1973-1976 Timeline


About this list: this is a work-in-progress with the goal of assembling as complete a timeline as possible of the entire Yamato/Star Blazers phenomenon. Data will be added and revised as new information becomes available. As the entries on this list receive coverage elsewhere on this site, links will be added to help you find them. If you notice missing, incorrect, or incomplete items on this list, please contact us and make noise!

1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983

No-class 1973
PRODUCTION APRIL Producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki founds Academy Co., Ltd.
PRODUCTION SUMMER Story development, plan book written
No-class
No-class 1974
Production APRIL Leiji Matsumoto replaces Eiichi Yamamoto on the production team
No-class MAY
Production ? Negotiations begin with the Yomiuri TV network
PRODUCTION 21 Leiji Matsumoto refines the TV Series concept into its final form
PRODUCTION JUNE Office Academy Studio opens in Nerima, Tokyo. Pilot Film production begins
PRODUCTION SUMMER The writing team creates a 39-episode outline for the TV series
No-class AUG
PRODUCTION ? Pilot Film and 16-page Publicity Book completed
PRODUCTION ? Voice actor auditions (through early September)
No-class SEP
PUBLICATION 1 Terebi Land magazine publishes the first Space Battleship Yamato article (Tokuma Shoten)
PUBLICATION 3 Bouken Oh magazine promotes Space Battleship Yamato (Akita Shoten)
PRODUCTION 19, 20 Background music recorded at Waseda Avaco Studio
No-class OCT
publication 1 Space Battleship Yamato manga by Yuki Hijiri begins in Terebi Land magazine (Tokuma Shoten)
PUBLICATION 3 Space Battleship Yamato manga by Leiji Matsumoto debuts in Bouken Oh magazine (Akita Shoten)
ON AIR 6 TV series Episode 1: SOS Earth! Revive Battleship Yamato! (Sundays, 7:30pm)
ON AIR 13 Episode 2: The opening gun! Space Battleship Yamato starts!
publication 19 Space Battleship Yamato covered in TV Guide (Tokyo News Agency)
ON AIR 20 Episode 3: Yamato, take off! The challenge of 296,000 light years!
ON AIR 27 Episode 4: World of wonder! Yamato leaps past light!
publication 27 Yamato article in Shonen Sunday magazine (Shogakukan)
MUSIC 31 EP: Opening and ending themes b/w drama track (Sonorama Ace Puppy Series/Asahi Sonorama)
book 31 Space Battleship Yamato Sonosheet book (Asahi Sonorama)
publication ? Yamato ‘Picture Stories’ begin serialization in 4th Grader, 5th Grader, and 6th Grader magazines (Shogakukan)
PRODUCT ? Space Battleship Yamato “Family Picture Story Show” (Epoch Co.)
MUSIC ? EP: Yamato theme & other songs (Sonorama Golden Puppy Series/Asahi Sonorama)
MUSIC ? EP: Big Song Hit 8 includes Yamato theme & other songs (Asahi Sonorama)
No-class NOV
BOOK 2 Space Battleship Yamato manga vol. 1 by Akira Hio (Sun Comics/Asahi Sonorama)
ON AIR 3 Episode 5: Escape the floating continent! Crisis calls the wave-motion gun!
ON AIR 10 Episode 6: Space destroyer Yukikaze sleeps in the icefield!
MUSIC 10 EP: Opening and end themes: Space Battleship Yamato b/w The Scarlet Scarf (Nippon Columbia)
ON AIR 17 Episode 7: Yamato sinks! Fateful battle to destroy the enemy stronghold!
ON AIR 24 Episode 8: Yamato braves death! Destroy the reflection satellite gun!
production ? Yomiuri TV network reduces Yamato series from 39 episodes to 26
No-class DEC
ON AIR 1 Episode 9: Revolving defense! Asteroid belt!
ON AIR 8 Episode 10: Farewell, solar system! From the galaxy with love!
MUSIC 10 EP: Terebi Manga Action Series: Yamato b/w Kamen Rider Amazon theme (Nippon Columbia)
ON AIR 15 Episode 11: Resolution! Break through the Gamilas’ absolute defense line!
BOOK 20 Space Battleship Yamato Big Picture Book by Studio Nue (Asahi Sonorama)
BOOK 20 Space Battleship Yamato novelization volume 1: The Fall of Earth (Asahi Sonorama)
ON AIR 22 Episode 12: Absolute death! The wishing star of Orion, hell-star!
BOOK 25 Space Battleship Yamato manga vol. 2 by Akira Hio (Sun Comics/Asahi Sonorama)
ON AIR 29 Episode 13: Hurry, Yamato! Earth is suffering!
product ? Yamato mini-card packs (Amada)
MODEL ? MasComi Series 113: Yamato with windup motor (Bandai)
MODEL ? MasComi Series 112: Cosmo Zero with windup motor (Bandai)
MODEL ? MasComi Series 116: Black Tiger with windup motor (Bandai)
Music ? LP: Golden Terebi Manga Big Hit Song 17 features Yamato theme (Nippon Columbia)
No-class
No-class 1975
No-class JAN
ON AIR 5 Episode 14: The galaxy’s ordeal! The year 2200 approaches!
ON AIR 12 Episode 15: Desperate escape! The galaxy’s different dimension!
