Tatsumiyajima Island, in a remote cluster of Japanese islands, appears to be a quiet and uneventful place. The island's youth attend school under the assumption that they will lead peaceful, untroubled lives. However, this tranquility is a facade, and the island's true significance is tied to its role as humanity's last defense against an unknown enemy. The Fafner, a massive robot, serves as the island's guardian and a symbol of humanity's desperate struggle for survival.