This material was originally published in Space Battleship Yamato 1974 Complete Episode Commentary by Ryusuke Hikawa under the penname “Roto-san.” This Cosmo DNA translation appears by kind permission of the author.
Back up to part 2 here
Chapter 3: Ikebukuro Community College Lecture, Part 2
August 24, 2019
Preface: Kazuhide Tomonaga is an animator I deeply respect. By 1975, when Yamato was nearing its end, Tiger Pro was already working on Shonen Tokugawa Ieyasu. That same year saw Getter Robo G, but midway through that project, Tomonaga transferred to OH! Pro and began working with Kazuo Komatsubara.
In Yamato, the weighty, substantial military depictions and the animation style reminiscent of Yasuo Otsuka or A-Pro Studio were largely Mr. Tomonaga’s work. He began working with Mr. Otsuka and Hayao Miyazaki on Future Boy Conan in 1978.
Now, if this year marks the 40th anniversary of 1979’s Mobile Suit Gundam, then 1974’s Yamato celebrates its 45th anniversary. It shares the same five-year anniversary pattern as 1966’s Ultraman and 1971’s Kamen Rider. Will something be done aiming for the 50th Anniversary in 2024? No official announcements have been made, but since recent productions take so long, they might start preparations early.
However, I’m quite skeptical about whether I can still be of any use. My memory is getting shakier, so whenever I get the chance, I plan to just talk about whatever I can remember without worrying about the details.
Last time, the lecture was on the same day as the SF convention, so it was a bit rushed. This time I want to make it more substantial.
Episode 7
Yamato Sinks!! The Fateful Assault on the Fortress!!
November 17, 1974
A Trap Using Massive Firepower
The strategy is to lure Yamato into the range of the reflection satellite cannon by pretending to launch a large number of super-large missiles, even if only one hit would be devastating. The sheer volume of missiles is impressive. The shot of the launch was reshot using elements from Episode 3, but a layering error appears here.
Last time, I mentioned that there was an episode where the planet bomb’s translucent mask was significantly misaligned, and that was here in Episode 7. If it was just a timing error, we could assume that the count was incorrect, but why is it so misaligned? It doesn’t seem like the mask was filmed upside down, so I’m not sure why.
Reflection Satellite Cannon
It’s a mystery why Pluto is defended by a Reflection Satellite Cannon when Yamato never intended to approach it. Was it installed when the Earth Fleet was in better shape?
Ships vs. Fighters
The Black Tiger shines here. It’s Yamato‘s first ship-to-ship battle, but fighters taking down a battleship is a bit over the top. Noboru Ishiguro handled the explosion key animation for this sequence. The highlights are the pulse lasers and interceptor missiles. Yamato‘s defenses are spectacular, especially the interceptor missiles. At first, you think they’ll collide directly with enemy missiles, but they self-destruct to create a sort of barrier. The scattered particles are likely antimatter, and the mechanism where they detonate upon impact was well done. Enemy ships that slip through are intercepted by pulse lasers, and damage control reports are given. I think it’s a pretty logical battle sequence.
Satellite Cannon Energy Source
The mysterious energy transfer pipe is great, with that fluorescent pink radiation matching the Gamilas ships’ energy. This isn’t the energy itself, but a secondary phenomenon during transmission, right? The reason the energy source is located far away is likely related to this pink radiation effect.
Firing
Transmitted light is used just before firing. Note how the beam melts the frozen sea on Pluto and shoots skyward. It’s good that it refreezes after being penetrated. Right after broadcast, it was criticized for “lacking scientific knowledge as SF.” Criticisms like, “Is there really a sea on Pluto?” were typical. I wondered if they were actually watching the broadcast. They clearly understand Pluto’s extreme cold due to its distance from the Sun. I wish they’d focus on that aspect instead.
Reflection Path Search
It simulates which reflection satellite to use for a hit, calculating the path. Later, I designed packet communication terminals connecting to network node access and saw similar diagrams. I’m drawn to the concept of simulating optimized paths.
Normally, the satellite’s reflector is closed; it’s deployed and then rotated to adjust the angle. Satellite imagery was still quite rare in that era, I think.
The sequence confirming the firing route is drawn with deliberate pauses. Like the fleet battle earlier, it effectively uses the contrast between rapid-fire rushes and moments of tension. The shape of the launch switch and the cord attached to it are also very particular.
Rocket Anchor
Watching this scene, you see each chain link drawn meticulously, one by one with fine lines. It’s astonishingly detailed and precise. Truly masterful craftsmanship.
Pluto’s Waves
The waves in this episode were designed by Toyoo Ashida. Regarding the effects, not only Noboru Ishiguro’s work but also Ashida’s attention to detail is superb. Okita’s line, “This is unsightly! Keep your cool until you finish your task,” also has a mature atmosphere that works well.
Dessler’s Depiction
Around this episode, Ashida begins adding distinctive shadows to Dessler’s face. This reaches its peak from Episode 11 onward, serving as emotional expression through shadow. Dessler always has women at his side. Truly an adult sensibility.