ON AIR 19 Episdoe 16: Planet Beemera, underground prison of condemned criminals!
ON AIR 26 Episode 17: Charge! Balanodon special attack group!
MODEL ? MasComi Series 119: Analyzer with windup motor (Bandai)
No-class FEB
Publication 1 Space Battleship Yamato by Yuki Hijiri concludes in Terebi Land Magazine (Tokuma Shoten)
ON AIR 2 Episode 18: Floating fortress island! Two men brave death!
BOOK 3 Space Battleship Yamato novelization volume 2: The Recovery of Earth (Asahi Sonorama)
ON AIR 9 Episode 19: Homesickness of space! My mother’s tears are my tears!
ON AIR 16 Episode 20: The day Planet Balan’s sun dropped!
BOOK 20 Space Battleship Yamato manga vol. 3 by Akira Hio (Sun Comics/Sonorama)
ON AIR 23 Episode 21: Desperate challenge from Domel’s fleet!
product 23 Die Cast “Popynica” Cosmo Zero Toy (Popy)
product 23 Soft vinyl Analyzer toy (Popy)
EVENT ? 15-meter Yamato and 3-meter snow sculptures built at Sapporo Snow Festival
Music ? LP: Terebi Manga Action Deluxe features Yamato theme (Nippon Columbia)
EVENT ? Yamato Fan Club formed to publish Negal doujinshi series
No-class MAR
PUBLICATION 1 Space Battleship Yamato manga by Leiji Matsumoto concludes in Bouken Oh comics magazine
ON AIR 2 Episode 22: Decisive battle! Fight for honor at the rainbow star group!
ON AIR 9 Episode 23: Finally arrived! Crest of the Magellanic Cloud’s wave!
ON AIR 16 Episode 24: Death struggle! God, weep for the Gamilas!
ON AIR 23 Episode 25: Iscandar! A dying planet of love!
PRODUCTION 25 TV series production wraps
ON AIR 30 Episode 26: Earth! Yamato returns! (conclusion) Average TV rating: 6%
Publication ? Yamato ‘picture stories’ conclude in Shogakukan Magazines
No-class APR
Music ? LP: Terebi Manga Golden Album features Yamato theme (Nippon Columbia)
Music ? LP: Terebi Manga Action Deluxe features Yamato theme (Nippon Columbia)
EVENT ? Formation of Cosmo Battleship Yamato Laboratory fan club
No-class MAY
PUBLICATION 10 Doujinshi: Astronaut No. 1 (Cosmo Battleship Yamato Laboratory)
PRODUCTION ? Editing begins on the Space Battleship Yamato movie
No-class JUN
PUBLICATION 30 Doujinshi: Astronaut No. 2 (Cosmo Battleship Yamato Laboratory)
No-class JUL
BOOK 20 Cosmoship Yamato manga vol. 1 by Leiji Matsumoto (Sunday Comics/Akita Shoten)
PUBLICATION 30 Doujinshi: Astronaut No. 3 (Cosmo Battleship Yamato Laboratory)
Event ? Yamato TV series receives Seiyun [Nebula] Award at “Shincon” convention (Kobe, Japan)
No-class SEP
ON AIR 10 TV series 1 starts rebroadcast (Sapporo, Hokkaido)
Publication 24 Yamato Laboratory announces plan for the Yamato movie
No-class OCT
PUBLICATION 30 Doujinshi: Astronaut No. 4 (Cosmo Battleship Yamato Laboratory)
Music ? LP: Terebi Manga Adventure features Yamato theme (Nippon Columbia)
No-class NOV
BOOK 10 Space Battleship Yamato paperback collection of earlier novels (Asahi Sonorama SF series)
No-class DEC
BOOK 21 Space Battleship Yamato doujinshis at Comiket 1
PUBLICATION 25 Doujinshi: Astronaut No. 5 (Cosmo Battleship Yamato Laboratory)
PUBLICATION 30 Doujinshi: Astronaut No. 6 (Cosmo Battleship Yamato Laboratory)
No-class
No-class
No-class 1976
No-class JAN
PUBLICATION 15 Doujinshi: Yamato Land newsletter (Cosmo Battleship Yamato Laboratory)
ON AIR 22 TV series starts rebroadcast on Yomiuri Network
PUBLICATION ? Doujinshi: Magellan 1•2 (Universe Battleship Yamato Family)
No-class FEB
PUBLICATION 8 Doujinshi: Magellan 4•5 (Universe Battleship Yamato Family)
EVENT ? Cosmo Battleship Yamato Laboratory club dissolved, replaced by Yamato Association
No-class MAR
PUBLICATION 31 Doujinshi: Negal No. 9 (Yamato Fan Club)
No-class APR
Publication 1 Fantoche magazine #2 publishes the first-ever Yamato cover story
No-class MAY
PRODUCTION ? Production deal struck for Space Cruiser Yamato dubbed version
No-class AUG
Event 14, 15 Yamato Hour slideshow presentation given by Studio Nue artists at Tokon 6 convention
PUBLICATION 26 Playcomic magazine debuts Eternal Story of Jura (Akita Shoten)
No-class SEP
Music ? LP: Isao Sasaki Sings Terebi Theme Songs features Yamato theme (Nippon Columbia)
No-class OCT
Production ? Voice recording for Space Cruiser Yamato movie (Hollywood)
Music ? LP: Golden Terebi Manga Double Deluxe features Yamato theme (Nippon Columbia)
No-class DEC
PUBLICATION 1 Yamato coverage in Manga Shonen magazine, Jan issue
BOOK 20 Space Battleship Yamato manga by Akira Hio re-released with new covers (Asahi Sonorama)

Continue to 1977 Timeline

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *