A thorough analysis of the appeal of "Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Duelists" and director Ishiguro's direction

"Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden: Duelist" - A moving OVA depicting the younger days of heroes

■Overview of the work

"Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden: Duelist" is one of the OVA series based on the spin-off of Yoshiki Tanaka's popular novel "Legend of the Galactic Heroes". It was released by Tokuma Japan Communications on May 26, 2000, and was directed by Noboru Ishiguro and Keizo Shimizu and Asami Kasa. This work depicts episodes from the younger days of the main characters, such as Reinhard von Musel, Siegfried Kircheis, and Yang Wen-li, and is an important story that colors a page in the history of the galaxy.

■ Story

Reinhard, Kircheis, and Yang...
The unknown days of these heroes' youth are depicted!
Another page in the history of the galaxy...

■Explanation

"Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden: Duelist" is an OVA series that is an animated spin-off of Yoshiki Tanaka's popular novel of the same name. By revealing past episodes of Reinhard, Kircheis, and Yang that were not depicted in the main story, you can gain a deeper understanding of the backgrounds and growth of the characters. This work further expands the worldview of Legend of the Galactic Heroes, making it an essential work for fans.

■Cast

• Reinhard von Musel: Ryo Horikawa
• Siegfried Kircheis: Masashi Hironaka
• Yang Wenli: Hozumi Goda
• Walter von Schönkopf: Michio Hasama
• Bruce Ashby: Morio Kazama
• Christoph von Kefenchler: Masaaki Yajima
• Hermann von Lüneburg: Nachi Nozawa
• Narration: Yusaku Yara

■ Main staff

• Original author: Yoshiki Tanaka
• General Director: Noboru Ishiguro
• Director: Keizo Shimizu, Asami Kasa
• Series composition, script: Shimao Kawanaka
• Original character design: Okuda Mantsuri, Motoki Hisatoshi, Kume Kazunari
• Character design: Keizo Shimizu
• Conceptual design: Naoyuki Kato
• Mechanic design and art design: Tanaka Seibi
• Art design, art direction: Jin Nagao, Takeshi Waki
• Producers: Yukio Kikugawa, Takahiro Inagaki
• Produced by: K Factory
• Produced by Tokuma Shoten, K Factory, Light Staff

■ Main Characters

Galactic Empire

• Reinhard von Lohengramm: The protagonist of the "Legend of the Galactic Heroes" series, with his striking blonde hair and ice-blue eyes, and outstanding beauty. A genius in war, he steadily achieved military success as a victorious general, and became a field marshal at just 21 years old. His flagship, the "Brunhild",
• Siegfried Kircheis: He met Reinhard when he was a child, and shares Reinhard's anger towards the power and society that took Annerose away. He always acts with Reinhard as his aide, but his modest and gentle personality makes up for Reinhard's sharp side. Flagship "Barbarossa"
• Hildegard von Mariendorf: Nicknamed Hilda. Daughter of the prestigious Mariendorf Count family. Intelligent and with excellent political sense, she assists Reinhard as his secretary.
• Annerose, Countess of Grünewald: Reinhard's older sister. After being welcomed into the harem of Frederick IV at the age of 15, she was given the title of Countess of Grünewald. She is strong-willed and intelligent, but also modest and gentle in all things. Her presence has had a great influence on the lives of Reinhard and Kircheis.
• Wolfgang Mittermeyer: The Empire's greatest warrior, he is known as the "two great men of the Empire" along with his best friend Reuenthal. He was one of the earliest to side with Reinhard. He is known for his speed in tactics, and is also known as the "Gale Wolf." He is also known as a devoted husband. His flagship is the "Beowulf."
• Oskar von Reuenthal: The Empire's greatest warrior, he is known as the "two pillars of the Empire" along with his best friend Mittermeyer. He recognized Reinhard's genius and ambition early on, and became his subordinate. He has a sharp blue left eye and a dark, sunken black right eye called "heterochromia". Flagship "Tristan"
• Paul von Oberstein: As Reinhard's advisor, he is a skilled political strategist. His cold-heartedness often earned him the resentment of his colleagues. Due to a congenital abnormality, he uses prosthetic eyes in both eyes, but sometimes his eyes emit a strange light.

