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Man of Wax
May 20, 2003

In every age, in every place, the deeds of men remain the same...



Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a long-running science-fiction / space opera / epic war anime series based on the novel series of the same name written by Yoshiki Tanaka. It was released direct to video from 1988 to 1997, spanning a movie and 110 episodes, making it one of the longest (if not the longest) OVAs of all time.

In the 35th Century, mankind has spread throughout the galaxy. And where man travels, war is sure to follow, and the space is no different. Two factions, the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance have been fighting a fruitless and tireless war for 150 years with little indication of one side actually gaining ground. The war effort has been reduced to a political staging ground, where the rhetoric of politicians and nobles send millions to their deaths to further their own goals on the home front. Neither side seems particularly interested in changing the status quo, and instead exploit it for their own greedy profit.

But the these turbulent times are soon to change with the rise of two men on either side: Reinhard von Lohengramm, a young upstart of a noble with revolutionary ideals for the Empire and a desire to rescue his older sister from a tragic fate, and Yang Wenli, a humble yet irregular man who yearned to become a Historian, but found himself forced into the FPA military to pay the way for it...only discover himself rapidly rising in the ranks due to his superior skill in strategy and tactics. Amidst a sea of corruption and backstabbing, these two men and their allies will clash against each other in a stagnant war that is soon to see some drastic changes...

It's perhaps the space opera to end all space operas. At the very least, I doubt any argument can be made that there has been any sort of endeavor in animation nearly on the level of this. Despite a long length of 110 episodes, there is virtually no filler, and the production values remain strong throughout. The soundtrack consists entirely of classical music (and many original, classically style tracks), giving the series an sophisticated feel that fits the visuals well. As the popular TVIV simulwatch showcased, the appeal of this series that is truly universal...the only requirement being a want of science-fiction to begin with.

So, where do I get started?

Since the series is unlicensed, and sadly will probably remain that way forever, you will be able to find everything here:
Torrents: Here. For more specific links that you don't need to log in to see: Series, Movie I, Movie II.

But the animation is old/bad and the source quality must suck!

Nope! Even for something made in the 80's, it looks pretty drat great. DVD-rip versions of the whole series exist now. Video and animation quality really shouldn't be a concern here.



Am I really supposed to remember a cast this big?!

Don't worry, there are often little subtitles that pop up when a character is being re-introduced. The cast is huge but you will have little trouble remembering who is important. The focus is spread out surprisingly well, and anyone that hasn't been shown in a while will be re-introduced. The actual number of faces you will get to know on some intimate level is probably less than two dozen, and there are still only about 6 or so Main Characters. But all of the characters are extremely memorable! The studio got this poo poo figured out, don't worry your pretty little head OK? You will remember who you need to remember, and probably end up remembering literally everyone anyways.

It's too god drat long! I don't have the time!

Yes, it's a large investment of time. But it's not like this poo poo takes a long time to get very interesting. Not a moment is wasted, the momentum at which the story picks up very quickly even in the first season is staggering. And it's kind of hard to have an actual, genuine, "epic" without a bit of a journey under its feet, wouldn't you say? It's long but, even if you pace yourself, that's a good thing with a series of this quality. It never overstays itself or drags things out.

:siren:Oh god there's so much where do I start / what do I watch first?:siren:

There are two movies, a main 110 episode series, and two side-story prequel series that add up to 52 episodes as well. It's understandable that there might be some confusion, so let's try to clear that up now.

This is the generally recommended viewing order:

Movie 1 - My Conquest is the Sea of Stars
Movie 2 - Overture to a New Battle (Replaces Episodes 1 and 2)

Main Series (Episode 3 to Episode 110)

(Optional Prequels)
Gaiden 1 - 4 Episodes
Gaiden 2 - 4 Episodes
Gaiden 3 - 4 Episodes
Gaiden 4 - 12 Episodes
Spiral Labyrinth - 14 Episodes
Mutineer - 4 Episodes
The Duelist - 4 Episodes
Retriever - 4 Episodes
3rd Battle of Tiamat - 2 Episodes

The ADTRWiki Entry has some reviews and additional links, including to the TVIV thread/ reference resources.

