The third season of LOGH: Die Neue These changes focus once more, towards a number of secondary characters, the logistic issues war presents, and the new and quite ambitious plan Anton Hilmer von Chaft proposes to Reinhard.
The secondary characters this season focuses are Mittermeyer and Reunthal, whose past and the way they became such close friends is presented quite thoroughly, before they are placed in the background, for Admiral Kempf to eventually take center stage. In the meantime, Oberstein continues to be one of the most integral individuals in the way the story progresses, with Shunsuke Tada highlighting another side of him this time, as we see him taking in a dog. On the alliance side, Julian and the way he matures and eventually progresses in the ranks of the army is also an integral part here. In the meantime, the two main protagonists are caught up in their own issues, as Reinhard has taken time off the military to deal with a series of reforms he wants to pass, while still being tormented by the death of Siegfried and the promise he made to him before he died.
Yang Wen-li on the other hand has to deal with the corrupt system of the Alliance even more severely, since he finds himself in a court of sorts, where a number of high officials question him about a number of things, while receiving no-punches-pulled answers from him. As soon as war is on their doorstep however, they rush to let him free, highlighting their hypocrisy even more. The issues both leaders face due to the continuous war, and the toll it is taking on their citizens is also embedded in the narrative, in a rather intense anti-war message. Furthermore, Reinhard comes closer with Hildegard von Mariendorf, and Yang with Frederica Greenhill, who also act as their adjutants and advisors, with Tada implying some sort of more serious romantic entanglement in the future for both of them. Lastly, the final part of the season pins the two fortresses together, in a series of majestic battle sequences, despite the fact that neither of the protagonists are present.
The focus on the secondary characters adds even more depth to an already rich narrative, creating empathy for additional individuals and thus making them more interesting. As such, the character analysis here, which actually continues focusing on the protagonists, emerges as one of the season's and the whole series' best traits. Furthermore, politics, corruption, the question of who wishes the war, and how various outside powers pull the strings from the background are also part of the story, adding even more depth while also showcasing who the real villain is. Lastly, the differences in the mentalities of the two protagonists continues to be quite intriguing, with a clash between them looking inevitable
In terms of production values, the third season retains the same, rather high quality in both drawing and animation, with the battle scenes in the final episodes being even more majestic than before. Particularly the exoskeleton battle, the most brutal in the season, and the cannon shootings from the two fortresses are a wonder to watch, perfectly cementing the prowess of Production I.G., as exhibited in the space fights that take place. If one was to mention a fault here, it would be the abrupt ending of the season, which comes before the battle ends, leaving the viewer hanging, although also hungry for more (the fourth season will start airing in Autumn).
“Die Neue These Third” continues the legend of LOGH in the most imposing fashion, in one of the best series we have seen lately.