Episode 8
Yamato‘s Desperate Struggle!! Destroy the Reflection Satellite Cannon!!
November 24, 1974
Submarine Action
The interior of the Third Bridge is a highlight. Right before Yamato began airing, Weekly Shonen Sunday featured a double-page spread of Naoyuki Katoh’s design for the Third Bridge. People were amazed by the intricate detail of the gauges and got excited about the article explaining Yamato‘s unique feature: it could invert vertically to function as a submarine. I thought we’d see this capability used frequently, but it only got a few minutes of screen time. Beyond that, it was only really used for the evacuation scene in Episode 22.
Repair Status
Yamato breaks down constantly and is always being repaired. The appeal lies in the feeling of ordinary people, struggling to operate something they built, banding together despite their inexperience to embark on adventures into the unknown.
Enemy Territory Infiltration Operation by Selected Members
This exact same scenario appeared in the 1978 broadcast of Battlestar Galactica, causing quite a stir. Rather than Yamato being the source, it’s likely Fort Navarone served as the common inspiration.
Gamilas Submarine
From tanks at the Pluto base to bombers dropping depth charges from submarines, Gamilas is fully deployed across land, sea, air, and space. If the Earth Defense Force won the Battle of Pluto, could a counteroffensive be possible? It’s a bit puzzling given their overwhelming victory.
Pluto’s Indigenous Lifeforms
Along with Jupiter’s floating continent, Yamato presents a universe teeming with lifeforms. “Transparent paint” is key here. While Miyazaki anime would use a half-exposure effect for translucent rendering, this uses special paint. It’s from Mushi Production’s Ashita no Joe. As a successor to the paint used for sweat and blood, its feature is creating gradation rather than flatness, physically achieving that jelly-like biological texture.
Enemy Base Infiltration
Analyzer’s near-invincible sequences are essential viewing. First, it illuminates the area with a searchlight, identifies pipes, then sears through them with a finger-mounted laser torch. The cut surfaces reveal biological structures distinct from Earth’s machinery – quite impressive.
Trap Room
A trap where the floor is electrified. This is a familiar trope in hero shows, but if you think about it, what’s the point of this room? Better not to overthink it. (Laughs) Here too, Analyzer launches his arm, allowing humans to swing on wires and break through. The re-edited theatrical version cut most of this sequence, so the feel is different. It was a shame to miss Analyzer’s action.
Cool-headed Okita
“Calm down, we still have time” – a truly commander-like line. The clock used for the time suspense in Episode 18 is also cool. It’s an analog clock, but the design is meticulous. This two-part episode forms the climax of the first arc.
Episode 9
Rotating Defense!! Asteroid Belt!!
December 1, 1974
Interlude
A brief respite as Yamato undergoes repairs in the Asteroid Belt.
Repair Scene
When the movie version came out, a classmate from Tokyo Tech told me he’d seen Yamato for the first time and thought it was amazing. After the ship was damaged, workers appeared and began repairs. “Why are they destroying their own ship?” he wondered. Then he saw the damaged panels being cut away and replaced with new ones. He praised it as an amazing anime, done rationally. I was happy to hear such an engineering-focused compliment.
Since it’s anime, fixing it with magical powers would also be possible. In fact, as Noboru Ishiguro said, “Yamato has this unwritten rule: no matter how badly it gets destroyed, it’s fixed by the next episode.” This naturally invites jokes like, “the immortal third bridge,” but the point is showing how industrially-manufactured products are repaired logically using technology. That’s why repairs aren’t glossed over. Concept designs exist specifically for this purpose. I believe the accumulation of detail and logical underpinnings was a major value Yamato demonstrated back then.
Rock Texture
A key point is the texture applied to the asteroid belt’s rock masses. Paint was layered over the cels to add texture, preventing a flat appearance. While today this would be special effects work, it was done by the art department using cel paint. It’s similar to the style seen from Toei Animation or Studio Ghibli, but the main lines weren’t layered.
Rock Armor Attachment
The control device embedded in the rock…despite being crucial equipment, it somehow lacks any official design specifications. Studio Nue’s Yamato Big Picture Book depicts it with a different shape. Since the concept for Asteroid 6 included the gimmick of “disguising the asteroid with rock armor” from the planning stage, the absence of design specs is puzzling.
Mr. Ishiguro suggested, “Maybe they just sketched it roughly and gave instructions to the animators.” The same device appears in the sequel, Yamato 2, but they specifically re-shot it rather than reusing film from Episode 9 of the first series. I think this was because there were no designs and they couldn’t redraw it. If the original designs were found, it would be a monumental discovery. (The same is true of the repair platforms, only seen in this episode.)
Frame Count
The initial rock movement was probably done in 6 frame increments. When I mentioned to Assistant Director Kazunori Tanahashi, “The part where Sasha’s capsule rotates in Episode 1 is single-frame animation, right?” he firmly corrected me: “It’s not about just having a lot of frames.” Ishiguro-san backed him up, saying, “To impressively convey the weight of a large robot, we sometimes deliberately use 6 frames for animation.” Keeping that in mind, you can indeed spot intentionally jerky shots scattered throughout.
