Legend of the Galactic Heroes Die Neue These review
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Welcome to another edition of Animeman73 on Anime. This edition is going to be quite exciting. This one will focus on an anime series rather than a movie. The series title is Legend of the Galactic Heroes Die Neue These. The translation from German reads as the new thesis.
This is a series that debuted in 2018. I first got introduced to the series when I bought the DVD for it at Sakura-Con earlier this year. Once again physical media for the win.
From the first episode this military sci-fi epic intrigued me. The reason is it has a rich depth filled universe with fascinating characters. The intrigues and in-universe politicking help to further a compelling story. Now for this review the subjects will be episodes 1-12. This is also known as Season 1 of the series.
Now the premise of this series is this. For two centuries two vast civilizations have engaged in a bloody war. Those civilizations are the monarchic Galactic Empire and the Democratic Free Planets Alliance. This story focuses in on the rise to power of two people in those civilizations. The first protagonist is Reinhard von Lohengramm of the Empire.
In the dub he got voiced by Aaron Dismuke. The second protagonist is Yang Wen-Li dub voiced by Ian Sinclair.
For the purposes of expediency, the episodes will get summed up. But important points will get put in as best as possible. Now on with the review.
In the Eternal night is the title of episode 1. The 150-year war between the Empire and Free Planets Alliance continues. Here the story introduces a brilliant young nobleman Count Reinhard Von Lohengramm. At his side is his right-hand man Siegfried Kierchies. The part of Siegfried got voiced in the dub by Clifford Chapin.
This episode is from their point of view.
The Imperial fleet in the Astarte star zone has three Free Planets fleets bearing down on them. But Lohengramm has a plan to deal with the enemy fleets. For the young man knows his military history well. Though it's clear the old guard military don't all like him.
The young count's leadership proves to be the key to turning the battle in the Empire's favor. Lohengramm's fleet closes in on the lead flagship in a pincer formation. Even as they're attacked from behind. The episode ends with a radio transmission from Yang Wen-Li (Sinclair). At first the count's amused yet annoyed at this.
But as they close in for the kill the count realizes something's wrong. Episode 1 ends on a cliffhanger.
he title of the second episode is The Battle of Astarte. For this episode the point of view shifts over to Rear Admiral Yang Wen Li. It details the events leading up to the fight with the Imperial fleet. And how Li's stratagems get dismissed by the Alliance leadership. Uh-oh methinks there be incompetence at play in the Alliance.
It also becomes clear how far back the bad blood between the Alliance and Empire goes.
In the course of the battle Li loses contact with a friend of his who makes mention of a Jessica. The significance of this will come into play later. The battle goes as it did in episode 1. But then the young count realizes too late that Li has caught them in a brilliant attack of his own. While the Empire is victorious it's not without cost.
Before the Empire leaves Reinhard sends a message to Li. The message amounts to well played sir. The episode ends with Lohengramm returning to planet Odin in glory. And he gets a promotion from the Kaiser, the Empire's Ruler.
The Indomitable prodigy is the title of episode 3. The episode starts off with Reinhard's promotion and the party. It also introduces Paul von Oberstien, a young man with artificial eyes. The part of Oberstien got voiced in the dub by J. Michael Tatum. This young man has issues with the Empire.
He also mentions an inferior genes law passed by the first emperor. The significance of this will come into play later.
The rest of the episode focuses on how Siegfried and Reinhard met as children. And the major events that led them down their current path. Caitlin Glass took on the role of young Siegfried in the dub. Maxey Whitehead was the dub voice for young Reinhard von Musei. That's the name of Count Reinhard von Lohengramm growing up.
The story also introduces Amarose von Musei later Amarose von Grunwald. She's Reinhard's beloved older sister. In the dub version of the series Amber Lee Connors took on the role. The events of her departure play a big part in leading the two down their path. In the course of the episode Amarose asks Siegfried something.
She warns him to keep Reinhard's pride in check. She fears it may lead him down a dark path to destruction one day. Siegfried, ever loyal, promises to do so. The episode ends back in the present after that. Siegfried and Reinhard are more determined than ever to make an impact on the Empire for the better.
