As the final month leading up to 2205 Chapter 2 counted down, the pace picked up significantly with lots of online activity, product announcements, and an unexpected announcement for the next Yamato reboot story. Here’s all the news that made it an interesting month.

Welcome, 2022

When Yamato 2202 Chapter 4 arrived in theaters, this coaster was one of the items you could buy at theater gift shops. The initial version had a typo on it, and Yamato Crew offered replacements free of charge if you mailed yours to them. It is unknown how many fans took them up on this. Those who didn’t have a unique comemorative item for this year.

Yamato Crew issued an official item for the same occasion, a “Happy New Year” postcard that showed up in fan club members’ mailboxes early in the month. Then Character Designer Nobuteru Yuuki stepped up on January 6 with his own version (above right) to mark the Year of the Tiger. (Visit his Twitter page here.)

January 1: Fortune Telling Game

The Yamato Production Committee posted an interesting feature on their Twitter page to start off the year: a fortune telling game in the form of a GIF consisting of 20 rapidly-flashing images. Pausing the GIF would land you on an image that predicted your luck for the coming year, good, bad, or otherwise.

Click here to play the game and see your results in English.

January 3: Sugoroku game

Another game turned up two days later. Sugoroku is a centuries-old Japanese board game that kids typically play on the new year holiday, similar to Chutes and Ladders in that a roll of the dice can either propel you forward or knock you back. Just about any theme can be applied to Sugoroku, so countless versions are available in any given January (read more about them here).

The official 2205 website issued a Yamato version that works its way through the entire reboot timeline. Click here to see it in full.

January 5: Yamato & Villains concert on Youtube

Back in September 2021, the first half of last summer’s Yamato & Villains concert was posted on Youtube. As of now, the full 80 minute performance is available, and it is MAGNIFICENT.

Don’t waste one more minute not listening to it; click here and get swept away!

January 8: Twitter Ema campaign starts

As of today, artistic fans could help spread the word about 2205 Chapter 2 on Twitter by participating in a hashtag campaign. These four images, each of which includes its own prayer blessing, represents a wood tablet called an Ema, on which Shinto and Buddhist worshippers write prayers or wishes (more info here).

During the campaign, you could download the Ema of your choice, add your own art or text to it, then upload it again with a hashtag reading “Space Battleship Yamato Ema.” The campaign closed on February 6, after which three lucky winners were chosen at random to receive posters signed by Daisuke Ono (Kodai), Koichi Yamadera (Dessler) and Kikuko Inoue (Starsha).

Want to see the results? Click here and start scrolling.

January 11: Yamato 2199 on Family Channel

Another Yamato 2199 rerun started today on the Family Channel satellite network. You could watch six episodes a week (broadcast three per day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) through February 9.

See a promo video here.

January 12: Fan film teaser

Yamato fans around the world have been fighting back against the isolation of the Corona pandemic with an impressive array of DIY projects from comics to music to animation. This entry fits that third category, a CG build of a mind-blowingly-detailed Yamato.

The project it’s attached to was not described, but for now it’s enough just to click here and stare at this amazing WIP model for however long you want.

January 12: 1/350 Diecast Gimmick Model Vol. 154

This volume of the giant Andromeda model came with an important announcement from Hachette; because of supply chain issues with their Chinese partners, new volumes would come out biweekly rather than weekly until further notice. If that holds for the rest of the run, the final volume will be pushed from early May to late August.

Meanwhile, Volume 154 allowed builders to add new hull panels and start on one of the lateral bulges below the command tower.

See Hachette’s instruction video here

See an unboxing video here

See a modeler’s blog here

January 13: 2205 Chapter 1 favorite mecha poll

From December 13 to this day, fans on the Akiba Souken website conducted a poll of their favorite mecha from the first half of 2205. Fans will be fans, so the results were both weird and delightful. Click here to see the results.

