Legend of Galactic Heroes/Characters

The cast of Legend of the Galactic Heroes is almost as immense in scale as the series itself. So immense, in fact, that at the beginning of the show (and once each subsequent season) they have to put subtitles bearing their names for each of their on-camera appearances! Here is a list of these truly memorable individuals who helped shape the face of history forever.

'''As always, please beware of spoilers. Humans are only human after all.'''

Reinhard von Lohengramm
Voiced by: Ryo Horikawa (main series, prequel series), Hikaru Midorikawa (Golden Wings) ""Do you think that what was possible for Rudolph is impossible for me?""

A young noble whose family had fallen on hard times, Reinhard von Musel was nevertheless content, with his best friend and older sister providing him with all the happiness he needed. This changed when he found out that his sister Annerose had been taken to the Imperial Palace as a concubine for the Kaiser. This abuse of authority drove him to swear a lofty oath: he would fight and eliminate anyone who stood in his way to rescue his sister, or die in the attempt. Along with his friend, Siegfried Kircheis, he abandoned his father and entered the Imperial military academy in the Imperial capital. With the patronage of Kaiser Friedrich IV he rather quickly rose to the rank of Admiral and was later inducted into the high nobility with the title of Count von Lohengramm.

Reinhard von Lohengramm possesses a strategic genius evident both on and off the battlefield, and perhaps even more importantly, a keen eye for human talent. His nigh-unfaltering confidence, personal charisma, and refusal to cater to those with noble lineage garner him a significant power base among common soldiers and dissatisfied nobles alike. He has also earned himself quite a few enemies among in the more conservative nobility for these very qualities, but he is in many ways protected both by his military reputation and the Kaiser's favor.

When Reinhard took to the field personally, it was aboard the white battleship, Brunhilde.


 * Ambiguously Gay: He was very Fabulous, seemed to have Bishie Sparkle for no reason and was very friendly with Kircheis.
 * Anti-Hero
 * Authority Equals Asskicking: He seems to believe this.
 * Be All My Sins Remembered
 * Bishounen: The guy's actually famous for his looks in-universe.
 * Blood Knight: "A sword has no reason to exist except as a sword."
 * The Call Knows Where You Live: He is definitely not a Reluctant Warrior, but he was content with a simple life until his sister was taken away to be the Emperor's concubine and his father did nothing to prevent that.
 * The Chains of Commanding
 * Character Development: Probably undergoes the most personal changes out of all the characters.
 * : In the second half of the story, Hilde starts suspecting that this is a good part of the reason why he's so obsessed with chasing down Yang Wenli.
 * Expository Hairstyle Change: Grows his out after
 * Hair of Gold: Extremely subverted.
 * Heroic BSOD: Happens twice; once after, and again when a would-be assassin calls him out for his
 * Hot-Blooded: It's rather unusual that he manages to be both this and extremely conniving.
 * Hypercompetent Sidekick: Reinhard surrounds himself with these by gathering the most talented men in the Empire. Though Reinhard is incredibly competent in all fields, it could be argued that he has subordinates that excel him in the field they are working for (except warfare, though Reuentahl and especially Kircheis may be equal). For example, Hilda is a smarter politician than him. Reinhard relying on their superior abilities is what makes him such a supreme leader.
 * I Did What I Had to Do: This was Reinhard's excuse  After which he never made excuses for his decisions again.
 * Lonely at the Top
 * Man in White: Reinhard was known by his enemies as "the commander of the white ship" before they even learned his name. After a promotion or two, he dons a distinctive white cloak that he keeps for the rest of the series.
 * Only Friend: Kircheis
 * Reasonable Authority Figure
 * Warrior Prince
 * Ubermensch: A surprisingly sympathetic and fallible example.
 * The Unfettered: Reinhard will get his sister back/  no matter what it takes.
 * Young Conqueror
 * Warrior Prince
 * Ubermensch: A surprisingly sympathetic and fallible example.
 * The Unfettered: Reinhard will get his sister back/  no matter what it takes.
 * Young Conqueror
 * Young Conqueror

Siegfried Kircheis
Voiced by: Masashi Hironaka (main series), Takehito Koyasu (Golden Wings) ""Please, Lord Reinhard, promise me that you will conquer the universe.""

If Reinhard von Lohengramm was compared to the light that would lead the Empire into a new age, then Siegfried Kircheis would have been the shadow that followed directly behind. Kircheis and Reinhard became close friends at a young age, and even then, Reinhard insisted on calling him by his surname Kircheis because he felt that Siegfried was too common a name for such an extraordinary person. Kircheis adored both Reinhard and Annerose, so much so that when Annerose was taken away and Reinhard swore to rescue her and asked for his assistance, Kircheis promised to follow and help him in any way he could. He joined military school and rose quickly through the ranks alongside Reinhard. Along the way he made another promise, this time to Annerose - to protect Reinhard and guide him on his way to power.

Even though Kircheis' talents rival those of Reinhard himself, Kircheis does not share in his ambition, drive, and charisma. He is deeply devoted toward his friend, and possesses a wisdom, composure, and sense of morality that Reinhard occasionally lacks. Reinhard fully recognizes his friend's talents and depends heavily on Kircheis' advice and direction, if only in private.

As a military commander, Kircheis is as kind and benevolent as he is brilliant, often demonstrating his preference for avoiding as much bloodshed as possible. He directs his forces aboard the red flagship, appropriately named Barbarossa.