OLD OP posted:

I was searching for Legend of Galactic Heroes (Ginga Eiyu Densetsu) on the hub the other day and was sorely disappointed to find practically nothing in any way related to it. This is a sad state of affairs because Legend of Galactic Heroes is, perhaps, the most drop-dead amazing space-opera since 2001. It's an older series that many of you surely know about, but for those who don't, please consider downloading it as you wade through the seemingly endless stream of drivel (or not so drivel) that is currently coming out of Japan.

As I said, there are many ADTRW users who have seen more of LoGH than I, but I will do my best to describe the series without any spoilers. First of all, Legend of Galactic Heroes, a 110 episode OVA distributed over the course of nearly ten years from 1988-1997, is probably the most expansive show I've ever had the pleasure to see. The enormous cast galavants about the galaxy deciding the fates of millions at a time. The politics is beautifully done and painfully realistic. Some of the parallels between the players in the show and real world political figures are disturbing to say the least. The battles are enormous and the tactics are not only essential, but rational and intriguing (characteristics that are missing from so many animated war stories). The moral dilemmas presented in the story also serve to make it unique and more complex than your average space-opera (say, Star Wars).

Yet, despite the sheer vastness of every element of the show, each individual character is captivating in his or her own right. Even bit-players or characters that appear for only an episode are well developed. Though the story is massive, individuals shine brightly and lend credence to title of the show; this is, in fact, about individual heroes. One person doing great deeds. Much of this is possible due to the creative genius of the creator Tanaka Yoshiki, who also wrote a Shoujo manga version of LoGH, and the director Ishiguro Noburo who, you may recall, directed a little show called SDF: Macross. The character designs are also superb; each character is easily distinguishable and well complimented by his or her appearance.

The general gist of the story is that a corrupt democracy called the Free Planets Alliance and a similarly far-flung absolutist monarchy, the Galactic Empire, have been embroiled in decades of conflict. As the Alliance becomes more and more militaristic and irrational the court of the Galactic Empire is ever more prone to intrigue and deceit. In this context, brilliant tacticians Yang Wenli (Alliance) and Reinhard von Lohengramm (Empire) navigate their deteriorating governments and pit their skills against each other. The two have very different attitudes and goals, but they are destined to do battle nonetheless.

Although Lohengramm and Yang Wenli are the two protagonists a host of other characters spice up the story and very often take center stage. In fact, Yang and Reinhard are usually not the most important characters in a given episode.

LoGH, criminally, is not available on R1 DVD. Several companies have expressed interest in distributing the show in the US, but each has requested that buyers pre-order a limited edition set for roughly $1700-$2000 for 45 DVDs. The DVDs would also include the two short LoGH OVAs and two Movies. It's been a while since anyone has made any comments in regard to possible licensing deals and it does not seem that the companies are receiving enough commitments to make the release commercially viable. Perhaps this would change if they decided to sell the show for a reasonable price and on fewer discs. In my experience, mentioning LoGH to major licensers at cons usually elicits little more than a shrug and some doublespeak.

47 subtitled episodes are available for download. However, these 47 are very low-quality rips from old VHS tapes so I recommend checking out Central Anime's version. So far they have subbed 13 episodes and, after a long hiatus, appear to be on the ball again having released an episode every three or four days for several weeks now. I am unsure as to their raw source although I suppose it must be Laser Disc or R2 DVD. Bootlegs seem unlikely, but I suppose anything is possible. They don't have an irc channel or a website though so it is difficult to find much information about their releases.

You can download the series from:
broken link

Please use spoiler tags and or note how far along you are in the show if you want to discuss plot elements. I would hate to ruin this for anyone.

For the ADD crowd: Sorry if there are too many words here. Just click the above link and download LoGH. Also.

Somebody fucked around with this message at 02:26 on Dec 12, 2013

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Spazzle
Jul 5, 2003

LOGH is a great show. If it ever gets past 47 subbed, then I'd totally get into it again. Its like Berserk in space with no demons and less rape.

The Therminador
Mar 31, 2004



Karl Gustav Kempf approves !

