Legend of the Galactic Heroes
Epic space opera of two warring interstellar states.
Legend of the Galactic Heroes (Japanese: 銀河英雄伝説, Hepburn: Ginga Eiyū Densetsu) is a series of epic science fiction novels written by Yoshiki Tanaka. Set in a distant future, the series follows two interstellar states—the monarchic Galactic Empire and the republican Free Planets Alliance—engaged in a never-ending war, focusing on the exploits of rivals Reinhard von Lohengramm and Yang Wen-li as they rise to fame and power.
- author
- Yoshiki Tanaka
- genre
- Epic science fiction
- first novel release
- 1988 (Seiun Award for Best Novel of the Year)
- original language
- Japanese
- English publisher
- Viz Media (Haikasoru imprint, from 2015)
- notable adaptations
- Anime (1988–1997 OVA, 2018 series), manga, video games
Lore & Background
The story begins in SE 796/IC 487/AD 3596, 150 years into a war between the Galactic Empire and the Free Planets Alliance. Within the Empire, Reinhard von Müsel (later von Lohengramm) rises as a military genius, driven to free his sister Annerose from the Kaiser and to unify the galaxy. In the Alliance, Yang Wen-li, a historian at heart who joined the military for tuition, becomes a brilliant strategist known for underdog victories and minimizing casualties. A third power, the Dominion of Fezzan, acts as a neutral trading planet-state, while the Terraism cult seeks humanity's return to Earth.
Reader's Guide
Legend of the Galactic Heroes is significant for its deep political and historical themes, contrasting monarchy and democracy through the personal stories of its two protagonists. The novels won the Seiun Award in 1988 and were finally released in English by Viz Media from 2016 to 2019. The anime adaptations—particularly the 110-episode OVA from 1988–1997—are noted for their epic scope, while the 2018 series offers a more focused retelling. The series has also spawned manga, video games, and multiple films, cementing its status as a landmark in Japanese science fiction.
Did You Know?
- The series is sometimes abbreviated as LOTGH, LOGH, LGH, or Gin'eiden in Japanese.
- The anime intro depicts the series as 'Heldensagen vom Kosmosinsel' (German for 'Heroic Legends from the Space Island').
- The name 'Fezzan' is a reference to a region of modern Libya that played an analogous historical role.
- The first English release of the novels was in 2015, when Viz Media acquired the license.
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