 * The Conscience: He is this for Reinhard. Possibly for the audience as well.
 * The Consigliere: The influence he wields is incredible.
 * Fiery Redhead: Completely inverted. Kircheis hates killing and is very slow to anger, occasionally being the only one who can calm Reinhard down.
 * Good Is Not Dumb: Many in the Imperial military circles tend to overlook Kircheis' political and military importance for his gentle nature and total submission to Reinhard.
 * The Heart
 * Incorruptible Pure Pureness
 * Living Emotional Crutch
 * The Messiah: Unique in that he's also The Lancer.
 * Number Two: To Reinhard. Oberstein has a problem with it.
 * Subordinate Excuse: He's way more than happy to serve Reinhard for this reason.
 * Undying Loyalty
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Unlike a true subordinate, he has no qualms whatsoever on calling Reinhard out for unwise or immoral decisions. The fact that Reinhard is perfectly willing to be directly influenced by Kircheis makes it clear that, in their minds, they are on equal terms.
 * Subordinate Excuse: He's way more than happy to serve Reinhard for this reason.
 * Undying Loyalty
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Unlike a true subordinate, he has no qualms whatsoever on calling Reinhard out for unwise or immoral decisions. The fact that Reinhard is perfectly willing to be directly influenced by Kircheis makes it clear that, in their minds, they are on equal terms.
 * Undying Loyalty
 * What the Hell, Hero?: Unlike a true subordinate, he has no qualms whatsoever on calling Reinhard out for unwise or immoral decisions. The fact that Reinhard is perfectly willing to be directly influenced by Kircheis makes it clear that, in their minds, they are on equal terms.

Oskar von Reuenthal
Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto ""I don't care if you belittle republican democracy, profit at the expense of a nation, or deceive the people. But I won't allow you to soil the Kaiser's dignity with your filthy, feces-filled tongue.""

The man with the Bewitching Eyes, Oskar von Reuenthal, was an exceptionally talented and capable individual, almost as much as Reinhard, and reasonably popular among the lower classes and the common soldiers. When he was born, his mother attempted to kill him because he was a constant reminder of her infidelity but could not bring herself to do it and killed herself instead. His father always held him responsible for that and began drinking heavily while telling him that it would have been better if he had never been born. Eventually circumstances lead to him joining the military where he met Wolfgang Mittermeyer and the two became fast friends, fighting together as common soldiers, then in the Panzergrenadiers, and finally in fleet actions as commanders where their exceptional coordination earned them the title of Twin Stars of the Empire.

Reuenthal's continued service and his friendship with Mittermeyer lead him into the service of Reinhard von Lohengramm where his achievements allowed him to rise to the rank of High Admiral and later, to Governor-General of Neueland. Although he was never able to truly match wits with Yang Wenli, Reuenthal was still highly capable and proved instrumental in recapturing Iserlohn Fortress for the Empire. In the end it was his attitude towards women as well as his pride that caused his downfall, though even in disgrace he still remained loyal to the Lohengramm Dyansty.

Reueunthal's preferred command ship was the Tristan, an Ace Custom with less firepower but a greater sensor range and speed.


 * All Girls Want Bad Boys: This has got to be the only reason he's such a successful Casanova.
 * Badass: Very badass and manly.
 * Blood Brothers: With Mittermeyer.
 * Broken Ace: Reuenthal is brilliant, loyal, and highly competent- but many of his personal decisions indicate a trainwreck of a psyche.
 * Byronic Hero
 * Dark and Troubled Past
 * Deadpan Snarker: So deadpan that no one seems to realize when he's joking except Mittermeyer. It doesn't help that his witticisms revolve around things like misogyny, self-destruction and high treason. Often elicits Dude, Not Funny responses from those around him.
 * He-Man Woman Hater: He freely admits it.
 * In Vino Veritas: Even when only slightly intoxicated, Reuenthal says some pretty self-incriminating things that he probably wouldn't otherwise.
 * Kavorka Man
 * Like Mother Like Son: Reuenthal's mom was a proud, sexually promiscuous woman who, after birthing a bastard child, was the subject of such slander that she eventually went mad and killed herself. Guess what becomes of Reuenthal.
 * Major Injury Underreaction: It, but didn't stop him from deadpan snarking about it.
 * Mismatched Eyes: Used both as a reminder of his shameful personal history and symbolic of his dual nature.
 * Mommy Issues
 * Only Friend: Mittermeyer
 * Intense And Possibly Sadomasochistic Sexual/Emotional Interest At First Assassination Attempt: This goes about as well as can be expected.
 * Pride: Like a true Tragic Hero
 * Psychotic Smirk: On occasion. Inverted rather disconcertingly that he only does it when he's in the one in trouble.
 * The Starscream: Somewhat. He is loyal to Reinhard, but also highly ambitious on his own. Reuenthal himself lampshades this every single chance he gets.
 * Tall, Dark and Snarky
 * Tragic Hero/: Is Reuenthal a bad man trying to be good, or a good man who can't help but be bad?
 * Tall, Dark and Snarky
 * Tragic Hero/: Is Reuenthal a bad man trying to be good, or a good man who can't help but be bad?

Wolfgang Mittermeyer
Voiced by: Katsuji Mori ""Do not think that Wolfgang Mittermeyer is double-tongued!""

A commander best known for his efficient and fast movements in space combat, Mittermeyer earned the nickname Gale Wolf even before entering Reinhard's service. He was born to a commoner family and although his father wanted him to take up a profession, he decided to enter the military instead where he climbed through the ranks with hard work and determination. Mittermeyer came to know Reinhard von Lohengramm after he executed a noble-born subordinate under his command for raping a civilian. To make things worse, the man was a relative of Prince Braunschweig, the next in line to the throne and so he was scheduled to be tortured and then executed. Reuenthal appealed to Reinhard on his behalf and he agreed to intervene in order to save Mittermeyer's life. From then on the four of them - Reinhard, Kircheis, Reuenthal and Mittermeyer - became comrades in arms and eventually became the most powerful men in the Empire.