Like many others I ran into this show while searching for more space-opera anime after seeing Crest of the Stars and sequels, and instantly adored it. This anime really deserves to be better known.


PS : Man of Wax, you forgot to mention that the soundtrack is almost exclusively composed of classical music - mainly the romantic period : Beethoven, Dvorak, Mahler, etc. which further enhances the epicness and the sheer badassness of the whole thing :D

Jarvisi
Apr 17, 2001

Green is still best.
LoGH is awesome. I would be sharing it but it's on my other harddrive :(.

Coldbird
Jul 17, 2001

be spiritless
I think I had up to 52 subbed, but I'm at work so can't check right now.

This is the series at the top of my favorite shows of all time. It gets stuffy sometimes, and a little preachy, and borrows more than a little from the Axis vs. Allies theme (except the Allies are almost as bad), but it manages not to be totally full of itself. It sets itself up as a future history, like what Asimov considered himself to be writing with the Foundation books, but this is a war chronicle of two nations, told from the point of view of leaders on both sides. Most have their own reasons for the war, and many are great men who respect and admire their opponent, but have to kill them anyhow because it's war.

The two main characters, Yang Wen-Li and Count Lohengramm, are completely different yet each would be considered a great man. Yang is/was a slacker, a history student who enlisted in the officers to avoid getting drafted, but turns out to have brilliant talent for war from his extensive knowledge of history and his own detached and wise insight. Lohengramm is a driven adopted noble who wants to conquer the universe to ensure that it doesn't stay the craphole it was when he was young. Their supporting cast is huge, and the primary ones are very well done, with their own motivations and interplay.

The only complaints people bring up are a) the show is long and boring, which it would be if you have no attention span or taste :v:, or b) the cast is almost entirely men, with the occasional band of brothers/camaraderie thing which gives a lot of people a gay vibe. Oh well.

Portable591
Oct 3, 2002

Kagari Mafia Ringleader and ray tracing EXPERT
LoGH is one of the greatest shows ever and Yang Wenli is the greatest character in anime.

Lord Crapulus
Feb 12, 2003

About as successful at Le Mans as Toyota
Posting in support of this thread. LoGH is one of the few shows that I'm keeping current with the downloads of right now. I will get on the hub for the express purpose of sharing this fine show.

Daryl Surat
Apr 6, 2002

I don't care what you say about this post, but if anyone steps on my bunion, I'll kill them!

quote:

Portable591 came out of the closet to say:
LoGH is one of the greatest shows ever and Paul von Oberstein is the greatest character in anime.

Man of Wax
May 20, 2003

quote:

Coldbird came out of the closet to say:
Lohengramm is a driven adopted noble who wants to conquer the universe to ensure that it doesn't stay the craphole it was when he was young.

This is surely part of it, but after seeing thirteen episodes I get the sense that it had more to do with his sister complex. He is trying to rise so that he has the power to remove her from the imperial court as well as give the nobles a sound thrashing. Perhaps that changes somewhere along the line.

Num Lock
Apr 2, 2003
LOGH is simply the best anime I have ever seen. Thank god someone has gotten around to subbing it. They are also the only show were I have ever seen the "Fighting Pacifist" bit done well and in fact Yang Wendi is totally loving awesome.

When he takes out those defense satellites by ramming them with ice balls at near light speed velocities, my face was exactly like the faces of the guys in the "Revolutionary council" or whatever they called themselves. Totally owned. My favorite moment in the series.

k-selectride
May 24, 2004
belgian waffle
oh man are you serious? they were posting the DVDs on a.b.dvd.anime and i didn't know what it was so i didn't grab it :(

PerOlus
Jan 26, 2003

We'r even, seņor!
Yes indeed, this show is really awesome.
Too bad it never gets, or will get the recognition it deserves.

By the way, isn't there also a whole bunch of OAVs? LoGH was based on a series of books if I recall correctly, and the TV-series doesn't cover the whole thing, which is where the OAVs fills in the blanks. (Like, the continuation of the story.)

Spazzle
Jul 5, 2003

quote:

PerOlus came out of the closet to say:
Yes indeed, this show is really awesome.
Too bad it never gets, or will get the recognition it deserves.

