Fukuyanime 6 talkshow transcript
The following text was originally published at the “No Opinions” blog, written by Twitter user Ayaka19790825. This translated version is presented by the kind permission of the author. See the original blog post here.
October 21, 2023: Because it’s Fukuyamanime! Be Forever Yamato screening & talkshow
On October 21, I was in Fukuyama. The purpose of the trip was Fukuyamanime 6. The first day’s final event, a Be Forever Yamato screening and talkshow, was held at Cinema Mode in front of Fukuyama Station. If I were to talk about how much I enjoyed watching the film, I would go on longer than the film itself! So the post-screening talkshow starts here.
[Translator’s note: the hosts were Series Writer Harutoshi Fukui and Scriptwriter Hideki Oka, both of whom have been actively working on the remake series since the start of Yamato 2202.]Oka: Let’s get started!
Oka-san took the stage. When I saw him, I laughed and said, “No way!” I was surprised to see him wearing a Yamato apron. “You pulled it off,” I said loudly.
Oka: You have just seen Be Forever Yamato, which was released in 1980. It’s a very famous and can’t-miss Yamato film, but did any of you just see it for the first time? As expected, there you are. Thank you very much.
I turned to look around the room. I couldn’t see anyone raising their hand, but it seemed that they did. A round of applause for the first time audience!
Oka: Changing the subject of the question, please raise your hand if it was the first time you saw the film in a movie theater.
Several hands went up.
Oka: Yes, of course. Thank you very much. Today, we have the 4K remasters coming up during the year-end and New Year holidays. The idea of screening Be Forever Yamato here, which is not included in the 4K remasters, was made possible thanks to the efforts of various parties involved.
The audience applauded.
Oka: It’s not for me to say, but I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the people involved and to all of you who have come to hear this. Thank you very much.
Another round of applause!
Oka: We have limited time, and I have a lot to talk about. First of all, let’s invite someone in. Today’s VIP guest is the writer of the latest work in the Yamato remake series, Be Forever Yamato Rebel 3199, Harutoshi Fukui!
Mr. Fukui took the stage wearing a Yamato happi.
Fukui: Hello, it’s been a while. Nice to see you.
Oka: Is this your second time in Fukuyama?
Fukui: It’s been four years.
Oka: I think we had a special all-night event that time, prior to Corona. Back then it was for 2202…
And just as he said that, the musical accompaniment of Young Wings came out of nowhere. Mr. Oka was surprised.
Oka: A sudden musical accompaniment in a place like this! It was supposed to be played at the beginning of the show, but it came from 400,000 light years away!
I cried with laughter! As expected, he’s also Yamato‘s jester.
Oka: I’d like to ask you about Be Forever Yamato. What memories do you have of that time?
Fukui: I saw it at Asakusa Toei Palace when I was 10 or 11 years old. It was the first time I saw Yamato in real time.
Oka: Speaking of which, for you Farewell to Yamato was interrupted by A Fox Tale, and The New Voyage was interrupted by summer camp.
Fukui: The next day was summer camp, so my parents told me to go to bed early, around the time when Planet Gamilas was shattered…
Oka: So Be Forever became first one you could watch from beginning to end.
Fukui: That was very memorable.
Oka: Is that why the title of the new 3199 is Be Forever Yamato?
Fukui: Of course, of course.
Oka: Is it okay if we don’t put “Space Battleship” on it?
Fukui: Be Forever Yamato was a big hit at that time. They even painted a Wave-Motion Gun on the bow of a cruise ship that toured around…
Oka: “The Voyage of Adventure Roman.” [Read about it here.]
Fukui: After The New Voyage, Yamato became a place where little kids could participate. Be Forever was the peak of my excitement as one of those kids. I think there were as many people who shared the excitement at that time as those who cried at Farewell.
At this point, some of the audience members laughed at the overlapping shadows of Oka-san and Fukui-san. I didn’t notice it, but when I look at the image now, it is indeed funny.
Oka: Some people are recalling it now.
He said this while pointing to the audience, which got a laugh.
Oka: How was “Warp Dimension?”