Cels Visible in the Background
The rock surface where Doctor Sado emerges from the crater isn’t background art either. Background touches were painted directly onto the top of the cel to depict the rock surface, which was painted on the back using cel paint.
Rock Formation Rotation
The textured rock is animated in the drawings. The gimmick of wrapping an asteroid belt around the Yamato in a circular formation and rotating it for defense and attack existed from the earliest stages. It’s a remnant of the “asteroid spaceship” concept, where it disguised itself as a rock mass to navigate space. It even became a key visual, but it only appeared in this episode. Seeing the battle situation, they rotate the ring toward the front to defend. Do they have time because Gamilas ships fire metal particles instead of beams? (Laughs)
The shot where a Gamilas ship hits a rock mass, gets destroyed, and causes a collision still has the under-tracing cells remaining, with the tracing lines not faded away. It’s beautiful because it’s packed with special effects. Normally, the lines fade as the carbon deteriorates, reacting with the paint. You might not notice, but there are only two scenes of ships colliding and exploding and each one is reused again for four shots. This is partially disguised by flipping the direction of action.
Schulz’s End
In this shot, Schulz shouts “Long live Dessler!” as he makes his suicide attack. In the movie, this shot is used after the Pluto base is flooded, so it’s assumed he shares the base’s fate.
Mysterious Movement
“Fire rocket anchor!” to avoid Schulz’s ship colliding. Something strange happens here. It fires to the right side, right? The chain breaks, Schulz’s ship changes course and smashes into the rock mass. After this…huh? The broken chain is on the opposite side. (Laughs) But perhaps this works better for the scene. If the camera cut back to the right here, that might look odd.
Episode 10
Farewell, Solar System! From the Galaxy With Love!!
December 8, 1974
Extended Recap
The episode opens with an very lengthy recap, essentially a “previously on” segment. Back then, there were no VCRs, and many viewers would start watching partway through. Since Yamato wasn’t a formulaic series and had complex settings, this recap was probably necessary.
Reusing footage is generally seen as cutting corners, but marking rush film with pins and sending it to the lab is a huge hassle, costly and time-consuming. So, this part was re-shot using cels. It’s a geeky pleasure to spot familiar scenes that are subtly different. Backgrounds vary, and in the shot of the beam hitting the Okita ship, part of the B-cell is missing, suddenly leaving a gap. Many shots also have significantly different speeds and timing.
Mr. Ishiguro Appears
A major highlight is Mori Yuki’s “matchmaking photo.” For some reason, the handsome guy being presented to her is…Noboru Ishiguro. (Laughs) There was a design for a caricature drawn by Takeshi Shirato, which the staff found amusing and posted in the directing room. For some reason, the actual animation doesn’t follow that design. Mr. Ishiguro was beloved by the staff, and crew members resembling him appear in various shots. It’s an inside joke, a way for the staff to relieve stress.
Human Drama
This episode focuses mainly on emotional expression and dramatic portrayal. I remember opinions were sharply divided when it aired. As someone born in 1958, part of the TV anime generation, I found it boring without SF elements or battles. However, people who were already college students back then, like the generation including Masanobu Komaki (who later became the editor-in-chief of Animec Magazine) loved it.
For me personally, I wasn’t looking for emotional expression or drama in Yamato. Since that kind of thing existed elsewhere, I guess it just didn’t resonate with me. Now, I understand the beauty of the subtle drama between people who have lost family members, established not through direct words but by each sensing the other’s feelings.
Kodai Goes to the Captain’s Room
In the scene where Okita and Kodai share drinks, the bottle sways realistically with their movements. It mirrors their emotional turmoil, and the wild look in their eyes is a nice touch.
Age Setting
Kodai is 18, so the drinking scene couldn’t be broadcast today. (Laughs) Having a young guy like Kodai, caught between childhood and adulthood, unable to join the party and wandering around, is definitely effective. Even in an emergency, the importance of “depicting the ordinary” – that this kind of thing happens – is something I’ve come to understand through experience.
Party Depiction
I’d never heard the term “farewell party” before. At this point, female crew members are scattered about. Actually, this serves as foreshadowing for a major incident in Episode 12.
Direction of Farewell
There is the iconic scene where Captain Okita and Kodai bid farewell to humanity with “Goodbye!” But since Yamato is traveling with Earth behind it, they’re actually shouting in the direction they’re heading. (Laughs) This has been pointed out for a long time, but in Yamato 2199, Kodai no longer meets with Captain Okita, and the scene was revised so Kodai and Yuki bid farewell together, facing backward.
Episode 11
Decision!! Break Through the Gamilas Absolute Defense Line!!
December 15, 1974
Gamilas Side Depiction
From Episodes 11 to 13, the camera shifts closer to the Gamilas perspective, delving deeper into the enemy side. This is the arc where Dessler starts messing with Yamato. While we’ve only seen the big bosses up until now, we begin to see the depth of the Gamilas organization.
