Publishing
Aquarius Algorithm
This Yamato side story began serialization in the Premium Fan Club magazine at the end of 2019 and proceeded to its conclusion a year later. In January 2020, Yamato Crew sent the following email to all members of the premium fan club:
How was the first episode of the serial novel Aquarius Algorithm, which started in Yamato magazine Vol. 5? At present, we are preparing to post it on Yamato Crew’s website from Friday, February 7 so that the public can read the first episode. It was published in the magazine for premium members to read first, so we ask for your understanding regarding this free release.
As you all know, Aquarius Algorithm is a story that fills the gap between Final Yamato and Resurrection. We believe this is an important project that goes beyond a spin-off and holds the key to the future of the original Yamato.
We want as many people as possible to know about it, and to be aware that the original Yamato world is still alive. In order to encourage lots of feedback, we decided to release some of the story for free to make use of it in future works. The release on the web will consist of part of the first episode, but the interview with the author Yuya Takashima, illustrations by Umegrafix, and mechanic files will not be released. We will also say there is no plan to release the second or subsequent episodes.
Illustration by Ryuji “Umegrafix” Umeno
Apart from the current remake series, we value the world that continues directly from the first work in 1974. We want many people to know of the existence of this novel as the first step. We’ll be grateful for the understanding of premium members.
Quite a lot to take in there! The most intriguing line, of course, is about Algorithm holding “the key to the future of the original Yamato.” We’d all like to see whatever that future may hold. (For one thing, we’ve been waiting for a Resurrection followup for over ten years now.)
Secondly, it is Cosmo DNA policy NOT to translate published material that is still in print and potentially a moneymaker for the franchise. That’s why you haven’t yet seen translations of 2199 or 2202 novelizations. But with the first episode free for all online, that restriction was lifted. Therefore, you can read Chapter 1 here.
February 20: Galaxy Express 999 Ultimate Journey manga
This one takes a bit of explaining. In recent years, we’ve seen new versions of Leiji Matsumoto’s classic manga, drawn for the first time by other artists: Gun Frontier, Captain Harlock Dimension Voyage, and now Galaxy Express 999 Ultimate Journey, delightfully drawn by Yuzuru Shimazaki. Of the three, only Dimension Voyage has made it to the English-speaking world. Selected images from that series have appeared in previous reports, since Yamato artifacts occasionally found their way into the story. That continues in Ultimate Journey, which brings together many other Matsumoto characters for the first time.
In volume 1, Tetsuro is riding on the Galaxy Express 999 and encounters a fleet from Earth. Looking closely, we see that the ship designs all come from Final Yamato
A few pages later, we learn that the fleet’s flagship is none other than Great Yamato, easily distinguished by extra hull details and gun turrets.
All the members of Great Yamato‘s bridge crew are darkened silhouettes except for two: Yoshikazu Aihara and Susumu Kodai! In volume 2, after Tetsuro teams up with the Starzinger team, we find the “Goddess of Valhalla” striking a very familiar pose.
In volume 4 (the latest release as of this writing), Captain Harlock greets his old friend Sanada. Yep, for reals.
Elsewhere in the same volume, there’s an unmistakable spaceship being built in a factory supervised by Sanada.
If you’ve been paying occasional attention to various legal tussles over the last couple decades, you’re probably wondering what mechanism allows all this to happen, and there is a legit explanation. When Leiji Matsumoto and Yoshinobu Nishizaki settled their ownership dispute in the early 00s, Nishizaki walked away with Yamato story rights and Matsumoto was granted limited visual rights to the elements that he personally created.
Therefore, he can reuse those elements in manga stories like this one as long as he doesn’t claim they are from the Yamato universe we all know. However, this is the first time we’ve seen specific Yamato crew members in addition to mecha. We might be tempted to speculate that Matsumoto is pushing some boundaries to see what he can get away with…but that would be irresponsible without more intimate knowledge of those boundaries.
Regardless, four volumes of Ultimate Journey are currently available. They’re not translated, but they are a must-see for any dedicated fan of the Leijiverse. Order them now from Amazon Japan:
Volume 1 | Volume 2 | Volume 3 | Volume 4
March 5: Magmix article
Magmix is a cleverly-named entertainment website in Japan, in which the “MAG” stands for Manga, Anime, Game. (Too late to jump on it, they thought of it first.) On March 5 they published this voice actor tribute to a man who needs no introduction.
