English Dub Review: Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These, “The Yang Fleet Mobilizes”

 

 

 

Overview (Spoilers Below)

Public unrest mounts as incidents and tragedies continue to spread throughout the Alliance, eventually culminating in violence.

Our Take

As the episode opens, an assassination attempt and an explosion spell grim tidings for the Alliance. Morale begins to drop and Jessica Edwards pops up again, questioning the Alliance government’s competence. Nobody is happy with how things are. The stagnant atmosphere and frustrated populace indicate that Yang’s predictions of a coup may be coming true. 

And then, all too quickly perhaps, the coup occurs. A military regime assumes control, martial law is instated, and dissidents are silenced. This anime continues to construct parallels for real-life history, as these events depict the familiar scene of one corrupt military force trying to overpower another. 

While I was certainly expecting a fully armed insurgency, I wasn’t expecting them to spill as much blood as they did. They came in armed to the teeth not only with weapons but full determination to completely overthrow. Most of the deaths that occur in this show are the result of spaceship explosions and the like, instant and painless. Seeing people cruelly gunned down in literal cold blood by their ilk like this is a depressing sight to behold. 

Amidst all of the violence, the newly in-power Admiral Greenhill and the now-deposed Admiral Bewcock have a rather polite and frank discussion about all of this.  Despite being held at gunpoint by some irate young soldiers, Bewcock spares no words in berating Greenhill for his decision to resort to this. Greenhill is considerably courteous in return, probably out of respect for Bewcock. 

While watching Bewcock tear Greenhill a deserved new one is fun, this exchange doesn’t add much depth to the proceedings. Seeing Greenhill be part of the group plotting the coup was an effective plot twist, but we saw no behavior on his part that expressed discontent. This moment face to face with someone he could justify himself to was the perfect opportunity to explain himself adequately. Instead, a potentially interesting character is thrown into the pile with the rest of the new military regime. The only aspect of Greenhill that still draws interest is the fact that he has forsaken his daughter in this conflict. 

The coup provides another opportunity for this anime to do something it loves to do very much; thoroughly examine the character of Admiral Yang Wen-li. This time it’s Schonkopf’s turn and he points out the ironies and contradictions in Yang’s character. Yang advocates for peace but is a master of war and other similar observations we are familiar with at this point. Schonkopf also admires his dedication to the Alliance despite being stiffed by it so many times.      

Schonkopf even suggests letting the new military regime wipe out the old corrupt administration and then wiping out the military regime after they’re done. Yang humors him for a moment but then shuns such dishonest methods. Even more evidence and extolment for Yang’s genius and integrity, a resource already in great supply. 

But while we know that Yang is never one to rest on his laurels, we also discover a new tinge of selflessness within him. At this point, he appears he may have given up on a peaceful life for himself, consigning himself to a life of dealing with unending conflicts. This notion is supported by his fervent desire and efforts to give Julian the best life possible, one where he need not want to join the military to protect the ones he loves.

The plot continues to expand and thicken ever so diligently in this anime. Yang sets out to confront the rebelling ships, indicating a civil war may be imminent for the Alliance as well.