds and prevent the invasion?”
Toei Animation would release Harlock: Space Pirate in 2013 directed by Shinji Aramaki that also adapts Leiji Matsumoto’s classic manga series.
You can purchase the DVD for the anime series for $52.46 on Right Stuf Anime. You can also pick up a hardcover version of the first manga volume for $18.74. However, it is currently out of stock. A DVD of Harlock: Space Pirate is available to purchase on Amazon for $14.95.
What recommendations do you have?