Art Direction
Above all, the planet Gamilas boasts superb color palette choices. Dessler’s palace features one bold, massive structure after another, and seeing it in the HD remaster made me shiver with awe at its incredible sense of color. Art director Hachiro Tsukima, who also worked on Mushi Pro’s Dororo, used key colors in an artistic style that stood out in the color era. His sudden passing in 1977 was a great shame.
Long Live President Dessler!
This is the scene where the entire Gamilas military gathers to greet Dessler as he ascends the throne. The preceding golden age of cinema saw a boom in epic historical dramas designed for widescreen, where spectacular crowd scenes were key. This scene likely reflects that influence.
The Color of Gamilas People
Until now, Dessler was painted with pink skin, but it was explained as “just appearing that way due to lighting.” I once asked Ishiguro-san, “Why did you make his skin blue?” He replied, “Probably just because using the same color would have been boring.” He added, “I thought a sudden change would look odd, so I made it consistent by having Dessler bathed in various colored spotlights that changed his color, finally settling on blue.”
This is crucial. Many people mistakenly believe “color” is an inherent property. Color is perceived when light hits an object, reflects off it, passes through the eye’s lens, and is detected by the retina. Color can change completely depending on the light source. Skin isn’t inherently “skin-colored.” In Mushi Pro’s second anime adaptation, Cleopatra, Julius Caesar has blonde hair and green skin, a color scheme reminiscent of Dessler. He’s often mistaken for Hitler, but I interpret it as also carrying the impression of the Roman Empire era. That’s likely why Malik in Operation Latitude Zero wears similar attire.
Dessler’s Soul-Infused Artwork
In Episode 11, you can see how deeply Toyoo Ashida poured himself into Dessler’s artwork. He created new designs specifically for Dessler’s face, but these weren’t published in books, and no clean copies exist today. They called for special backlit shadows just for Dessler, and occasionally, vertical shadows at the corners of his eyes to express his psychology.
Due to the performance limits of the Xerox machine, all the shadows drawn by the color pencil artist and apprentice were completely lost. Finding the original design artwork would be a major discovery.
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko also added psychological shadows to Gihren Zabi in the Gundam episode Meeting in Space. Did he follow Dessler’s example, or was there a similar expressive approach during the Mushi Pro era? It’s something I’d like to investigate.
The Vulgar Officer
This famous character, dismissed with “Gamilas has no need for vulgar men,” has no name. Since the pinspot opens into holes, the circles at the officers’ feet might all be trapdoors. (Laughs) I hear Director Yutaka Izubuchi agonized quite a bit over whether to include this scene in 2199. As many have pointed out, managers and leaders are costly to train, so they wouldn’t be killed off lightly. Yet removing them creates a dilemma where the “Yamato spirit” feels diminished. (Laughs) Ultimately, it was realistic within the context of “TV manga.” Personally, I found the balance in 2199 quite satisfying.
Balloon Dummy
Since this is another device without an official design, I preserved the production material in its shot bag. I have the materials to create a “Complete Reference Book.” However, when I lent it out for the Blu-ray, I found the cels had deteriorated. It’s the same as film’s vinegar syndrome, caused by the hydrolysis of cellulose acetate. Our reference materials are definitely nearing their limit.
The dummy is a completely different size from Yamato itself, so I wonder if it could be useful. Later, in Char’s Counterattack, a Mobile Suit fires a balloon dummy. I think of it as a ninja-themed “clone technique” or “body transformation technique.”
Drunk Analyzer
Analyzer shines again in this episode. Later, Mr. Ishiguro lamented, “With each sequel, Analyzer gets less screen time.” Part 1 is especially fun because Analyzer shows so many different sides. It looks like a machine, but inside, it’s very human-like. That contrast is great, isn’t it?
The drunk Analyzer and the analysis results after being splashed with alcohol are also excellent. The mechanical glitch where it turns red and goes “hic” was incredibly difficult to film. The differently colored light-emitting parts were separate cels, and they had to be overlapped, swapped out, and then replaced one by one. It took an enormous amount of time to film, and there are several places where it’s misaligned. The schedule became tighter around this time, and mistakes started happening frequently.
Space Mines
“There are limits to how much you can tilt a ship to defend against them.” Even this phrasing was carefully chosen, but SF fans got quite angry, saying “Don’t introduce concepts of up, down, left, or right in space!”
According to Ishiguro-san’s testimony, this mine story has a real-life origin. Apparently, there’s a historical account or war record of a strait or harbor being blockaded by mines, where ships were tilted to a degree that they looked like sunken vessels, allowing them to somehow break through.
He was reluctant to use the term “tilt,” but since that was the key point, he had no choice. As a last-ditch resistance, he deleted script lines like “How many more tilts before Yamato capsizes?” But the remaining parts still touched a nerve with SF fans. Being an SF fan myself, I understand. It’s a delicate balancing act. That’s why, even back then, I wanted to focus on praising the unprecedented elements and what worked, rather than what fell short.
Mine Disassembly Operation
The science duo of Sanada and Analyzer works pretty well, doesn’t it? Though the red coloring on the spacesuits feels a bit off. They discover the control mine and begin disassembly, proceeding with quite meticulous work as per the design.