See the original post here.
“Wait, Lupin!” The anniversary of the death of Goro Naya, who repeatedly championed the mental attitude toward acting
March 5 is the anniversary of the death of actor Goro Naya, who died in 2013 at the age of 83. In anime, he played the familiar roles of Captain Okita in the Yamato series, Inspector Zenigata of the Lupin III series, and was the dub voice of John Wayne. Writer Seiichiro Hayakawa, a writer who was familiar with the voice of Mr. Naya from an early age, gives his reflection.
Was it about ten years ago? An editor asked me if I could do “liftup” for an interview with Goro Naya. In writer’s terminology, “liftup” refers to transcribing the voices in an interview. It can be very difficult to take the spoken word and render it into readable sentences. This is an important job for an inexperienced writer, and a valuable way of learning how to ask questions in an interview.
Speaking of Goro Naya in particular, since childhood I’ve enjoyed watching the famous characters he played, such as Captain Okita in Yamato, Zenigata in Lupin III, and Yupa in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. He had been active from the dawn of “voice acting” and often played the roles of leaders, ranging across a wide variety of arts; one of those who could be called a mogul.
I was looking forward to hearing great stories from him, but after a while I was told that the interview was canceled. I thought there might be another opportunity someday. Maybe it would even be possible for me to conduct an interview. But my wish went unfulfilled when he passed away. I would like to take this opportunity to pray that his soul may rest in peace.
When he was on active duty, Mr. Naya was known for insisting on being referred to as an actor rather than a voice actor. Whenever he did interviews for anime-related works, no one was allowed to call him a voice actor, and he would refuse to be interviewed if this edict was not followed.
This was not because he looked down on the work of voice acting. In one interview, he said, “There are too many voice actors who only want their voices to be heard. I don’t behave as if there’s an audience in front of me waiting for a performance.” He seemed worried that the parameters of his performances would become narrower. In fact, there seemed to be a case in a recent audition where participants who were asked to perform something other than a “moe voice” were stuck for what else to do, so Mr. Naya’s concerns have become a reality.
He also told voice actors, “You should have stage experience.” It is said that he recommended this as a way to gain the power to read a script, and he actively encouraged young voice actors who aspired to stage work. However, his attitude toward acting was quite severe, and he was once seen wielding a bat during acting instruction.
In writing this article, I traced Mr. Naya’s footprints as a voice actor, but his consistent activities in other genres were so extensive that I couldn’t write them all down. His younger brother Rokuro Naya also became an actor/voice actor, but passed away at age 82 one year after Goro.
In those footprints, I found that a dubbed version of the movie Alamo, which I remember seeing in reruns on TV, has not yet been released. In this work, Naya dubbed the voice of John Wayne in the role of the main character Colonel Davey Crockett. Other great actors also performed in the film, and I really hope to see this masterpiece again one day so I can hear their nostalgic voices.
June 10: Star Blazers Lambda debuts
It was first announced in the fan club magazine under the heading of Space Battleship Yamato NEXT, a monthly manga series that made its debut at Comic NewType. Following in Gundam’s footsteps, it takes place in its own world, separate and distinct from the Yamato we know. The first two chapters (adding up to about 100 pages) went live for viewing around the world, though of course all text was in Japanese.
But don’t let that stop you – click here for an introduction to the comic and see all the chapters from 2020 with descriptions at these links:
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8
April 16: Showa 40 Man magazine special
We’ve covered Showa 40 Man several times in the past; aimed at Japanese men born in 1965 (and their contemporaries), it devotes itself to the culture moires of the 70s and 80s. Since Yamato was a staple of that time, it has been discussed multiple times.
In April, Crete Publishing released a special omnibus edition of Showa 40 Man with the title Our Future Depicted by Showa. Among other heady topics, it collects several of the Yamato articles from previous issues, all of which have been translated here at Cosmo DNA. These articles span 28 pages, originating from issues 18, 41, and 49. Oddly, material from issues 42, 46, and 51 was left out (but can be seen in full with a click).
The magazine also collects articles on the occult, space programs, SF art and more. The capper is a creative year-by-year timeline of anime, film, manga, etc. that takes place in the future, providing a broad mosaic of speculative fiction from 1965 to the 40th century. It’s a sobering reminder that we’ve already passed the years of The Terminator, Patlabor, Fist of the North Star, 2001, Astro Boy, Macross, and Blade Runner, among others.
