The year is 2199. Because of unforgivable pollution caused by alien attack, the day of human extinction is approaching. The only way to survive is to travel to the distant planet Iscandar for a radiation removal device. A ship built upon a long history sets out to save Earth’s civilization. Its name is Space Battleship Yamato.
Farewell, Earth…
And, with Hiroshi Miyagawa’s mournful melody for the men who boarded Yamato, Space Battleship Yamato will finally be released in theaters for enthusiastic fans. Toshio Masuda (Director of Human Revolution) has reconstructed the film from all 26 episodes that were broadcast from October 6, 1974, following the lives of the men who set out to bet on the future of humanity. The Executive Producer, planner, and creator is Yoshinobu Nishizaki, of the Wansa-Kun anime series. The screenplay was writted by Eiichi Yamamoto and Keisuke Fujikawa, who mainly worked for Mushi Pro on such works as Jungle Emperor Leo. The art and concepts are by Leiji Matsumoto, poet of the manga world who always depicts the sadness and romance of men in such works as The Cockpit series.
The staff is anime’s very best. You can’t look away from the deep density of the anime, which exhausted many animators during production. In addition, an overseas version coordinated by Yoshinobu Nishizaki has been decided for release in Europe and the United States. As befitting 1977, the year of science-fiction, Japan’s first full-scale SF animation will finally set sail this summer.
Produced by Yoshinobu Nishizaki (Academy Co., Ltd.)
Distribution: Toei Films
Popular SF animation blockbuster Space Battleship Yamato
Directed by Toshio Masuda
Art by Leiji Matsumoto
The eternally unforgettable Space Battleship Yamato
By Leiji Matsumoto
My relationship with Space Battleship Yamato is that it was “the ship I boarded.” (A turn of phrase meaning “the path I chose.”) Since I got on board Yamato because of my desire to do animation, the honest truth is that at first I didn’t even think about how hard it would be. I got on board the huge spaceship Yamato in an attempt to create a magnificent space opera of mens’ dreams. Yamato was indeed a great ship, and sailing it was only possible because of the teamwork and cooperation of all the staff members who were engaged in it. I learned to understand this deep in my heart.
Animation…ever since I was a boy, I’d thought about doing it with my own hands one day. But a man can’t make an “animated film” on his own. Producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki’s intense passion and enthusiasm for Yamato must have made this work possible. The backup of Toshio Masuda’s and Eiichi Yamamoto’s abilities must have made Yamato possible. The patience of script supervisor Keisuke Fujikawa, who silently wrote in his book throughout our meetings and never made a face when I showed up late, must have made Yamato possible. Noboru Ishiguro and Kazunori Tanahashi often stayed up all night with Mr. Nishizaki alternately scolding and encouraging them. Mr. Miyamoto worked while neglecting his life as a newlywed. Mr. Nozaki and Mr. Sasayama stepped up for me when I faltered. The passion of all these staff members must have made the TV version of Yamato possible.
While this work was in production, my cat Mi-kun who had been with me for fourteen years, died. It was a painful and sad time for me, being stretched thin by work for magazines and TV. That’s why Dr. Sado, Yamato‘s famous doctor, said goodbye to Mi-kun on TV on my behalf. “Goodbye, Mi-kun!!”
I never thought I would have to set and specify the colors shot by shot for more than 300 shots. Hachiro Tsukima of the art department expressed those colors wonderfully. All the members of Studio Nue finished designing the mecha by the sweat of their brow. The 70mm-worthy music made you feel the mystery of a man’s romance with space. Hiroshi Miyagawa created a number of melodies for the screen that supported Yamato, and even if I’m just selfishly blurting all this out, it can still be called a masterpiece.
Space Battleship Yamato must be the “ship” that was born out of the combined power of many professionals. Yamato is the bearer of the romance of men in space, the way of life and sincerity of Captain Juzo Okita, the incarnation of an immortal man. It must have been born out of the pain of creation we all experienced together. It must be that Starsha, who I believe is the incarnation of an immortal woman, was also born from this.
For some reason, Yamato continues to fly around as an immortal spaceship, three years after the TV series ended. Now, a feature-length Space Battleship Yamato for theaters has appeared due to Mr. Nishizaki’s passion as a producer. His enthusiasm for Yamato led him to produce several prototype feature films by himself, and now it has made this new longform Yamato possible.
I became aware of some inconveniences and irrationality that forced compromises for the sake of the animated visuals that appeal to the eye as a series of moving pictures. This may have resulted in unexpected humiliation for Aritsune Toyota, a science-fiction writer who participated in the conceptual settings during Yamato‘s voyage. If you stick too close to logic, it may not work as a visual. This was entirely my responsibility. It’s not that the staff and I didn’t have the knowledge to develop SF ideas. Sometimes it is in the nature of a cartoonist to trample on scientific rationality and all things in nature. Please forgive me.
Thanks to Mr. Nishizaki’s passion, Space Battleship Yamato is a work that I will never forget.
– Leiji Matsumoto, manga artist