Mittermeyer had a loving, devoted wife named Evangeline, arguably one of the brightest spots in a series that became increasingly sad as time went on. The only sad part was that they could not have children. He also became extremely concerned for Reuenthal as he saw his vices catching up with him little by little.

His flagship was of a similar design to the Tristan, an Ace Custom built for speed and a greater effective firing range. Its designation was the suspiciously appropriate Beowulf.


 * Blood Brothers: With Reuenthal
 * Gut Feeling: Mittermeyer is a very intuitive judge of characters and situations; a talent which enables him to always act swiftly and rightly, though not always cleverly.
 * Happily Married
 * Honor Before Reason
 * Last Second Chance: He offers it to.
 * Lightning Bruiser: He was fast to begin with, and then he got that huge fleet...
 * Knight in Shining Armor: Famous on all sides for his battle prowess and his upstanding character.
 * My Significance Sense Is Tingling: A side effect of his intuition.
 * Nice Guy: But he's far from boring.
 * Please Spare Him, My Liege:
 * Reports of My Death Were Greatly Exaggerated: During the eleventh battle of Iserlohn, it is reported that his flagship was hit and he died at the front. Only the first part of this turns out to be true.
 * Sadistic Choice:
 * Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right: The rules he breaks tend to be more societal than legal, however.
 * The Women Are Safe with Us: Executes his own men for robbery and rape.

Paul von Oberstein
Voiced by: Kaneto Shiozawa ""Without fail, in light, shadows must follow.""

Originally assigned to Iserlohn Fortress, Oberstein was a deeply unsettling man who wanted nothing more than to destroy the Goldenbaum Dynasty and all of its descendants. He was born with a birth defect that left him blind and had to have his eyes replaced with cybernetics. Oberstein was grateful to have been born under the current regime, as he would have been put to death under the Inferior Genes Exclusion Law in Kaiser Rudolph's day, but nonetheless believed that any government that was capable of passing such laws was not worthy of his support. After surviving the battle for Iserlohn, he returned to Odin to offer his services to Reinhard and became one of his top advisers.

What set Oberstein apart from the Twin Pillars Reuenthal and Mittermeyer was his utterly ruthless personality. He would not blanch from any task that needed to be done to ensure the security of Reinhard's power and continued to perform his duties flawlessly even though it made him unpopular with the rest of the admirals. Many of the officers felt that Oberstein's decisions had indirectly caused Kircheis' downfall and feared that he would be prepared to remove them if they spoke out directly against the government. Because he kept mostly to himself, no one truly knew if he was directing all of this antipathy away from Reinhard intentionally or he simply did not care.


 * Adaptation Dye Job: In the original novels he had dark hair, extremely pale skin and light brown eyes.
 * The Chessmaster
 * Consummate Professional
 * Creepy Monotone
 * Electronic Eyes
 * Enigmatic Minion
 * : He even goes so far as to.
 * Jerkass Has a Point: Despite being rather immoral and dishonorable, most of his advice and actions are the quickest way to get the job done. Even his advice that indirctly caused Kircheis' death was originally meant to suppress favoritism.
 * Necessarily Evil
 * Pet the Dog: In a rather literal application of the trope, Oberstein takes a old stray dog into his home for no reason other than simple humanity.
 * Poisonous Friend: Played with. His modus operandi certainly fits, his loyalty to Reinhard as to the key figure in his plan is indisputable, but no sane person would call him Reinhard's friend (or anyone's).
 * Psycho Sidekick: Reinhard really hates Oberstein, but keeps him around for this.
 * Token Evil Teammate: It's heavily implied that he wants people to view him as this.
 * Red Right Hand: His byonic eyes have a way of creeping people out.
 * The Spock
 * The Stoic
 * The Unfettered
 * Zero-Approval Gambit: It is suggested that Oberstein takes on the role of an dirtyhanded schemer so Reinhard can remain a popular, heroic figure. This may also have been to relieve tension between some of Reinhard's highest subordinates by giving them someone to hate.

Hildegard von Mariendorf
Voiced by: Masako Katsuki

Uncommon for the daughter of an old noble family, Hilda took a keen interest in politics and statecraft from a young age and distanced herself from the social maneuverings of the other ladies at court. As the rest of the family prepared to support Prince Braunschweig in the Lippstadt Rebellion, she intervened and bartered with Reinhard von Lohengramm for protection of their holdings in exchange for switching sides. When Reinhard rose to power he appointed her as his personal secretary and she served in this capacity through most of the war. Fraulein Mariendorf was not only an efficient worker but astute in both politics and strategy, often advising the regent and later Kaiser in an informal capacity. She would not hesitate to intervene if she thought it was in his best interests and more than once, she was able to save Reinhard from certain defeat by outmaneuvering her opponents in the political arena while he was fixated on the battle in front of him. Throughout the series she tried to convince him to focus on consolidating his power rather than chasing after Yang Wenli but was very rarely able to dissuade him.

She was also instrumental in instituting democratic reform within the Empire and pushing it along the path to becoming a constitutional monarchy.


 * The Chick
 * Daddy's Girl
 * The Heart
 * Heroic BSOD: Suffers a minor one when her sickly cousin turns out to be involved in a plot to assasinate Reinhard.
 * Honest Advisor
 * Hot Consort: Several characters remark upon her beauty, but this is not really played up.
 * Puss in Boots: To Reinhard.
 * Silk Hiding Steel: She may seem all sweetness and respect at first, but do not underestimate this woman. Her intellect is so formidable that she is one of the only characters who can get away with accusing Reinhard of his mistakes, and once even acts outside of his orders to . Reinhard readily admits that she is a wiser politician than he is. No wonder she's his Puss in Boots.
 * Women Are Wiser: Mariendorf is much more practical than the glory-seeking and stubborn men who surround her.