First, since the protrusions are screws, Analyzer uses its crotch thrusters to rotate and remove them. It’s a very zero-gravity-like operation. The mine’s interior is alien machinery, with a computer resembling a nervous system; a bizarre, biological weapon-like form. Signal transmission is visualized like a neural network. Analyzer extends its fingers to shut down the functions and neutralize it. Seeing the design by Naoyuki Katoh from Studio Nue left me deeply impressed. This wasn’t drawn “just because,” it was carefully crafted with thought. Having a basis for it was crucial.
Mine Shutdown
It depicts a “battle” without using the Yamato‘s combat power. That’s also brilliant, right? Though considering the law of inertia, it’s questionable whether slave mines would stop if the control signal was cut off. (Laughs)
The Great Mistake
Now, the biggest highlight. “A telegram from Gamilas…” It starts here. “Read it, Aihara,” Okita says, and the voice responding is indeed Aihara’s, but the character ended up being Ota.
No matter how many times I think about it, I still can’t figure out how such a mistake could happen. With most errors, you can guess “it must be due to that,” but this one is special. It went through production checks and animation director revisions, and since Nobuji Nomura’s voice is recorded, it was definitely Aihara at the voice recording session. I still don’t understand what process could cause such an error.
Even if I tried to investigate, most of the core production and sound staff involved (like Noboru Ishiguro, Kazunori Tanahashi, and Atsumi Tashiro) have passed away, so it feels like an eternal mystery. If something like a “Yamato Society” were formed, it would be an eternal research theme. A perfect case for testing hypotheses. (Laughs)
Episode 12
Desperation!! The Wishing Star of Orion, Hell Star
December 22, 1974
Another Case of Mistaken Identity
A “Huh?” moment involving mistaken identity also appears in Episode 12. Various reference materials feature a mysterious nurse with a plump face. But she doesn’t appear. She’s actually a “deleted character.” As evidence, the corrected version (including the original artwork and animation cels) still exists. She was rewritten as a male character, and since the animation was edited to include a nurse, some shots must have been partially filmed before reaching the final stage.
The schedule was already behind, so they tried to fix it by replacing scenes, but since it was done on the fly, some mistakes slipped through. Mr. Ishiguro remarked, “Her body looks oddly plump and feminine when she appears.” (Laughs) The shot where she shouts “Dr. Sado!” and chases him was one they missed. They probably figured, “It’s a spacesuit, so you can’t see her face,” and let it slide. Incidentally, since the ending credits list a female name, they must have recorded her voice. If the audio source still exists, it would be a major discovery.
An incident I heard from Mr. Ishiguro relatively early on: Producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki was watching the rough cut of Episode 12. The moment he saw the nurse following Dr. Sado, he reportedly flew into a rage, shouting, “Who the hell is this woman?” Someone replied, “She’s a nurse.”
He scolded them in that resonant voice of his: “On Yamato…there are only beauties!” (Laughs) The entire staff was stunned. They asked, “If only beauties are aboard, does that mean only Yuki Mori is aboard?”
“That’s right! The only woman aboard is Yuki Mori!” That’s how the exchange went. And that’s how the utterly bizarre concept of “Yamato only has Yuki as the one woman” came to be. The female crew members glimpsed in Episode 10 were simply erased.
Back then, fans were kind, saying things like, “They must have gone to cryogenic sleep due to an epidemic or something,” but that’s a stretch.
No animation for the voice recording?
The Aihara incident in Episode 11 happened because the animation for the voice recording wasn’t ready in time. This time too, the crew’s reactions when the gas lifeform approaches Yamato are off. Especially Chief Engineer Tokugawa’s shot descending the transport tube in the background animation. He sounds just like Dr. Sado.
Dessler’s face
The movie version combined scenes of Dessler and his aides from Episodes 11 and 12, so Dessler’s face suddenly changes midway. Episode 12 was directed by Takeshi Shirato, so Dessler looks slightly more rugged.
The Second Wave-Motion Gun Shot
Surprisingly, the Wave-Motion Gun is used relatively infrequently in the first series, and it’s never fired at nearly equal opponents like ships manned by humans. This is something I’ve pointed out before, and it’s a major difference from the post Farewell era. I feel it also influenced the storytelling in 2199.
When the floating continent was destroyed in Episode 5, they said they would exercise restraint. They also avoided using the Wave-Motion Gun during the final battle on Pluto. This time, they used it on a celestial body comparable in size to the floating continent: the corona of a star. That’s what I like about it.
Romantic Comedy Development
The highlight of Episode 12 is “Yuki Mori’s Wish,” which connects the opening conversation about wishing on stars to the final scene. The movie version omitted the subtle shifts in their distance hidden within their everyday conversations, leaving only the “future mom and dad” part from Episode 23. That’s why their sudden embrace feels abrupt. This episode made me realize once again that the TV series finale was the result of quietly building up these kinds of scenes.
Given the era, despite the lack of a series structure, there’s a steady, epic buildup, often with plot twists and turns. Who made the story add up and how? It’s still unclear.
