In the far future, humanity has long since moved away from Earth and into the stars. Unfortunately, nothing good lasts forever. What started out as a peaceful federation eventually turned into a totalitarian empire where eugenics reigned supreme. In the centuries that followed, a population of the oppressed managed to escape the empire and build their own society–an alliance built on the example of the long lost Federation. Within a hundred years, they had grown into a force capable of standing toe to toe with the Empire and a war has raged on ever since. <\/span><\/p>\n So at first glance who we should root for seems obvious. One side is basically space Nazis. The other is a society of rebels standing up to the big evil. But as we see constantly throughout the series, who are the heroes and who are the villains is not nearly as clear cut as it seems. <\/span><\/p>\n The first episode, in fact, follows <\/span>Reinhard, a young, brilliant military strategist. In an empire where noble blood means far more than talent, Reinhard has both. Yet, the nobles that surround him believe it is the fact that his sister is the favorite concubine of th<\/span>e Kaiser <\/span>that has gained him his professional success. Yet as he effortlessly wipes out two thirds of a fleet that is three times the size of his own, it become clear to everyone present that he may be the greatest military mind in centuries.<\/span><\/p>\n As the series continues and we learn more about Reinhard, we see that he is not some cookie cutter evil space Nazi. In fact, he hates the Empire as much as the Alliance. He is not oblivious to the foolish nepotism in his society and the rampant corruption it causes. <\/span><\/p>\n After all, his best frien<\/span>d and one true ally, Siegfried, is constantly looked down upon due to his low birth–despite being nearly as great of a tactician as <\/span>Reinhard himself. But more than all that, what makes him sympathetic as a character is that, at its core, everything he is doing is to save his sister from her eternal role as the Kaiser’s sex slave.<\/span><\/p>\n While on what would typically be the \u201cbad guy\u201d side of the conflict, Reinhard is a reformer with noble goals and motivations anyone can empathize with.<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile, on the other side of the conflict we have Yang Wen-Li. A historian at heart, he has tactical insight that may be even greater than Reinhard\u2019s. But unlike Reinhard he has no great plans for the future–no trauma that drives him to change the galaxy. In fact, he\u2019d quit the navy and retire if he could. He wants nothing more than to live with his head down, buried in books. Unfortunately, thanks to his great talent, the Alliance is loath to let him go.<\/span><\/p>\n While they may preach freedom and democracy, the Alliance government is every bit as corrupt as the Empire–though it is money rather than noble blood that drives said corruption. As those in power profit endlessly off the war economy, they cling to that power. Even when Yang gives them the perfect chance to sue for a lasting peace, they vote to continue the war just to give themselves a bump in the polls for the upcoming elections. <\/span><\/p>\n Within the alliance the narrative that \u201cwe are the good guys\u201d is so prevalent that it might as well be a religion. Heck, it even spawns cults that use KKK-style terror tactics to assault anyone who doesn\u2019t wholly and enthusiastically support the war (even if they are a war hero like Yang). <\/span><\/p>\n But this hyper-nationalism bordering on manifest destiny is really just propaganda to keep public support for the war high. And what keeps morale high in a war more than anything else? Victories. Thus, only in death would they let Yang go–and even then they\u2019d likely use him as a martyr. <\/span><\/p>\n In <\/span>Legend of the Galactic Heroes<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>both sides are terrible. While there are good individuals–namely those who surround our pair of heroes–those in charge on both sides of the conflict are so hopelessly corrupt that nothing short of major revolution or complete victory in the war is likely to change anything.<\/span><\/p>\n Neither the Empire nor the Alliance are the \u201cgood guys\u201d but there are people on both sides that we can root for, poised to change the system for the better. Unfortunately, they are standing directly in each other\u2019s way. <\/span><\/p>\n In the end, the only real question is will they be able to change the corrupt system and bring about peace or will they instead become as corrupt as those they are pitted against? <\/span><\/p>\n Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These<\/span><\/i> can be viewed with English subtitles on <\/span>Crunchyroll<\/span><\/a> and dubbed into English on <\/span>Funimation<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Top Image Source: \u9280\u6cb3\u82f1\u96c4\u4f1d\u8aacDieNeueThese<\/a> on Twitter.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/DY3I7pVU8AMj8Oe.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: \u9280\u6cb3\u82f1\u96c4\u4f1d\u8aacDieNeueThese<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/DfZ2RSFU8AApXDO.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: \u9280\u6cb3\u82f1\u96c4\u4f1d\u8aacDieNeueThese<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/DdtzefBU8AA6Bjg.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: \u9280\u6cb3\u82f1\u96c4\u4f1d\u8aacDieNeueThese<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/Dbd1q5vVQAAk5TH.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: \u9280\u6cb3\u82f1\u96c4\u4f1d\u8aacDieNeueThese<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/DcBTyieU8AATotX.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: \u9280\u6cb3\u82f1\u96c4\u4f1d\u8aacDieNeueThese<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/pbs.twimg.com\/media\/DY3IwL8VMAAGhRG.jpg?w=700&ssl=1\")
Image source: \u9280\u6cb3\u82f1\u96c4\u4f1d\u8aacDieNeueThese<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n