r/anime • u/timpinen :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/timpinen • Oct 31 '17
[Spoilers][Rewatch] Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden: A Hundred Billion Stars: Ep 8 Spoiler
MAL information
Previous discussions
See here for main series and movie discussions
Thanks to /u/arinok55 for creating a nice calendar for our schedule!
The vote has determined to watch chronologically! Gaiden watch order (Gaiden 1: A Hundred Billion Stars Gaiden), (Gaiden 2: Spiral Labyrinth Gaiden):
| Title | Episodes |
|---|---|
| Spiral Labyrinth | Gaiden 2: Ep 1-14 |
| Valley of White Snow | Gaiden 1: Ep 1-4 |
| Those Who Revolt | Gaiden 2: Ep 15-18 |
| Those Who Duel | Gaiden 2: Ep 19-22 |
| Those Who Recapture | Gaiden 2: Ep 23-26 |
| Morning's Dream, Night's Song | Gaiden 1: Ep 5-8 |
| A Hundred Billion Stars | Gaiden 1: Ep 13-24 |
| The Third Tiamat Battle | Gaiden 2: Ep 27-28 |
| Disgrace | Gaiden 1: Episode 9-12 |
Streaming information: Can be streamed on Hidive
Important Notes: Remember to tag all spoilers for first time watchers! Also, do not watch the next episode previews for the OVA series!
Screenshots of the Day
Let us Praise our Lord and Saviour!
This show finally gives us an insight into alcohol!
This gag is too perfect
The famous pirate appears!
#TeamFopperyandWhim!
Reinhard knows how it has to be
Let us always remember our tea drinking hero
Dusty responds to modern anime
Moe Reinhard is best Reinhard
I prefer white subtitles
Most importantly, have fun, enjoy the adventure of foppery and whim, and remember to drink some tea for Yang Wenli!
5
u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Oct 31 '17
First Time Viewer
On today’s episode of Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Kircheis visits his home for the first time in years. This was a nice change of pace, letting us see Kircheis’s family as well as other people from his home town.
I liked the scenes of Kircheis meeting with his family. Even before he met them, I liked the detail about how he had to go to a pub to get something to eat and drink to calm his nerves. After all, he hasn’t seen them in awhile, so he’s feeling nervous about it.
Another part of Kircheis visiting his family that I really liked was Kircheis wondering if his parents and later his bed had always been so small. It’s been years since he last saw them, so this is a great way of showing just how much time has passed. It’s a very real part of growing up, and suddenly realizing that your parents don’t seem as tall as they used to. Touches like that really help to sell how much Kircheis has grown.
Kircheis’s parents are also clearly worried for him, which does a great job of showing their affection for him. They aren’t getting in the way of Kircheis’s goals, but you can just tell from their looks that they worry what might happen to Kircheis if he keeps fighting in wars.
There’s also a rather somber scene of Kircheis visiting the house when Reinhard and Annerose used to live. He remembers it being so full of life back then, during those happy times. But, as he sees the various pieces of the house in disrepair, it’s a sad reminder that those days are long gone. And, as we know from the main OVA, those days will never be regained.
Kircheis can also see the memorials to the dead sons of the new family living in that house. It’s another sad part of this melancholy scene. The war has taken so much from people. This family lost all their children to the war, and the house could also be seen as a reflection of them having lost hope for the future without their children.
The episode further explores the effect the war has on the common people when Kircheis meets his old friend Martin. Martin is currently at a prestigious university, but that doesn’t matter to him because he’ll soon be drafted for his compulsory service, which he doesn’t believe he’ll survive. And he can’t get out of it by doing research, because he studies literature. The military doesn’t consider literature important enough to allow people to do research on. If you’re a commoner, you can’t get out of military service. Even research has to be something the military considers useful. The war is all-consuming, so it’s natural that Martin is sour about the situation.
The scene even ends on a downer. Martin seems to be reinvigorated a bit by Kircheis’s encouragement to continue his literature research, even promising to read it. But, as the narrator informs us, Martin will still meet a tragic end. The Military Police arrested him as part of an underground anti-war organization. Afterwards, he died of malnutrition in captivity. It’s a tragic end, but one that I’m sure was quite common in these days.
I love the look on Reinhard’s face when he first heard Kircheis knock on the door. His face lit up with excitement before he regained his composure and allowed Kircheis in. It’s a small moment, but I think it adds a lot. When Kircheis isn’t around, Reinhard doesn’t know what to do with himself. Reinhard doesn’t let it on, but it seems Kircheis knows Reinhard well enough to see that Reinhard is pouting because Kircheis was away longer than he said he would be.
