Shared publicly - Dec 31, 19 - edited
about a year or so ago I started watching the original Legend of the Galactic Heroes OVA and I finished the last of the prequel series (Gaiden) just tonight. 162 half hour or so long episodes in total, plus two movies.
I can honestly say I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a long story so, so much - the only thing close is how I feel about the Lord of the Rings. The For the latter, I grew up with Tolkien's works which have more or less always been around in my life and offers a certain amount of comfort/nostalgia because of that; it is also just a very good piece of fiction in general (both the LotR and Tolkien's other works).
With the former, however, I only ever encountered it in the past year as an adult - yet it inspires in me the same feelings.
probably the easiest way to pitch the show is that its Star Wars but written by Leo Tolstoy. Despite being about two commanders on either side of a Galaxy-spanning conflict were the battles involve millions, the show is very quiet and character based, which I honestly adore. It is also one of the few pieces of fiction that understands the absurdness of history (as the original author was heavily interested in Chinese and Persian history)- sometimes crap happens, especially if it's a freak chance.
Many say it's anime Game of Thrones in Space due to how many and how often characters die in the show (which is a lot) but thats a very unfair assessment, as, a, LotGH isn't at all mean spirited and cynical as GoT is, and b, it actually has a good ending (a great one, in fact). Plus so many other things that honestly its like apples and oranges - LotGH is its own beast and kinda defies easy explanations, but I will say LotGH is *objectively* better (but what do i know?). plus LotGH doesn't have the rampant sexualization that HBO shows tends to have (and frankly most anime at this point...), so that's also a plus
it only exists with subtitles, but I think that's for the best i really doubt a dub could ever work. Its a show that's extremely well done in nearly every way, with the only thing that might let it down being the animation for some people (I personally love the art in the show).
oh, and the entire score is classical music - particularly Dvorak and Mahler.
Bottom line: LotGH is good and i love it; if you have the patience for it go watch it
also, Yang Wenli is probably one of if not my favorite characters in fiction ever, and i will die on that hill
I can honestly say I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a long story so, so much - the only thing close is how I feel about the Lord of the Rings. The For the latter, I grew up with Tolkien's works which have more or less always been around in my life and offers a certain amount of comfort/nostalgia because of that; it is also just a very good piece of fiction in general (both the LotR and Tolkien's other works).
With the former, however, I only ever encountered it in the past year as an adult - yet it inspires in me the same feelings.
probably the easiest way to pitch the show is that its Star Wars but written by Leo Tolstoy. Despite being about two commanders on either side of a Galaxy-spanning conflict were the battles involve millions, the show is very quiet and character based, which I honestly adore. It is also one of the few pieces of fiction that understands the absurdness of history (as the original author was heavily interested in Chinese and Persian history)- sometimes crap happens, especially if it's a freak chance.
Many say it's anime Game of Thrones in Space due to how many and how often characters die in the show (which is a lot) but thats a very unfair assessment, as, a, LotGH isn't at all mean spirited and cynical as GoT is, and b, it actually has a good ending (a great one, in fact). Plus so many other things that honestly its like apples and oranges - LotGH is its own beast and kinda defies easy explanations, but I will say LotGH is *objectively* better (but what do i know?). plus LotGH doesn't have the rampant sexualization that HBO shows tends to have (and frankly most anime at this point...), so that's also a plus
it only exists with subtitles, but I think that's for the best i really doubt a dub could ever work. Its a show that's extremely well done in nearly every way, with the only thing that might let it down being the animation for some people (I personally love the art in the show).
oh, and the entire score is classical music - particularly Dvorak and Mahler.
Bottom line: LotGH is good and i love it; if you have the patience for it go watch it
also, Yang Wenli is probably one of if not my favorite characters in fiction ever, and i will die on that hill
