Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These - Episode 6 [Review]

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Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These - Episode 6 [Review]

Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These has been hewing closely to the original novels more than the old OVA series. However, its cinematic tics and expansive scope also mark it as an attempt to be the "blockbuster" version of those same events. This is especially evident in this episode, which successfully expands a few pages of descriptive lead-up into a fully dramatic story. More impressive than simply making the most of its minimal material is how well this episode works on its own.

The opportunity is still taken to include as many details as possible in the run-up to the titular attack on Iserlohn Fortress. LOGH has a reputation for episodes that are entirely comprised of characters preparing for an operation, and this one falls squarely in that category. It is nice to see Yang bantering with his new officers, giving us snippets of how he knows them. This series' proper introduction of Frederica is also strengthened by the included foreshadowing of her in Yang's flashback a couple of episodes ago. And if her little moe chuckle makes you worry that they may be attempting to make her too conventionally cute, that goes out the window when you see her arm-throw a member of Rosen Ritter a few scenes later.

The Rosen Ritter are an important component to in this storyline, although I'm torn on their portrayal in this adaptation. On the one hand, they're pointedly shown to be more ‘badass’ than the rank-and-file Alliance troops, which makes sense given their role and pedigree. But that pedigree also leads to them acting like jerks, getting snippy with Yang and outright harassing Frederica. The ‘good guys’ in any given portion of LOGH depend on which side of the conflict we're following at the moment, so the Rosen Ritter acting antagonistic to our main Alliance characters belies their Empire-defected nature. It's a storytelling tool that lends contrast to various sub-factions like this and ups the intrigue as Yang pitches an already uncertain plan. However, the way their unpleasantness is portrayed comes off a little too obvious; they feel less nuanced or misunderstood and more like simply unpleasant allies of convenience.

This extends somewhat to their commander, Schönkopf. He's presented as a slightly more polite balance to the Rosen Ritter's immature rabble, but he still carries that unpleasant air of antagonism. He comes across largely like he's supposed to have a snarky personality, and overall he does seem more animated than the novel or OVA's version of the character. But the portrayal does veer into smirky jerkwad territory too much at times. Overall, the dialed-up tension and antagonism between Yang's crew and the Rosen Ritter works for this broader anime version, wringing more drama out of the slow reveal of the plan to capture Iserlohn.

The latter chunk of this episode mostly consists of Yang explaining things. Thanks to the character's delivery and dialogue, this mostly works. Yang's response to Schönkopf raising questions about his own loyalty is still a classic moment of characterization, and their discussion about retiring for ‘a few decades of peace’ is excellent content, which speaks both to Yang's character and the historical realism this series strives to convey. Still, listening solely to Yang does get somewhat monotonous, and given that this episode is largely covering content that was only summarized originally, it might have been beneficial to bring Frederica or even Admiral Sithole in to break up the conversation a bit.

It's still an effective and entertaining expansion of the scene, aided by the episode wisely not ending just as the characters wrap their plans. Instead, we spend the final minutes of the episode with the Imperials at Iserlohn (its liquid-metal composition rendered quite nicely in this shiny new production). It's important to bring us up to speed with them, since the Empire has been out of focus for maybe too long, but it also provides a unique way to watch the Alliance's plan unfold. Admittedly, these interest points seem moot if you've already guessed their strategy or know the story from previous versions of this material, but at least we're reminded that the Alliance is still active in the story.

The competing Admirals at Iserlohn offer a good perspective to visit at this time. Between their squabbling as well as the tempering suspicion of Oberstein, we get to see all the angles they think about approaching the possible trap from and where they plan to go from here. Despite the space-battle strategies being a selling point of LOGH, there is criticism to be had in how much of these military successes might depend on the incompetence of their opponents. This way of presenting the story lays out how victories can also arise when confronting a nominally effective enemy. Seeing Oberstein raise the objection against the Admirals also fits with the story's overall theme of young upstarts challenging the assumed ideas of the old guard, and this scene makes for an effective cliffhanger to the story so far too. This isn't the most action-packed episode of LOGH, but it's still among the stronger entries by virtue of strong adaptation.

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Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These - Episode 4 [Review]

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Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These - Episode 4 [Review]

Given how the format of Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These has played out so far, it was relatively easy to predict we'd be getting a Yang flashback this week to complement the Reinhard one we got last episode. However, unlike that previous episode, which was able to draw on the structure of the older LOGH version for a remake with some presentation details altered, this one draws from multiple points of backstory. As such, even if the conclusions are the same as before, this full flashback actually feels like the freshest Die Neue These yet.

