Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a classic anime series from the 80s, based on a series of novels written by Yoshiki Tanaka, who is also the author of The Heroic Legend of Arslan. Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a sci-fi space opera depicting an interstellar war between two states: the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes has blossomed into a large franchise over the years, with multiple series and movies under its belt. Those wanting to get into the series may find it difficult to figure out exactly where to start. Here is the best way to watch all of Legend of the Galactic Heroes.
1 Golden Wings
Despite releasing in 1992 in the between releases of the core OVA series, Golden Wings is considered to be the first story to occur in the timeline. The story features a young Reinhard von Musel, who wishes to rise up in the ranks of the military to save his sister Annerose, who was sold to the Kaiser as a concubine.
Golden Wings is a rather short one-hour movie about the youth of Reinhard von Musel, one of the main characters of Legend of the Galactic Heroes. While the story is not necessarily essential to enjoy the main series, it does provide a look into the backstory of one of the most important characters in the series.
2 My Conquest Is The Sea Of Stars
As the youngest admiral in the Galactic Empire, Reinhard von Musel was derided by his peers due to his low standing. Sent to intercept an Alliance fleet in a thinly-veiled attempt to get him killed, Reinhard sets off toward what will become his first encounter with his legendary rival.
Released in 1988, My Conquest Is the Sea of Stars is the first adaptation of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes novels. The one-hour film depicts the very first battle between protagonists Reinhard von Musel (later Lohengramm) and Yang Wen-li and is a very important prequel.
3 Overture To A New War
After a successful campaign against the Free Planets Alliance, Reinhard is promoted to High Admiral and given the title of Count von Lohengramm. However, he is soon sent out to battle once again on orders of a treacherous Duke, who has already leaked the plan to the Alliance. Reinhard has an ingenious plan to win the fight, but the brilliant Yang Wen-li has already seen through it...
Overture to a New War is the third film in the Legend of the Galactic Heroes series, featuring another climactic battle between Reinhard von Lohengramm and Yang Wen-li. Despite coming out in 1993 in the middle of the main series' release, Overture to a New War is yet another prequel to the main series.
4 Legend Of The Galactic Heroes
The main core of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes anime was released as an OVA between the years 1988 and 1997. The series is made up of 110 episodes released over four seasons and depicts the never-ending battle between the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance.
The series is a massive epic, chronicling the lives of main characters Reinhard von Lohengramm and Yang Wen-li as the war between their factions continues to intensify. The series' focus on philosophy and the nature of war is what propelled it to the top of many top anime lists.
5 Legend Of The Galactic Heroes Gaiden (1998)
Released alongside the main novel series were several short stories collected under the title Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden. After the release of the main OVA series, two more OVA series were released in 1998 and 1999 adapting these side stories. These stories take place all along the timeline, but it is simpler to simply watch these stories after viewing the main series.
The first Gaiden series adapts The Silver-White Valley, Dreams of the Morning, Songs of the Night, Dishonor, and A Hundred Billion Stars, a Hundred Billion Lights. These stories focus on Reinhard von Musel and his accomplishments with his close friend Siegfried Kircheis. The second Gaiden series adapts the stories Spiral Labyrinth, The Mutineer, The Duelist, The Retriever, and The Third Battle of Tiamat. While many of the stories focus on Reinhard and Kircheis, the main story (Spiral Labyrinth) runs for 14 episodes and focuses on Yang Wen-li.
6 Die Neue These
After almost two decades of lying dormant, Legend of the Galactic Heroes returned in 2018 with Die Neue These, a remake of the landmark series. The story reintroduces many of the main characters from the original series, such as main characters Reinhard von Lohengramm and Yang Wen-li.
The remake series begins with Die Neue These - Encounter and is a TV series that ran for 12 episodes. Subsequent series were released not as television series, but screened in theaters, with each entry cut into three parts, each part making up four episodes. Die Neue These - Stellar War premiered in 2019, Die Neue These - Clash premiered in early 2022, and the most recent series, Die Neue These - Intrigue, premiered in late 2022. While the remake series has not received the accolades that the original series has, it can still be a decent starting point for new fans who might not be comfortable with the older art style of the original.