Order it from Amazon.jp here or from CD Japan here.
June 11: Leiji Matsumoto speaks
Sankei Sports (Sanspo) Newspaper was the first of two news sources to check in with Leiji Matsumoto in June and get his perspective on the ongoing threat of Corona Virus. The article could be found in both the print edition (above) and website (here).
Special feature: Let’s do our best against Corona, Japan!
Leiji Matsumoto to the children and young people under the shadow of Corona:
“There’s always a new tomorrow, let’s find our willpower”
Coverage by Pan Maruyama
Because of the simultaneous closure of schools due to the spread of Corona Virus infection, the high school baseball Koshien tournament, sports, culture, and other youth events have been concelled. For over 60 years, manga artist Leiji Matsumoto (82) has continued encouraging young people through his works. Thinking about the children and students all over the country now filled with anxiety about returning to school, he pushed back with a hand-drawn illustration saying, “Keep your present days in your heart and find your willpower.”
Leiji Matsumoto in his familiar cap with the red skull.
Even at the age of 82, his desire to create hasn’t waned.
(photo provided by Midnight Company)
I was troubled when I fell down in Italy last year, but I’m doing very well. I lost muscle in my legs when I was hospitalized, so I work hard at home every day on my muscles.
The new Corona Virus is nothing more than an unusual disaster. Even in Japan, schools were closed for a long time. I was shocked when infections occurred at an elementary and junior high school in Kitakyushu where I grew up. It’s really hard when I think of the children in my hometown.
I felt the same anxiety when I was in elementary school. Immediately after the defeat [in World War II], various illnesses occurred such as influenza. It was a time when there were no supplies. However, girls in my class made masks for everyone, including me. This time, I learned on the news that many young people are making masks and donating them to others. I want to do something useful. Is there anything I can do? I understand that urgent thought. I’m heartened by the enduring form of the Japanese people.
To the children who are going back to school with anxiety about the second wave and the future, I want you to keep your present days in mind. You are now having a very important experience for the next generation. You’re learning many things, such as avoiding the “three densities” [three conditions for disease clustering: poor ventilation, crowds, and close contact]. Based on these experiences, some children may choose to study medicine and prevent infectious diseases in the future. When I was in elementary school, I wanted to draw manga and make movies. The feelings I gained when I was young have supported me forever. I saw a high school baseball player crying on TV, and I felt sorry for him being cut off from the road to Koshien. I used to play baseball in high school, too. My position was left field. I loved baseball.
”Tetsuro and Maetel say to everyone, to do your best”
I want to say something to young people who feel that their dreams have been cut off: “There will always be a new tomorrow.” Tetsuro Hoshino, the main character of Galaxy Express 999, will continue his journey with an indomitable fighting spirit. After graduation from high school, I got ahold of 700 yen got a one-way ticket from a pawn shop. I left Kokura for Tokyo on a night train that took 24 hours. If I hadn’t gotten on that train, my fate would have been different. My willpower was the same as Tetsuro’s on that day when I set out to become a manga artist.
I’ve always told myself, “There is no shame in today’s tears. I’ll be stronger tomorrow than I am today.” Youth is a treasure with infinite possibilities. “Time doesn’t betray your dreams.” The days of working hard and not giving up lead to bigger dreams. The times have changed from Showa to Heisei to Reiwa, but I found willpower for each, and there should still be many boys and girls like Tetsuro. Willpower comes from the heart. You always decide the future for yourself.
My dream is still on the way, too. Galaxy Express, Harlock, and Emeraldas are all still unfinished stories. That’s why I continue to draw. The dream world of 3-dimensional images and pictures you can move with just your own consciousness is now becoming a reality. Manga and pictures are drawn with the heart. How fun would it be if we could draw more freely?
It may end as a dream, but my willpower is still on the way. I want to draw stories of Tetsuro and Maetel that encourage the children and youth of Reiwa. Let’s work hard together with our mutual willpower.
Thanks to Italy
Last November, Leiji Matsumoto visited Italy and Turin City for an event based on his masterpiece Space Pirate Captain Harlock. He complained of poor health and spent 20 days in hospital.
“I fell on a frozen surface, and I was sick because of the extreme cold,” Matsumoto said. “I want to express my sincere appreciation to all the people who supported me, including the hospital staff in Italy and the Toei Animation people who accompanied me to the end.”