The biggest strength of this episode is how intimately it feels involved with its characters. Reinhard's flashback had some personal heart, but it still felt detached thanks to the recollection-style framing device. In Yang's case, we're dropped into his academy years with no preparation, so the story being told gets to stand on its own. If you've seen the bits and pieces from the old show that covers some of this same ground, the content here is only idiomatically similar. Yang meeting Jessica and introducing the audience to Jean still forms the backbone of his formative experiences, but the way the details are handled and paced arguably works better here. One unique touch is that we haven't properly seen Jean or Jessica before they first appear in this flashback. Of course, we still know that Jean's eventual death doesn't bode well for the relationship we watch develop between them, but seeing them for the first time in this context puts emphasis on the impact Jean had on Yang while he was alive, rather than seeming like a pathos-ridden flashback to be deployed later.

As with the previous Reinhard episode, this one also sprinkles in plenty of little details that the opening battle lacked. Things like the reason for Yang's ‘Empty-Handed’ nickname, as well as an effective explanation for why he's even at a military academy in the first place, help flesh out a character that we already like. Even tiny visual details, like Yang's unbuttoned collar during his simulation battle, contribute to the ‘feel’ of the character, and the contrast helps to illustrate other portions of his world. That simulation also gives us an opportunity to see Yang's developing strategic skill in action, rather than having to take the word of other characters for it in exposition. Similarly, spending more time with Yang and Jessica together from the start helps show the effect it had on her, laying the seeds for her political developments in the future.

That said, this episode's primary weakness is also borne out of that strength; there is perhaps a willingness to have Yang show off too much. After a strong first half, the second half plateaus more than necessary. Seeing Yang's so-called Miracle at El Facil should be a big moment. This has been mentioned a couple of times already, and it plays out faithfully to its historical import. They even blend in other details, like an early appearance of Frederica in a recreated scene that prior fans will immediately recognize. But even with a ground's-eye view of the planet's evacuation, it still comes off less eventfully than you might hope. That might be part of the point, since Yang is known for being almost impossibly cool-headed under pressure, and he makes snap decisions based on the types of intuitions that would only be obvious to others with the benefit of hindsight. But in an adaptation that's otherwise aiming to be more cinematic, simply showing Yang tell everyone to leave at an opportune moment doesn't make for exciting storytelling.

That feeling persists through the rest of the episode, which unfortunately highlights an issue with Yang that's more endemic to this version than the franchise as a whole. Basically, the show presents Yang as the underdog to Reinhard, coming out of nowhere and just barely foiling the vain noble's carefully-crafted plans with improvisational strategy. But with after seeing both of their backstories, Reinhard's upbringing was colored with decidedly more struggle, noble title or no. By contrast, Yang feels like he's simply coasted into his position by making a few good decisions at the right times.

Even if you think Yang's ascension isn't as interesting, the story is still setting him up as the ‘good guy’. There are some dark edges hinted at in the workings of the Alliance government (including the military adoption system which is several levels of messed-up), but it still stands as a simple democratic contrast to the class-ridden Empire we saw in the previous episode. The only caveat is that this episode ends abruptly, hinting at a second part that will move into the present day and show the full extent of the Alliance's governmental issues. This two-for-one pacing means that this episode might be judged better once its follow-up is out.

So the history lesson in the first half of this episode is a strong start, but I can't shake the feeling that the show is coasting more than necessary in its second half. It's largely dependent on how you feel about Yang's character after what we've been given so far. I still think he's likable, but those disparities have put him in an odd place right now. Still, with the knowledge of what's coming ahead, the trepidation over how this one played out could prove only tentative.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH8wHccDwlk

Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These - Episodes 1 ~ 3 [Review]

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Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These - Episodes 1 ~ 3 [Review]

The original Legend of the Galactic Heroes anime is a storied series, known as much for the amount of time you have to put into it as for how rewarding it is when you do. At a whopping 110 OVA episodes, the original adaptation of Yoshiki Tanaka's novels would seem comprehensive in its existence already. As such, the major question for Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These, is what it can bring to the table at all.

‘A new coat of paint’ is the obvious answer, but the impact of this show's shiny new production values shouldn't be understated. Production I.G are a natural fit for the style of the show to begin with, and they bring a sharp sensibility to its aesthetic. LOGH is dry by nature most of the time, so the modern sheen will be welcome for new viewers who might find the old look of the original intimidating. The massive spaceship armadas and their intricate battles are rendered in CGI now, which actually works in the design's favor, letting the battlefield be seen in all its full glory. The battles themselves are a treat in the portions we get to see of them, where smaller fighters zip between larger ships as the camera follows them dynamically in ways the original series could only dream of due to the limitations of its own short space-battle cuts.

However, LOGH fans know that the direct action of the space battles aren't the main draw of the series. Rather, it's the strategic work of the high command in their flagships that draws the most focus. LOGH is a very big-picture series, where the outcome of battles is calculated by their raw number of participants, and ace pilots in more typical space-action anime wouldn't make a bit of difference at this scale. It's in this regard that the first issues of LOGH:DNT's presentation crop up, mostly in the first episode.