The next episode is The Unbeatable Magician. For this episode the point of view changes. This time the focus is on Yang Wen-Li. It tells the story of this character's youth and rise to prominence. The story also introduces several other characters.
Among them Jessica Edwards voiced by Dawn M. Bennett. Alex Caselnes voiced by voice acting legend Chuck Huber. And a brief stint by John. The guy who Yang lost contact with back in episode 2. John AKA John Robert Lapp got voiced by Christopher Wahkamp.
Yang's rise to prominence begins when he beats one of the best strategists in the academy. Yang's rise in the ranks kick into high gear after the El Facil incident. In Galactic year 479, the planet was about to be under siege from the Imperials. Worse the Fleet Admiral had deserted to go fight the Imperials. Yang left behind organizes the spaceport escape of the citizens.
During that time, he almost chokes on a sandwich. A 14-year-old girl gives him something to wash the sandwich down. The problem is Yang prefers tea instead of coffee. The girl is not too pleased by this comment. She will become of importance next episode.
After that Yang goes from Commander to Lieutenant-Commander in one day. And he climbs even higher leading up to his promotion to Rear Admiral. At the advice of Alex Caselnes Yang decides to adopt an orphan as part of the Free Planets adoption program. the episode ends with a young boy knocking on Yang's door.
The next episode is Birth of the 13th Fleet. After the events of Asatarte Yang is being hailed as a hero. But he doesn't consider himself one. At the remembrance ceremony it's clear he's not happy with the Alliance's incompetence.
The episode reintroduces Jessica. She's furious with how the Alliance council has handled the war. This episode shows there's some nasty corruption in the Alliance. The episode also introduces the character of Julian Mintz. In the dub version of the series Matt Shipman took on the character.
He's Yang's ward and helps keep the slacker Admiral in line and his house organized. Ironic that one of the most important men in the Alliance is a slob at home.
Yang learns he's getting a promotion to Admiral. And with it he gets a fleet of his own. The most ironic thing is it's called the 13th fleet, a very unlucky number. It's composed of survivors of the 4th and 6th fleets which got wiped out at Astarte. Yang is about to get a bigger surprise still.
His new adjutant is a fresh-faced young woman from the academy who has perfect memory. Her name is Frederica Greenhill. She has quite the history of her own. She is the daughter of Free Planets Admiral Dwight Greenhill. The young woman years ago was the 14-year-old who gave him some coffee for the sandwich he was choking on.
That's a mixture of karma and irony with a side order of awkward. Yang's had some interesting experiences and he's not even thirty yet!
But the recruitment effort for the 13th fleet is not done yet. They need a good Vice Admiral for the ground units. So, they go to the Alliance facility of a special military unit, the Rosen Ritters. This unit's members are defectors or children of exiles from the Empire. In an unpleasant twist the previous commanders defected back to the Empire.
The current leader is Walter von Schenkopp.
One of the Rosenritter troops tries to get frisky with Frederica. But she proves to be more than capable of holding her own. The episode ends with Walter's first appearance. The character of Walter von Schenkopp got voiced in the dub by Chris Sabat.
The next episode is the capture of Iserlohn part 1. In this episode Yang and company get to know the kind of man Walter is. They begin making plans on how to capture the fortress of Iserlohn. In an ironic twist it's located in the only pass between the Empire and the Alliance. So that makes it quite valuable.
But Walter has some intel that's important. The Imperial forces there have leaders who are quite competitive with each other. They always seek to outdo each other because of how much they hate each other. The Alliance decides to put this weakness to use. They lure the Imperial fleet away from the fortress.
Meanwhile Walter and some trusted Rosen Ritter members prepare to infiltrate the fortress. They go in disguised as Empire troops on a spy mission.
Episode 7 is the capture of Iserlohn part 2. And it picks right up where part 1 left off. And we get some quick insight into how Walter's family got forced out of the Empire. All due to some noble backstabbing. Gee the Empire has some serious issues of it's own.
What else can one expect of a monarchical society!
Schenkopf and company infiltrate the fortress against all odds. They take the fortress Admiral prisoner. They keep the Imperials from attacking by releasing a special particle into the air. This particle explodes on contact with heat or energy. Effective way to keep people from doing something stupid.