This spring, Italy endured a medical collapse due to the spread of the Novel Corona Virus. In support of Morinette Hospital where he was hospitalized, Mr. Matsumoto created a hand-drawn illustration for a charity auction that sold for 7,000 Euro (about $8,000).
“I sincerely hope that you will be able to regain your daily life as soon as possible,” he said.
How much did Susumu Kodai earn on the round trip to Iscandar?
August 16: Pash Plus article
Pash Plus (the online extension of entertainment magazine Pash) published this unique article, demonstrating that you can always find a little more toothpaste in the tube. Full translation follows:
How much did Susumu Kodai earn on the round trip to Iscandar in Space Battleship Yamato? What is the price of protecting Earth!?
By Takeshi Uchiumi (Yoshimoto Writer’s Academy West)
Doesn’t everyone know Space Battleship Yamato? Even if you haven’t watched it, have you heard the theme song? When I was a child, I watched it on TV every week. This magnificent SF anime sparked a big boom in the 70s and had a huge impact on the anime world after that. Sequels were made, there was a live-action film, and remakes are also being broadcast. In the live-action film, Takuya Kimura played the main character Susumu Kodai, and Meisa Kuroki played Yuki Mori.
Kodai was 18 when he was a trainee at the space training school. He joined the military for the 148,000 light year journey to Planet Iscandar, to retrieve a radiation removal device from Queen Starsha to save Earth. Earth was polluted by radioactive Planet Bombs launched from the Gamilas Empire, and without the device all life would die out in one year.
In contrast to such serious drama, there is the everyday story of how much income Kodai would have earned on the voyage to Iscandar. I made a test calculation based on the salary of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The limitations are that I consulted only the first Yamato TV series, and did not include work that wasn’t depicted on the screen.
● Special nighttime overtime pay
Since it is space, the concept of midnight cannot be defined, so this is excluded.
● Corpse processing allowance
He might have been involved with the burial-at-space scene, but he wasn’t shown working on screen. Yuki Mori’s death-like scene is disqualified since she revived.
● Since evaluation standards are unclear, a government officer’s salary ranking starts at grade 1.
(In a general company, the salary goes up with higher grades and with the number of years worked.)
First, it can be said that the closest thing we have to a Self-Defense Force is the JMSDF. If so, Kodai’s status as a trainee would start out as a Seaman 2nd class. The operation period is 364 days from the formal boarding of Yamato. We’ll assume full-time work with two days off for the weekend, so the operation totals 260 days.
I have to wonder if it’s possible to take a proper vacation. There are 114 crew members on a 265.5m vessel. I think you could take vacation days without a problem as long as there are no vacancies. In addition, it is shown in the story that there are substantial recreational facilities, so you should be able to get refreshed while on board. But we can’t be certain about the second half since there are casualties that cannot be replaced. Also, there is no overtime pay.
Let’s calculate it based on the following details… [Translator’s note: all yen prices converted to 2020 US dollars]
◆ Basic salary
Seaman 2nd class: $1,595 X 9 months = $14,355
Seaman 1st class: $1,792 X 3 months = $5,376
(Promotion occurs after 9 months)
◆ Hard work allowance for fiscal year ending in June
(Paid as a bonus to persons in office as of June 1)
$1,595 X 2.05 = $3,269.75
◆ Year-end hard work allowance for fiscal year ending in December
(Paid as a bonus to persons in office as of December 1)
$1,792 X 2.25 = $4,032
(taking into account promotion after 9 months)
◆ Travel allowance
(Allowance paid to a ship’s crew for the number of days from departure to return)
$16.70 per day X 260 days = $4,342
◆ Boarding allowance
(Allowance paid for performing out-of-port activities on board a ship with residential facilities as specified by the Minister of Defense)
Seaman 2nd class: $1,595 X 9 months X 33% = $4,737.15
Seaman 1st class: $1,792 X 3 months X 33% = $1,774.08
(taking into account promotion after 9 months)
The following constitute special duty compensation:
◆ International emergency aid allowance
(Allowance paid for dispatching international emergency assistance when engaging in overseas work)
$40 per day X 260 days = $10,400
◆ Aviation work allowance
(Allowance paid for work onboard an aircraft as specified by the Minister of Defense)
Kodai sorties a total of 10 times on a Cosmo Zero (fighter)
Total for all of the above (tax included): $49,135.98
What do you think? I think a lot of people would grumble about that. By the way, the average income in the first year for high school graduates is $26,000. Could you earn an annual income of $50,000 at the age of 18? It’s a bit cheap to protect the Earth, isn’t it? I think someone would get angry about that…
If you scrutinize it a bit more, I think the amount would go a little higher in the latter half of the series since Kodai serves as both combat team leader and the deputy captain.