By the way, isn't there also a whole bunch of OAVs? LoGH was based on a series of books if I recall correctly, and the TV-series doesn't cover the whole thing, which is where the OAVs fills in the blanks. (Like, the continuation of the story.)
I thought they were all side stories.

PerOlus
Jan 26, 2003

We'r even, seņor!
Ohwell, I guess is was only a kind of hope.
Still, I wonder how they are.

Senor Science
Aug 21, 2004

MI DIOS!!! ESTA CIENCIA ES DIABOLICO!!!
LOTGH has to be one of the greatest anime series ever. Anybody know if there is a site that lists all the songs used in the series? It'd be a good excuse to build up a classical music collection.

Man of Wax
May 20, 2003

quote:

Hikaru_Ichijou came out of the closet to say:
LOTGH has to be one of the greatest anime series ever. Anybody know if there is a site that lists all the songs used in the series? It'd be a good excuse to build up a classical music collection.

You are in luck.

And now that you mention it, I just might might do the same.

hannibal
Jul 27, 2001

[img-planes]
Is anyone else getting tracker errors from scarywater? :(

edit: never mind, it was a problem on my end.

hannibal fucked around with this message at 23:01 on Oct 9, 2004

Robin Will-I-Am
Mar 7, 2003

That's no Haro...


Thanks for the heads up MoW, this looks like my kind of show. I'll have to check it out :)

Man of Wax
May 20, 2003

quote:

Newtype came out of the closet to say:
Thanks for the heads up MoW, this looks like my kind of show. I'll have to check it out :)

No problem man. I'm glad that there are so many people in ADTRW who have already seen and enjoyed it, but it's even better to get get new people on board.

Incidentally, C-A released episode 17 today so... hurrah for consistent fansubbing.

SmileyPonderosa
Dec 1, 2003

Barry White used to work. Shoot, even ABBA used to work, the way I was doin' my thang.
I've only seen one of the OVAs, but I enjoyed it immensely. Anything that sets an enormous space battle to "Bolero" wins.

Defiler
Sep 8, 2000
I have up to 78 or so, but the last couple dozen need some time in the script editing EZ-bake oven. I've already got the rips done, if someone would like to volunteer. I just haven't had time.
Hopefully CA will get to this point, and make the whole issue moot.
Additionally, it would be helpful to have an LoGH character expert. I ran into some characters with improperly subbed names that aren't even in the official site character encyclopedia (in English or Japanese.)

Precambrian Video Games
Aug 19, 2002



I am sharing up to ep 54 on the hub whenever I'm on. It's been a year since I saw that 54th ep. I would help in any subbing effort if I had any useful skills besides 3 years of high school German.

Robot Bastard
Jul 14, 2004

by Ozma

quote:

Defiler came out of the closet to say:
I have up to 78 or so, but the last couple dozen need some time in the script editing EZ-bake oven. I've already got the rips done, if someone would like to volunteer. I just haven't had time.
Why not see if CA could use your material? If not, let me know. I'll probably have some free time coming up.

We all used to mock LoGH. "All kids loathe LOGH!" we cried, and "What is this, episode 94702: 'nothing much happens part XVIII'?" Then, after I started playing Battlefleet Gothic, and read David Drake and David Weber, I realized that LoGH was actually pretty cool.

Also, Yang Wenli is the character that Captain Tylor should have been, but wasn't.

Defiler
Sep 8, 2000

quote:

Robot Bastard came out of the closet to say:
Why not see if CA could use your material? If not, let me know. I'll probably have some free time coming up.
Presumably CA has access to the real deal DVD release, right? I haven't been following their releases, since I'm disillusioned. Whenever I see a new sub of episode 001 of LoGH, I say "Oh look, another group that will drop it before episode 35."
Edit: Also, fansubbers HATE it when you offer to help them out.

Man of Wax
May 20, 2003

C-A is now up to episode 21.