January 14: Star Blazers Lambda Chapter 21

The Space Battleship Yamato Next manga climbed to new heights in the new year! Chapter 20’s revelation was just the beginning; this time Alexei peels back another layer of the larger mystery, and when the Topness pilots face off again with Seireness, Mikhail makes a very unexpected move!

Click here to see it with description.

January 14: Thunderbirds GoGo collaboration

Anyone who has kept tabs on Japan’s SF pop culture sphere in the last 50 years has probably bumped into the British series Thunderbirds more than once. So it should come as no surprise then that a feature film titled Thunderbirds 55 (“GoGo”) premiered on January 7 and a tie-in campaign with Yamato 2205 started a week later.

“Two SF legends launching in 2022” was the theme, and the campaign involved the creation of a poster image (above) and promo video (click here). See a full trailer for Thunderbirds GoGo here.

And for some extra fun, watch Hiroshi Miyagawa conduct the Thunderbirds theme here.

January 16: 2205 Chapter 2 video art revealed

Package art for the Chapter 2 Bluray was published on the official website today. Above is the sleeve and storyboard booklet cover by Character Designer Nobuteru Yuuki. (The booklet is only included in the theater-exclusive edition.)

The outer slipcase features this glorious wraparound image by Kia Asamiya, and will come with both the exclusive and general editions.

January 16: Ensemble Vega concert

Akira Miyagawa struck again, leading his chamber music collective in a Sunday afternoon concert at the Grand Hall in Kurume City. Among the ten pieces they performed was the Space Battleship Yamato Montage for Chamber Music, which premiered in December 2016 and still has not been commercially released.

January 18: Classic script auctions

Stepping back to the world of classic Yamato for a moment, a couple things happened on Yahoo Japan Auctions that are worthy of note. Pictured above is a rare sight indeed: an almost complete set of scripts from the original TV series. Two scripts were produced for each episode, one for animators and one for voice actors (a total of 52). This set of 49 scripts was offered for auction and closed after 215 bids for an incredible price of 501,001 yen. As of this writing, that converts to $4,358.

But that’s not all. On the same day, the same seller moved an equally impressive set of Yamato III scripts. Again, two versions were produced for each episode (a total of 50). Competition was almost as fierce; after 201 bids, this set of 49 closed for 319,000 yen ($2,775). Don’t ever doubt that there are some very high rollers in Yamato fandom.

Photo posted on Twitter by ayn_k07623

January 19: 2205 Chapter 2 completion event

On this day, the first audience got to see Yamato 2205 Chapter 2 in a theatrical preview attended by cast and staff. This event became a flashpoint in Yamato history when the next production was announced for the first time. Here’s a pair of event reports that followed…

Stage Greeting for the Completion of Yamato 2205, event report

MC Eriko Nakamura

Published at the official 2205 website
(see the original post here)

Theater: Shinjuku Piccadilly (Tokyo)
Date & Time: Wednesday, January 19th, 5pm
Speakers: Daisuke Ono (Susumu Kodai), Tasuku Hatanaka (Ryusuke Domon), Chisai Morinaga (Caroline Raiden) , Kenji Yasuda (Director), Harutoshi Fukui (series composition and screenplay)
MC: Eriko Nakamura (Mikage Kiryu)

The event began with greetings from the speakers.

Mr. Ono said, “It’s been about ten years since I first played Susumu Kodai in Yamato 2199. I’ve continued my journey and have made new friends. I’m honored to be on stage with the cast and staff who have worked with me to fly the ship, and I look forward to sharing this joy with both old and new fans.”

Mr. Hatanaka said, “I myself have been waiting for the screening of this film for a long time. I’m looking forward to seeing what it will leave in your hearts.”

Ms. Morinaga said, “It took a long time from the recording to the screening, but I’m happy to finally be able to present it to you. I’m sure it will exceed everyone’s expectations.”

Mr. Yasuda was also relieved that the film was completed successfully, and said that it would not disappoint the fans. “I’m always nervous when a new film is screened, but now I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks.”

Next, the talk focused on Kodai, the captain of Yamato in 2205.

