Posters (maker unknown)
Something new to the collecting world was this set of posters. Some reused the art from theatrical one-sheets, others put it through variations as seen above. See the actual one-sheets in our Farewell to Yamato gallery.
Painting set (Young Epoch)
Aspiring animators had an opportunity to practice their craft with this Farewell to Yamato cel painting set. Kits like this one may have helped build a talent pool for the 1980s TV anime boom and set up an entire generation for obsolescence when computer coloring took over in the 90s.
Press sheet (Toei)
This collectible foldout press kit offered two large color images on one side…
…and loads of data about the making of the film on the other.
Movie stills (Toei)
The Toei Movie Company, animator and distributor of Farewell to Yamato, released stills to the Japanese media for use in newspapers and magazines.
8mm film reels (Toei)
A 3-volume set of film reels from the first Yamato movie was released in November 1977. Toei contracted the same manufacturer, Herald Enterprise, to create a 2-volume set for Farewell.
Each reel was 20 minutes long with sound, containing highlights from the film.
Together, they represented the first view-on-demand opportunity since home video was still about five years away.
Kodai & Yuki masks (maker unknown)
These curios were authorized by both Academy Studio and Leiji Matsumoto. The “Yamato II” attribution is unusual; the “II” indicator applied to both Farewell and the Yamato 2 TV series.
Another thing that made them unusual was that they were absolutely terrifying when flipped over.
Key holders (maker unknown)
Yet another dangly for your keychain, this coin wallet was labeled “Mini Book Purse” on its spine.
Rubber stamps (maker unknown)
Just the thing to personalize your letters to fellow fans. These were sold in vending machines, and were probably just two of many.
Papercraft Yamato
Believe it or not, this item was issued by Fukuoka Bank, probably as a promotional giveaway to attract families.
Jigsaw puzzles (Apollo)
The Apollo Company had made two jigsaw puzzles for the 1977 movie, and they were still on board for the sequel.
Menko cards (maker unknown)
Yet another form of menko, this time disc-shaped, that combined Yamato with other contemporary hits such as Doraemon, Ultra Man, Gatchaman, and Galaxy Express 999.
Giftwrap or origami paper? Maybe both. (maker unknown)
What makes it interesting is the unusual color choices and oddball combination of artwork from different sources. Some are based on animation drawings, others come from early manga by Akira Hio. Either way, the lack of licensor markings probably puts this into the bootleg category. (See many more bootlegs here.)
Apparel products
We’ll close out this collection with some of the most prized Yamato memorabilia, the kind you could wear on your own body like a uniform, now that nobody had to be ashamed to watch anime after they turned 10.
Continue to the Yamato 2 collection, which includes more Farewell products