With Chapter 5 now in the rear view mirror, July 2018 was a month when quantity went down but quality stayed as high as ever with some exceptional product announcements, a major hobby show, and plenty of fan activity. Here’s everything that provided a distraction from the summer boiler…

July 1: Art museum exhibit

When a Battleship Yamato exhibit appeared at the Shimanose Art Center (part of the Sasebo City Museum in Nagasaki), fans stepped in with some of their own contributions until roughly half of the exhibit covered Space Battleship Yamato.

This news and the photos were posted on Twitter July 1 by Hikaru Misora.

July 2: Leiji Matsumoto manga reprint announced

In January 2018, a publisher named Fukkan made their mark on Yamato history when they brought out an archival edition of Leiji Matsumoto’s original Yamato manga in a comprehensive volume that included an enormous amount of bonus material. (It’s still in print as of this writing and can be ordered here. Yes, you DO want it.) Now Fukkan is doing it again for Yamato 2, and the pot has been sweetened.

As shown above, this will be a two-volume set, which raises some questions since Matsumoto never actually finished his manga adaptation of the Comet Empire story. Every page from Adventure King magazine will be reprinted at their original size and color, accompanied by a treasure trove of other artwork from this time frame.

But the real bonus will be found in the appendices: the VERY rare Adventure King manga adaptations for The New Voyage by Minoru Nonaka and Yamato III by Hiroshi Aizawa. Longtime fans of this website know that the Aizawa manga can be seen in full here, but Nonaka’s two-chapter version of The New Voyage was only recently rediscovered and dusted off for its first-ever reprint. Also included will be extensive text material and a new interview with 2199 Director Yutaka Izubuchi.

Both volumes will run over 300 pages each. Volume 1 is scheduled for September 14 and can be pre-ordered from Amazon here. Volume 2 follows in mid-October, but is not yet available for preorder, so stay tuned.

See more images at the Fukkan website here.

July 4: Bandai Fashion Collection

The apparel branch of Bandai has been carrying Yamato merchandise since the start of 2199, and on this day they added several new items for release in August, neckties and leather wallets of various size. See them along with previous merch at the Bandai Fashion website here.

July 4: Diecast Gimmick Model, Vol. 002

As explained in Report 23, the Hachette company began to test-market a 1/350 Yamato model (released in weekly segments) in order to gauge public response. Committed to the first four segments, they released Volume 001 on June 20 and followed up two weeks later with this volume, which delivered a highly articulated shock cannon.

Hachette released two more sets over the course of this month (keep reading) and then put the project on indefinite hold for retooling. You can bet we’ll keep our eyes on this one.

Photos posted on Twitter by Hachi Kuji.

July 4: Nico Nico News report

On June 26, voice actors Eriko Nakamura (Mikage Kiryu) and Kenji Akabane (Yasuo Nanbu) participated in an online talk show called D Studio with host Hisanori Yoshida. Nakamura is usually a co-host, but she took the guest chair during the first half hour for a light-hearted conversation. Nico Nico News published a transcript of their discussion on July 4, which made it possible for us to present a translated version here.

July 5: Bandai Spirits blog

With the 1/1000 Galaxy model on the way in September, the Bandai Spirits blog published some tantalizing photos of a test-shot for the kit. See them here and visit Bandai’s official page for the Galaxy here. (Word has it that Bandai will market the Galaxy under its Japanese name, Ginga. Be prepared.)

July 10: Hero’s Record news

On this day, a website called Gamer published a new round of character art from the 2202mobile game Hero’s Record, showing us several main characters in summer casuals. Visit the site and see them all here.

July 11: Diecast Gimmick Model, Vol. 003

This volume came with a smattering of parts: the foreward bow deck, a Cosmo Tiger, and pieces of the captain’s dome. Hachette certainly did its due diligence when it came to choosing the first parts to release, all of which are both iconic and functional.

Photos posted on Twitter by Hachi Kuji.

