August 2017 was a slower month for Yamato activity as Chapter 3 went deeper into production for its October release and the world continued the countdown. The highlights were fewer, but more valuable for their rarity. Here’s how it went…

August 4: Studio recording

On August 6, these photos turned up on Akira Miyagawa’s official Twitter page showing a new Yamato 2202 music recording session that took place at the start of the month. There is as yet no sign of any soundtrack release, but it took many months for the 2199 version to appear…and then we got three of them. Patience pays off.

Visit Miyagawa’s Twitter page here.

August 11: Yuki Mori action figure

Bandai subsidiary S.H. Figuarts made good on their promise from September 2016 to release this articulated 5.5″ Yuki Mori figure, the first of its kind for Yamato 2202 (with an Akira Yamamoto promised for January 2018).

The options for the figure are impressive: four different faces, six different sets of hands, a computer tablet, a type-97 cosmo pistol, and two removable holsters.

Action photos posted on Twitter by Chiaki Kasagi

Longtime collectors made a meal out of combining their new Yuki with some older merch. These pics were posted on Twitter by NS-Z and M19981KOBE.

August 12: 1/1000 Aldebaran model

Aldebaran is essentially an Andromeda model recast in blue, but that doesn’t make it any less gorgeous. As the “movie effect” version, it comes with electronics that allow for light and sound features.

See a gallery of finished kits here.

August 12-13: Comiket 92

Throughout the month, fans who create their own doujinshi (fanzines) kept up a steady pace of self-promotion on Twitter to make everyone aware of what they would have for sale when the largest comic convention on Earth made its twice-yearly return.

See a gallery of doujinshi art here.

August 12: Yamato 2199 Ark of the Stars Retouch Picture Collection

Character designer Nobuteru Yuuki surprised everyone with the publication of this new book at Comiket 92, a substantial 160-page full color collection of his animation layouts from Ark of the Stars. Or at least some of them, since this is labeled “first volume” and only reaches the “jungle battleship” scene. At present, no plans have been announced for wider publication.

As an incentive for the hardcore fans, Yuuki announced on Twitter that ten original character drawings would be given away by lottery at the event.

Friend-of-the-website Gwyn Campbell posted this photo on Facebook to share a followup:

At the 92nd Comic Market this Saturday, the first 1000 people to purchase a new book of production materials for Yamato 2199: Odyssey of the Celestial Ark went into the draw for one of only ten hand-drawn illustrations by Yamato 2199/2202 character designer Nobuteru Yuuki. Lady luck was with me.

August 25: Chapter 3 news

With Chapter 3 less than two months off, some welcome news filtered out of Yamato headquarters. First, advance tickets were now available along with a bonus clear file sporting artwork previously seen on theatrical promo posters.

Second, the video package art for Chapter 3 was revealed for the first time with a sleeve illustration by Nobuteru Yuuki and slipcase art by Makoto Kobayashi. This gave us our first glimpse of something quite new to the Yamato universe: powered armor. In this case, used by the Space Cavalry.

Bonus features announced for the Chapter 3 home video are trailers and commercials, audio commentaries by cast and crew, and bonus booklets for the theater-exclusive edition to be released with the film on October 14.

See additional coverage of this news at Animate Times and Cinematopics.

August 25: Dengeki Hobbyweb

If you already own a 1/1000 Yamato model kit from 2199 and are wondering whether or not you should get the forthcoming 2202 version, Dengeki Hobbyweb has some news for you: there are several structural differences between the two, which were examined in a photo comparison that can be found here.

August 25: Hobby Japan #580

This issue gave us eight pages of coverage starting with a newly-scratchbuilt Cosmo Tiger II, some beauty shots of Aldebaran, early views of the 1/1000 Yamato and some product announcements that include two new Akira Yamamoto figures and the first-ever Yamato “Armor Girls Project.”

See the pages here.

August 26 & 27: Donburacon

The 56th Japan SF Convention was held in Shizuoka. In addition to the yearly Seiun Awards, one particular highlight was the return of the great Naoyuki Katoh, Studio Nue veteran and Yamato co-designer. (Visit his Twitter page here.)

Katoh produced two new live-painted murals in the convention facility’s concert hall, flanked all the while by previous murals that had been brought together for the first time. These photos were posted on Twitter by Aoi2199.

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