Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These - part 2

Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These - Stellar War (銀河英雄伝説 DIE THESE 星乱) is the second 12 episode season of the remake based on the novel series Legend of the Galactic Heroes by Tanaka Yoshiki.  The series was originally released as three movies over the Fall of 2019.

See the overview of Part 1 first.

    With the loss of their strategic forward base, Iserlohn, the Empire finds its self in a vulnerable position.  It is now possible for the Alliance fleet to directly attack Imperial planets.  The success of the operation by Yang and his fleet has emboldened members of the ruling council who are hawkish to stoke popular sentiment and push the attack.  A massive invasion force is sent into Imperial space, liberating planets with ease.  The Empire was aware of the attack, thanks for news passed to them from Fezzan spies.  A plan was enacted that would leave the Alliance forces vulnerable and over stretched.  Once the time was ripe, Reinhard ordered his men to attack at different points, overwhelming the Alliance fleets.  Military command has forgone thoughtful strategy, in favor of a smash and grab plan of action and are unwilling to listen to conflicting opinions from the field commanders.  Yang is able to get his fleet to safety, leaving their zone of protection to assist a different fleet, allowing both to fall back and regroup just as the combined forces under Reinhard attempt to destroy them completely.

    Recognized the defeat after so many soldiers were foolishly lost, many members of the council resign and the Alliance falls back, maintaining control of Iserlohn as a defensive choke point.  Political turmoil befalls the Empire as well, with the sudden death of the Emperor and a succession war brewing.  Sensing the civil war brewing, Reinhard launches a plan to keep the Alliance occupied to prevent a new invasion while internal battles begin to take shape.  A military coup destabilizes the Free Planets Alliance as the council is disbanded and many leaders are imprisoned or executed.  A similar coup is attempted by some noble factions in the Empire, as they attempt to assassinate the deceased emperors successor, one of his grandsons, who is too young to properly rule.  Reinhard, through successive advancements, is given supreme command of the Empires forces and wages an all out war against the rebelling nobles.  Just as victory is secured is childhood friend and most trusted advisor, Siegfried, is killed during an assassination attempt.    Meanwhile, Yang moves his fleet to face the leaders of the coup, understanding their roots stem from a plot hatched by Reinhardt through a prisoner exchange that allowed agents to be planted amount the Free Planets.  Faced with the reality, the coup leaders quickly fold, fading away to the return of the elected leaders.  When Reinhard overcomes the grief of his loss he assumes the seat of prime minister and has control over the child emperor and begins to set his eyes on wiping out the Alliance once and for all.  Yang struggles with the uncertainty of the newly reformed government while Fezzan begins enact a plan directed by a group of religious zealots who aim to return humanity to Earth again.

    The second season of the remake continues the fantastic story telling while leaning heavily into political intrigue as both factions begin to be overcome with political turmoil and massive shifts in power.  The intentional hamstringing of their miracle worker begins to be a major plot device as the council that governs the Alliance actively manipulates what Yang is able to accomplish.  Reinhard on the other hand has deftly been able to set up all of his political rivals to collapse in the manner of his choosing.  The writing remains strong with a widening cast of players who all offer interesting focus points in the story.  While the pacing feels rushed at times it does not detract from the over all story that is being told.  There do seem to be some missed opportunities for more depth when sometimes significant events are relegated to being recounted by the narration.  Particularity around some of the events surrounding the death of the emperor.  A good number of players in the fight for the throne suddenly show up with little background information other than their titles and family names.  Its makes it a little difficult to understand the stakes they all have in the battle that revolves around who will take the throne.

    One the Alliance side of things though, the coup plot and insidious plans of Fezzan and the Church of Terra are well laid out and satisfactory in their execution.  You really feel anxiety over whats occurring as Yang tries his best to keep his head above water while two fronts open up before him while his hands remain tied behind his back.  The second season was as far as I originally for when the remake came out around the beginning of the pandemic.  Instead of picking up where I had left off, moving into part 3, I restarted the entire series in order to finish it and finally set up these overviews.  The series did not disappoint in the slightest during the re watch, and I am excited to finally move into part three and all new story!

The series is available in dub and sub format on Crunchyroll.

Click here for part 3.