Ono, who plays Kodai, said, “Kodai in 2205 is what a captain should be like. He seems to have a firm stance and determination. I like his manly attitude of not saying too much.”

Daisuke Ono (Susumu Kodai)

Looking back, Fukui replied, “He wasn’t well received by the people around him.” (Laughs)

Hatanaka said, “Kodai was cool, but I didn’t know what he was thinking at times.” He laughed, but felt sympathy for Kodai when he revealed his hidden thoughts.

Ono also commented on Hatanaka and Morinaga, who played the new crew members, from an actor’s point of view: “The tension during the battle was well-expressed, and even though we recorded separately, I felt like we were fighting together on the same battleship.”

Next, the actors introduced the highlights of the film.

Hatanaka said, “The drama between Kodai and Dessler was very intense.”

Morinaga said, “As the story progresses, each character grows and develops. I think you will discover new charms.”

Ono said, “The scenes related to Starsha made me think, ‘Let’s pass this on to the next generation’.”

Yasuda said, “I think the appeal of the Yamato series is the human drama, so I tried to portray it carefully. I was very particular about Dessler as a human being.”

The event concluded with comments to the audience.

Tasuku Hatanaka: “The truth behind the smile that Domon’s father showed at the end of his life is something that sticks in my mind, and I think it will be something everyone will feel. I hope you’ll pay attention.”

Chisai Morinaga: “I’m sure you’ll be overwhelmed by the continuous developments that you can’t take your eyes off of. I felt pressure when I participated in the Yamato series as a newcomer. I’m glad to have been welcomed so warmly.”

Daisuke Ono: “I feel like this is the culmination of ten years of work, and I am overwhelmed with emotion. But it’s also a new beginning filled with hope, as if Yamato is about to take off into the future.”

Kenji Yasuda: “In the second chapter, there is a furious development at the beginning and something to make you cry at the end. I don’t praise myself very often, but I think this turned out really good.”

Harutoshi Fukui: “I believe that Yamato should be a ship that gives people hope. Some sad things happen in this work, but in the end it seems to make you think, ‘It’s good to be human’.”

Yamato 2205 Chapter 2 completion event stage greeting report

Published by Aniverse (see the original post here)

Starsha is the second chapter of Yamato 2205, The New Voyage, which is based on the TV special that was broadcast in 1979 and won high ratings. It is the latest work in the new Space Battleship Yamato series. Before the premiere on February 4, a stage greeting for the completion of Yamato 2205 Chapter 2 was held at the Shinjuku Piccadilly in Tokyo on January 19.

Director Kenji Yasuda

The event was attended by Daisuke Ono, who continues to support the Yamato remake series as Susumu Kodai. Also attending were Tasuke Hatanaka as Ryusuke Domon, Chisai Morinaga as Caroline Raiden, Director Kenji Yasuda and Writer Harutoshi Fukui. MC Eriko Nakamura (Mikage Kiryu) called them to the stage with warm applause from the full house.

Mr. Ono said it had been ten years since the Yamato remake series began, and he looked back on it with deep emotion. He also expressed his gratitude to the staff and cast who have been involved in the series for a long time, as well as to the new crew.

Director Yasuda expressed his satisfaction with the film, and Mr. Fukui took current events into account: “I wrote The New Voyage to depict the suffering, sorrow, and joy of people who are living in a difficult world. I feel that watching the film in such an environment will allow it to reach deeper into the hearts of everyone. I feel like I want to hear your voices as soon as possible after watching it. I’m very confident, which is unusual for me, so please look forward to it.”

Next, Director Yasuda was asked about the most difficult part of making this film. “In the first chapter,” he said, “there were a lot of characters and dramas. I’m sure you’re all wondering how those will be resolved in this second chapter. I really struggled with that. I think we were able to give it a good shape.

