This third memo, dated March 12 2004, is essentially version 2.0 of the story concept. Some of the ideas in memo 1 have been discarded while others have evolved, in particular the relationship of the two brothers (named Takuya and Hayao in this draft) which lasted all the way to the finished proposal. Many of the supporting characters carry over from memo 1 with a significant addition on the Earth side and the first expansion of the Balbard side. (Which is still occasionally spelled “Barbalbard” in the original text.) It also becomes more evident here that the concept behind the Balbard Empire was later applied to the enemy in Yamato Resurrection.
Also, “Aquarius” is mistakenly rendered as “Aquarion” here.
Episode 1
• The sea of Aquarion. A rusty red winch lowers a submersible. Susumu Kodai is on board, and it dives into the deep sea of Aquarion. Before long, there is a reaction on the survey meter, and a broken main gun battery is illuminated by feeble light.
Kodai: Yamato…
It is the figure of Yamato, which sank in a former battle.
• Takuya Jumonji (tentative) is an ordinary youth living in Japan. He is enrolled at flight school, and his older brother Hayao is a military scientist who works in a military research institute. Lately, his attention has been drawn to his older brother’s strange behavior. Along with his best friend Masato Mochizuki (tentative), he is busy with daily training.
• There is a precursory phenomena, such as radio anomalies bouncing around in Earth’s ionosphere.
• A space ship that has gone out to explore the empty area of the Oort Cloud burns up, as if it had rushed into Earth’s atmosphere. It looks like a signal fire, and the figure of Planet Zola of the Balbard Empire (tentative) is revealed. An order comes down from Baharuk Gau of the Ministry of Earth Control.
Baharuk: Commence the scorched Earth operation!
• Glass micro-spheres are attached to Yamato‘s hull, and it slowly surfaces. Kodai and Sanada watch.
Sanada: Our Yamato…
Slight fluctuations appear overhead, like wakes behind sailing ships stretching toward Earth.
Kodai: …
Sanada senses something unusual and returns to the Moon immediately.
Sanada: Hope lies on the Moon.
• The Balbard Empire begins its attack on Earth. Countless vessels appear and overwhelm the Earth at once. The Earth forces are devastated by this surprise attack.
Takuya rushes to find his older brother Hayao. He wants to borrow a military fighter and launch a counterattack. However, what he sees is is brother walking slowly in a line of Balbard Empire soldiers.
Takuya: Big brother!
A Balbard Empire soldier notices and takes aim to shoot Takuya. Hayao notices this over the heads of the soldiers and charges at Takuya, beating and kicking him down.
Takuya: Big brother…why do such a thing…
Hayao: The weak shall perish. That’s why.
He then orders the Balbard Empire soldiers to take Takuya captive.
• The cage Ru Sak Gar wraps around the Earth.
• Yuki Kodai and her daughter are also caught. Kodai and Yuki communicate their goodbyes.
• Takuya is packed into a prison ship along with Masato. He meets Misaki and the future Yamato crew.
• Hayao is welcomed by the Balbard Empire. Baharuk appears on a monitor.
Baharuk: Hayao. Your information was accurate.
Hayao: Thank you very much, your excellency.
Baharuk: I intend to adopt your proposed plan. The first step will be to destroy all of Earth’s warships.
Hayao: Yamato as well?
Baharuk: Of course, all the warships.
• Half the form of Yamato has been raised from the sea of Aquarius. Several combat ships of the Balbard Empire approach. There is no resistance. All the wreckage of Yamato is pulled up by a tractor beam.
• Underground on the far side of the Moon is New Yamato. Although Sanada tries to start it, its trial voyage is not yet finished, and it takes time to start the engine. Combat ships close in, but fly on without noticing them.
• Kodai takes a combat ship and escapes.
Kodai: Yamato…I’ll return to you by all means.
Yamato is carried away to we know not where.
• The prison ship carrying Takuya and the others heads toward Planet Zola. Kodai attacks it and rescues them (though he didn’t know prisoners were on board) while pursuing Yamato in his ship.
Kodai: I’m sorry to have involved you. But I have to go.
• A location one light-year from Earth. One of the stars moves, and a huge system appears above and below it like a sandwich. It is the experimental supernova bomb Galdora. Most of the Earth ships to be disposed of are placed around it. They are treated as experimental ships to study the effects of the bomb.
• Kodai arrives at Yamato. He turns his ship over to Takuya and boards Yamato alone. He picks up Captain Okita’s hat on the first bridge. (Okita’s body is not there.)
• But Galdora begins to operate.
Episode 2
• New Yamato launches from the Moon. (Carrying only the minimum number of people needed to operate it.)
• Hayao is reprimanded. New Yamato was a top secret of the Earth forces, and his excuse is that he didn’t know about it.