The fortress Admiral tries to bribe Schenkopf to come back. But Walter has no interest because in his words he has, "So many women to seduce."
Yeah, Walter is an Ezio Auditore level player. He loves the ladies a lot!
Yang and the others take control of the fortress. But then the Imperial fleet Admiral returns. Paul von Oberstien is among the Admiral's staff. And Paul sees this is not going to end well. The Fleet Admiral driven by pride seeks to retake the fortress by force of arms.
Paul abandons ship right before the Fleet Admiral's ship gets blasted to bits. Going against a fortress with a powerful cannon as a weapon, that's a bad idea! Yang's relieved that there are so few deaths but has a bad feeling about this victory. But he also realizes this is a chance for him to fulfill his dream. He wants to have the Empire and Alliance settle down into a peace that will last at least a few decades.
The Castrop Rebellion is episode 8 of the series. In this episode things shift back to the Empire. Reinhard has recruited many young talented admirals to his cause. He's also sent Siegfried to deal with a problem. A major province of the Empire has rebelled.
The former financial minister had stolen from the Empire over the years. This got discovered on the minister's death. His son Maxmillian von Gastrop is a brat who refuses to pay back what his father stole. Worse he treats his people like dirt. His character got voiced in the dub by Kyle Philips.
This episode shows how formidable Kiercheies is. The red-haired young Commodore traps Maxmillian without destroying any enemy ships. The count's own people end up killing him. Siegfried tells his fleet show mercy to the count's people and no looting. Now that's a man of honor.
The Empire learns of the capture of Iserlohn fortress. This of course sends shock waves through the Empire. When yang Wen-Li's involved nothing's impossible.
Paul Von Oberstien pays a visit to Reinhard and Siegfried. And Paul makes his thoughts clear. It seems the first Kaiser Emperor was a eugenicist. That's why all imperfect babies got killed at birth. So Paul has a big chip on his shoulder, but he'll stay loyal.
Meanwhile Reinhard's rapid rise is causing concern among the older leaders. Kaiser Emperor Frederich IV makes a surprise statement. He admits he's content with his dynasty ending in this generation. Foretelling events to come much? It’s a strong possibility! Well things keep getting interesting with each passing episode.
Next up is episode 9, Each Person’s Star. Jessica Edwards leaves her teaching job and pays a visit to Yang's home while he's out. The significance of this will come into play soon.
The war hawks on the Alliance council smell blood after Iserlohn. And they want to take the battle into enemy space. All to destroy the Empire and liberate their worlds. Ah war hawks, always eager to send others off while sitting behind their comfy desks. And holding grudges that long never ends well.
Yang puts in for retirement and gets denied. his superior makes it clear there's an offensive coming soon and they need him. This offensive is not going to end well! But there's more going on than meets the eye. Yang realizing he can't win decides to stay in the military.
But on his way-out Captain Schonkopf gives Yang a surprise when they meet. He wants to live to have grandchildren and great grandchildren. In other words, the player wants to have a family. Well imagine that he has a soft spot for family after all! A very complex character, and those are the best!
That night Julian and Yang run into Frederica and her father Dwight. They end up dining together and many topics get discussed. Yang learns civil unrest is brewing in the Alliance. Two factions are at each other's throats. They are the war hawks who want to continue fighting.
The other is the new pacifist movement that wants to end the war. No action goes without consequences.
Yang and his ward run into some technical issues when the navigation grid for their auto car goes down. The two take a walk and do some stargazing. Yang explains Julian shouldn't feel obligated to follow in his parents' footsteps. in fact, he believes the boy should follow his own path. That's some sound advice!
Meanwhile in the Phezzan Dominion, the third power, things are getting interesting. Leader Adrian Rubinski has been quite busy. He's been taking control of companies in both powers for years. And he's manipulating both sides for his own ends. Commenting on his actions is one Dominique Saint-Pierre.
This woman got voiced in the dub by Janelle Lutz. The part of Rubinski got voiced in the dub by Jason Douglas. Yeah, there's a strong possibility Rubinski is the big bad guy of this series.
ance government. Well this situation got a lot more interesting in a hurry.
Next up is episode 10 Interlude. Rubinski informs an Empire representative of the Alliance’s attack. Wait a second, how did he learn about the attack? Yeah, the Dominion are going to be a problem. Yet RubinskI wants the Empire to win, but not by any grand amount.
