Introduction
Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu Gaiden is the first of two OVA adaptations of side stories from the Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu novel series. This first adaptation follows the achievements of Reinhard von Müsel and Siegfried Kircheis of the Galactic Empire before the fateful Battle of Astarte.
The Silver-White Valley
Reinhard and Kircheis graduate from their military academy and are immediately sent to the frozen frontier planet Kapche-Lanka. Unbeknownst to them, their new superior schemes to kill Reinhard on behalf of a rival of Reinhard's sister Annerose von Grünewald.
Dreams of the Morning, Songs of the Night
Reinhard and Kircheis are assigned to the Imperial Military Police, where they uncover the corrupt and oppressive practices of the Empire's law enforcement. They are soon ordered to investigate the murder of a student at their alma mater.
Dishonor
As Reinhard awaits the bestowal of his new title of Count von Lohengramm, he sends Kircheis to the artificial resort satellite Kreuznach III for a vacation. Restless from the lack of work, Kircheis assists the local police with a drug trafficking case related to an attack on a disgraced former Vice Admiral.
A Hundred Billion Stars, a Hundred Billion Lights
While Reinhard is still a commodore in charge of only a single squadron, he laments the incompetence of his superiors during a battle against the Free Planets Alliance. Amassing military successes under the direct command of Vice Admiral Richard von Grimmelshausen, Reinhard repeatedly clashes with Hermann von Lüneburg, a commodore and former regimental commander of the Alliance's infamous Rosen Ritter.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience reviews
5 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
AkiraMiyazaki17
Still extremely unnecessary, and until the latter half, doesn’t really add much to the lore and character depth of Legend of the Galactic Heroes, but it’s still great to spend more time with these characters and see even a little more of the series’ fabulous worldbuilding. The main appeal is definitely the focus on the Rosen Ritter regiment, of which it does a lot to explain the purpose and evolution. If there’s any weaknesses, it’s that the first three arcs are largely uninteresting and serve mainly to demonstrate Reinhard’s ascension through the ranks, but eventually this prequel finds its feet, and though I’m still adjusting to Yang’s new voice actor, it’s great to see him back!
Read at the sourceGalletita
The feeling of emptiness after finishing the Legend of the Galactic Heroes OVA is definitely rough. Luckily, the prequel side stories have been adapted to anime, being a nice complementary material to the original series with the same care for detail and engaging stories.
This OVA focuses on the beginnings of Reinhard's career in the military, showcasing events such as Reinhard's first frontline expedition and encounters with future allies and foes. Reinhard's loyal best friend and ally Kircheis is also the main protagonist of one of the stories, giving more background to his feelings towards Reinhard and Annerose and his personal thoughts.
The series is divided into four arcs: Silver White Valley, Dreams of the Morning, Songs of the Night, Dishonor and A Hundred Billion Lights, a Hundre…
Read at the sourceWitchFromMercury
This gaiden was good but not as good as the original series. Even so I think it may be good for someone to watch this prior to the original. It's supposed to be a prequel and might be more exciting to see how the show will develop knowing about the lives of some of the early characters.
The animation is beautiful and seems to be for the most part hand drawn. A lot of detail went into this. During the early episodes you see the OS of the laptops with gothic bolded German letters that the Empire conducts their business on. I thought this was a really nice touch and shows the animators care about the setting.
Yang Wenli is in this series but plays a small role. For the most part the Alliance here is represented by Walter von Schenkopp and the Rosen Ritter. Here you get to see how he became…
Read at the sourcethisiodfkln
These episodes do not cover the beginning; they are side-stories meant to flesh things out. The main series should probably be seen first. That said, this OVA is in no way ‘filler’. It documents important, often-referenced events in the continuity, and shows a relationship between two friends that really is compelling.
A low-level nobleman’s son can claim he’s going to rule the universe, yet no one will care about the ridiculous dreams of a rebellious youth. For every rank that child rises, however, the possibility grows more and more real. Old aristocrats always talked about Reinhard and Kircheis’ swift rise in rank, some crediting his sister’s favor with the Emperor, and others noting his significant military accomplishments. In truth it is no small feat for a talented person to come i…
Read at the sourceBeatnik
This is the story of how one young kid has everything taken from him, but vows to take it all back and then some. With the loyal childhood friend Kircheis backing him up, Reinhard Von Musel's rigorous climb to the top of the empire food chain begins in this OVA; a prequel to the 110 episode Legend Of The Galactic Heroes OVA.
The setup, as fans already know, is epic defined. Having had his sister sold to the empire's ruler by his deadbeat dad, Reinhard has vengeance in mind, but coupled with his genius intellect, it’s a vengeance that spans the galaxy, rather than through crosshairs via an assassination. This man wants to dispose of his nemesis in as grand fashion as possible, to not only save his sister, but to ensure it's not a suicide mission, to prevent his tragedy from ever occurring…
Read at the source