The Famous Line Propagated by Mistake
You might recall the line “Hyss-kun, are you stupid?” from related books or fan nonsense. That’s a huge mistake, so please remember this. On film, it’s “General Hyss, are you stupid?” It’s “General,” not “-kun.” I’d love for someone to scientifically explain why this mistake propagated. (Laughs) I suspect it started with a parody comic published in a reader submission section of OUT magazine. That likely stuck in the minds of core Yamato fans and spread from there.
Just recently, I saw that same thing on Twitter again, with people saying Sanada said, “I thought this might happen” in the final episode. There is no such line. It might be a loose translation, but what wasn’t said wasn’t said. Even in JAXA presentations about the asteroid probe Hayabusa, whenever they flip to a slide about the miraculous return, Sanada is invoked with the phrase, “I thought this might happen.” (Laughs) If misunderstandings contributed to a great achievement, maybe that’s fine? Or maybe it’s better that our Sanada becomes famous? I think about all sorts of things.
Episode 13
Hurry, Yamato!! Earth is Suffering!!
December 29, 1974
Gem Bath
The final broadcast of the year naturally begins from Dessler’s side. This shot of “scooping gems out of the bath” became popular among female fans, partly due to the large cel-photography shots used. At the time, I didn’t understand why Dessler had such luxurious taste, but perhaps it was everyone projecting Producer Nishizaki’s image onto him.
Domel Appears
The crowd noise “Do-me-ru! Do-me-ru!” is done by the entire voice cast in the booth. When played back in high quality, you can hear familiar voices coming from all directions. It’s similar to hearing Fuyumi Shiraishi and others in the “Sieg Zeon!” crowd noise from Mobile Suit Gundam.
End of First Quarter
General Domel, the major mid-story antagonist, makes his appearance, and Gamilas barely appears in Episode 14. Then, in Episode 15, Domel is assigned to Planet Balan. This part is structured to show the enemy and ally situations alternately, with some time in between, shifting the conflict toward Balan. I think it’s very well done.
Saburo Kato
Starting this episode, Saburo Kato of the Black Tiger team is voiced by Akira Kamiya. It seems Ishiguro-san was asked by a girl visiting the voice recording session, “So it’s Akira Kamiya now, huh?” Around this time, Kamiya-san was voicing several leads in shows like Getta Robo, Babel II, and Zerotester, so he was gaining a lot of attention from female fans.
Prisoner Examination
This episode shows that Gamilas prisoners, when examined, are identical to Earthlings. However, they already saw Yaretara in Episode 6, so this shouldn’t be their first encounter. I thought it felt off even back then. In 2199, they were careful not to show Gamilas soldiers in the tanks.
Gamilas Pilot Suit
This episode marks its debut. It’s incredibly cool. I love it. Every part makes sense: connectors, sealed seams, a breathing apparatus, and a helmet with a sliding visor. Yet the overall design carries a bat-like, sinister vibe. In the Rainbow Star Cluster arc, this pilot suit was interpreted as the Gamilas standard, so even captain-class personnel wore the same suit. When 2199 came out, a figure of Melda was released, but I’d really like to see a figure of just the pilot suit.
Organizing Animation Cels
Just before the production dissolved, I visited the now-empty Sakuradai studio several times after the staff had left. Since there was a cel sale and talk event featuring Noboru Ishiguro in Shizuoka, I helped organize the cels for Episodes 13 and 14. They were probably left behind because these episodes weren’t used in the theatrical version.
I remember well getting the close-ups of the pilot suits as payment for my part-time work. The shots had already been selected; our job was just peeling off the paint-covered backing from the animation cels. Later, Mr. Ishiguro remarked, “These are all pretty awful, making me wonder if this is really okay,” and I apologized, saying, “It’s definitely not because we picked out the good ones.” But come to think of it, I did pick one good one myself.
Gamilas Prisoner
Looking at it now, he’s handsome and a great character, right? What’s interesting in the physical exam scene is that he’s an alien, yet wears striped underwear. (Laughs) Kodai gets enraged and tries to kill the prisoner, leading into a flashback explaining “why he got enraged.” Frankly, I don’t think inserting flashback scenes is generally a good idea. They break the continuity of the present story. It’s impossible for someone to see flashbacks of past memories during a conversation with another person. It’s still traumatic for me that my father, who watched it with me back then, scoffed, “It feels cheap when they explain the past like that.” (Laughs)
Flashback Scene
The depiction of futuristic lifestyles, like solar panels on roofs, actually turned out to be prophetic. That’s why I don’t want people to forget that Yamato was made in 1974.
The things that seem ordinary now are actually the hardest to verify. The bus design, flat-screen TVs…they were way ahead of their time. In the future, we might need footnotes like “Back then, it was CRT TVs.” The people who can do that (including myself) were only about 10 to 20 years old, right? We need to get that verification done sooner rather than later. Nobody seems to think that way, but I want to resist letting it fade away, even just a little.
Japan’s Destruction
The live coverage of the first Planet Bomb hitting Japan really conveys the sense of a massive catastrophe unfolding at a distance. Mount Fuji erupting is also incredibly significant. It was the era of Japan Sinks.
