FIF#53-The Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These

Millenia after humanity has pushed deep into the stars, a conflict unlike any in recorded history rages on between two powerful factions.  The Free Planets Alliance and the Galactic Empire clash continuously.  Neither side is losing but neither side is winning in a war that has lasted for 150 years.  However, a new development has emerged that could determine the wars final outcome.   Their names are Reinhard von Lohengramm, and Yang Wen-li, brilliant tacticians for the Empire and the Alliance respectively.  In a war that seems never ending, the fateful clashes between these two warriors will change the course of history forever.  Both are determined to win and neither will accept defeat.  The legend begins anew.

 

The Legend of the Galactic Heroes is an Anime title that has kind of been lost to time.  Heck I never even heard of it until maybe a couple of years ago.  And really, its impressive that, given its production background, this series isn’t as revered in main Anime circles like Gundam, Macross or even Space Battleship Yamato.  The original series ran as an epicly long OVA that began in 1988…and didn’t finish until 1997, almost a decade and 110 episodes later.  Yikes that is a long time to tell a story (which is saying little considering One Piece and Naruto refuse to end, YES BORUTO IS JUST A NARUTO CONTINUATION JUST ACCEPT IT).  Still, LGH is a well regarded piece of scifi Anime for purists who know it and have likely watched it all.  It’s a wonder an HD remake hasn’t happened sooner.  Yet her it is: The Legend of the Galactic Heroes Die Neue These Kaikō (or The Legend of the Galactic Heroes: The New Thesis-Star Crossed).

 

The new series may look as pretty and crisp as any new Anime to come out of Japan today, but it still has the feel of an old school space opera, not unlike Macross or any work from Leiji Matsumoto.  While I thought the soundtrack was nice, I wondered why there weren’t more classical pieces chosen to play cause both premiere episodes felt really operatic in scope and design.  LGH is best known for a couple of things, both of which are highlighted in spades in this retelling.  The first is the aforementioned sense of scale.  The original series showed literally thousands of space battleships on screen blasting each other back and forth (it’s even parodied in an episode of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya…and its one of my favorite episodes too).  Well, leave it Production I.G. to claim the ultimate win when it comes to presentation.  It feels like an absolute shame im watching this show on a TV at home and not on a freaking IMAX screen somewhere.  It doesn’t diminish how awesome it is to watch everything unfold but I do think youre not getting the true experience unless you’re watching Legend of the Galactic Heroes on the biggest screen you can possibly find.

 

And then there’s the intellectual duel between series rivals Yang and Reinhard.  Not since Light Yagami vs. L has a battle of the brains seemed so freaking epic (a word that rightfully describes Legend of the Galactic Heroes as a whole).  Both men have confidence in their plans and their own skills as tacticioners.  Reinhard seems the more arrogant of the two (not just because he’s a flashy dresser looking to catch the eye of his first mate…yes it gives off that kind of vibe).  Still there are way more stuck up members of the Galactic Empire than he is so it is cool to see his plans work if only to put his elderly seniors in their place.  Yang has more of an uphill battle to fight, not just against Reinhard but against his own superiors who refuse to see the flaws in their own plans and Yangs ideas to turn defeat into victory.  Still when Yang finally gets his shot at battle, it’s a big moment and I wont lie, I did smirk when Reinhard realized he’d been duped.  This is gonna be a fun rivalry to watch.

 

Oh and don’t think I didn’t notice that these two groups of combatants are known as the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance…it’s too on the nose not to see the obvious Star Wars reference and not chuckle.

 

I really am curious how they’ll try to condense such a huge story into this reimagining/update but Legend of the Galactic Heroes: The New Thesis has my attention in a way I didn’t expect.  I wonder if old school fans scoff at the idea of an update.  I mean, why not just try to track down the original and watch that?  Yet I didn’t feel for a second that The New Thesis was trying to one up the original OVA in anyway.  Production I.G. may bring a spectacularly animated powerhouse to play but the story feels respectful of its old school source material and hopes to keep it intact, even if it is a bit wordy at times.  But if a guy like me who loves more fast paced scifi can look at this and go “wow…this is incredible,” I think Legend of the Galactic Heroes fans have nothing to worry about.  Normally id wait to binge a season and I still might with this one but I might have to try watching this week to week…like I said, it has my attention and I want to see more.