Decades ago, the royal family overseeing the governance of the galaxy was brought down by the insidious schemes of theocrats. As Glass Fleet commences, a new despot, the self-declared Holy Emperor Veti Sforza, has aligned himself with the Black Cross religion and come to power. Ruthless in the pursuit of his ambition to rule supremely, Veti evokes both the fear and hatred of the masses.

While an aristocrat named B.B. controls roughly a third of the galaxy’s military strength, her position of neutrality leaves the People’s Army alone in opposition to Veti’s scheming. Led by a mysterious individual going by the name of Michel Volban, this ragtag bunch of rebels poses little more than a nuisance to the Holy Empire. Unfortunately, Veti once dueled Michel, and their past interaction has combined with Veti’s deviant tendencies to fuel a carnal need to capture his nemesis; and yes, the implication is perverse in nature. Thus, the People’s Army is constantly besieged by the Holy Empire’s plots to squash their resistance and apprehend their leader.

During one such attempt at Michel’s detention, the Empire is nearly successful, but a chance meeting with the space pirate Cleo, a man commanding a formidable glass ship and claiming to be descended from the aforementioned royal family, results in a fortuitous rescue. Initially interested only in plundering what remains of Michel’s ship, the rebel leader convinces Cleo to take the survivors on as part of his crew.

Though Cleo’s stewardship of Michel alone is enough to set him in opposition to Veti, the two are soon put at odds after receiving the same prophecy about a two-headed eagle destined to restore the galaxy. Both men believe they are intended to fulfill this divination, and soon war engulfs everything as their struggle is played out.

The series contains a number of intricate back stories and twists that are clearly well designed; however, such creativity is tainted by its characters and general unbelievability. While Veti’s past is unquestionably tragic (its reveal is likely to make audience members squirm), it is not enough to induce sympathy for the man he has become. Similarly, Cleo’s back story gives an explanation for what motivates him, but it does not seem sufficient to inspire the determination he has to challenge Veti.

Combined with the implausible power of the glass ship Cleo commands, the difficulty to connect with the characters leads to an overall impression that is less than satisfactory. While fans of yaoi might enjoy Veti’s taste in companions, others are better off leaving this show in its far away galaxy.