Space Rocket
It’s a checkered-pattern rocket. I thought, “This isn’t the 1960s ‘Space Ship Red Shark’!”
Kodai’s Parents
I was shocked by the “confession under the tree” development: “Dad, do you remember? You promised to marry me…” Later, it became so cliché I thought, “Huh, did that really happen?”
The Planet Bomb depiction here is pretty terrifying. First comes a high-pitched sound that feels like it’ll rupture your eardrums, followed by a massive explosion. The sense of immediacy as a disaster is solidly rendered. It was probably an era where memories of war still lingered.
The Departing Prisoner
In the end, they reconcile as fellow humans, and Kodai gives the pilot food and sets him free. In a parody comic published in our doujinshi, after giving him the food, Kodai hands Yuki a sack and says, “Wash my laundry for me.” Yuki gets angry, opens it, and finds food inside. (Laughs)
It was brilliant black humor that felt entirely plausible. Every time I watch this episode, I laugh at the memory.
Episode 14
The Galaxy’s Ordeal!! Launch in the Year 2200!!
January 5, 1975
Octopus Protostar Cluster
They say it’s a “strait,” but I can’t make out what the opening narration is saying. (Laughs) Rereading the premise just makes it even more confusing. It’s probably named “Octopus” because there are eight round parts, something thought up at a bar. Or maybe “octopus because it’s New Year’s.”
They’re each spinning like the eye of a typhoon, trapping Yamato in the vortex’s influence until it finally breaks through. This might have an origin story like the mines. That kind of research just hasn’t been done at all.
Shogi Game Argument
In this episode, a “wait” in a shogi game triggers a decisive deterioration in the relationship between Kodai and Shima, leading to a serious argument and a fistfight. The stress of not being able to move forward is the root cause, which, in retrospect, makes for a very interesting drama.
Captain Okita’s Turn
The shot of Okita asking “Kodai, why did you act on your own?” features animation that truly showcases Ashida’s passion. I previously wrote it was Episode 11, but it was actually Episode 14. My apologies. This shot is exceptionally well-drawn and appears in various places.
The Pitching Yamato
Evidence shows they drew rough rectangular guides around Yamato‘s keyframe and tilted them to create the animation. Clearly, an animator thought, “If we re-capture Yamato‘s form in 3D and animate it based on that, it’ll look real,” a very CG-like approach.
Kodai’s Dream
He cries out, “Father! Mother!” and wakes up. This connects to the previous episode. Yoshikazu Yasuhiko handled the storyboards again this time, and the rough draft of the parents running away looks distinctly like his style.
Kodai with Visible Back Teeth
What a surprising depiction. The three-dimensionality of Tomonori Kogawa’s animation in Farewell to Yamato was shocking, but seeing it done at this stage makes me think it was inevitable.
Kodai and Shima’s Brawl
This was hugely popular with female fans. The 70s were the era of “youth dramas” airing at 8pm. Scenes where the model student and the delinquent brawl, shouting things like “I’ve never liked you, you know!” Exhausted from fighting, they collapse on the riverbank, gasping for breath, and acknowledge each other with lines like “You pack a punch” or “You hit hard too.” Having been fed that kind of drama for so long, my reaction was, “Is Yamato doing that too?” Then Yuki would come in with something like, “These guys…how cool.” Basically, she played the class president role. It’s precisely because of elements like this that it attracted so many girls, diversifying the Yamato fanbase. Watching it now, it’s really great, isn’t it?
The Vanished Mochi Pounding
Mr. Yasuhiko’s first draft storyboards still exist, and the scene crossing the strait included a silhouette of mochi-pounding in the background. Why mochi pounding?
In the storyboard, Yuki suggested mochi-pounding to Captain Okita as a form of stress relief. Then there was a cutback during the climax when Kodai and Shima struggle together. But all references to mochi-pounding were cut from the episode.
In terms of timing, this was the first episode broadcast in the new year in 1975, and mochi-pounding is a traditional part of New Year ceremonies. Many “New Year’s episode” TV programs follow the format of “tracking the seasons.” Things like this can’t be deciphered through textual analysis alone. Times have changed, so we couldn’t do this kind of youth drama now, but it definitely drew from the customs of that era.
Episode 15
Desperate Escape!! Yamato in Another Dimension
January 12, 1975
Animation Director’s Storyboards
Episode 13 used Kenzo Koizumi’s storyboards, while Episode 15 used Takeshi Shirato’s. So there are storyboards by animation directors. Since Sunrise’s Zerotester ended in late 1974, Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s schedule opened up until Brave Raideen started in April 1975, allowing him to handle many storyboards. But right before that, they probably ran short on storyboard artists and assigned the work to the animation directors.
New Year’s Eve
Episodes 15 through 20, which take place just before the Rainbow Star Cluster, were plotted by Eiichi Yamamoto. The scripts were written collaboratively by Keisuke Fujikawa and Eiichi Yamamoto. Yamamoto is credited as a supervisor alongside Toshio Masuda, an ace director who joined Mushi Pro from Otogi Pro. Yamamoto was involved with Yamato from the initial planning stages, but wasn’t part of the team during the initial broadcast period because he was making a documentary film.