Annerose von Grünewald
Voiced by: Keiko Han ""Reinhard, when you are weary, please come to see me. But you must not be weary yet.""

Originally Annerose von Müsel, she was Reinhard's older sister, the one thing he cherished more than anything else in the world, and the entire reason for his quest to overthrow the Goldenbaum Dynasty. Her beauty had captured the attention of Kaiser Friedrich IV and he made her one of the Imperial consorts with the title of Countess von Grünewald, much to the envy of other ladies at court. Through it all she never lost her kindness and consideration for those around her even when they were plotting to stab her in the back. She charged Kircheis with standing by Reinhard and protecting him always, a task that he was only too happy to accept.

Needless to say, her withdrawal from Reinhard's life had a considerable impact on him and he would later remark that his triumphant ascension to the throne was made hollow and bitter because the two people he cared for the most were not around to share it with him. It would be a long time before they would see each other again.


 * Damsel in Distress
 * Hair of Gold
 * Hermit Guru: A rare female example.
 * Living Memory: She sees herself as this.
 * My Greatest Failure: She knows it was at her behest that Kircheis became Reinhard's follower and friend, and so blames herself for
 * Proper Lady: Kind and compassionate and wholesome; she'd fit right into the imperial court if the others were not jealous of her position.

Neidhardt Müller
Voiced by: Yuu Mizushima ""Command promises to return all of you home alive. Guarding our pride and discipline, shall we not follow the road home in good order?""

The youngest of Reinhard's admirals, Müller was constantly frustrated that the war between the Galactic Empire and the Free Planet's Alliance was coming to a close and he would never have the opportunity to prove his worth in battle or achieve glory equal to that of his peers. All this changed at the Battle of Vermillion where his tenacious defence of the Kaiser earned him the nickname "Iron Shield". From then on his fleet was charged with the final line of defence, protecting Reinhard whenever he took to the field. In all other theaters of war, Müller proved to be a capable Admiral and commanded respect that was second only to the three Fleet Admirals themselves.

Although he suffered defeat after defeat at the hands of Yang Wenli, he saw the miracle-worker more as a rival and always itched for another opportunity to try and defeat him. During a lull in the fighting, he was even able to go to Iserlohn and pay respects as the Kaiser's unofficial envoy.

Müller's command ship was the Lübeck until after Vermillion, where it was destroyed. He was given the Percival to commemorate his new title. Reinhard offered him a promotion to Fleet Admiral after, but he turned it down, believing that he had not accomplished enough to deserve it.


 * Big Damn Heroes: One of the most unexpected and triumphant instances in the whole show, especially since up until then he had done nothing but lose, big time. See Crowning Moment of Awesome and Took a Level in Badass.
 * Cool Ship: The Percival had very smooth lines and was the most advanced ship in the Imperial Navy at the time of its commissioning.
 * Friendly Enemy: Acts like this towards Yang Wen-li when the latter boards the Brünhilde and towards Julian when . He also stands out among the admirals in that he is often chosen by Reinhard as representative in diplomatic work with the Republicans.
 * Made of Iron: How did you think he got his nickname?
 * Please Spare Him, My Liege:
 * Post Dramatic Stress Disorder
 * Stone Wall

Fritz Josef Bittenfeld
Voiced by: Keiichi Noda ""Either way, the chronicles of our lives are written in blood, no matter which page we turn to. Even if we were to put a thick foundation of humanism over them we can't erase the color of blood there, can we?""

Bittenfeld was always infamous for his temper and desire to be in the thick of battle. His fleet, the Black Lancers, inherited these traits and earned considerable renown for their fast, devastating charges. Though his timely intervention turned the tide of battle for Reinhard on more than one occasion, Bittenfeld was as much a liability as an asset. He was the most aggressive of even the offense-minded Admirals and easy to bait into traps. Even when the noose was closed around him he still believed he could break through. Nonetheless, Bittenfeld was still a capable commander and knew to retreat when the situation could still be salvaged.

His ship of choice was the all-black Königstiger, emphasizing speed and firepower above all else.


 * Attack! Attack! Attack!
 * Boisterous Bruiser
 * Comic Relief: Closest to one in the show on the Imperial side.
 * Dumbass Has a Point: Played with. He's not actually dumb by any means, but damned if he doesn't make everyone forget sometimes. It just makes it a little shocking every time he expresses a valuable (i.e. sensible) opinion.
 * Fiery Redhead
 * Honor Before Reason: He won't even hear about vile and dishonest ways of waging war, even if they are effective - one of the reasons why he hates Oberstein so much.
 * Hot-Blooded
 * Leeroy Jenkins
 * Too Dumb to Live: Though he becomes smarter with time, surprising his enemies by not falling for obvious traps.
 * And he eventually lives. Which is quite surprising in a series like this.

Adalbert von Fahrenheit
Voiced by: Show Hayami

A coolheaded admiral who shared Bittenfeld's preference for offensive tactics. Farenheit originally fought on the side of the nobles during the Lippstadt Rebellion and was Admiral Merkatz's second-in-command. He shared Merkatz's opinions of the nobles but, unlike his superior, he did not flee when the war ended. He received a pardon from Reinhard and was promoted to the rank of admiral when the regent recognised his skills. He clashed with Merkatz on several occasions during the war with the Free Planets Alliance and was eventually killed in the Iserlohn Corridor due to, some might say, the incompetence of Admiral Bittenfeld.

His flagship was the Ahsgrimm, the only ship shown to possess a Wave Motion Gun.