I don’t know much about what goes on behind the scenes, since I do not have SDF experience, but I couldn’t find anything that looked like a job title allowance. After all, it is thought that the promotion system to a higher rank gets you a corresponding salary. Even if there is activity that deserves promotion, Kodai would remain a Seaman 1st class since there is no official written appointment.
It’s a sad part of the class society that this amount cannot be doubled. And when you think about it in general terms, an 18-year old is a new member of society. But his achievements in risking his life to protect Earth are worthy of praise, and Kodai may be the youngest person to win the National Honor Award.
August: Yamato in Taiwan
This unusual artifact was shared on Twitter by “Nazohiko” with the following explanation:
Space Battleship was released by Taiwan’s Taio [Great King] Publishing Company in 1977. The manga by Akira Hio (1974-75) was copied by a person who calls himself “Umi.” Yamato was broadcast in Taiwan in 1980, and the manga landed first.
Nazuhiko isn’t kidding; “Umi” literally redrew the Akira Hio manga frame by frame. Results aside, we definitely must applaud the sheer amount of labor this would have required if “Umi” covered all 622 pages.
See Nazohiko’s Twitter post here.
Kindle books
When a Yamato reference book was announced for Kindle in September, some digging unearthed four previous e-books by the same author, Akira Kawamata. Published by PD Company, Ltd., they are almost certainly unauthorized and unofficial. Which puts them in good company with this very website.
One by one, they are:
The dirt you didn’t know behind the hit and downfall of Space Battleship Yamato
First published 2014, expanded edition in April 2020
A critical look at the social climate that led to the original Yamato and the remakes.
The truth you didn’t know about the Space Battleship Yamato Roman Album
June 2018
The author goes on an unprecedented deep dive, comparing 14 different (according to him) variants of the first Yamato Roman Album.
The truth you didn’t know about Space Battleship Yamato‘s copyright; the unknown swamp of the 70s
First published December 2018, expanded edition in May 2020
Here the author examines and attempts to untangle the numerous and byzantine licensing practices of Yamato merchandise.
Space Battleship Yamato is dead
March 2018
This ominously-titled volume claims that Yamato wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be in terms of its position in otaku culture, probably in an attempt to widen the context.
The newest book bears the unwieldly, antiseptic title of Space Battleship Yamato • books • videos • music • sheet music list 1974-2020: Aggregated Data Analysis.
Amazon’s description states that 711 Space Battleship Yamato items were examined from the bibliography of the National Diet Library (Japan’s version of the Library of Congress) and analyzed to make them easier to grasp. The researcher was able to confirm the existence of books, records, CDs, DVDs, sheet music, game books, “mystery” books, and more. They even identified a Korean publication. (Hope someone told them about the American comic books.)
This is purely a research volume, a presentation of data running 184 pages. The publisher’s promise from PD Co. Ltd. is “you can read it as material for Yamato research, but of course you can also read it to discover something new.”
That, of course, has been the mission of Cosmo DNA from the start, so hopefully this book (and its predecessors) will get a paper edition to expand access outside of Japan. For now, it’s simply another item for our own database.
October 11: Yamato III 40th anniversary
To observe the 40th anniversary of Yamato III‘s broadcast premiere and the approach of Yamato 2205, Magmix published the following lookback at this part of Yamato history…
It’s been 40 years since the broadcast of Space Battleship Yamato III. It was full of highlights for the villain Dessler…what is its relationship to the new movie?
See the original post here
The latest work, Yamato 2205, The New Voyage is scheduled to be released in 2021. The Yamato series is still loved by many fans, and this year the TV anime Yamato III celebrates the 40th anniversary of its 1980 premiere. Along with its new crew and highlights for the exceptional villain Dessler, what is its relationship to the new movie?
The appearance of a new crew is one of the highlights
October 11, 1980. Exactly 40 years ago on this day, the third Space Battleship Yamato series, Yamato III, got started. Unlike the first series, there has been no theatrical version, and unlike the second series it was not a TV version of a movie. When it comes to the Yamato series, some think a TV version is interchangeable with a theatrical version, but that is a misunderstanding about this work.
