Space Battleship Yamato:
The Last Message

With The Final Chapter, we bade farewell to Yamato. For a long ten years, Yamato was always at our side, which makes the parting even more painful.

Upon the occasion of this parting, we decided to feature feelings about Yamato and impressions of The Final Chapter. The youth that was there with Yamato (!?) one more time!!

I was impressed

The Final Chapter was the
“culmination of love.”

I was so moved by this work, for the first time. As a high school student, I don’t even work part time. I’m fully aware that the money I get from my parents must be spent carefully. Nevertheless, I put up with other things in order to see this movie so that I could spend it on Yamato to the last…! That was my intention.

I was surprised by the beauty of the intro. Beautiful nebula scenes are a specialty of Yamato. This time, Aquarius in particular was the standout. Another fine thing was the subtlety of the expressions…the movement of the eyes and eyebrows when Kodai-kun reacts. It was an outstanding expression of psychology combined with the excellence of the voice.

But the magnificent story was good above all, and can be called Yamato‘s culmination of love. First, the friendship of Kodai and Shima, the two pillars who supported Yamato at all times. When Shima died, the appearance of Kodai screaming as if he’d lost half his body made a strong impression.

Also, the friendship of Kodai and Dessler. Dessler was all but forgotten by the time he made his cool appearance. A round of applause for this wonderful direction!!

I especially want to mention the father and son love between Okita and Kodai. It is a strong bond compared to the master-slave relationship of the Lugal parent and child. Kodai’s line, “Father…” when seeing Okita off was impressive. I had mixed feelings about Okita’s resurrection, but thanks to that I can make no complaints about this wonderful story.

The last scene of Kodai and Yuki was very beautiful. Yuki had to wait through death, but she and Kodai finally became one. I want to give them my heartfelt congratulations! The only regret is that Yuki looked like Sasha. That was especially noticeable in the last scene. It’s not a mistake, because Sasha doesn’t appear in this scene, but I didn’t think they should be drawn so similarly.

Finally, it was the first time for the love of the Yamato crew to be depicted like this. It was very good!! Yamato taught me to never give up. To Mr. Nishizaki and the dear staff, you made a good work, so thank you very much.

Jagaimo [potato] from Kyoto (16)

Naomi Kido, Fukuoka Prefecture (18)

I’m so glad I believed in it!!

“After all, it’s Yamato” was my honest feeling after seeing The Final Chapter. We rise out of adversity and fight to win the future of Earth. Young people go on a journey of hope…indeed, that was the spirit of Yamato in Part 1. Farewell to Yamato was also great. However, though Yamato‘s fight in Farewell gave Earth a future, there was no future for Kodai and Yuki. In other words, the ending of Farewell deviated a little from the spirit of Yamato. This time, since this work reaches a conclusion that is appropriate for Yamato, I think it was the correct answer.

Some fans used Farewell as an opportunity to walk away from Yamato. I think that’s natural if they did it out of love. However, maybe others got tired of Yamato, and when other popular anime was made they jumped at it and began to criticize what they left behind as monotonous. If you once came to like Yamato and if you really sympathized with the theme, I wonder why you didn’t stay with it to the end. Why wouldn’t you try to defend Yamato? I’ve done it, and I’m as proud as ever to be a fan. I’d like anime fans to have a little more faith.

When you find contradictions in the work and scientific inconsistencies, some people are happy to take the role of devil’s advocate and criticize it. We never have to do that, and something can be judged on the level of its own merits. What I want you to notice about Yamato in particular is that it’s nothing if not a work of the “heart.”

Anyway, Yamato has a conclusion that is appropriate for Yamato. Along with all those who sincerely love Yamato, I wish to give my congratulations.

Tadashi Imai, Daisuke Prefecture (17)

Kenji Iguchi, Kumamoto Prefecture (16)

I want The Final Chapter to become
a TV series!!

Yamato The Final Chapter was a wonderful work. After seeing it, I was in a daze and couldn’t move for a while. When I looked at the program book at home a week later, I shed tears and tears. I hummed the songs and shed tears every day. It impressed me as I went about my daily life, and I haven’t seen anything like it in 2-3 years. I haven’t felt like this since Farewell.

Yamato can get repetitive, and I didn’t always like Mr. Nishizaki’s methods, but I think this movie is “a good work” that covered the blemishes and blew all that away.

But…The Final Chapter was a movie, and I want it to be done as a TV series. I think it was too much to do in the few hours of a movie (in a good way). It’s very regrettable that some parts were cut for time. Jiro wanted to appear, and I wanted more of Analyzer and Dessler.

Also, the passage of the Dengil boy from “Dengillian way of thinking” to “Earthling’s way of thinking” was intriguing, and I wanted to see the difference between Shima’s feelings for Yuki and his feelings for Teresa. I also wanted to hear a conversation between Dessler and Okita. Putting it that way, even as a fan, I have regrets about this work as well.

I wonder if any of the other Animage readers would want to see an “adaptation of the film on TV” or a “TV version of the movie.” Some may say “Yamato is monotonous.” But I want The Final Chapter to be made as a TV series all the same.

