> Alright, then I'll start with some stuff I'd better know about LoGH.
> Who is the artist? When was it made?
Since it seems you have not done so yet (or you'd know the answer to these
questions) I highly recommend you check out the various WWW pages on LoGH,
they will answer many questions on background. The most comprehensive web
reference anywhere can be found at:
http://www.utexas.edu/ftp/student/anime/utanime/amos/.LGH/logh.html
This is the LoGH Information Center, with pretty complete background info on
the future history of the human race, an ultra-complete character list (for
the first series), episode synopses, some scripts, maps, tons of graphics, and
so on. Also there is a link on it to the other major LoGH page, Ming's page.
Check both out.
To briefly answer your questions: LoGH didn't start life as an anime, but
rather as an SF novel series, so it is better to ask who is the author to get
more at the creation of LoGH. The original novels (which explains why it has
such an involved plot, as you mention) were written by Yoshiki Tanaka, who
also wrote the stories on which "Heroic Legend of Arslan" (an anime OVA series
which has been commercially translated and brought over here) is based, as
well as other titles we have not seen here, such as "Titania" (another LoGH
like SF universe).
There are 10 books in the main LoGH story arc, plus a few side stories. I
believe these started coming out in 1982 or so. The anime began in 1988 with
the first movie "My Conquest is the Sea of Stars", and has slowly continued in
fits and starts to the present. The anime now covers about the first 7 of the
10 books, and should conclude with the fourth series.
> Just wanted to say that I haven't run into a storyline as carefully
> laid out as LoGH, except perhaps Sanctuary (although MB has an incredibly
> fun and "in your face" storyline as well).
Well, in a related side note, since you're obviously an Marmalade Boy fan as
well, while watching some of the 3rd series episodes this evening with a
Japanese friend from the UT Anime Club to provide some running translation, he
noted that the voice of Reinhard's pageboy, Emil von Secla, is voiced by the
same voice actor who plays Yuu Matsuura. Of course with the huge cast of
LoGH, probably every major voice actor in Japan has done a voice in it
somewhere. Of course for disturbing plot similarities I find LoGH is more
similar to "Here is Greenwood" than MB. In fact the Greenwood manga has a few
scenes where the characters are wearing sweatshirts emblazoned with the names
of some LoGH characters like "Kircheis" and "Malindorf".
> [SPOILER IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN END OF SERIES ONE (eps 26)]
>
> Whoa... Kircheis getting shot... now that really heated things up.
> The whole relationship changes. "Captain under the skirts" is now adviced
> by that Machiavellian one-eyed dude... that'll be interesting. I thought
> Count von Lohengramm was going to lose all his motivation. This was a REAL
> loss on his team. I really wished Kircheis had lasted for more episodes in
> the series. He was my favourite character. Damn...
>
The Machiavellian dude is actually 2-eyed (or no-eyed, depending on how you
look at it, since both his eyes are mechanical) and his name is Oberstein.
Reinhard has not lost his motivation, that is quite intact. If nothing else
Kircheis' death actually spurs him on even more to "seize the Universe". Far
more tragically, what he HAS lost in Kircheis is his conscience. Which proves
to be a far bigger problem. But your reaction is a pretty common one - I have
had the same reaction from several people I have introduced to LoGH, "Aw, why
did they have to kill Kircheis? He was my favorite character?" Although I
mourn his loss for what it will mean to the Universe, I take no small measure
of pride that I predicted as soon as I saw episode 4, with no other knowledge
of the series, that he would have to die at some point. Which I suppose is
one reason I like LoGH so much - this universe works in much the way that I
think. :)
==============================================================================
"Zu jeder Zeit, an jeder (sic) Ort, bleibt das Tun | Walter Amos
der Menschen das gleiche..." - Galactic Heroes II | amos@sedl.org