The story begins with the incident of a planetary destruction missile hitting the sun like a stray bullet. This causes the sun to expand, leaving Earth in a state where humans can only survive for one year. Therefore, Yamato leaves for space to search for a second Earth. However two giant interstellar nations are vying for supremacy in the galaxy, and Yamato gets caught up in the fight.
There are many notable things in this work. First, Susumu Kodai is no longer the deputy captain, he becomes the official captain. As a result, the story advances while centering on the growth of a new crew member.
Ryusuke Domon is at the center of the new crew. He has a vigorous personality, and is said to resemble Kodai during the journey to Iscandar. He earned top grades for weaponry in the academy, but is assigned to kitchen duty in the life support group on board Yamato. It is a trial given by Kodai in expectation of Domon’s skill, and after gaining experience on the voyage Domon eventually matures enough to fire the Wave-Motion gun.
Another central figure is Takeshi Ageha. He is on good terms with Domon, and they often work together as they encounter various events. He belongs to Yamato‘s fighter squadron and shows the full potential of the Cosmo Tiger. At the end of the story, he gets the spotlight when he interacts with Princess Ruda, Shalbart’s successor.
In addition to the new characters, previous characters also get some highlights. Among them, Aihara comes to the forefront in a romance with Akiko, the granddaughter of Commander Todo.
Of course, there is also a showcase for the main character, Kodai. Attention is paid to the anguish of his duties as captain, which was not seen in other series, and to the part of Yuki Mori as the lover who supports him.
Keep an eye on Emperor Dessler, all his appearances are a showcase!
In the end, the overall highlight of the Yamato series is its battle scenes. Thus, the role of the villains is also important. The forces that appear this time are the Galman-Gamilas Empire and the Bolar Federation, interstellar nations that divide the galaxy in two.
At the time of planning, there was also a force called the United States of Zeni, led by President Gorman. It seems to have been conscious of the Cold War at that time. But considering that Yamato represents Japan and Gamilas represents Nazi Germany, the arrangement is also reminiscent of World War II.
At the beginning of the story, Yamato is hostile toward the Galman-Gamilas Empire and helps a battleship on the Bolar side, but it turns out that Galman-Gamilas is a newly-founded nation run by Dessler, who has a friendship with Kodai. Dessler has the image of a ruthless dictator, and has come a long way from his past experiences.
When his subordinates fail, he gives them grace and shows the ability to motivate them with lines like, “If you fail two more times, you will be sentenced to death.” In earlier times, they would be sentenced to immediately drop through the floor. (Laughs)
In the final battle against the Bolar Federation, he leers at Prime Minister Bemlayze and says, “Where should your funeral ceremony be held?”
An even better line than this was, “Did you see it, Talan? The beautiful flower that bloomed after that boy of Earth give his life? We mustn’t allow that flower to scatter in vain.” After that, Dessler annihilates Bolar with the Hyper Dessler Cannon. In fact, Yamato hardly fights at all in the climax and Dessler takes the spotlight with battleship scenes.
The original producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki liked Dessler and increased his highlights from the second feature film onward. You can’t take your eyes off him in this work, so all of his appearances are a showcase.
Of course, there are many other highlights and characters for your attention, but the one I recommend most is Frakken, also known as the Galman Wolf. He is a powerful person who becomes the first to capture Yamato. Perhaps because of his popularity, he appears in the remake work, Yamato 2199.
Actually, 2205 is the year Yamato III begins (described as the early 23rd century in the narration), and I notice the title of the next remake series is Yamato 2205 (scheduled to debut in 2021). I don’t know what their relationship is at the moment, but I think it’s fun to think about it before the start of the new series.
November 25:
Yasuhiko Yoshikazu, My Back Pages
Every Yamato fan should immediately recognize the name Yasuhiko Yoshikazu. Though better known for his manga and work on the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, he served as a storyboard artist on Yamato from Series 1 through The New Voyage, bringing some of the most iconic scenes to life.
Ohta Books published this thick paperback in November, culled from over thirty hours of interviews conducted by Makoto Ishii for Continue magazine. Thus, the book is mainly text, but also contains scattered illustrations and a 24-page color prologue to Yas’ next manga series. It covers his entire career, which includes a Yamato conversation that you can read here.