February was less about products and more about announcements, but you can’t lament a month that includes two concerts, a major hobby show, and a brand new trailer for Chapter 3! Here’s the wind that kept the flags waving in February…

Photo posted on Twitter by OsakaShion

February 1: Osaka Shion concert

Under the baton of Akira Miyagawa, the Osaka Shion Wind Orchestra has risen to the challenge of Yamato music many times. They hit all the right notes again in the first Yamato concert of the year in a wide-ranging playlist that went from the very beginning all the way up to 3199, including the White Comet theme on pipe organ.

Isao Sasaki was scheduled to perform, but had to decline due to illness. By all accounts, his last-minute substitute did stellar work.

See a photo gallery and read about the concert here

February 5: Exhibition news

The Space Battleship Yamato Complete Records Exhibition is the next big 50th anniversary event from Studio Khara. Here’s what they had to say about it today:

Trace the origins of the masterpiece that built the foundation of anime with Yamato‘s 296,000 light-year journey

Published at the official anniversary website; see the original post here

With the cooperation of the Anime Tokusatsu Archives (ATAC), we will exhibit valuable original drawings and design materials that can only be seen here and will be shown for the first time. Starting with the phantom proposals from the time of launch, various concept materials, background drawings, cel drawings, and other intermediate materials will be exhibited for the 26 episodes of the 296,000 light-year journey of the TV series. This exhibition will allow you to experience the work and feel the charm of the origins of the masterpiece that built the foundation of anime history.

Yamato Grand Timeline Space, tracing the 50-year history of Yamato

In addition to paper materials, the history of Space Battleship Yamato from the original in 1974 to the remake series currently being made will be introduced in chronological order in a Grand Timeline Space. Records from that time and nostalgic items will be on display, as well as a giant model of the ship.

50th anniversary project launches from Seibu Shibuya!!

To commemorate the exhibition and the 50th anniversary, many original products will be sold exclusively at the venue. In addition, a collaboration cafe with 365cafe on the 4th floor of the same building will be held! You can immerse yourself in the world of the work while enjoying a special menu inspired by Space Battleship Yamato, and food and drinks with motifs of famous scenes.

In addition, a Yamato fair will be held at Kinokuniya Bookstore, which is on the same floor as the exhibition venue! There will be books related to Yamato, and reservations will be accepted for books released as part of the 50th anniversary project. In addition, there will be a project where you can enjoy Yamato at Seibu Shibuya during this period! Details will be announced on the official website at a later date, so please look forward to it!

A Space Battleship Yamato exhibition event planned and produced by Hideaki Anno will be held in Shibuya in March

Published at Natalie; see the original post here

The Space Battleship Yamato Complete Records Exhibition, an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the broadcast, will be held at Seibu Shibuya in Tokyo from March 15 to 31. The event is planned and produced by Anno Hideaki.

Organized with the cooperation of the Anime Tokusatsu Archive Organization, a non-profit organization of which Anno is the chairman, project plans, background drawings, cel drawings, character and mechanic design materials, etc. for the 26-episode series will be exhibited. In addition to these paper materials, there will a large timeline introducing the history of Yamato from the original broadcast in 1974 to the remake series currently being screened, as well as a model of the ship.

Many goods will be sold at the venue during the period, and a collaboration with 365cafe on the 4th floor of Seibu Shibuya has also been decided. Details of related events will be announced later.

Hideaki Anno comment:

Japanese “anime” began with Space Battleship Yamato, which was aired on October 6, 1974, half a century ago. I don’t think I would be who I am today if I hadn’t encountered this epoch-making work at that time. With gratitude and respect for the influence Yamato had on my life, I would like to leave as much of the existing material as possible for future generations, and in the form of this exhibition, I would be happy if more people could see it, learn about it, remember the emotional impact it had on them, and spread it far and wide around the world. I would like to start this March in Shibuya, Tokyo. Thank you for your support.

More detailed news was published later in the month, so keep reading.

Photos posted on Twitter by elfriede and Zoo_Aki

February 5: 1/350 Diecast Gimmick Model Vol. 293

The second-to-last month of Patrol Ship volumes from Hachette began with the sound components of the display stand. This included a speaker, volume knob, and related wiring.

