The strongest aspect of Legend of the Galactic Heroes is the attachment developed with the enormous cast of characters. The show primarily follows the deeds of Reinhard von Lohengramm of the Galactic Empire and Yang Wenli of the Alliance, but over the course of 110 episodes, the show thoroughly develops dozens of characters serving alongside the main characters. Although many of these characters fit into archtypes common to the "epic" genre, the show nonetheless succeeds in establishing strong connections between the viewers and the characters. Almost every character in this show is ultimately expendable, but when deaths occur, there is a real sense of loss as the viewers, alongside the cast, bid farewell to a character who has been developed for 30, 50, or even 100 episodes.
The main theme of Legend of the Galactic Heroes revolves around the question of whether an enlightened autocracy is superior to a corrupt democracy. Though the show intentionally gives no answer to this complicated question, the matter is thoroughly explored and the advantages and disadvantages of each system are considered in a way which would make Alexis de Tocqueville proud. There are numerous secondary themes, but running silently through the whole show is the conceptual tension between the insignifcance of the individual in the vast scope of history agasinst the impact that an exceptional person may make in the present day. Though all human accomplishments are overturned in time, great men must strive to do their best for the current generation and their posterity.
The animation of the show is varied in its quality. While some of the space combat scenes are particularly well animated, viewers will notice many cost cutting measures used throughout the series. This is understandable, however, given the length of the series and the time period it was made in, just before the widespread use of digital animation. Furthermore, even the lower quality scenes do not distract from the enjoyment of the show.
The music of the show consists entirely of classical music. While using music in the public domain was likely also a cost cutting measure, it works well within the show. The music adds the required pomp and gusto to the show and reinforces it scope and breadth. The space battle scenes, in particular, are enhanced by the grand scores from composers such as Dvorak and Shostakovich.
While the show is a grand experience befitting an epic, it does suffer from some notable flaws. The source material for this show is a series of novels, and the writing of the show cannot escape the common fault of this type of source. More often than not, the show resorts to informing the viewer by telling instead of showing. The narrator is almost constantly talking, providing information about what is going on in other parts of the galaxy and giving occasional foreshadowing. While this may acceptable in a book, it grows wearisome in a show, particularly after more than 100 episodes. The main cause for this fault is that there is simply too much going on and too much information that is necessary for the plot to avoid this method.
A second fault, is that the show is obsessively detail-oriented. Entire episodes are devoted purely to administrative manners such as fleet and personnel reorganizations. Those who desire to wholly invest their attention in the world of this show may find this to be a strength, but for the casual viewer, these portions of the show are intensely tedious and uninteresting.
Finally, Legend of the Galactic Heroes is, objectively, a fairly sexist show. Almost all of the main characters are men, and the significant female characters (except one) only really contribute to the action of the show through advising the men occasionally. Furthermore, after the women marry, their role is essentially limited to child-bearing and housewifery. To be fair, this is probably a result of this show being informed by the lack of Japanese gender equality present in the 80's, but it can be distracting even to a modern male viewer, and may present a barrier to enjoyment for female viewers.
Despite these flaws, Legend of the Galactic Heroes is one of only a handful of truly epic anime. It is a tremendous and fascinating experience for a connoisseur of hard science-fiction. For casual anime viewers, it is a worthwhile part of anime history, although some fast-forwarding and historical context may be necessary.
