Legends of the Galactic Heroes (LotGH) is not an elitist anime, it’s ‘thee’ elitist anime. But despite it critical acclaim and devoted fanbase, one thing is for certain: this new iteration falls short of its formers grace. Not so short that this reviewer would call it ‘bad,’ yet its faults are glaring. ‘Stellar Wars’ pacing feels rushed, enough so that events fly by without proper development. Yang and Reinhard, as a consequence, are relatively flat as characters and seem to be missing something vital to their respective personalities. Granted, they were a tad idyllic in the original version, but they felt genuine,nonetheless. ‘Stellar Wars,’ however, gleans past pivotal moments of characterization, in exchange for a brisk, ‘highly-polished’ retelling of an old classic.

But the problem with 3D action sequences — and CGI, in general — is that there is no ‘life’ in the final product. It cannot be stressed enough that numerous shots looked awkward, and in some instances, downright awful. Sure. The vibrant color looked ‘pretty’ and the character designs were ‘flawless,’ but that same flawless is a hindrance in and of itself. As it prevents the characters from portraying certain emotions that would otherwise be captured from a hand-drawn image. Emotions that are vital in tapping into the character’s psyche; thus, allowing the viewer to understand and empathize with said character(s).

The original LotGH may have had clunky sequences with an abundance of reused scenes and backdrops — but it stayed with the viewer long after the viewing experience. The same cannot be said for ‘Stellar Wars’ or its 12 episode predecessor. Probably because 3D animation makes most scenes blend together, without creating something of true artistic brilliance. Simply put: ‘Stellar Wars’ is dull, lifeless, and uninspired; whereas as the original is visceral, impactful, and resplendent.

While the original LotGH may have ‘dragged’ at times, it was necessary in telling a richer story. A story that felt like a docudrama on the human species itself (economically, socially, politically, and historically). In contrast, ‘Stellar Wars’ feels like a plot-based affair that jumps from point-to-point to complete a preset checklist — hence, why remakes are inherently flawed. ‘Stellar Wars,’ in summation, is not a terrible anime, despite the various criticisms presented; however, it is not the stuff of legends, as the narrator would have you believe.