History Literature / TheHeroicLegendOfArslan

** When finding out Innocentis coated his sword with poison during his challenge against Andragoras for Tahamine's hand, the Lusitanian soldiers lose what little respect they had for their king. [[spoiler: They did not realize that the Zahhak sorcerers poisoned the sword to turn Innocentis against his men.]]

* ''Arslan: The Warriors of Legend'', produced by Creator/KoeiTecmo Games and released in 2013. It uses their signature ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' play style.

* A manga series by Chisato Nakamura was published by Kadokawa Shoten in the [[ShoujoDemographic shōjo]] magazine ''Asuka Fantasy DX''. Originally running between November 1991 and September 1996 the manga stands at 13 volumes, adapting the first seven novels.

* A manga series by Chisato Nakamura was published by Kadokawa Shoten in the magazine ''Asuka Fantasy DX''. Originally running between November 1991 and September 1996 the manga stands at 13 volumes, adapting the first seven novels.

The story is ''very loosely'' based on the Persian epic ''Amir Arsalan''. It takes place in a fantasy setting reminiscent of the ancient Middle East and feature the warring states of Pars and Lusitania (Pars is roughly the same as Persia/modern Iran). The king of Pars--Andragoras--demotes one of his most loyal generals--Daryun--on the word of a man who proves to be a traitor. During a battle between the Lusitanians and Parsians the Lusitanians achieve victory and Daryun escapes with the crown prince of Pars--Arslan. The story details the ventures of Daryun and Arslan as they attempt to reclaim Pars and gain revenge against the Lusitanians while facing innumerable obstacles between them and their goals.

* AdaptationDistillation: The themes and cultural trappings exhibited in adaptations of ''Arslan Senki'' (both the OVA and the 2015 TV anime) borrow less from the original Persian epic ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amir_Arsalan Amir Arsalan]] (امیر ارسلان نامدار)'' and more from the longer epic poem by Firdusi, the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahnameh Shahnameh]] (شاهنامه‎ , "The Book of Kings")''. One of the main characters of ''Shahnameh'', Kai Khosrow (کیخسرو), was acknowledged InUniverse to be the founder of Pars. His story arc of losing his kingdom and then rightfully regaining it is also basically Arslan's current plotline. Many supporting and side characters borrow their names from some characters inside ''Shanameh'' (such as Gieve, Farangis and Queen Tahamine) with varying similarity from the originals.

* ''Arslan: The Warriors of Legend'', produced by Koei Tecmo Games and released in 2013. It uses their signature ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' play style.

A {{manga}} adaptation of the novels was crafted by Chisato Nakamura and published by Kadokawa Shoten in the magazine ''Asuka Fantasy DX''. Originally running between November 1991 and September 1996 the manga stands at 13 volumes, adapting the first seven novels.

Two anime films and four-episode OVA were also created, animated by studios Movic and Creator/JCStaff[[note]]With cooperation from Creator/ProductionIG, Creator/{{Madhouse}}, Creator/StudioTakuranke and Creator/StudioMark[[/note]] under the direction of Mamoru Hamatsu and Tetsurō Amino. Released from 1991 to 1996, these works are notable for their beautiful animation (at least in the films), their music, their voice acting talent, and for being unfinished due to funding issues.

There's also an AudioAdaptation series (10 volumes plus a special one) that roughly covers the first 10 volumes of the novel and shares the anime voice cast (mostly), and a StrategyRPG for the UsefulNotes/SegaCD produced by Creator/{{Sega}} at the same time as the anime.

A new manga adaptation of the novels by Creator/HiromuArakawa of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' and ''Manga/SilverSpoon'' fame began serialization on ''Bessatsu Magazine/ShonenMagazine'' in 2013. This adaptation received a TV anime in April 2015, and a video game adaptation, Koei Tecmo Games' ''Arslan: The Warriors of Legend'', which uses their signature ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' play style.

A {{manga}} adaptation of the novels was crafted by Chisato Nakamura and published by Kadokawa Shoten in the magazine ''Asuka Fantasy DX''. Originally running between November 1991 and September 1996 the manga stands at 13 volumes.

A new manga adaptation of the novels was created by Creator/HiromuArakawa of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' and ''Manga/SilverSpoon'' fame in 2013. This adaptation received a TV anime in April 2015, and a video game adaptation, Koei Tecmo Games' ''Arslan: The Warriors of Legend'', which uses their signature ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' play style.

* BarbarousBarbaryBandits: The story is set in Pars, a FantasyCounterpartCulture of Ancient Persia, and during the story Prince Aslan and his comrades will occasionally encounter scimitar-wielding, turban-wearing Arabic pirates.

* ArabianNightsDays: Much of Pars is based on the Middle East and ancient Persia.

A {{manga}} adaptation of the novels was crafted by Chisato Nakamura and published by Kadokawa Shoten in the magazine Asuka Fantasy DX. Originally running between November 1991 and September 1996 the manga stands at 13 volumes.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Subverted. While Arslan is a decent fighter, those in his group like Daryun, Farangis and Gieve are better fighters.