Fukui: I saw the movie in Asakusa, and my friends saw it in Shibuya or Ginza. They said to me, “Warp Dimension was great, wasn’t it?” I said, “Yeah, it was amazing,” but I didn’t know what “Warp Dimension” was for a long time, because Asakusa Toei Palace didn’t do “Warp Dimension.” As you said, Be Forever was the first Yamato film I experienced from beginning to end, but I never experienced “Warp Dimension.”
[Translator’s note: “Warp Dimension” was the term for a point in the film where the picture expanded on the screen to Cinemascope size, and the sound shifted from mono to stereo.]
Oka: So you make up for that at your home cinema.
Fukui: Yes, I have a home theater. I set it to Cinemascope Size, and when I get to that scene, it gets messy.
Oka: That’s where the human power comes in. I was told that the blackout curtains on both sides of this screen had been removed long ago. But one day I heard from someone here at the theater, “We found them.” I said, “Please see if it works or not.” And they said, “Yes, it works.”
Oka: Kodai says, “Here’s the exit! Let’s go!” and 20 seconds later, that’s the point when it switches to the white galaxy. That 20 seconds was an error margin for people at various theaters to open the curtains like they did here. In this theater, we had to check how long it takes for the curtains to open, so we timed it yesterday!
It was kind of Oka-san to prepare for the event the day before. He had the following to say about it on Twitter:
I started recreating the Warp Dimension thinking, “I can’t do that,” but as if guided by something, I solved each problem one by one. What I feel once again is that the visuals, music, and sound all originally had incredibly high potential. There were hidden things that couldn’t be fully enjoyed at home.
Oka: I don’t know if you noticed, but the first half was monaural. The stereo sound source was played in mono, and as soon as the Warp Dimension came in, it switched to stereo, and it was blasting for a while.
Yes, I could clearly hear the difference in the sound.
Oka: I think it must have been noisy, but I wanted everyone to experience the same kind of impact as the original. This was a pseudo-Warp Dimension. It was really played in 4 channels. How did you like Be Forever Yamato in this environment?
The entire audience applauded generously.
Oka: Everyone loves Be Forever Yamato even though they know it’s a bit of a stretch. There are many interpretations of it, but what are you trying to carry on?
Fukui: New movies are long, aren’t they?
Oka: They’re not two and a half hours, though.
Fukui: So I don’t want to cut out any part. I think I’ve covered almost all the basic sequences. Well, you’re involved too, so you know what I’m talking about. As always, what we’re doing is the same, but what we’re saying is different. What we’re doing is exactly copying what we were impressed by when we saw the film at that time. But what we’re saying is slightly different, so I want you all to look forward to that as well. I thought it would be quicker for you to see it rather than to say something about it.
The audience cheered and applauded.
Fukui: There is one thing that Oka-san edited himself for Fukuyamanime.
Oka: It was decided suddenly, so there was nothing ready to show you. So I made it by hand. Up to this point, you’ve been allowed to take pictures, but from here on, please put your phone away.
Fukui: First of all, we did voice recording for the first episode last week. At the beginning of next week, I’ll have finished editing two episodes and will be working on the third one. This time, when we release information, we will release it all at once. This is a work that has a lot of secrets. What we’ll show you now is concept art. The Yamato magazine will be published in the near future, and this video shows the new concepts that will be announced on the official website about two weeks after that.
The film began with the disturbing image from the end of Yamato 2205, with the conversation between Sanada and Niimi. I was surprised by how well the track Approaching Hyperon Bomb connected to Dawn of Yamato. After that, the mecha designs were seen with the accompaniment of Goruba Appears. Various mecha appeared on the screen.
After that, there were about 5 minutes of “Project DAD,” character designs, and the design of Third Baleras, I think. The accompaniment was well done, and the Yamato side and the Dezarium sides were well connected, so it was enjoyable to watch along with the images.
I was surprised to see a fleet of Asuka-class ships. Alphon was so handsome that the theater was buzzing. There weren’t multiple expressions as in the official announcement [seen later], just him facing forward. But he was still very distinctive.