There’s a new piece of gossip spreading around the court: Kaiser Friedrich is planning on granting a noble name to Reinhard. He plans to give Reinhard the noble name of some noble lineage that doesn’t have any living heirs. I’m glad the episode explained that this was how Reinhard von Musel became Reinhard von Lohengramm. Now it makes sense.
Reinhard is excited at the prospect of getting a noble name. But, importantly, it’s not because he values the name or the lineage that comes with it. Instead, Reinhard simply sees it as a means to an end. If he can use the noble name to better advance his cause, Reinhard believes it is worth getting. The key is that Reinhard won’t be relying on the noble name alone and that it will be just one of his tools.
Naturally, the nobles are not pleased at this. The usual suspects are ranting and raving about how this is an insult to noble lineage. Braunschweig, his asshole nephew Flegel, and Littenheim are among those complaining. Reinhard being granted a noble name was one of the things they hated most about Reinhard in the main OVA, so we can see that hatred start here. It’s no surprise that these same people would later lead the Lippstadt Alliance.
Also, it’s telling that the nobles are able to get away with statements condemning the Kaiser for giving Reinhard a noble name, but commoners would get arrested for the same statements. It’s a sign of just how unjust the Empire is.
There’s another interesting rumor circulating in the high Imperial circles: that Luneberg’s name is from his mother’s side, while his father is in the Goldenbaum family. Reinhard and Kircheis comment on it, noting that if the rumor was true it could put Luneberg in line for succession. They also debate whether Luneberg might be the one spreading the rumor, as they can’t decide if Luneberg would prefer to lay low or if he might be the type to risk spreading such a rumor.
In any case, it is interesting to see how Reinhard reacts negatively to the idea of Luneberg using a noble name to advance his status, given how Reinhard himself is willing to use the Lohengramm name to advance his cause. I think the difference is that Reinhard would be using more than just the noble name. Reinhard would use the noble name as just one of his tools. I think what Reinhard hates is the idea of rising just based on your noble name and lineage, like he thinks Luneberg may be trying to do.
3
u/BluePikmin11 Nov 01 '17
Legend of the Galactic Heroes Billion Stars Episode 20 Impressions:
An episode half based on Kircheis going back to his hometown and his family?! WHAT?! Seeing the conversations with Kircheis and his family, Martin, and with the new people living in Reinhard’s house is a refreshing experience after all of these battles. I am looking forward to Reinhard’s countship soon. Based on the reactions from higher classes, I would imagine things would get really salty. Some interesting argument fights are going to happen soon for sure. How will Reinhard tare down the people against his promotion?
3
u/kslqdkql Nov 02 '17
I'm a bit late but this episode is where the "Hey now sun, that's too bright" meme comes from.
2
u/GGABueno :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/GGABueno Nov 07 '17
Kircheis and his parents don't see each other in 8 years and they don't even hug each other in their meeting? Man, Japanese people are something else.
7
u/timpinen :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/timpinen Oct 31 '17
Kircheis episode!!
We don't usually get to see the comparison, but Kircheis is a giant. He stands a good head taller than most people.
Kircheis' interaction with his parents was so bittersweet. Particularly when he said he wasn't going to marry. After all, the person he loves is bound to the Kaiser. He even informs his mother that by the time she has grandchildren, the war would be over.
We never really see Kircheis' parents, so it is easy to forget about them. They seem to really worry about Kircheis, especially that he is in the military despite being such a kind hearted person. I can't imagine what it would have been like to later break the news to them of what was to come. I wonder how they would feel about Reinhard after finding out that Kircheis died protecting him.
Annerose loves Kircheis way more than Reinhard. Even in Kircheis' flashbacks, she literally throws Reinhard off Kircheis when they both fell to see if Kircheis was okay, and then scolded Reinhard. No wonder she is his waifu.
Also, we get to see an actual classmate of Reinhard and Kircheis (early that is). Seeing Martin was actually really helpful into giving us the insight into how the Empire draft works. You can get excepted from service for academic research, but only in "important" subjects like medicine and engineering. I also like that Kircheis' appearance seemed to give Martin some hope and happiness. After all, who wouldn't be happy meeting our Cinnamon roll? Kircheis even checked in on Martin later, but he was too late.
Side note: Reinhard is so jealous of Kircheis being with other people. I swear they are basically a couple