Great review. You've pretty much summarized why I love this series so much.
If you have ADD/are used to nonstop action or are used to stories that are finished in 26 episodes, this is not the series for you.
Oh, come on, this is a great review, no need to end it in such a condescending note.
If anything, this should be a chance to break the common misconception that this series is "very slow" or "boring". There's no denying that it's slow paced, but it's not particularly so: It's very long, yes, but there's a lot of stuff going on in it. And it's by no means dull, the acting and characters are hammy and ostentatious, true to it's Space Opera nature, and there's plenty of space and land battles too. Death Note, for example, doesn't get called dull despite it being mostly people talking and thinking.
What plays against this series really is the outdated animation and intimidating length, but I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't consider those to be a big issue.
TBH, I didn't really see the animation as much of a problem. In fact, I'm lucky enough to have Central Anime's torrent of the 2003 DVD release, which has a lot of scenes redone with very fresh animation.
My remark about ADD is because...well, I have it and it took me quite a while to get used to the style. A few of the character-driven episodes (and the one documentary on the history of the Milky Way and the House of Goldenbaum) are flashback-heavy and sometimes they end up deviating a lot from the main story. Like I said, this is the most masterfully crafted political thriller I've seen and I think the pacing adds a certain realism that other series lack, but there are definitely spots when that Sunday drive seems more like a stretch of highway in West Texas than the Taconic Parkway.
I will add your point about the battles though.
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The political thriller Gundam wishes it were; a truly epic anime
Ever wanted a series that contains all the action and epic scale of Star Wars, the quiet philosophy of Star Trek, and the complex politics of a Gundam series rolled into one? Then I think you'll enjoy The Legend of the Galactic Heroes.
What's striking is just how versatile this series is; it can be an action show, a tragedy, or a documentary and succeed at all three, and I don't think that there is a more masterfully crafted political thriller in all of anime. The pacing of the episodes is slow; unlike many other long anime, however, the length serves not to pad but to allow for introspection and deep analysis of the key players and events. And considering how complex the Gunpowder Age politics of the Reich and the politics of the U.S.-like FPA are, you really need that time to sort everything out. The theatrical nature of the characters' interactions and conflicts, contrasted with the documentary/action style coverage of battles and tactics grants the series a unique aesthetic that so far doesn't seem to exist in many other series.
The space battle visuals aren't that detailed, and they rely on stock footage; this is excusable though, as this series focuses more on grand strategy. What they lack in originality, however, they more than make up for with their massive scale; 3 million people and thousands of ships can be lost in a single battle, and this level of carnage is par for the course. Despite the lesser emphasis on battles over the course of the story, this massive scale turns them into very gripping and tense affairs that can span more than one episode. Also, fans of gritty, tense melee combat will walk away very pleased. The sound design augments the tension; even though it's a Public Domain Soundtrack, the music is always situation-appropriate and really complements the series' best moments.
If you are mainly used to stories that start and finish in 26 episodes, this might not be the series for you. However, if you're a fan of politics, great battles, interesting characters, and don't mind a pace that's about like a Sunday drive you'll definitely enjoy this series.