Kitano’s brother also made an appearance, along with the new crew members who were in 2205. I’m very curious to see how they will interact with each other in the future. And Yuki-chan gets shot and falls down after all. The video had movement that made it look like she was falling. It was just an animation layout, but it was much better than seeing it in Yamato magazine. And Kodai can’t pull her up…hmmm…
Also, there was a catchphrase that caught my attention, but I forgot to write it down in my memo. Something like “XXX man” and “XXX woman.”
And then, and then! In the last part of the video, “Released on X/XX/2024.” The month is in single digits, so it’s confirmed to be released by summer! (LOL!) The original Be Forever Yamato was released on August 2, 1980, so maybe they’re planning to release it on that date!!
Oka: We’ve come this far in October and still only says X month, XX day.
Fukui: The movie company might get mad at me if I give it away early. But I can hear the sound of cicadas.
Oka/Audience: Oh, wow! [Translator’s note: in Japan, cicadas hatch in the summer starting in June and peaking in August.]
Oka: I hope you can wait for a while and let your imagination run wild from this preview. On the 14th of next month (November), still images will be available on the official website, but the only people able to see the video in this format…are you.
A big round of applause! Thank you, Oka-san, and all the official people who allowed us to see this!
Oka: I’m very happy. I’ve been working on the remake series up until now, but today is the first time for me to be involved in a small amount of work related to the original series. I thought, “What should I wear?”
Fukui: What is that? (Referring to Oka’s Yamato apron)
Oka: It’s from over 40 years ago. I got it 20 years ago (I think that’s what he said) and used it for making plamodels and stuff, and then I put it in the closet. When I pulled it out, it was badly stained with grease, but I did my best to hand-wash it and it came back to life.
Fukui: It looks brand new.
Oka: Japanese products of that time were amazing. But when I think about how long it took to remove the stain, I’m amazed at the hard work of the 4K remastering staff.
Fukui: (Laughs) I see. Well, I don’t think they washed the film.
Oka: But the first step is cleaning it, isn’t it?
Fukui: Yes, that’s right.
Oka: I got to see it a little while ago. At the end of the year and next year, Space Battleship Yamato and the second film Farewell to Yamato will return to the screen. Please come and see them at the theater. I watched Be Forever from the very back, but seeing it in a theater is completely different from seeing it at home.
Oka: Well, the time for the last train is approaching. If you don’t take the train now, you won’t be able to get home! For those of you who have to go…let’s say goodbye here. For the rest, I’d like to ask Mr. Fukui a few more questions. This is sudden, but how much do you like Until the Day of Love?
Fukui: As a song?
Oka: As a song. Do you like it enough to cherish it?
Fukui: I think it’s my favorite Yamato song.
Oka: Oh!
The audience applauded.
Oka: More than Julie’s? (From Yamato With Love)
Fukui: Yes, I think so.
I smiled at this.
Oka: Hiromi Iwasaki’s song (Galaxy Legend) was played at the end, but that was an accident. (Laughs)
Fukui: But that song was played in movie theaters back then, right?
Oka: Did any of you hear it back then?
Hands went up from the audience
Oka: Ah, I guess so. Please forgive me for recreating it (laughs). I didn’t have anything prepared, but let’s have a corner where Mr. Fukui will answer your questions!
A young soldier from Bandai Namco Film Arts moved around the theater with a mic to those who raised their hands. Fukui’s answers:
Fukui: It’s going to be a four-way battle, and it’s going to be quite long, but I want to keep the sense of speed.”
Fukui: I think it will be so fast-paced that you probably won’t be able to understand it just by watching it once. I’m pushing that sense of speed throughout the entire film.
What, isn’t it 7 chapters!?
Fukui: There are times when I think, “There’s no way I can fit all this in,” and in fact, there are times when I can’t. But I’m working at the speed of the latest entertainment compared to the speed of Be Forever Yamato. I can proudly say, “Don’t worry about it.”
When asked which of Yamato‘s works is his favorite…
Fukui: Until I was in my early 20s, it was Farewell. But when I became more mature and had children, I started to think that the first TV series was the best. In 2013 or 2014, I rewatched it for the first time in a long time, and I think I went all the way to Be Forever. I got the call from Voyager right around then.”