• New Yamato warps to we know not where.
• Galdora activates. Warships are caught up in the supernova explosion. At the last moment, Yamato fires the Wave-Motion Gun to shatter the shock wave of the supernova explosion. However, Yamato has been used up and its Wave Engine stops at last.
Kodai: Is that it…? Is that all Yamato has left?!
A combat ship of the experimental observation unit moves in to attack. With no way to fight back, Yamato will be destroyed. But a Cosmo Zero intercepts them. It is Takuya, who snuck on board Yamato alone and discovered a Cosmo Zero sealed in the hangar. (Since the design of the Cosmo Zero may create problems, it could be another kind of aircraft.)
[Translator’s note: the “problems” referred to here may have been legal in nature, owing to the terms of the lawsuit with Leiji Matsumoto.]• However, a cruiser from the experimental observation unit appears. The Cosmo Zero machine is helpless. When its main gun is pointed at Yamato, a beam penetrates the cruiser. It is from New Yamato.
• Sanada and Kodai are reunited.
• Several warships were saved by Yamato‘s Wave-Motion Gun. A few Earthlings were also trapped there. Takuya and the others rescue them, and an Earth fleet is formed.
• Yamato is the flagship. Kodai is the captain. The fleet commander is Brigadier General Archie Worlas (tentative), who was on board a ship that was rescued. Most of the main crew are young men like Takuya.
• Old Yamato is severely damaged, but it is said that Sanada might be able to repair it somehow. Along with the engineering group that brought New Yamato here, he starts repairing old Yamato. (Parts of the warships that were destroyed by the supernova bomb are salvaged for the repairs.)
The major flow after the first two episodes
• Centered around New Yamato, the earth fleet heads for home to liberate Earth. Although they are only one light-year away, they might be attacked in warp space, so the return journey will take about one year.
• The main force of the Balbard Empire must split off to fight a battle against the Bolar Federation or Galman-Gamilas, and this is what allows the Earth fleet to approach.
• Yamato is away for a few episodes. Although it is still undecided in which episode it will reappear, it should at least rejoin by Episode 13.
If Yamato revives, Kodai becomes the captain of Yamato. Archie Worlas holds the additional post of Captain of New Yamato. Worlas will die around episode 20. The vice-captain becomes the captain. (Or Kodai could become the captain of New Yamato and the fleet commander. However, I want him on Yamato for the last round.)
• There are two groups in the Balbard Empire’s Ministry of Earth Control: an extermination group and an experiment group. The extermination group wants to destroy the human race immediately. The experiment group uses Ru Sak Gar to remodel the genes of all the Earthlings. The power of the experiment group is strong, and the human race dodges extinction for the moment. The two groups have a background of conflict.
It will take one year to complete the experiment of Ru Sak Gar.
• Along the way, supplies are received at the outpost of Earth’s galactic territory plan. Some people may get off at this time, and some who try to get off may return.
• Around Episode 13, there is a fight between Takuya and Hayao. But Takuya is no match for Hayao.
• A single gunboat uses a Moon-class satellite as a shield. The gunboat is hidden until the moment when the Wave-Motion Gun blows the satellite away, then it fires precisely into Yamato‘s muzzle. The Wave Engine is greatly damaged.
• A search operation for an enemy ship lurking in a different dimensional space. An atmosphere similar to The Enemy Below. Fleet battle in the Sea of Aquarius.
• A tank battle inside Yamato. Several Balbard tanks invade Yamato to destroy the ship from the inside.
• An episode in which only Takuya and Misaki go on a reconnaissance flight.
• An episode in which Takuya is captured by a Balbard battleship. An escape story.
• An episode in which contact with Earth is established. Everyone’s thoughts are expressed.
• A meeting between Baharuk Gai and Kodai just before the last decisive battle. Baharuk Gau talks about the might of the Balbard Empire and recommends surrender. Kodai recommends negotiations for peace.
• Near the end, Yamato vs Yamato. (One on the Balbard Empire side. It could be another Yamato brought from parallel space.)
• The Yamato fleet reaches the Oort Cloud, but cannot find Planet Zola. When they head toward Earth, the see that Zola has become a binary planet with Earth. (Homage to the first series.)
Near the end
Because Ru Sak Gar uses space itself from a different dimension as construction materials, they cannot be destroyed by the Wave-Motion Gun. Zola can only be destroyed by a unique Waltheim Zeidt (time gun). The Yamato fleet obtains it, but [supernova bomb] Galdora II is sent toward the sun. The Galdora II is destroyed using the Waltheim Zeidt.