More importantly, from ANN:
"ADV may consider publishing translations of Japanese novels related to anime properties, such as Kino's Journey, Legend of Galactic Heroes, and Banner of the Stars"

Frankly, I don't trust anyone at ADV to write English well enough to make it interesting, even if s/he can translate the Japanese. Even so, it would be cool if that happens and if it does well... who knows, maybe we'll get DVDs in the US. Wishful thinking, I know.

Capn Jobe
Jan 18, 2003

That's right. Here it is. But it's like you always have compared the sword, the making of the sword, with the making of the character. Cuz the stronger, the stronger it will get, right, the stronger the steel will get, with all that, and the same as with the character.
Soiled Meat
Yes....YES!

I'm a huge fan of space operas in any incarnation, and I've been reccomended this series again and again. I simply could never find it subtitled until now, thanks.

FronzelNeekburm
Jun 1, 2001

STOP, MORTTIME

quote:

Man of Wax came out of the closet to say:
More importantly, from ANN:
"ADV may consider publishing translations of Japanese novels related to anime properties, such as Kino's Journey, Legend of Galactic Heroes, and Banner of the Stars"
I look forward to the revised gigantic "Here's what Bandai ADV didn't understand well enough to translate correctly in Banner of the Stars" list.

Naky
May 30, 2001

Resident Crackhead
If they translate the Banner of the Stars books, I will buy each and every one of them. That series is like crack and I am saddened that there is no more of the anime made. They better make more too. That said, I'll check this show out. I've heard lots about it, though I'd hate to involved in a big series like this that's only less than 1/4th translated.

Mr VacBob
Aug 27, 2003
Was yea ra chs hymmnos mea
This thread doesn't deserve to die be archived.

Precambrian Video Games
Aug 19, 2002



Since you bumped it, I would like to take this moment to commemorate the 13 month and 12 day anniversary of my acquisition of episode 54. NEXT EP PLZ :(

Portable591
Oct 3, 2002

Kagari Mafia Ringleader and ray tracing EXPERT
Pretend 54 is the last episode and it had the worst ending ever. ;__;

St0rmD
Sep 25, 2002

We shoulda just dropped this guy over the Middle East"

https://www.gineigoods.com/qh1S478/

OneGreatTurtle
Jan 10, 2002

Cleverly disguised as the greatest librarian ever

quote:

St0rmD came out of the closet to say:
https://www.gineigoods.com/qh1S478/
Now I can look like Yang Wenli :cool:

Man of Wax
May 20, 2003

quote:

OneGreatTurtle came out of the closet to say:

Now I can look like Yang Wenli :cool:

But for $240? I'd rather by LoGH DVDs with that. Oh wait.

OneGreatTurtle
Jan 10, 2002

Cleverly disguised as the greatest librarian ever

quote:

Man of Wax came out of the closet to say:


But for $240? I'd rather by LoGH DVDs with that. Oh wait.
But Yang Wenli.

YANG loving WENLI.

Precambrian Video Games
Aug 19, 2002



Well jeez, for 240 USD I at least expect an accurate collar reproduction. And maybe a blowjob or two.

TNG
Jan 4, 2001

by Lowtax
And it doesn't come with the hat, so it's worthless.

FronzelNeekburm
Jun 1, 2001

STOP, MORTTIME

quote:

Naky came out of the closet to say:
If they translate the Banner of the Stars books, I will buy each and every one of them. That series is like crack and I am saddened that there is no more of the anime made. They better make more too. That said, I'll check this show out. I've heard lots about it, though I'd hate to involved in a big series like this that's only less than 1/4th translated.
Since we have no Crest/Banner/Battleflag of the Stars thread anymore, I will stealthily point out here that there is a fourth Banner of the Stars novel coming out on the 22nd.

Portable591
Oct 3, 2002

Kagari Mafia Ringleader and ray tracing EXPERT

quote:

FronzelNeekburm came out of the closet to say:
Since we have no Crest/Banner/Battleflag of the Stars thread anymore, I will stealthily point out here that there is a fourth Banner of the Stars novel coming out on the 22nd.

This is excellent news.

AWESOME SPACE ANIME THREAD.

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Defiler
Sep 8, 2000
You faggots had better order those jackets, so that we cross the 500 preorder mark, and I can get mine.

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