Oka: Were they spying on you? (laughs)
Fukui: I don’t know, I guess it was a coincidence.
Oka: Surprisingly, I’ve never asked this question. I thought we should give them a ranking at some point. It comes back around to the first Yamato.
Fukui: Yes, that’s right.
Oka: I believe we always remember the important parts and weave them together.
The last question comes from the second floor. The young soldier ran up the stairs.
Oka: “Continuous warp!”
We all laugh. It’s really nice to be able to communicate with people on minutea like this.
“Will the director and composer continue? And why they have not been announced?”
This question was asked by one of my friends. Good job, Mr. C!
Fukui: As I said before, we’re going to save up a lot of things and release them all at once when we can see what the future holds. So early next year…we will be showing the films in 4K, right?
Oka: Yes, Farewell will be screened in January.
Fukui: This is a rare opportunity, isn’t it? I think we’ll be able to show some moving images around then. We’ll also announce the main staff at that time. And, since there’s no point in dragging this out, I’ll just say one thing: the music is a given!
That means Akira Miyagawa is going to continue to be a part of the project. I thought Akira was the only one who could do it, but I’m glad to hear it from the horse’s mouth.
Oka: Thanks for asking the question nicely. (Laughs) I’m sure everyone is curious about it.
In response to a question about Mr. Fukui doing editing…
Oka: He’s someone who does everything. He doesn’t have to go to voice recordings, but he does.
Oka-san said that it was Fukui’s sense of responsibility to be involved in all the stages. Oka-san then asked a question about the contents of the video.
Oka: “Operation DAD,” what do you call it?
Fukui: “Defense Against Dezarium,” that’s the name of the operation. We call it “DAD” for short.
Oka: When I say “DAD,” I imagine a father or something.
Fukui: I didn’t have that in mind at all, but when I made another special report, I said to myself, “Kodai-san, you have to start a family.” So after that, “Operation DAD” was like, “Let’s make Kodai a proper father.” I thought it was a bad idea for the whole army to do it.
Oka: Yes, that’s correct.
Fukui: Earth doesn’t have that kind of time
Oka: I thought exactly the same thing when I first heard it
Fukui: In the end, there are parts that rhyme.
Oka: I don’t think “Operation DAD” is only a small part of the story. (Changing the subject) Seiya Kitano is in the movie.
Fukui: He’s the older brother [of Tetsuya].
Oka: What role does he play?
Fukui: He was originally supposed to join the Iscandar voyage.
Oka: Like Mamoru Kodai.
Fukui: They are almost the same generation. He was seriously injured in the battle on Mars and couldn’t go. So he’s been training the next generation, but “Operation DAD” has a very special background. I can’t tell you why yet, but I can tell you that it’s not supported by everyone on Earth. He is seen as someone who can be trusted in this situation.
Oka: Let your imagination run wild. (Laughs)
After this, they talked about how it would be better not to write anything on social media yet.
Oka: Only those who go to Fukuyamanime got the benefit! I’m sure it will make some people think, “Then I should go, too!” And they’re right!
Applause from the audience!
Oka: Soon everyone will be able to see it, but you were the first to see something amazing! We don’t have much time left, but let’s do one more thing.
Fukui: Are we really going to do it? Are you sure we have time? Well, too late now…
A set of two posters with Yuki and Sasha, which were on display in the lobby, were presented to the audience, and a rock-paper-scissors-scissors tournament was held to determine the winner, who happened to be a friend of mine!
Oka: Anything else, Mr. Fukui?
Fukui: I’d like you to watch the video again as a souvenir.
Oka-san and Mr. Fukui went offstage to a round of applause. The special video was played again, and this time, the show was really over. It finished after 1:30am. I thought it was going to be around this time. But I’m glad to have gotten such great service again.
There were many flyers for the Space Battleship Yamato and Farewell to Yamato 4K remasters in the lobby. I enjoyed chatting with my friends near the entrance of Cinema Mode. We spent an hour just standing around talking. As a result, we were able to see off Oka-san, unexpectedly.