Mr. Fukui was asked about the difficulties he faced in writing this film, which contains many moments in about a third of the time compared to the previous series, Yamato 2202. He compared it to cooking, saying that he himself only provided the ingredients:

Writer Harutoshi Fukui

“At first, I serve a little at a time. Would it be okay if I add one more hamburger? It feels like we’re slowly working our way through the process, and in the end, it’s amazing. It was only because Director Yasuda was able to handle this amount of information that we were able to make it possible.”

The cast members were asked about Susumu Kodai, who is entrusted as the captain of Yamato in this series. Mr. Ono said, “He’s more determined than ever. There’s no blurring. He has a firm stance. I like that he doesn’t talk much about what he should do as captain, and he doesn’t go around yelling ‘Yuki! Yuki!’ any more” He liked Kodai’s manly attitude of not saying much but speaking with his back.

In response to this, Mr. Fukui compared Kodai to himself by saying, “I don’t talk much, and the people around me give me crap about it. In the end, I try too hard to take a firm stance, and those around me can see that I’m not prepared.” The audience laughed at his comment.

The two new crew members who support Captain Kodai were asked for their impressions of Kodai in this movie. Mr. Hatanaka said, “He doesn’t say much, so I don’t know what he’s thinking, and I often wonder why he does things. He starts to reveal a little bit of what is in his heart, but only after people around him have taken some hits.” (Laughs)

Ms. Morinaga took her time to think, then answered somewhat vaguely: “He’s cool, isn’t he? Caroline Raiden isn’t so involved, so I don’t have a bad impression of him, but I don’t think I have a good impression either.”

Tasuku Hatanaka (Ryusuke Domon)

Mr. Ono had a good feeling about the other cast members, and praised them when he was asked about the activities of the new crew. “They’re great. Even though we weren’t able to record together, I felt that everyone was riding on the battleship properly, including the two of you standing here today, so I was impressed.”

Hatakana expressed some concern when he said, “The title is Starsha, but I think it’s also the story of the captain and Dessler. I want people to pay attention to the strong human drama between them.”

Morinaga pointed out the growth of the characters. “A lot of things happened to the new crew from the first chapter to the second chapter, and I could feel the growth in their hearts. If you watch the second chapter until the end, I’m sure you’ll be able to feel the process of everyone growing together and discover a new fascination.”

She added, “After watching it, I want to live my life to the fullest and pass it on to the next generation. I hope you will pay attention to Starsha’s point of view and her way of life when you watch it.”

At the end, the five speakers delivered a message to the Yamato fans who had gathered at the event.

Hatanaka: “Thank you very much for coming today. The previous chapter ended with Domon wondering why his father died smiling. In the second chapter, it becomes a little clearer. That story really stuck with me. I’m sure that everyone will take something away from it after watching it. I really liked the answer. I sincerely hope that you will find the answer in the film.

Chisai Morinaga (Caroline Raiden)

Morinaga: “There are so many things I want to say, but I hope that everyone who has seen the film will share their feelings by writing about it on social media. I’m sure there are many people who have been supporting the film for a long time. There was a bit of pressure to stand here as a newcomer, but I was welcomed warmly. I’m both happy and sad to finish the short but long journey of 2205 with you. It is really wonderful, so I hope you’ll watch it closely on the screen. Thank you very much.”

Ono: “In the second chapter of 2205, Yamato‘s journey comes to an end. It’s the end of 2205, and also the culmination of the ten years that have passed since 2199. When I think about it, I’m filled with emotion. When you see this work to the end, you will not feel that it is over, but rather that Yamato is going to take off into the future. It may be the end of a decade, but it is the beginning of the next decade. This is a work filled with such hope. I’d be very happy if you could all get on board Yamato and travel with me in the future.”

Director Yasuda: “It’s only been a little while since the last chapter, but the second chapter will continue to unfold with a lot of excitement from the beginning. There are a lot of tear-jerking moments in this story. I hope you’ll remember the story of the first chapter and get a handkerchief ready. (Laughs) I don’t often praise myself, but I think I’ve created something really good, so please enjoy it.”