He rejoined after the broadcast started, supervising storyboards checked by Ishiguro, creating detailed plots from the initial outline, and adding valuable elements like strengthening the human drama. As a result, from 1975 when the second arc began, the episodes became more dramatic, more human, and more romantic. While not strictly following a sci-fi direction, his contribution was significant.
Another point: here, we have a series of “self-contained episodes,” meaning each story stands alone. This is a block that was neatly skipped in the theatrical version. In Mobile Suit Gundam, after the “Seig Zeon!” speech in Episode 12 made Amuro recognize the enemy as a massive nation-state, self-contained episodes also appeared. I heard that in Gundam, they created several interchangeable episodes to adjust the schedule. Perhaps this was also the know-how used during Yamato.
Mutiny Story
As part of the series’ narrative arc, elements related to the rebellion start to be woven in around this point. Like the friction between Chief Engineer Tokugawa and Navigator Shima. Yabu saying things like, “There’s nothing to do, so I just nap all day…” or “Maybe we should find a planet to colonize?” goading Tokugawa, ultimately setting the stage for the Diamond Continent incident in Episode 25.
However, at this point, Eiichi Yamamoto seems to have made a major mistake. The series outline clearly stated “Sanada mutinies.” For this to work logically, Sanada must have concluded “this voyage is doomed to fail.” In 2199, they handled that well. But because Yamamoto mistakenly believed Chief Engineer Tokugawa was leading the mutiny, scenes like “no word from above” are scattered throughout the engine room depictions. Sanada, who no longer instigates the revolt, becomes a popular character in Episode 18.
I think this kind of loose, easygoing feel also contributes to expanding the story. By not over-engineering things in the series, you can sometimes gain unexpected elements.
Second Bridge
This makes its first appearance here and only shows up briefly. After that, it’s mainly in the analysis scene in Episode 23. It’s primarily used for observation and analysis.
Bad Coffee
When Yuki Mori says, “Everyone, please help yourselves, the coffee’s ready,” and they drink it, it’s bad. For some reason, the food made by heroines in anime and manga has this golden pattern of being “bad.”
Intermediate Target: Planet Balan
From around this point, Planet Balan emerges as a clear objective. I suspect this was decided as Eiichi Yamamoto organized the structure, considering how to build the drama between Yamato and Domel and how to escalate the tension within the ship. However, whether this intent permeated all the way to the end is somewhat questionable and requires further study.
Retrospective
“Chan-cha-ka, Chan-cha-ka, Chan-cha-ka, Chan-cha-ka” a light guitar plays and we hear narration: “In the year 2199, Earth was under attack from the mysterious Planet Gamilas, and with only one year left before humanity’s extinction due to the resulting radioactive contamination…” This sequence, explaining the immediate goal, appears at the beginning of every episode up to Episode 20, becoming a staple.
I thought there should have been a scene panning up from Domel’s feet…but that actually appears from Episode 16 onwards. Episode 15 cut the shot once the leg entered the frame. This was likely due to schedule and budget constraints, aiming to reuse footage of significant length each time, and also to accommodate viewers who started watching mid-series.
Cosmo Black
An unofficial nickname among the crew. This is the debut of the Cosmo Zero painted in Black Tiger colors. They probably hadn’t yet decided it would be Kodai’s dedicated commander’s craft. The animators likely thought, “It’s a fighter, so it must be a Cosmo Zero,” but then realized, “Huh? That’s Katō piloting it,” and repainted it as a Black Tiger. This confusion seemed to persist until quite late in production.
First Bridge Layout Error
This is a strange layout since Sanada’s seat shouldn’t have a window view. They probably reused a background that wasn’t finished in time.
Yamato Chased by Beams
This shot became the cover for OUT Issue 2. I brought in a cel I had hanging on my bedroom door, and it ended up as the cover. I thought, “Why did they pick such a bad drawing?” This is actually a very small hand-tracing. The reason it was a hand-tracing is because it was traced onto a large 240-frame sheet from the usual close-up bank shot passing in front. It involves complex camera work, like starting close and then pulling back mid-motion.
Starsha’s Guidance
This scene gives hope that Iscandar and Starsha actually exist. When I saw it on TV, I thought it looked incredibly bright and beautiful. The filming is really elaborate. Come to think of it, it was originally pronounced “Stasha,” so when and why did it become ‘Starcia’ in spelling and pronunciation? That’s also worth researching. It might be taken from Anastasia, the famous royal of Imperial Russia (which has also been made into an anime movie). Here, we’re using “Starsha” consistently.
Word Processor
This is the scene where Gamilas language is written using a word processor. At the time, consumer-grade word processors didn’t exist. The first notebook-style, single-line-editing word processors appeared around 1984. Computer-controlled phototypesetting systems did exist, so they might have referenced those, but the key functions made perfect sense. I thought Kazutaka Miyatake, who designed it, was amazing.