The story follows humanity's struggle against mutated humanoid cockroaches on Mars, leading to deadly expeditions and battles to save Earth from a mysterious virus and the invading creatures.

As a third expedition is assembled questions are raised about the true origin of the Terraformars and their connection with an unknown disease afflicting mankind, the Alien Engine Virus, or A.E.

The third expedition ends with most of its crew members killed as well, be it by fighting the Terraformars, or among themselves in the multi-sided conflict between the various factions aboard the ship, each with its own opposing interests.

After multiplying at an alarming rate and adapting themselves far better to their new environment than they did on their homeworld, they start their plan to take over the planet.

[7] The manga entered an indefinite hiatus in December 2018;[8] it resumed in the magazine on April 4, 2024.

The anime is licensed in the United Kingdom by Kazé UK and in North America by Viz Media.

Another novel titled Terra Formars Lost Mission II by Yumeaki Hirayama, begun on January 19, 2016, in Miracle Jump.

[91] Terra Formars The Outer Mission I was published on November 21, 2014 and written by Kenichi Fujiwara.

A Nintendo 3DS game titled Terra Formars: Akari Hoshi no Gekitou was released on April 2, 2015, developed by FuRyu.

[98] It was placed second in the 2013 Zenkoku Shotenin ga Eranda Osusume Comic, a ranking of the top 15 manga recommended by Japanese bookstores.