Fukui: “Nowadays, it’s hard to say that people are wonderful and the future is bright like it was when Space Battleship Yamato was originally being made. However, I believe that Yamato must be a ship that gives people hope. So I created it without forgetting that feeling. There will be a lot of hard times and sad times, but in the end, I think I was able to bring it to a place where people can feel that it’s good to be human. I hope you can see that for yourself. Also, there is a trick right at the last second, so please watch all the way to the end.”

Backstage with Chisai Morinaga and Eriko Nakamura (posted on Twitter by Morinaga and her agency, Stay Luck)

January 19: Theater handouts revealed

2205 Chapter 2 was scheduled to run for four weeks, and different art cards would be given away by theaters to keep fans coming back. Above is the set for week 1, Feb 4 to 10.

This is the set for week 2, Feb 11 to 17.

And finally, the set for week 3, Feb 18 to 24. And what about week 4? That set was not revealed along with the first three, probably to avoid spoilers.

January 19: Next production announced

When the audience sat down to watch the 2205 Chapter 2 advance screening, there were numerous surprises in store, including a post-credits scene to tease the next story. When the guests took the stage for their conversation, the title of that story was revealed. To no one’s surprise, the next Yamato production is titled Yamato Be Forever. But the title doesn’t end there, as you can see from the logo above.

No further information was revealed on January 19, but we learned a bit more over the next few weeks. Harutoshi Fukui talked a little about the title in Hobby Japan (keep reading to find the interview), and on February 5 he announced that Rebel 3199 would follow the format of both 2199 and 2202 (7 chapters, 26 episodes). In a Yamatalk on February 10, it was revealed that 2205 and 3199 were proposed in tandem all the way back in March 2019, which means this announcement was almost three years in the making.

The catchphrase for this new story was first published along with the premiere of Chapter 2: “The future, change it. The enemy is…Space Battleship Yamato.” Make of that what you will.

Interestingly, this is not the first time 3199 has been invoked in the Yamato mythos. It was previously the setting for Leiji Matsumoto’s Great Yamato manga, published all the way back in 2000. His followup, Dai Yamato, also took place in that year. But since Matsumoto is not involved with the reboot series, no crossovers should be expected.

January 20: 1/100 display model returns

It’s like an old friend returning for a welcome visit; the 3.33 meter long Yamato model took up its vigil in the lobby of the Shinjuku Piccadilly Theater in Tokyo, to remain on display through opening weekend of Chapter 2. And wherever this beauty goes, cameras follow.

See an extensive photo gallery here.
See a video walkaround here.

January 21: Chapter 2 promo begins

Starting on this day, Chapter 2 interviews with cast and staff members began appearing online and in print with just under two weeks left until the premiere. Naturally, they’ll be translated for future updates, so keep watching. In fact, here comes one now…

January 25: Hobby Japan No. 633

Hobby Japan had the REBEL 3199 scoop before anyone else, but they couldn’t tell anyone until this issue came out. Back in December, they sat down with Harutoshi Fukui and he spoke about it for the first time in an interview you don’t want to miss.

Click here to read it right now.

January 25: Leiji Matsumoto’s birthday

Mi-kun, the beloved mascot of Leijisha (Leiji Co.), has a Twitter account. On this day, he posted the following message:

Dad, you’re 84 years old today. Thank you all for your warm support, everyone. Actually, I’m not very good at hugging. So today I’d like to show you a precious shot taken a while ago.

See the original Tweet here.

January 26: 1/350 Diecast Gimmick Model Vol. 155

With this volume, builders continued work on the bulge segment and got a hull plate for the opposite side of the ship. Just 15 volumes to go! (Encompassing the entire aft section, along with a base and control pad.)

See Hachette’s instruction video here

See an unboxing video here

See a modeler’s blog here

January 28: 2205 Chapter 2 theater goods revealed

The products that would go on sale in theaters with the arrival of Chapter 2 were revealed online, showing a broad array of apparel and personal items. We’ll examine them all in the next report, but for now you can see them all at the official 2205 website here.