As a result, they cannot destroy Ru Sak Gar. Sanada could apply the operating principle of the Waltheim Zeidt by pouring a large amount of neutrinos into the Wave Engine, which could destroy the extradimensional structural materials. However, a large quantity of neutrinos cannot be obtained now. They are ready to give up with Kodai points into the distance.
A star shines brightly there. It is the light of the star that was used as Galdora’s victim in Episode 1. Its light has finally reach Earth one year later. Neutrinos generated by the supernova bomb Galdora are also going to arrive at Earth. They can use it to destroy Ru Sak Gar and free the Earth.
At the end, Kodai stands in the doorway of a white house, watching Takuya and Hayao’s reunion.
Characters (Earth side)
• Takuya Jumonji (14 years old)
The hero of the story. A hot-blooded man. Feels strongly about saving the Earth. He is deeply troubled by discord with his older brother, but it seldom comes to the surface. Yamato‘s combat group leader. In charge of the main guns.
• Masato Mochizuki (14 years old)
A calm type, in contrsast with Takuya. Wants to save the Earth, but doesn’t think they should charge in blindly. Yamato‘s chief navigator.
• Misaki D. Helza (17 years old)
Superior to Takuya in jujitsu. Wants to save the Earth, but is actually a spy for the Barbalbard Empire. A relative of Baharuk Gau. She is touched by the kindness of Earth people and wants to be with them. After the first ten episodes, when a prisoner from the imperial side (Larue) escapes, she escapes with her friend to rejoin the imperial side.
• Estelle Constanple (22 years old)
Vice-captain of New Yamato. A rescued Earth military officer. Her tactical opinion sometimes clashes with Kodai’s. Always gives serious consideration to the Manual and insists on fighting by the book.
• Victor Doumidof (15 years old)
More of a clever type than a calm type. Captain of the Black Tiger corps.
• Yurika Yamamoto (14 years old)
A woman of fiery zeal. Has strong emotions. Captain of the Red Lynx corps.
• Kora Vashral (14 years old)
A little heavy, wears glasses. In charge of organization.
• Steven Murphy (14 years old)
Traffic controller, doubles as a radar officer.
• Erlich von Zaideritz (18 years old)
Traffic controller, monitors conditions on the ship.
• Archie Worlas (52 years old)
Earth forces brigadier general. A skilled commander who is feared and respected.
Characters (Balbard Empire side)
• Hayao Jumonji (18 years old)
Takuya’s elder brother. He betrays Earth and feeds a lot of information to the Balbard Empire side. He is attached to the Balbard side as a traitor. He came into contact with the Balbard Empire through an experiment with hyperspace communication. As a result, he came to know the power of their transcendent technology and radical thought and reached a forgone conclusion that Earth would be annihilated. Therefore, to give value to the people of Earth, he proposed that the Balbard Empire could be genetically complemented, which saved the human race.
It also comes out that he placed Yamato away from Earth on purpose because he thought that if there was no way to prevent extinction, one remaining ship could still bring hope. He purposefully withheld information about New Yamato from the empire side. Although he fights the Yamato fleet on behalf of the Balbard Empire, he believes there is no hope for Earth if the Yamato fleet cannot beat Balbard by itself.
He goes on his final mission as the captain of the Balbard Empire’s own Yamato and faces off against New Yamato, but does not die.
• Baharuk Gau
Minister of Earth Control, in the experimental group. He schemes to modify the genetics of Earth people.
• Zanza Gaara
Deputy Minister of Earth Control, in the extermination group. Does not think the people of Earth are worth one sentence. He is critical of Baharuk when his methods become soft.
• Lara Ma
Baharuk’s wife. Slightly sympathetic toward the people of Earth.
• Sara Vanken
Three-minute Sara. A woman who can sink any ship in three minutes. She presses her stopwatch before going into battle.
• Gulaga Bam
Scorching Gulaga. A ruthless man who crushes enemy and friend alike. Winning is everything to him. To that end, he will cheat to win. (Note: on the Balbard Empire side, the generals do not all have names such as XX of OO.)
• Larue
Becomes a captive of Yamato in the middle stage. There, he meets Misaki, and he escapes with her to appear before Yamato again.
※ There is still a concern about the ability of people from the Balbard Empire to transform. Under certain conditions, they cannot be restored after a transformation. Because of this, near the end, there is the drama of Misaki having no choice but to transform herself to save Takuya. Let’s think about this.
※ The Queen of the Galaxy. Since we have Yuki Kodai, it’s all right to have the image of a woman pulling the whole story along. But to do it with two of them may not be a good idea.
※ As I thought, having old Yamato come from the outside and New Yamato launch from Earth, depicting them in parallel and meeting along the way, the more I thought about it the worse the idea seemed, and I couldn’t do it.
Special thanks to Neil Nadelman for translation support