Domon Lives, Kochi Prefecture (17)

Expectations were completely betrayed

In addition to those who were impressed, there were also many who had complaints. Out of this phenomenon, a new theme seems to have been born.

It was a work of opportunism

When I finished watching Be Forever, I seriously thought, “Well, that’s the last time I’ll join Yamato on a voyage!”

Seven years ago, the valiant figure of Yamato appeared on TV. I’ve been fascinated by it ever since, and my amazement deepened with each passing work. Therefore, I had high expectations for The Final Chapter. However, for me it was even worse than Be Forever.

I was dissatisfied when I heard about the revival of Juuzo Okita, and thinking it was far too contrived, a friend and I collected the signatures of more than 170 people who were against it. I wanted this work to be convincing, and when Captain Okita was revived after all, the great death in Part 1 lost its meaning.

So, The Final Chapter only stands out as a work of opportunism with the matter of Captain Okita at the top of the list (for me, at least).

Certainly in technical terms, the art was wonderful. The care taken with the visuals was likewise amazing. However, the story at the root of the presentation is too much. Some of the lines are so contrived as to be laughable, and the gags become uncomfortable. Yamato often produced great lines before now, and I’m saddened by what has been done.

For example, the scene where Kodai and Yuki leave Okita to go and change the Wave-Motion Gun circuit. Yuki bursts into tears, and when Kodai tells her, “Don’t cry,” the theater was filled with laughter. Even though we understand Kodai’s pain well, it is spoiled by that one line.

And that story is just too much. First, Yamato‘s autopilot switches on and indiscriminately warps all the way to Earth. They only escape because Yamato has a life of its own. I was astonished that it was used so casually. Everyone wants to think that Yamato is not just a machine to serve people. No, it is Yamato. But the pattern of getting out of trouble by mere luck is lousy. This is unworthy of a work that glorifies the courage of young people.

What dissatisfied me the most is the neutrino beam defense field. Though it’s similar to the gaseous life form that appeared in the Sea of Fire episode in Part 1, the way they defeat the crisis is meaningless. The critical moment! Leaking Wave-Motion energy plays the role of a shield. While Yamato is protected by this shield, it penetrates the neutrino beam and crashes into Uruk. That part left me cold. The movement was good, but why did this, too, have to be such a disgrace? Whenever I hit such a scene, my dissatisfaction and loneliness grew stronger.

For me, the farewell to Yamato was too complicated. In my heart, I believe Yamato ended with Farewell. Anyway, thank you for ten years, “Yamato-sama.” Please rest in peace.

Mika Fujii, Kanagawa Prefecture (15)

Tomoko Tsuji, Fukuoka Prefecture (19)

I want to say, the content of The Final Chapter is thin and incomprehensible!!

My impression of The Final Chapter after it was over is that it was incomprehensible. Wasn’t every single thing settled too easily? Each time, it seemed like, “That’s done. Well, well, well, what next?” First, I’ll raise some questions.

① First, I don’t know why Yamato was flying through space at the beginning. (This was settled by reading the program book.)

② The slim value of the Queen of Aquarius.

③ The brevity of Dessler’s appearance.

There were other things, but what angered me the most was the revival of Captain Okita. How did they rationalize it? A “misdiagnosis by Dr. Sado!!” Whaaat? Well, it’s too late to say anything, but I just want to say a few words. “Well, then what about all of us who were so moved by that last scene?!” Yamato was the trigger that got me into anime. I’m very sad that I could feel this much despair and resentment over Yamato.

Overall, I have the feeling that “it was better to make it than not.” There were some highlights. But it seemed in a hurry to get to the end, and there was something about it that seemed hasty. And then the following scene seems to have been made as though to be read. Therefore, I compare it to Farewell even more, and I think it should have ended with two works. I think it should have been left alone as is.

Tomoko Nishimura, Chiba Prefecture (18)

Left: Non, Hyogo Prefecture (15). Right: Osamu Sato, Tokyo (18)

Is it worth it?

“For love,” “for the universe.” How many times do you have to make Yamato to say this? There are only different enemies and characters, and in the end, only an ordinary work has been made. Was there a meaning and a value in reviving what once died only to continue the work?

What is this Final Chapter? Shima dies. Kodai and Yuki become one in mind and body. Okita appears again. It wrings the same tears out of you as the previous works and the content is forcibly stretched thin. Please stop. Yamato should have left long ago. Doesn’t it give all the Yamato works a poor impression when you do something like this? I think they should never have brought back Yamato.

Terazu Hisataka, Chiba Prefecture (15)

• Reading your letters that talk about Yamato •

We received over a hundred letters for this corner that described your initial feelings. Yamato created many fans, and is a work that was supported by fans.

There seemed to be many people who were disappointed by it, saying, “Because it’s The Final Chapter, I wanted it to be satisfying.” Among what I heard was, “What, another one?” “You made this as a cash grab!” And it seems that some went into theaters thinking this, but what is it about Yamato that makes them care so much?! I also wanted to look back myself and see what it was. It was a chance to re-examine my relationship not only with Yamato, but with “anime.” Preparation is important, but review is also essential.

(Editor)

The End

Special thanks to Neil Nadelman for translation support.

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