January 30: 2205 Chapter 2 TV special, The New Promotional Meeting

With just five days to go before the premiere, the BS11 network broadcast a half-hour TV special that looked back and forward. The host was a highly-caffienated Tasuku Hatanaka (voice of Domon), who talked with Harutoshi Fukui (writer), Tomo Muranaka (voice of Miyako), Wataru Hatano (voice of Bando), and Kento Ito (voice of Sakamoto).

In the first portion of the show, each of the actors brought out their own illustrated version of a favorite scene from Chapter 1 and described what they liked about it. In the second portion, they watched the opening battle scene from Chapter 2 and reacted on the spot.

Harutoshi Fukui talked about things to come, Ayaka Hirahara talked about performing the ending theme song, and everyone delivered their messages to fans.

See it all on Youtube here.

January 30: 2205 Chapter 2 14-minute preview

As the TV special went out, a substantial preview containing the opening battle (and much more) was released to the entire world. Among other things, we’re treated with a storybook history of Iscandar and our first full look at Meldars doing his Thinker impression while listening to classical music – a deep cut reference to Be Forever Yamato.

See it on Youtube here.

Incidentally, the classical music heard in the clip is Dream by Claude Debussy. Click here for a rendition by Yamato music alumnus Kentaro Haneda.

Also spotted in January

Fan art

The quality of fan art found on Twitter in January went through the roof yet again. See a character gallery here and a mecha gallery here.

Yesterday’s fan art

This one’s a real time capsule. The photos above and below were posted by an original-generation supercollector who goes by the Twitter handle Kodai and Yuki. The caption was simple: “many illustrations sent to the Space Battleship Yamato fan club.”

In other words, this one-of-a-kind cache of fan art, previously seen only in the pages of the original fan club magazine, still exists. More importantly, it is in the hands of someone who knows its worth. This is truly good news.

Fan models

The output dropped in January, but the variety bloomed in every direction. See a photo gallery of the latest builds here.

The Lost Journey

Are you reading this amazing webcomic by Dasha KO yet? If not, there’s no better time to start. She’s currently seven chapters into this fascinating original story, and the first four can now be read for free on Patreon. While you’re there, slip her a little green as an encouragement to keep going.

Read them here: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

Photo posted on Twitter by Sousui

Yamato Crew membership gifts

In the fall of 2021, the Yamato Crew Premium Fan Club changed its membership structure, dividing it up into three tiers depending on which perks you want. The annual thank-you gifts went out in January, a different art print for each tier. The one pictured above, by Ryuji “Umegrafix” Umeno, was sent to everyone in the top tier.

Photoblast from the past

Here’s another piece of history that showed up on Twitter in January, posted by Hybrid Morning, an FM radio station based in the coastal prefecture of Miyazaki. The Yamato connection is this: in the summer of 1980, the legendary Adventure Roman cruise kicked off from the city of Miyazaki.

These two photos of the cruise ship, decked out in Yamato regalia, were sent to the radio station by Yukitoshi Gunji, president of a company named Miyazaki Car Ferry. They were shared on Twitter with thanks to him.

Find a full report on the Adventure Roman cruise in the 1980 summer retrospective here.

Official countdown

And finally, a perfect bridge into February, straight from the Yamato Production Committee’s Twitter page. Starting on January 24, a countdown photo was published every day leading up to the premiere of Yamato 2205 Chapter 2. Most of the faces should be familiar by now, but we’ll label them anyway. Above we have Director Kenji Yasuda and Writer Harutoshi Fukui.

9: Ayaka Hirahara (end theme singer), 8: Eriko Nakamura (Mikage Kiryu), 7: Tasuka Hatanaka (Domon)

6: Wataru Hatano (Bando), 5: Kento Ito (Sakamoto), 4: Tomo Muranaka (Miyako), 3: Chisai Morinaga (Raiden)

2: Kikuko Inoue (Starsha), 1: Koichi Yamadera (Dessler), and 0: Daisuke Ono (Kodai) on the release day. Yamato 2205, Hasshin!

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