See Hachette’s instruction video here

See a modeler’s blog here

February 6: Futabanet Manga Plus article

The headline of this article reads, “What, they’re alive? They died, but somehow they came back to life…what exactly happened to the characters of famous manga and anime?” No points for guessing which Yamato character made the list in this examination of a certain storytelling trope.

Read the article here

February 9: Wonder Festival 2025 Winter

The first big hobby show of the year brought all the top-notch garage kit makers under the same roof to show off their latest inventions. There were Yamato kits in abundance, and Studio Khara got in on the act with a mini-pavilion to promote the anniversary and the upcoming exhibition.

See an extensive photo gallery here

February 11: Studio Khara on Twitter

This photo captured a moment in the planning for the Complete Records Exhibition with the caption, “We are currently working hard to select and create exhibits.”

February 12: Leiji Matsumoto video special

To mark the anniversary of the great one’s passing, Toei Animation posted a video titled Thoughts on Leiji Matsumoto. It consisted of a 13-minute talk between his best friend manga artist Tetsuya Chiba and Naoko Yamazaki, who became an astronaut after being influenced by Yamato and Galaxy Express 999.

Click here to watch it on Youtube; turn closed captions and autotranslate ON.

Photos posted on Twitter by elfriede

February 12: 1/350 Diecast Gimmick Model Vol. 294

The second volume for February contained the electronics hub for the entire Patrol Ship, which was mounted inside the display stand. In just one more week, the stand would be finished.

See Hachette’s instruction video here

See a modeler’s blog here

February 13: Reminder articles

With memories of Leiji Matsumoto back in the news, the entertainment history website Reminder published a piece on his contributions to Yamato. When that article was located, it linked to a related one from December.

Read them both here

February 14: REBEL 3199 Chapter 3 promotion

If you can get only one helping of 3199 news per month, this is the kind you want. On this day, a new flyer appeared in Japanese theaters giving us the poster image for Chapter 3 (shown below).

The caption on the front reads:

Destroy the past, along with the false future —

The poster added more text:

Should we protect freedom, or give it up for a future that promises safety in exchange? A wavering heart leads Yamato, and Earth, into the labyrinth of time…

See a larger version of the poster art at the end of this page.

The back of the flyer contained this synopsis:

With the Space Battleship Yamato gone, Earth begins a strange life of coexistence with Dezarium. Fleur, a young Dezarium girl, transfers to the elementary school of Tsubasa, the son of Saburo Kato. They gradually become accustomed to their surroundings, and the people begin to accept them.

But is Dezarium really an emissary of goodwill who has appeared to change the unfortunate history of the planet? Partisans, led by the former Yamato fleet crew, plan a large-scale rebellion to reveal its true identity to the world, but…

Meanwhile, the Space Battleship Yamato is trying to escape the pursuit of the invisible battleship Grodez and enter the Galman star system. Will Susumu Kodai, who has lost everything, be able to stand up again? And what will become of the kidnapped Sasha?!

Also available in theaters were two types of advance ticket vouchers featuring the Deusula carrier and teenage Sasha.

Best of all was a completely new 1-minute trailer packed with scenes, including our first look at the new Arizona!
Watch it here and read our shot-by-shot analysis here.

February 15: Jupiter & Yamato Concert in Sapporo

Located in Hokkaido, the city of Sapporo was the site of a sold-out concert that gave the 1984 Grand Symphony another spectacular run for its money with a performance of Mozart’s Jupiter thrown in just for kicks.

Read about the concert and see a photo gallery here

February 17: Film festival announced

Classic Yamato is heading back to the big screen, and is keeping some very respectable company. Today, the website for the long-running movie magazine Kinejun made the following announcement:

Marunouchi TOEI, which is about to close, will screen all the masterpieces and hits of the Showa era at once

2025 is a memorable year which marks the 100th anniversary of the Showa era. Marunouchi TOEI, the last theater directly managed by Toei, will close on Sunday, July 27th, and it has been decided that a special event titled Showa 100th Anniversary Film Festival: Relive those moving moments will be held from Friday, March 28th to Thursday, May 8th.