Free Planets Alliance

• Yang Wen-li: The greatest general of the Free Planets Alliance, he is known as "Miracle Yang" and "Magician Yang." He originally wanted to be a historian and always wanted to retire, but despite his wishes, he continues to achieve military success. In his private life, he is very lazy and a big tea drinker. Flagship "Hyperion" → "Ulysses"
• Julian Mintz: Yang's protégé and successor. He showed exceptional talent in the fields of tactics, aerial combat, and hand-to-hand combat. He has a straightforward personality and is calm despite his age. He is good at all kinds of housework, and is particularly skilled at making tea. Flagship "Ulysses"
• Frederica Greenhill: Yang's adjutant. With an incredible memory, she assists Yang as a capable subordinate. She has been devoted to Yang ever since they met by chance at the age of 14.
• Kartelose von Kreutzer: commonly known as Karin. A Spartanian pilot and Poplan's apprentice. Although she can be strong-willed and dishonest, she is a considerate girl. She is actually Schönkopf's illegitimate child, and has complicated feelings towards her father.
• Dusty Attenborough: A junior of Yang's at the military academy. Originally, he wanted to be a journalist, but he also showed his skills as a commander. He was skilled in guerilla-style tactics, and was especially known for leading a defeated army in resistance. Flagship "Triglav"
• Alex Cazalene: A master of deskwork, he is a talented economic and military bureaucrat. He has a sharp tongue and a good sense of humor, but he is intimidated by his wife.
• Walter von Schönkopf: Regimental commander of the "Rose Knights Regiment." He excels in hand-to-hand combat and plays an active role in the bloodless capture of Iserlohn Fortress, after which he becomes Yang's staff officer.
• Olivier Poplin: A Spartanian pilot and a leading ace of the Ace of Hearts. He is a cheerful and fearless man of sharp tongues. He is said to be the "two greatest" in terms of women, along with Schönkopf.

■Subtitle

• Kap.I
• Kap.Ⅱ
• Kap.Ⅲ
• Kap. IV

■ Related works

• Legend of the Galactic Heroes
• Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden
• Legend of the Galactic Heroes OVA series

■Detailed evaluation

"Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Duelist" is one of the most beloved works in the Legend of the Galactic Heroes series. The reason is that it delves deeply into the humanity and background of the main characters by depicting episodes from their younger days. In particular, the friendship between Reinhard and Kircheis and Yang's growth process leave a deep impression on viewers.

The appeal of this work lies in the portrayal of the characters. Each character's personality is vividly portrayed, such as Reinhard's ambition and talent, Kircheis' loyalty and kindness, and Yang's tactical talent and humanity. In addition, as the story progresses, their growth is depicted, allowing the viewer to deeply empathize with their lives.

Also, don't miss the high-quality visuals and music that take advantage of the OVA format. Under the direction of director Noboru Ishiguro, character design, mechanic design, art design, and more come together to realistically recreate the world of Legend of the Galactic Heroes. In particular, the power of the battle scenes and the beauty of outer space have been highly praised for their visual appeal.

Furthermore, the acting of the cast is also superb. The performances of the voice actors who play each character, such as Ryo Horikawa as Reinhard, Masashi Hironaka as Kircheis, and Hozumi Goda as Yang, enhance the story. In particular, the performances of the two voice actors in the scenes depicting the friendship between Reinhard and Kircheis will touch the hearts of viewers.

■Recommendation details

I highly recommend "Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden: Duelist" to fans of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes series, as well as those new to the series. It's a must-see for anyone interested in the backstories and character development, and for anyone who enjoys tactical and political maneuvering.

When watching this film, keep the following points in mind:

• Friendship between Reinhard and Kircheis: The friendship between the two is a central theme of the story and is sure to strike a chord with viewers.
• Yang's growth: Yang's tactical talent and personal growth will leave a deep impression on viewers.
• High-quality visuals and music: The high-quality visuals and music that are unique to OVA realistically recreate the world of Legend of the Galactic Heroes.
• Cast performances: The acting skills of the voice actors who play each character enhance the story.

"Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden: Duelist" is a work that brings out the charm of the Legend of the Galactic Heroes series to the fullest, and will give viewers a deep sense of satisfaction. Please enjoy the world of Legend of the Galactic Heroes through this work.