 * After a brief reminiscence of his life, he orders
 * Heel Face Turn
 * Only in It For the Money: Fahrenheit joined the military simply to eke out a living, in spite of his noble status.
 * White-Haired Pretty Boy

Ernest Mecklinger
Voiced by: Takaya Hashi ""It just shows how irredeemable we are.""

Also known as the Artist Admiral, Mecklinger was a well-known patron of the arts even during the last days of the Goldenbaum Dynasty and was known to have composed many of his own works, even winning prizes for his paintings and piano playing. He did not take to the field as often as the other admirals but was always picked by Reinhard to manage the Empire's supply lines during long campaigns. When he was in battle, Mecklinger was shown to be a cautious commander who was every bit as good as the others, but playing consevatively cost him whatever advantages he might have gained.


 * Cultured Warrior
 * Nice Guy: Or at least the one least enthusiastic for battles among the admirals.
 * Officer and a Gentleman
 * The Philosopher: Of Reinhard's faction. He sometimes pondered about the future not unlike Yang did and it is mentioned that he recorded the events of his time.
 * Porn Stache

Ernst von Eisenach
Voiced by: Masane Tsukayama ""Checkmate.""

Stoic admiral famous for being almost completely silent. Commanded through hand signals. Like Mecklinger, he was mostly in charge of logistical management rather than fighting on the front line but he is a competent commander.


 * Bunny-Ears Admiral
 * The Stoic
 * The Voiceless: To the extent where almost everyone of his fellow high-ranking colleagues were shocked when he finally muttered a word late in the series. It was even lampshaded by the narrator, who helpfully provided the time and date of that occurrence.

Cornelius Lütz
Voiced by: Katsunosuke Hori

Commanded the Iserlohn garrison fleet until the Yang fleet recaptured the station. Was injured and hospitalised during a terrorist attack on Phezzan. Volunteered to stay behind to delay attackers during the attempt on Reinhard's life on Urvashi and was killed by them.


 * Heroic Sacrifice
 * More Hero Than Thou: Pulls seniority on Müller to be the one who gets left behind on Urvashi.
 * Technicolor Eyes: He has Purple Eyes which even change shade when he's excited or anticipating something.
 * You Shall Not Pass

Karl Gustav Kempf
Voiced by: Tessho Genda

Overall commander of the Imperial fleet during the first attempt to recapture Iserlohn. Fell in that battle when his flagship was shot down.


 * Happily Married: Had a devoted wife and two young sons who adored him. Lead to a Tear Jerker when it fell on Mecklinger to deliver the bad news of Kempf's demise.

Helmut Rennenkampf
Voiced by: Takeshi Watabe ""Don't count on me valuing my life so much that I'd deal with you!""

Appointed Imperial representative to the FPA after the Treaty of Barlat. Was captured by the Rosenritters in conjunction with them breaking Yang out of jail. Hanged himself while still in captivity out of shame and despair.


 * Driven to Suicide
 * General Ripper: Is so convinced that Yang must be up to something that he accepts extremely suspect evidence as irrefutable confirmation that he is.

August Samuel Wahlen
Voiced by: Masaaki Okabe ""Losing something I lost before does not inconvenience me at all.""

Stoic admiral who commanded the expedition against the Terraist headquarters on Earth after their first attempt on Reinhard's life. His left arm had to be amputated after a cultist stabbed him with a poisoned blade. Later saw action against the Iserlohn rebels and served as military governor on Heinessen after Reuenthal's rebellion.


 * Artificial Limbs
 * Enemy Mine: He was not aware of them being on the opposite side but Julian and co. helped him in his mission against the Terraist
 * Nerves of Steel: Gets his artificial arm torn by a direct hit of an enemy gun and makes a calm remark, see the quote. He also stopped the unrest between Bittenfeld's and Oberstein's men just by parking his armored car between them and giving Death Glare.
 * Crowning Moment of Awesome, big time.
 * The Stoic

Ulrich Kesler
Voiced by: Shuichi Ikeda

Originally a military lawyer, Reinhard appointed him Superintendent of the Military Police, which in the Empire also functioned as a general State Sec service. Credited with reforming this corrupt and oppressive organisation and generally improving the Imperial Justice system. Risked his own life in order to rescue Hildegard and Annerose during the Terraist attack on the Imperial residence.


 * Big Damn Heroes: really, was it necessary for a chief of police to personally break into a burning building?
 * Always Lawful Good: Stopped Mittermeyer from personally murdering  for what happened to   because justice only comes with law.
 * Meaningful Name: not him, but his flagship. Forseti was the norse god of justice.
 * Meet Cute: How he met Marika, his future wife.

Karl Robert Steinmetz
Voiced by: Hiroya Ishimaru

First captain of the Brünhild, later promoted to admiral. Was killed together with Fahrenheit in the final battle commanded by Yang.

Yang Wenli
Voiced by: Kei Tomiyama (main series), Hozumi Gouda (prequel series), Yasuyoshi Hara (Golden Wings) ""Alcohol is humanity's friend. Can I abandon a friend?""

Originally a simple student who wanted to be a historian, Yang Wenli eventually joined the military to pay off his debts and rose through the ranks to become a Commodore. At this point he was already known as the Hero of El Facil after his superior organizational skills helped avert a major crisis on that planet. After the Battle of Astarte, in which he saves the Alliance fleet from utter destruction at the hands of Reinhard von Lohengramm, and the capture of Iserlohn Fortress he becomes known as Miracle Yang and every battle afterwards served only to increase his fame. Unlike Reinhard he is a more subdued man who dislikes having accolades heaped upon him and would rather retire to live a comfortable life on as big a pension as he can accumulate through distinguished service. However, circumstances throw him time and time again into the war where he proves to be a greater strategist than even Reinhard. At one point, the Kaiser even tries to recruit Yang but he refuses, citing his loyalty to the principles of democracy regardless of how hopelessly corrupt it may have become.

