Tearmoon Empire is a Japanese light novel series written by Nozomu Mochitsuki. The series began publication on the novel posting website Shōsetsuka ni Narō in August 2018; it was later acquired by TO Books, who are publishing the series in print with illustrations by Gilse. A manga adaptation, illustrated by Mizu Morino, began serialization on the Comic Corona manga website in August 2019. An anime television series adaptation by Silver Link aired from October to December 2023.
Contents
Plot
At the collapsed Tearmoon Empire, 20-year-old Princess Mia Luna Tearmoon, who was scorned as a selfish princess, was executed through guillotine. However, instead of dying, she awakens to find herself back in her 12-year-old body, initially believing the event to be a dream, before finding her diary covered in her blood from the execution and containing the entries she made prior to the event. Pleading to avoid the execution at all cost, she decides to rebuild the empire. As such, she would "put her own safety first". Her supposedly selfish action, mixed with her knowledge from her first life, somehow charms the people around her instead as she works hard to turn her enemies in her first life to be her allies.
Characters
Mia Luna Tearmoon (ミーア・ルーナ・ティアムーン, Mīa Rūna Tiamūn)
Voiced by: Sumire Uesaka
The protagonist of the series and the sole princess of Tearmoon Empire. After being executed at the age of twenty following a revolution, she time-leaps back to her 12-year-old days in order to fix her empire's problems while armed with her diary from the future. In the new timeline, her previous epitaph as "The Selfish Princess who Ruined Tearmoon" was erased, eventually becoming "The Great Sage of the Empire". On the surface, they couldn't be more different; but at their core, they were one and the same. Beneath the delusions surrounding her lay an arrogant, cowardly and slightly-selfish persona that hid a lovable idiot even further below. Because, by God, she was trying despite her flaws.
Anne Littstein (アンヌ・リトシュタイン, Annu Ritoshutain)
Voiced by: Tomori Kusunoki
One of Mia's most loyal subjects who tended to her during her time in prison. In the new timeline, Mia rewards Anne's loyalty by making her her personal maid-in-waiting.
Ludwig Hewitt (ルードヴィッヒ・ヒューイット, Rūdovuihhi Hyūitto)
Voiced by: Yuichiro Umehara
One of Mia's most loyal subjects, who sought to reform the financial crisis of the Tearmoon Kingdom, yet his expertise was unable to keep Mia from her execution. In the new timeline, Mia sought Ludwig's help early, utilizing the knowledge she learned from the original Ludwig to help guide him and her to a better empire and away from her execution.
Elise Littstein (エリス・リトシュタイン, Erisu Ritoshutain)
Voiced by: Hina Yōmiya
She is Anne's sick and frail little sister and an aspiring author. In the original timeline, she wrote a novel titled "The Impoverished Prince and the Golden Dragon." Though it was still unfinished at the time, Anne periodically read the story to an imprisoned Mia until Eris' death. In the new timeline, Mia hires Eris to be her personal author, wanting to see a decisive conclusion to the story that the original Eris was unable to write.
Media
Light novels
Written by Nozomu Mochitsuki, the series began publication on the Shōsetsuka ni Narō novel posting website on August 13, 2018. In June 2019, the series was acquired by TO Books, who published the series in print with illustrations by Gilse. As of November 2025, eighteen volumes and two short story collections have been released.
In November 2019, J-Novel Club announced that they licensed the novels for English publication under their J-Novel Heart imprint.
Manga
A manga adaptation, illustrated by Mizu Morino, began serialization on the Comic Corona manga website on August 12, 2019. As of September 2026, its individual chapters have been collected into twelve tankōbon volumes.
In May 2022, J-Novel Club announced that they also licensed the manga.
A spin-off manga illustrated by Naoharu, titled Tales of the Tearmoon Empire: Servants' Tea Party (ティアムーン帝国物語～従者たちのお茶会～, Tiamūn Teikoku Monogatari: Jūshatachi no Ochakai), began serialization on TO Books' Corona Ex website on January 29, 2023. As of November 2025, the individual chapters have been collected into two tankōbon volumes.
An anthology tankōbon volume was released on November 10, 2025, with illustrations by several artists.
Stage
A theatrical adaptation of the novel series ran in Tokyo from September 9 to 13, 2020. It was directed by Yuki Shinome and written by Suika Suika. Kanako Hiramatsu, Reo Hotta, and Miyuki Torii performed the lead roles. A second theatrical performance with the same staff and cast as the first was shown in Tokyo from July 14 to July 19, 2021.
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on September 6, 2022. It is produced by Silver Link and directed by Yūshi Ibe, with scripts written by Deko Akao, character designs handled by Mai Otsuka, and music composed by Kōji Fujimoto. The series aired from October 8 to December 24, 2023, on Tokyo MX, BS11 and MBS. The opening theme song is "Happy End Princess" (ハッピーエンドプリンセス) by Sumire Uesaka, while the ending theme song is "Queen of the Night" by KanoeRana. Crunchyroll streamed the series outside of Asia. Muse Communication licensed the series in Southeast Asia.
Reception
Rebecca Silverman from Anime News Network praised the first volume for its illustrations and tone, while criticizing the authorial interjections.
The manga was nominated for the 2021 Next Manga Award in the web manga category.
As of September 2023, the series has sold over 1.7 million copies between its digital and print releases.