* UndyingLoyalty: Daryun to Arslan. And eventually, Arslan wins the respect and admiration of the rest of his followers. Farangis sums up best to [[spoiler: Ester]] why they all have been won over:
--> '''Farangis''': ''His Highness, the Crown Prince, [[{{Determinator}} is always making an effort]]. [[AsskickingEqualsAuthority It is merely that this fact is obvious to those who serve him]]. [[AFatherToHisMen It is because we see him as a man to be treasured]] that we are all happy to serve him.''
** This is actually becoming a plot point: due to Arslan's growing popularity and affinity amongst the remaining Parsian generals and officials, King Andragoras is beginning to be (understandably) paranoid that they probably are becoming more loyal to Arslan than him. Indeed, most of the generals are dissatisfied when Arslan is sent out to rebuild the army away from the central court.

A new manga adaptation of the novels was created by Creator/HiromuArakawa of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' and ''Manga/SilverSpoon'' fame in 2013. This adaptation has received a TV anime, airing in [[Spring2015Anime Spring 2015]], and a video game adaptation, Koei Tecmo Games' ''Arslan: The Warriors of Legend'', which uses their signature ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' play style.

* DefectorFromDecadence: In a story quite morally-ambiguous as this, the defection of men such as [[spoiler: Kharlan, Xandes and Sam]] to serving Lusitania under Silvermask's command is treated as such. Their justification is that [[spoiler: Silvermask is Hilmes, the original heir to the throne of King Osroes V (up until his brother Andragoras III seized kingship after killing him). To them, their aiding Lusitania to destroy Andragoras's rule is less being TheQuisling and more engineering RightfulKingReturns. Of course, [[GambitPileup Arslan and his faction has other ideas]].]]

Two anime films and four-episode OVA were also created, animated by studios Movic and Creator/JCStaff[[note]]With cooperation from Creator/ProductionIG, Creator/{{Madhouse}}, Creator/StudioTakuranke and Creator/StudioMark[[/note]] under the direction of Mamoru Hamatsu and Tetsurō Amino. Released from 1991 to 1996, these works are notable for their beautiful animation (at least in the two films), their music, their voice acting talent, and for being unfinished due to funding issues.

An {{anime}} {{OVA}} adaptation was also created, animated by studios Movic and Creator/JCStaff[[note]]With cooperation from Creator/ProductionIG, Creator/{{Madhouse}}, Creator/StudioTakuranke and Creator/StudioMark[[/note]] under the direction of Mamoru Hamatsu (episodes: I & II and V & VI) and Tetsurō Amino (episodes: III & IV). Released from 1991 to 1996 the anime OVA consists of six episodes and is notable for its beautiful animation (at least the in first two episodes), its music, its voice acting talent, and for being unfinished due to funding issues.

A new manga adaptation of the novels was created by Creator/HiromuArakawa of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' and ''Manga/SilverSpoon'' fame in 2013. Said adaptation has received a TV anime, airing in [[Spring2015Anime Spring 2015]], and a video game adaptation, Koei Tecmo Games' ''Arslan: The Warriors of Legend'', which uses their signature ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' play style.

* BunnyEarsLawyer: Narsus is a formidable strategist and statesman (think [[Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes Oberstein]]) who nevertheless regards himself an artist first and foremost. In the second part of the story he says he's a "Royal Court Artist who happens to be First Minister as well." Daryun's utter and vocal distaste for Narsus's artwork is a running gag throughout the story, but while the first anime adaptation would have the viewers believe that Daryun is too boneheaded to appreciate true art, the novel series and the Arakawa adaptation imply that Narsus's art does actually suck.

* InformedWrongness: The Lusitanians conquered the nation of Maryam in the name of their god despite the fact that the Maryams also worshipped Yaldabaoth. Some Lusitanians make excuses that the Maryam's church was a heretical variant of the true worship, but given that nobody ever specifies what the differences between the two churches actually ''were'' and why they are so heinous, it's likely that this was just an excuse Bodin and Guiscard made up to justify pillaging for the sake of wealth and power.

* FireForgedFriends: Jimsa and Zaravant met as enemies during the Turan siege at Peshwar, with Jimsa poisoning Zaravant in their encounter. But after [[spoiler: Arslan is exiled by Andragoras and Andragoras wants to kill Jimsa as a blood sacrifice to boost morale]], Zaravant decides to help Jimsa escape, both having loyalty towards Arslan.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Arslan is normally gentle, soft-spoken, patient and doesn't like violence. However, when Rajendra cynically puts Daryun's life in danger, he snaps, draws his sword and tells Rajendra that if Daryun doesn't survive the fight, he, Arslan, will personally have Rajendra's head. This comes as a surprise not only to Rajendra but also to Arslan's own followers.
** In the novel he says "I swear by the gods of Pars that if that monster kills Daryun its head will decorate the city gate - along with yours!" The novel also informs us that this was the first time Arslan ever threatened anyone.

%%* Barbarous Barbary Buccaneers: The story is set in Pars, a FantasyCounterpartCulture of Ancient Persia, and during the story Prince Aslan and his comrades will occasionally encounter scimitar-wielding, turban-wearing Arabic pirates.