July 11: Nobuteru Yuuki on Twitter

2202’s character designer published this hand-drawn image with the following caption:

So, I missed the celebration of Animage’s 40th anniversary. (Sweat) Animage began with the Yamato boom, and I want to celebrate by talking to myself 40 of years ago for a little while about the creator side of the Yamato title. (Laugh)

July 18: Diecast Gimmick Model, Vol. 004

Hachette’s final entry in the test marketing of their 1/350 model was all the parts needed to complete the captain’s dome and sensor array, one of the prime elements in the ship’s personality.

And now we wait to see where they will go from here. As stated in Report 23, many other Hachette products of this nature are sold through Amazon.co.jp, and since they are categorized as publications rather than toys or models, they are eligible for overseas shipping. More news as it happens.

July 19: Official tweet

The Yamato Production Committee published this photo with the following caption:

We are eagerly making Chapter 6, Regeneration Chapter! Please look forward to the screening on November 2 (Friday)!

July 20: Live music performance

Yuya Hoshino performed Crimson Red, the coolest (so far) ending theme for Yamato 2202. He turned up to do it again at a live-music bar in Tokyo called Snufkin. This would have been a very memorable event for those who attended – the room was limited to 30 audience members.

July 25: Hobby Japan #591

There was only enough news to fill one page in Hobby Japan this month, but what a page it was; new photos of the 1/1000 Galaxy prototype and the first images anywhere of a brand new Yuki Mori figure from Megahouse. Both of these would soon be seen by a lot more eyeballs at Wonder Festival.

See an enlargement of the page at the end of this report.

July 25: Megane Flower eyeglasses announced

Custom eyeglass frames were announced on this day from a company called Megane [Glasses] Flower. This isn’t the first time Yamato eyeglasses have been made, since the same company did a Yamato frame two years previously. But these are all new designs with both a Yamato and an Andromeda motif to be enjoyed by those who look closely.

Both frames were released on August 3. Get a better look at them here and also at the Megane Flower website here.

July 25: Yamato Crew news

Wonder Festival was now just four days off, and Yamato Crew announced that they would have a booth at the event to sell various products (mostly figures) left in the vault from the 2199 days for a reduced rate of 5000Y each (about $50).

They would have custom bags on hand, and for the first time anywhere a limited edition Yuki Mori towel with a new illustration done for the forthcoming Yamato club magazine (at right). This would be just a small part of what the full event had to offer, as you’ll see in a moment.

July 26: Official tweet

The Yamato Production Committee published this photo with the following caption:

There was a recording of a new song the other day! The entire music staff thought it was awesome… a masterpiece. We’d like everyone else to hear it as soon as possible! Looking forward to it.

July 27: “Shining Ship” Dreadnought miniatures

The newest 1/2000 scale diecast metal ships arrived on this day, the UNCF D-1 Dreadnought. Since it’s smaller than the earlier Yamato and Andromeda ships (just 5” long), Bandai generously made it a two-pack.

As before, the set includes a mirrored stand, but Bandai simultaneously released a compatible action base to increase the display options.

See more photos of both products here.

July 29: Wonder Festival 2018 Summer

This bi-annual summer hobby show has always been a good flashpoint for Yamato product sightings, and 2202 made a strong showing in the Bandai booth and elsewhere.

Bandai’s display gave everyone an unrestricted up-close look at the 1/1000 Galaxy, along with prototypes for forthcoming models, some of which now have release dates. There was also the new Yuki Mori figure from Megahouse and numerous garage kits to stare at.

How do we know all this? Japanese fans, their cameras, and Twitter. See an extensive photo gallery here.

July 31: Fireworks show

America’s fireworks happen on July 4, but Japan provides them all summer long in one festival after another. This year, fans who visited the fireworks show at Tokyo Sky Tree could get their own limited edition 2202 hand fan to combat the record summer temperatures. The text provided a helpful reminder to watch the series on TV this coming fall.

Photo posted on Twitter by Director Nobuyoshi Habara.

July 31: Yamato 2199 Part One box set

The month ended with Funimation’s long-awaited Yamato 2199 home video box set, containing episodes 1-13.

See their listing for the limited edition here and the standard edition here.

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