The screenings will feature 42 masterpieces and hits that graced the Showa era, with a lineup that transcends the boundaries of distribution companies, including not only Toei but also Shochiku, Toho, Kadokawa, and Nikkatsu. The world of cinema will be revived all at once, bringing back nostalgia for the generation that watched them in real time and freshness for the younger generation.

Included in the list (in the number 30 slot) is Farewell to Yamato.

See the other selections in the article here

February 18: 1/1000 Hyuga announced

Following last year’s release of the Asuka DX, Bandai at last put a release date on their same-scale Hyuga Battle Carrier: September 30, 2025.

It will feature an exposable interior hangar with a fleet of fightercraft, and be compatible with an LED unit and action base (both sold separately).

See more pics on Bandai’s official product page here

Preorder it from Amazon.co.jp here

February 19: Kia Asamiya exhibition announced

Anyone with a jones to see the Yamato Exhibition in March learned of a warmup act today when animator/designer/illustrator Kia Asamiya announced Kurogane [Black Iron], a gallery exhibit to be held from March 8 through 16. A special program book and custom merch are being created, so there may be some trickle-down for the rest of us.

From the Vector magazine website:

Kia Asamiya has released many works as a manga artist and animator. He is also active as an illustrator, and has released many artworks based on anime and tokusatu. In 2024 he won the 55th Seiun Award Art Category, which is selected by votes from science-fiction fans.

The Kia Asamiya Mechanics Original Art Exhibition Kurogane will focus on Asamiya’s side as an illustrator, and will display a variety of rare and analog illustrations that you don’t normally see, selected by Asamiya himself, mainly focusing on SF mechanics. This is a chance to experience the wide range of work and diverse approaches that Kia Asamiya has taken as an illustrator over the past 39 years.

Around 70 pieces will be exhibited, including the Space Battleship Yamato series and Legend of the Galactic Heroes Die Neue These, for which Kia Asamiya has provided many original drawings, as well as product packaging for robot anime and science-fiction works, and original drawings for hobby magazines.

Photos posted on Twitter by elfriede and Zoo_Aki

February 19: 1/350 Diecast Gimmick Model Vol. 295

After six volumes (one per week), builders were finally given the bottom panel for the display stand. Once completed, the stand could be sealed up and placed under the model. At this stage it allows construction of the delicate tail fins and lower antennae to begin.

See Hachette’s instruction video here

See a modeler’s blog here

February 21: Futubanet Manga Plus article

In response to an increase in visibility for Hideaki Anno, a writer for Futabanet took note of his penchant for shoehorning homages to his personal favorites (such as Space Battleship Yamato) into his own works. In fact, you have to work pretty hard NOT to notice this.

Read the article here

February 22: Hobby Japan Web

Picking up the ongoing Yamato Mechanics feature in Hobby Japan magazine, the website published Part 4 covering the Cosmo Tiger II.

Read the article here

February 25: Hobby Japan No. 670

The fifth installment of the Yamato Mechanics series provided an in-depth examination of the Cosmo Python.

Read the article here

February 25: Studio Khara on Twitter

Classic Yamato has been in near-constant reruns for years thanks to Broadcast Satellite network Star Channel, but in March it would take a big leap forward. Starting on March 14, all three of the original TV series took their place in the “unlimited viewing” category on Japanese streaming platforms Amazon Prime, FOD, and U-NEXT. The entire lineup of classic movies all the way up to Resurrection would join the party on April 4.

The news broke on Twitter from Studio Khara and was picked up by other sites such as Phileweb.

February 25/26: Books announced

Not just one, but two entirely new books are on the way in March, both from Kadokawa Publishing. Official descriptions follow…

Fantasy Visual Culture Theory: From the Kaiju Boom to Space Battleship Yamato

by Ryusuke Hikawa

The uniqueness of Japanese anime cannot be understood without tokusatsu! Ultraman, Kamen Rider, Space Battleship Yamato, Mobile Suit Gundam — a groundbreaking media culture theory considering the “TV cartoons” of the 1960s and 1970s, when anime and tokusatsu were all mixed together.

March 12, 256 pages, guaranteed to be text-heavy. Features a new cover painting by the great Yasuhiko Yoshikazu!

