February 2020: first look
From Star Blazers/Yamato fan club magazine #6:
Headlines on left side:
• The author is the spirited up-and-coming manga artist Ryuko Azuma!
• Mecha design by the familiar Junichiro Tamamori of the Yamato series!
• The enemies approaching Yamato are the mysterious giant life forms Seireness!
• And the main character who takes on Yamato…is an elementary schoolkid!?!?
Urgent Bulletin: Completely new original Yamato launch!
Comic series scheduled to start at the end of May
A completely new story appears in the Space Battleship Yamato series. The working title is Space Battleship Yamato Next: Star Blazers Lambda, a completely original story with new characters and a new worldview. It’s a spirited story created and drawn by up-and-coming SF manga artist Ryuko Azuma, populated by new characters, new mecha designs, and a depth of Star Blazers, so please pay attention by all means!
Story
In 2099, the human race was suddenly attacked by Seireness [Say-re-ness], unknown giant life forms that emerged from space and killed more than a billion people. Five years later, a boy named Yu who lost his mother Maya to the Seireness turns 12 years old and aims for the frontline base at Jupiter as a cadet for Topness, who oppose the Seireness fleet. Can he clear the launch test? Can he defeat the enemy who claimed his mother? In the midst of this, Seireness launches an attack after five years of silence. People are horrified by their beautiful but ugly appearance…
Footnote: Character designs and manga scenes are works in progress. Please note that they differ from the finished version.
Ryuko Azuma profile
Manga artist and photographer from Iwate Prefecture. Debut work: Strong Arm Adam (four volumes from Shonen Jump Comics). His deep SF worldview attracts attention. Lives with his cat near Koshoji Temple.
Serialization is expected to begin at the end of May at Kadokawa’s webcomic site Comic NewType. More details to be announced in the next issue of Yamato magazine. Don’t miss it!
Follow Ryuko Azuma on Twitter here.
See links and images on Google here.
See the first chapter of Strongarm Adam here.
Find Ryuko Azuma publications on Amazon Japan here.
March 2020: Ryuko Azuma on Twitter
On March 8, Mr. Azuma posted a color image of the main character with the following text:
Since the start is in late May I didn’t plan to announce it yet, but I will announce it with momentum. I am in charge of a new Space Battleship Yamato series. The image is the main character, Yu Yamato. He’s a sixth grade boy. Thank you.
On the 15th, Azuma followed up with additional character designs, which turned out to simply be his own takes on the classic characters.
See larger versions at the March 15 post here.