Yang's most glaring flaw is his lack of political acumen. He makes no secret of the fact that he despises both politicians and the military, and his ever-increasing tally of successes only serves to make people in power nervous. Several attempts are made on his life, which he manages to survive but which leave him in a much more precarious position or force him to act before he's ready. Yet, for every disaster, he is able to rally his forces and lead them to an even greater victory than before. Yang Wenli earns the respect of both his peers and his enemies as a miracle worker and a magician.

Yang Wenli has commanded several ships in battle. The most iconic are the battleship Hyperion and the cruiser Leda II.


 * Badass on Paper
 * Badass Unintentional
 * Brilliant but Lazy: Yang Wen-Li loves napping, drinking tea and studying history, but he constantly finds himself in situations that require his tactical and strategic insights.
 * Character Filibuster: Quite often Yang will launch into long, detailed lectures and rants about war, history, and politics. Justified slightly in that he actually is a historian at heart and puts a lot of thought into his opinions and writes them down in various essays. Later he begins to point out contradictions and hypocrisies in his views, and eventually bluntly admits that his beliefs are likely biased and frequently expresses doubts about having done the right thing. Doesn't stop him from filibustering, though.
 * Combat Pragmatist: Yang doesn't really care about little things like honor or conventional strategy as much as ending things decisively with the least amount of people dead.
 * Deuteragonist
 * Famed in Story: Enemies and allies alike attribute Yang with almost godlike abilities. Nevermind his subordinates who actually make the magic happen.
 * The Fettered
 * Functional Addict: Although we never see him drunk, Yang drinks a little bit just about all the time. It's to the point that people who live with him express their concern about it, and it's mentioned that his consumption is on the rise.
 * Heroic Neutral: Yang seems strangely unemotional about the ultimate fate of either government.
 * Humble Hero
 * Nice Guy
 * Nerves of Steel: Given how many things deeply trouble him, it's amazing how very little fazes him for long.
 * Not a Morning Person
 * The Slacker
 * Messy Hair
 * Omniscient Hero: Deconstructed in that being fully aware of all possible consequences of his actions just makes him incredibly indecisive when it comes to taking initiative.
 * Only in It For the Money: He often says that the main reason he fights is to secure his livelihood after retirement. How much of this is true is up to debate.
 * The Philosopher
 * Reluctant Warrior
 * Smart People Play Chess: Inverted - despite his genius on the battlefield, Yang actually seems to suck a little at the game. This may be because he can't "break the rules" on the chessboard the way he can in real life.
 * The Strategist
 * Worthy Opponent: To Reinhard.
 * Worthy Opponent: To Reinhard.

Julian Minci
Voiced by: Nozomu Sasaki ""Please excuse me for this hypothetical situation, but if your beloved Kaiser passed away, would you consider changing the flag you uphold?""

Julian was an orphan who was introduced to Yang Wenli by his old friend Alex Cazellnu. Yang adopted Julian as his ward and ensured that he got as good an upbringing and education as he could provide. From very early on, Julian felt that he was indebted to Yang in ways that he could not repay and became a soldier in order to make himself useful, despite his guardian's wishes. Eventually, Yang came to accept that Julian had become something he never wanted for the boy but still strived to end the fighting as quickly as possible. Julian studied everything he could learn about strategy, fighting, and leadership, becoming a popular mascot for the garrison at Iserlohn but eventually he proved himself to be every bit as capable as his teachers, uncovering plots by the Earth Cult and anticipating even Reinhard von Lohengramm's strategies. He was eventually chosen to succeed Yang Wenli as the military leader of the Iserlohn garrison.


 * An Axe to Grind
 * Beware the Nice Ones: Give Julian an axe and a reason to hold a grudge, and you'll see what this means.
 * The Confidant
 * Chef of Iron: His skill in the kitchen is at least as formidable as that on the battlefield.
 * Cute Shotaro Boy: His role at the start of the series.
 * Then becomes a Kid Sidekick / Child Soldier.
 * And finally an Ambadassador.
 * Good Is Not Nice: Despite his unfailing politeness and often sweet exterior, Julian is also shown to be extremely insecure, and he can be surprisingly uptight, cynical, and mean. Also, while he's quick to extend mercy to those who ask for it, he feels absolutely no guilt about killing his enemies in battle.
 * Neat Freak
 * Plucky Middie
 * Post Dramatic Stress Disorder: Promptly passes out after
 * Unstoppable Rage
 * Which leads to Extreme Melee Revenge.
 * Wise Beyond Their Years

Frederica Greenhill
Voiced by: Yoshiko Sakakibara

After personally witnessing Yang's pivotal role in the Miracle of El Facil, Greenhill was inspired to follow her father's footsteps and join the military. She graduated as the Salutatorian of her class and was assigned to Information Analysis before Cazellnu transferred her to the 13th Fleet as Yang's adjutant, much to her delight.


 * Ascended Fangirl: Working close to Yang is obviously a dream come true.
 * The Confidant: Becomes one when Julian is not around.
 * Conveniently-Timed Attack From Behind
 * Daddy's Girl
 * Hypercompetent Sidekick
 * One-Note Cook: Those sandwiches.
 * Photographic Memory: Reportedly has one.
 * Single Woman Seeks Good Man
 * The Squadette
 * The Squadette

Alexander Cazellnu
Voiced by: Keaton Yamada

One of Yang's closest friends, Alex is a staff and logistics officer (which gives him more power than one might expect at first glance). A family man through and through, he is frequently trying to get Yang settled down.


 * Desk Jockey: His skills in logistics management are highly valued by Yang, who invited him to manage the day-to-day operations of Iserlohn Fortress after its capture.
 * Happily Married
 * Nerves of Steel: His wife even lampshades it, but...
 * Not So Stoic: ... once, he does break down.
 * Non-Action Snarker
 * Shipper on Deck: He's implied to be one, playing an active role in introducing Frederica to Yang.
 * And platonically shipped Julian with Yang, basically forcing the kid on him without consulting him first. That's right: Cazellnu takes credit for providing Yang with a family.

Dusty Attenborough
Voiced by: Kazuhiko Inoue (main series, prequel series), Etsuo Yokobori (Golden Wings) ""We're fighting this revolutionary war out of foppery and whim. Got that?""

Attenborough knew Yang Wenli since their days in the Officer Cadet School, though they were each assigned to different fleets. Not much is known about his background but he rose quickly through the ranks and was promoted to a flag officer at an even younger age than Yang, and goes on to become the youngest admiral in Alliance history. He is a romantic at heart, casting his lot with Yang and his group out of foppery and whim, as he calls it, but this does not dull his edge in battle. Attenborough keeps a book of memoirs that he hopes to publish after the war is over.


 * Cannot Keep a Secret: It doesn't take long for him to reveal the identity of  to the rest of the cast.
 * Christmas Cake: A rare male version: He gets a lot of flack from Poplan over turning 30.
 * Defensive Feint Trap: Does this so often it basically becomes his signature tactic. Justified in that he's almost always gravely outnumbered.
 * Rebellious Spirit: In Spiral Labyrinth, he expressed dislike for military regulations and being commanded by incompetent superiors, which he kind of inherited from his journalist father.
 * Those Two Guys: He and Poplan account for about 80% of the comic relief on Alliance-focused episodes.

Walter von Schönkopf
Voiced by: Michio Hazama ""If the majority of the citizens wish for dictatorship instead of democracy, how do you solve such a paradox?""

An expatriate who defected from the Empire along with his family, Schönkopf served in the Alliance army as the commander of a unit of elite close combat specialists known as the Knights of the Rose or the Rosenritter. He first gained Yang Wenli's attention when he and a group of his subordinates publicly disciplined an officer for misconduct towards civilians and they were eventually instrumental in taking key points and installations from the Empire. With Schönkopf at their head, they have carved out such a bloody reputation that most soldiers on either side shuddered at the prospect of having to face them in combat. As one of Yang's most loyal subordinates, he had always believed that Yang should take power by force and set himself up as a benevolent governor, a course of action that Yang consistently opposed. In the past, Schönkopf had a reputation as a womanizer and fathered at least one illegitimate child.


 * An Axe to Grind: Hand-to-hand combat in the universe is usually fought with axes, and Schönkopf excels at hand-to-hand combat.
 * The Dreaded: Schönkopf is notorious amongst both armies as one of the most badass and dangerous people you could face on the battlefield. He's even been ambushed by enemy troops, only for them to turn tail and run away when they realize just WHO they just ambushed.
 * Ethical Slut: He thinks he is.
 * Four-Star Badass
 * Rated "M" for Manly
 * Rated "M" for Manly

Willibald Joachim von Merkatz
Voiced by: Goro Naya

Originally an Admiral in the Empire, Merkatz was one of the few major commanders who sided with the high nobles during the Lippstadt Rebellion. He was appointed supreme commander of their combined fleets by Prince Braunschweig but was repeatedly marginalised by the constant demands and disunity among the rebels. Eventually his advice was ignored completely and the rebellion was put down. Merkatz himself escaped and defected to the Free Planets Alliance where he placed himself under the command of Yang Wenli and continued to fight in the wars that followed. In the aftermath of the war between the Empire and the Alliance, he was charged with putting together a clandestine fleet and waging a guerrilla war against the occupying forces.

Merkatz enjoyed a certain comradeship with Admiral von Fahrenheit, but they eventually found themselves on different sides of the war. By this point he had resigned himself to defeating Fahrenheit by any means at his disposal.


 * Cool Old Guy
 * Defector From Decadence
 * We Have Your Daughter: How Prince Braunschwieg got him to join the Lippstadt Alliance in the first place.
 * Interrupted Suicide
 * Undying Loyalty: To the Goldenbaum dynasty even if he is aware of its problems and to Yang Wen-li to a certain extent.

Olivier Poplan
Voiced by: Toshio Furukawa ""For our fleet, festivity is a necessity we cannot do without.""

An ace pilot of the Alliance's Spartanian Fighter Corps, Poplan was eventually appointed as chief of the Aerial Defence Corps stationed in Iserlohn Fortress after its capture and remained with the Yang Fleet ever since. Outside the battlefield, he is often seen providing comic relief, be it his snarky banter with Konev and later Attenborough, or his alleged competitions with Schönkopf in being a Casanova.


 * Ace Pilot
 * Body Count Competition: He and Konev before every battle bet on which of them will get the most kills.  he continues to keep score, and near the end of the show, he's well into the hundreds.
 * Chivalrous Pervert
 * Drowning My Sorrows
 * Ethical Hedonist: Poplan spends at least as much time making other people happy as he spends on himself.
 * Plucky Comic Relief
 * Replacement Goldfish: He only really starts hanging out/exchanging witty banter with Attenborough
 * Those Two Guys: At first with his fellow colleague Ivan Konev, then later with Attenborough.