Meanwhile intrigues are brewing on Odin, the Empire's capital. The establishment are becoming more concerned with Reinhard’s rapid rise. Some fear he may gain enough influence to challenge the emperor. Yet they have no choice but to let Count Lohengramm deal with the forthcoming invasion.
So, the establishment are in a bad position one way or another. But with the Dominion involved there’s more going on than meets the eye.
Back in Alliance space the fleet Admirals are preparing for a massive assault on the Empire. The fleet itself comprises 60% of their ships. Yang is listening even as he remembers talking to Julian about the plan. The plan got pushed by one Commodore Andrew Falk. This character got voiced by Justin Briner.
Falk makes all kinds of grand gestures. But Yang can see that this plan has some serious flaws. Even Julian recognizes this strategy is a recipe for disaster. This is not going to end well!
The Alliance prepare to set off for their attack. Yet Reinhard and company have not been idle. If anything, the young Admiral has come up with a master strategy. He plans to stretch the Alliance Resources thin. Then strike at the enemy when the time is right. Siegfried has some reservations about the plan. Reinhard notes his childhood friend's doubts.
Both fleets ready themselves for a grand showdown.
Next is episode 11: the Verge of Death part 1. This is where things get messy for the Alliance. They enter Empire space and discover that the nobles fled. At first, they’re overjoyed at this situation. But then they discover that the nobles took all the food supplies with them.
Uh-oh now the full scope of Lohengramm’s strategy becomes clear. It’s ruthless and also brilliant! Take all supplies and leave the Alliance stretched thin. Kircheis’ fleet goes after the supply ships for the fleet while the main fleets have to feed the people. Chaos breaks out on a massive scale.
This leads to mass distrust between the Alliance and the people they’ve taken under their wing. Even Yang has to admit Reinhardt’s strategy is brilliant. This is a move even Yang would never pull.
Yang realizing what’s going on tries to convince the other Admirals they need to retreat. The head of the fleet isn't there as he’s taking a nap. And the true incompetence of Falk becomes clear. He has a medical condition where if he suffers from any kind of stress or frustration, he freaks out and faints. In other words, the military has in its ranks a card-carrying wimp!
A problem with competence indeed.
Finally comes episode 12 The Verge of Death part 2. Siegfried’s fleet wipes the floor with the supply fleet. The other fleets get pounded except for the 13th. They’re in a gaseous body that makes the targeting systems of Empire vessels useless. In other words, the Empire has to rely on fighting one on one.
Finally, it reaches the point where Yang and his forces can withdraw. When the Admiral in charge of the mission based at Iserlohn hears what’s going on he makes a decision. He orders all remaining forces to head for the Amritsar star zone to make a stand there. Admiral Dwight Greenhill's horrified at the sheer incompetence the military is showing. Nonetheless the order gets sent.
Reinhard and his forces realize what the Alliance are doing. They head for the Amritsar system for a final assault against their enemy. Things are looking bleak for the coming of season 2!
Now comes some personal thoughts on the series. Season 1 of Legend of the Galactic Heroes Die Neue These was an excellent series. For a start there's a lot of lore, depth, and so many rich and interesting characters. It's well thought out and well executed. The dub cast for this series played their roles to perfection!
And the opening theme for Season 1 of the series was a beautiful piece of music. The song's title is Binary Star. It got performed by Sawano Hiroyuki with the vocal talents of Uru.
So in closing Legend of the Galactic Heroes Die Neue These gets an A minus rating. The only problem I had is there were too many characters. So, it’s hard to remember them all. But other than that little issue this series is a spectacular military sci-fi epic. I recommend Legend of the Galactic Heroes Die Neue These on DVD, Blu-Ray 4k, or streaming.
Phew, that took longer than I thought. Well, I hope everyone enjoyed my review of Season 1 of Legend of the galactic Heroes Die Neue These. There was a lot to cover in this series. I had to cut a lot down to try and get it as bare bones as possible while keeping the plot intact.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments section. Did I do good or does my writing need improvement? If so where is this the case. Constructive criticism is welcome here as your input helps me become a better writer.
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