Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Prelude to a New Battle - Director Ishiguro's review and impressions

"Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Prelude to a New Battle" - An epic tale of space war

Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Overture to a New Battle is an animated feature film released on December 18, 1993, and is based on the novel of the same name by Yoshiki Tanaka. The film depicts an epic space war between the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance, and was directed by Keizo Shimizu and distributed by Toho. The 90-minute film is a key part of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes series.

story

"Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Overture to a New Battle" depicts a new chapter in the war between the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance. The story revolves around two brilliant military men, Reinhard von Lohengramm and Yang Wen-li. Reinhard is a young general of the Galactic Empire who rebels against the Emperor who holds absolute power, while Yang is a strategist for the Free Planets Alliance who confronts the Imperial invasion. The film depicts the moment when their battle reaches a new stage.

In the beginning of the story, Reinhard is caught up in the power struggle within the Empire, but he is also drawing up a strategy to realize his ambitions. Meanwhile, Yang is divided within the Alliance, but he makes the most of his limited resources to resist the Empire's attacks. The battle between the two will eventually lead to a decisive battle.

character

Reinhard von Lohengramm (voice: Ryo Horikawa) is a young general of the Galactic Empire, a man of great beauty and talent. He rebels against the power of the Emperor and continues to fight to realize his ideals. Reinhard's character is portrayed as a complex person who is both calm and passionate, and his strategies and actions are at the heart of the story.

Yang Wen-li (voiced by Kei Toyama) is a strategist for the Free Planets Alliance and a character that contrasts with Reinhard. Yang is an idealist who believes in freedom and peace, and is known for his cool judgment and creative strategies on the battlefield. His character plays an important role in depicting the misery of war and human dignity.

Background

"Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Prelude to a New Battle" is based on the original novel by Yoshiki Tanaka. The original novel was published in the 1980s and 1990s and gained a large fanbase. Kitty Film produced the animation and Keizo Shimizu was the director. Director Shimizu has succeeded in heightening the tension and drama of the film while faithfully recreating the epic worldview of the original novel.

The production staff included many talented individuals, including producers Tatsumi Yamashita and Munetaka Inami, planner Hideo Ogata, writer and scriptwriter Shimao Kawanaka, director Kenichi Maejima, and character designer and animation director Yuji Ikeda. Their cooperation allowed us to bring out the best in the original work.

Visuals and Music

The visuals of "Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Overture to a New Battle" skillfully combine CGI and hand-drawn animation to express the grandeur of space warfare. In particular, the space battle scenes have realistic depictions of fleet movements and explosions, creating a visual impact. In addition, the skills of Yuji Ikeda, who was in charge of character design and animation direction, allow the characters' expressions and movements to be drawn in great detail.

The music is a grand orchestral piece that is characteristic of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes series. The music in the battle scenes in particular plays an important role in heightening the tension and livening up the story's development. The music director's selection and composition succeed in enhancing the atmosphere of the entire work.

Evaluation and impact

"Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Overture to a New Battle" has been highly praised since its release. Fans of the original work especially praised the film for faithfully recreating the world of the original while depicting the story from a new perspective. General audiences also praised the film for its exquisite blend of the grandeur of the space war and the human drama of the characters.

This work further increased the popularity of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes series and had a major influence on subsequent animation works. In particular, it is often used as a reference for visual expression and storytelling in works depicting space wars, and is highly regarded within the industry.

Recommendations and related works

If you enjoyed "Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Overture to a New Battle," we also recommend the following titles:

• Legend of the Galactic Heroes TV Series - This TV series aired from 1988 to 1997 and expanded on the storyline of the original. It goes into more depth about the battle between Reinhard and Yang, making it a must-see for fans.
• "Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These" - A remake that began airing in 2018, it features visual expression using the latest technology and acting by a new cast. It is recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for those who want to enjoy the story from a new perspective.
• "Mobile Suit Gundam" series - The Gundam series is also recommended as a work depicting space war. In particular, the original "Mobile Suit Gundam" has a common theme with "Legend of the Galactic Heroes" in that it depicts the misery of war and human dignity.

Conclusion

"Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Prelude to a New Battle" is a spectacular space war story based on Yoshiki Tanaka's original work, and is centered around the battle between Reinhard and Yang. Thanks to director Keizo Shimizu's skillful direction and the cooperation of the staff, this work has succeeded in bringing out the best in the original work. The fusion of images and music, the human drama of the characters, and the theme of depicting the misery of war and human dignity deeply move the audience. This work is highly recommended not only for fans of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes series, but also for those interested in works depicting space wars.