Murai
Voiced by: Takeshi Aono

The Chief of Staff for Yang's 13th Fleet, Murai has a reputation of being a strict disciplinarian and is equally feared and respected by the members of the 13th Fleet. When Attenborough and Poplan heard that he is returning to the fleet after the re-capture of Iserlohn Fortress, Poplan even began to hum Chopin's Funeral March!


 * Commander Contrarian: Saw his role of Chief of Staff as such, since his superior is talented enough to not require a staff officer. Therefore he restricts himself to playing the devil's advocate and provides common-sense arguments against Yang's command decisions.
 * Consummate Professional: Murai is well-known for being a stickler for military order even before he joined the Yang Fleet.
 * Only One Name

Edwin Fischer
Voiced by: Taimei Suzuki ""The Admiral has left all fleet deployment to me. This time, it is our turn to trust the Admiral.""

The Vice Fleet Commander of the 13th Fleet, Fischer is renowned for his ability to execute perfect fleet manoeuvres and is thus highly valued by Yang, who requires his talents to allow the 13th Fleet to realise his brilliant tactics in the actual battlefield. This also meant that he rarely commands a separate fleet by himself, unlike Attenborough.


 * Boring Yet Practical: His talents in fleet deployment are not flashy at all, but are essential for the success of Yang's "magic".

Fyodor Patolichev
Voiced by: Kozo Shioya

The Vice Chief of Staff of the 13th Fleet, Patolichev is often seen together with Murai and Fischer.


 * The Big Guy
 * Boisterous Bruiser

Katerose von Kreuzer
Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi

The result of one of Walter von Schönkopf's many dalliances in his younger years. At the age of sixteen, she became a fighter pilot in Yang's fleet.


 * Ace Pilot: She has great potential according to Poplan.
 * Fiery Redhead
 * Tsundere

Louis Mashengo
Voiced by: Ryusei Nakao ""Humans cannot oppose destiny.""

A junior officer in the Alliance navy, Louis Mashengo's main claim to fame is as the only black man among the main cast in the entire series. He was shown to be a serious and reliable worker, having been assigned as a bodyguard for both Ensign Frederica Greenhill and Lieutenant Julian Minci while they worked in enemy territory. He also joined Julian on his journey to Earth to investigate the true nature of the Earth Cult.


 * Catch Phrase: "You can't fight fate."
 * Heroic Sacrifice:
 * The Quiet One
 * Token Minority: One of only two prominent black men in the show.

Bagdash
Voiced by: Akira Kamiya ""Giving up easily is one of my best traits.""

Initially a supporter of the National Salvation Military Council, Bagdash was dispatched to the 13th Fleet to assassinate Yang Wenli and provide the Fleet with false intelligence and decided to switch loyalties once his plans were exposed and he realised that the coup d'état was doomed to fail. An expert in intelligence warfare, he is often tasked to gather intelligence or conduct subterfuge operations, such as executing the initial phase of the Yang Fleet's re-capture of Iserlohn Fortress.


 * Fake Defector: The National Salvation Military Council tasked him as such. It did not work.
 * Only One Name
 * Turncoat

Adrian Rubinsky
Voiced by: Kiyoshi Kobayashi ""After all, someone will survive, won't they? The Empire, the Alliance, Earth or… me.""

Last Landesherr of Phezzan. Went underground when the Empire invaded and annexed his planet and worked with the Terraists to subvert the imperial cause until his capture and subsequent demise from a brain tumor.


 * Ambiguously Brown
 * The Chessmaster
 * Double Agent
 * Offing the Offspring
 * Red Baron: "Black Fox of Phezzan"
 * Suicide Attack: After a fashion: he had rigged several powerful bombs in the center of Heinessenpolis to explode the minute an implant in his skull no longer could detect his brainwaves. Already dying from a brain tumor, he deliberately unplugged his life support machine, hoping to catch Reinhard in the blast. He failed, but the damage to the city was considerable and the death toll in the thousands.

Job Truniht
Voiced by: Unsho Ishizuka ""If autocracy gives me the power I want, then autocracy will become my next benefactor.""

Truniht was the Chairman of the Free Planets Alliance's High Council for much of the series and was generally a very slimy person. His defining characteristic, as commented on by many characters over the course of the series, was his utter shamelessness. Truniht was willing to do whatever it took to maintain his position and privileges, and did not truly believe in the concept of democracy if it didn't serve his interests. .

While he was Chairman he retained the services of a vigilante group called the Patriotic Knights Corps and was also shown to have strong ties to the Earth Cult.


 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Oh so much.
 * Karmic Death
 * Manipulative Bastard
 * Smug Snake
 * Straw Hypocrite: As the above quote exemplifies, though the writers refrained from using him to make a point.
 * Straw Hypocrite: As the above quote exemplifies, though the writers refrained from using him to make a point.

The Earth Cult/Terraism
""Terra is my mother. Terra in my hands.""

A popular religion in both the Empire and the Free Planets Alliance. As its name implies, the base of Terraism is on our very own Planet Earth which largely declined in influence after a rebellion by the colonies and the establishment of the Goldenbaum Dynasty. The doctrine and beliefs are not touched upon during the series itself but we know that the leading bishops wanted to reestablish Earth as the centre of galactic civilisation and many ordinary people worked hard to make the pilgrimage back to the cradle of humanity. Originally just a minor inconvenience, they began to make their influence felt when Reinhard moved to crush the Free Planets Alliance once and for all, and masterminded many of the assassinations and events that drove the plot forward towards the end of the series.

In addition to assassination, the Earth Cult had connections to many people in positions of power which it exploited regularly. Its members were not above the use of brainwashing and drug addiction, and in a pinch, the many pilgrims who lived in their complex in the Himalayas served as an instant army of fanatics. Needless to say, the series did not have many nice things to say about their religion.


 * Path of Inspiration
 * Villain by Default