The first two episodes of this new series cover the same ground as the first two of the original series, at The Battle of Astate. However, the events are re-ordered so that the new first episode focuses entirely on Reinhard and his command of the Imperials. The idea is seemingly to demonstrate Reinhard's overwhelming tactical strength, which lays the groundwork for Yang's appearance in the second episode to have more dramatic impact. In practice, this likely would have worked better with both episodes airing at once in a ‘one-hour premiere’ fashion, since the first episode on its own quickly becomes interminably dull. Even with the slicker production values and cuts to acrobatic spaceship battles, there's almost no excitement to be had in Reinhard blowing through Alliance fleets, taking advantage of their own incompetence and bloviating on his obvious strategies with his skeptical subordinates and devoted right-hand-man Sieg. Without any context for the other side, anyone new to the franchise would wonder why we have to focus on Reinhard at all, since he's only characterized by being doubted by crusty old guys, and that isn't really enough to be compelling.

The second episode throws that presentation into sharp contrast by introducing Reinhard's Alliance nemesis Yang Wen-Li and rolling back the clock on his own actions during this battle. It helps that Yang is much more engaging as a focal character, coming across more like an everyman with a knack for observation and strategy than a calculated prodigy like Reinhard. This new take on the material even slips in some pre-planning communication maneuvers by Yang that make him seem more strategically savvy than before. The time-jumping buildup between the two sides works so that when we get the big payoff of Yang's plan against Reinhard's charge, it lands in a dramatically solid way. The glossy production values finish the job, showing the absurd circular ship-battle formation in a manner that's equal parts breathtaking and hilarious in a way the original series could only hint at.

As the second episode's pacing rolls in to cover for what the first was setting up, there still are some noticeable cuts. This introduction dispenses with the full explanation of why the Imperials were invading the space around Astate, and it passes with barely a mention of the neutral Dominion of Fezzan (whose maneuvers are known to be quite important to the events of the story). On top of that, much of the lower-deck elements featuring crew members used for detailed world-building have been jettisoned as well, which is especially noticeable in the parts focusing on the Alliance. To some degree this would be expected given the condensed length of this new series compared to the original, and it does help to make the story feel more focused on the core characters. However, it also reinforces that detached procedural feeling, the biggest issue of the series so far.

After the first two episodes cover for each other, the third episode brings some background details to fore. This one skips to the flashback of Reinhard and Sieg meeting as children and becoming friends, and how the events in that early part of their lives set them on their current paths. At least for the Imperial side, this episode is peppered with that welcome world-building, from a chief of staff's cybernetic eyes and subsequent description of the Empire's history of eugenics, to the flashback giving a tour of how the layers of the Empire function. It's wrapped up in some solid personal drama for Sieg and Reinhard, as we get inside their heads and see their goals for the future.

There are some notable shake-ups in the presentation in episode three, and the new thesis of Neue These starts to become clear as a result. One divergence that most stood out to me occurs when young Reinhard fights off a pack of bullies. In the original we saw his action, a pragmatic kick to the offending kid's loins followed up by him grabbing a rock and bashing him in the head, before he was stopped by Sieg. In this new series, the focus is pointedly on Sieg, who runs into Reinhard having already chased his assailants off, dropping the rock on the ground with mere implications. The original version clearly showcases Reinhard's strategy-drive mind as well as his willingness to jump to brutality. The new version marks him with the mystique of confidence and victory to his enamored new friend. It's a significant directorial choice that's certainly different compared to the original.

That willingness to diverge in a distinctly more dramatic direction brings what we've seen of LOGH:DNT so far to new light. Its shiny new look indeed suits the tweaked tone this series is shooting for; it's less comprehensive and explanatory in its storytelling and more cinematic and intense. The adaptational changes, both obvious and subtle, gel more as the third episode concludes. Reinhard and Yang not knowing about each other until the Battle of Astate in the opening episodes makes for a more dramatic reveal in the moment. Similarly, Reinhard having his epiphany of disgust with the Empire's system of nobility while going through military academy allows that revelation to happen more effectively than seeing him suddenly become disillusioned after crashing a single garden party. Die Neue These is looking to be the big-budget Hollywood adaptation to the original show's History Channel documentary.

Granted, this shift in priorities isn't perfect. The biggest casualties of this approach thus far are any main characters who aren't Reinhard. The affable Yang has only properly appeared in one episode, and even Sieg's influence is dialed back noticeably. That's frustrating, since the script still plays up his status as a tempering influence on Reinhard's conscience, but because the show hasn't gotten the chance to actually show us those moments, it feels like exposition that hasn't been reinforced in action. It's the biggest weakness of moving around the flashback's events; in this version, Reinhard's sister Annerose has to describe him to Sieg as metaphorically falling off a cliff, while in the original we got to actually watch him fall off a cliff.

However, these shortcomings compared to the original are a natural result of its reshuffled priorities. Taken on its own, it's notable that Die Neue These's second and third episodes are far more engaging than its dry premiere. Its focus should make it approachable for newcomers, while prior fans may be able to appreciate its tonally distinct take on familiar material. If you've already watched through the original recently, you might just have the time on your hands to check this one out.

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