Preorder it from Amazon.co.jp here

Yamato Iconics

by Michio Murakawa

As a special project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Space Battleship Yamato, the publication of a collection of Yamato artwork by Michio Murakawa has been realized! This is a must-have book for Yamato fans, including newly drawn illustrations!!

March 24, 248 pages, art book

Preorder it from Amazon.co.jp here

February 26: 1/350 Diecast Gimmick Model Vol. 296

The last Patrol Ship part to be delivered in February was the main power distributor box, positioned in the stern section. With this, all the wiring within the hull could be connected up. Just four more volumes were left afterward, to contain the remaining fins & antennae, the control box, and a Cosmo Seagull.

With all three previous models, this was the approximate time the next one in the series was announced. Since Hachette has stayed quiet about what to expect after Vol. 300, it’s safe to assume there will be no further extensions. Bummer.

See Hachette’s instruction video here

See a modeler’s blog here

February 26: Present campaign awards

Back in November 2024, as 3199 Chapter 2 was on approach, Bandai Namco announced a “ticket stub” campaign in which fans who sent in a photo of their ticket stub would be entered into a lottery to receive a “bromide” (illustrated card) featuring new artwork. 1,000 winners were chosen, and many of them reported the happy news of receiving their prize on Twitter.

The accompanying letter read as follows:

Present campaign prize delivery information

Thank you very much for participating in the REBEL 3199 Chapter 2 present campaign. Congratulations to the winners. We have sent you the prize “Sasha 2L size bromide using original illustration.”

* Resale or transfer of this prize for commercial purposes, auction, or transfer to a large number of people via social media, etc. are strictly prohibited. Please understand.

We appreciate your continued support for the Space Battleship Yamato series.
– All staff of Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199

February 27: Exhibition news

The most anticipated news of the month finally happened on this day, describing what everyone had to look forward to when the Complete Records Exhibition would open two weeks later, including some of the custom products to be sold on site.

Read all about it here

February 28: Magmix article

Magmix published a followup the next day, based on a very unexpected product tie-in. On reflection, it sounds like a joke that someone decided to make real. See what you think…

A wonderful collaboration that will make you laugh has been realized

The Space Battleship Yamato Complete Records Exhibition will be held at Seibu Shibuya from March 15, 2025. This exhibition is planned and produced by director Hideaki Anno, and is scheduled to exhibit valuable materials such as the original proposal documents and character/mechanic design drawings, as well as sell original goods for the exhibition.

In conjunction with this, the project’s official Twitter account has been giving a sneak peek at the exhibit contents and goods that will be sold. Fans are very excited about the “W Yamato” collaboration goods that were announced on February 27th.

One such prouct is “Liquid Glue Arabic Yamato.” A visual of the product has been released, and the part of the packaging that originally said “Liquid Glue Arabic Yamato” has been changed to “Space Battleship Yamato.”

The shape is almost the same as “Liquid Glue Arabic Yamato,” so some fans did not notice the collaboration at first glance. This caused some surprised reactions, such as “Oh, it’s not April Fool’s yet… right?”, “I thought it was a Photoshopped image, but it’s official?”, and “Oh, I’m surprised.” Some fans also made jokes, saying, “It seems Dessler also likes a joke,” “It looks like the glue is filled to about 120%,” and “I wonder if it will come out like a Wave-Motion Gun.”

Other limited goods in the “W Yamato” collaboration include acrylic stands, badges, T-shirts, shoppers, and snow globes. Tickets to the exhibition can be purchased at Lawson. Why not take this opportunity to enjoy the 50-year history of Space Battleship Yamato?

You might well wonder what makes this collaboration so meaningful to people in Japan. The answer is simple: Arabic Yamato glue is ubiquitous in Japanese homes and schools, commonly used by children in craft projects. Basically, it’s the Japanese equivalent to Elmer’s Glue in America. So imagine if we had a cartoon featuring a space battleship named Elmer and someone finally decided after decades to do a product tie-in. Now you’ve got it.

Addendum

Shortly before this report was published, a mountain of additional products was announced for the exhibition. They came from three different sources: the exhibition itself, the Tristar company, and Bandai Namco.

Click here to see the complete rundown of what fans would have to choose from.

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