The June 2024 issue of TV Fan (published by Media Boy) was the first mainstream magazine to publish a REBEL 3199 interview, a little under a month before the premiere of Chapter 1, and the hitters they scored couldn’t have been heavier: Daisuke Ono (Kodai) and Makoto Furukawa (Alphon) talking about what it means to be rivals.

Blink and you’ll miss it!

Daisuke Ono x Makoto Furukawa

The latest in the remake series, which began with Yamato 2199 in 2012, will be released: a new interpretation of the 1980 theatrical anime Be Forever Yamato, reconstructed into seven chapters (26 episodes in total). Ahead of the premiere, a conversation was held between Daisuke Ono, who plays the main character Susumu Kodai, and Makoto Furukawa, who will be making his first appearance in the series as Alphon, an intelligence officer for the enemy Dezarium military.

Text by Rina Tanaka, photos by Tomomi Matsui

Yamato sets sail on a new voyage in the new remake series

Interviewer:The new work has finally started. Please tell us how you feel.

Ono: I’m proud to be able to board this ship of hope again. Every time Kodai and the others set off on a journey, I think about “why are they setting off on this journey,” and this time, more than in the previous series, I have an image of them taking off toward hope for the future. There will be difficulties and hardships in their way, but the joy of being able to board Yamato again far outweighs the anxiety. As Susumu Kodai, I am also full of hope.

Furukawa: I’m very honored to be able to participate in the long-running masterpiece Space Battleship Yamato. I think there are many different ways to look at the character Alphon who I will be playing, and I hope you will look forward to it. I will be happy if everyone accepts the character Alphon, and I’m very grateful that I can become part of Yamato as the story unfolds. I’ll do my best!

Interviewer: As Mr. Furukawa says, this work develops in a way that is unique to the remake series. What are your thoughts about Alphon, who appears as Kodai’s rival?

Ono: When I do the voice recording, I try not to know the story of the original work before I start. For the past 12 years, I’ve always watched the original work as a reward after the broadcast or theatrical screening. So at this point, I don’t know who Alphon is, where Yamato will go this time, or what kind of story will be told. He’s a new presence to me.

Until now, Dessler was played by Koichi Yamadera and Zordar was played by Hideaki Tezuka. The veterans played the powerful enemies. I think it’s interesting that the young Mr. Furukawa is now playing the rival! I’m excited in a different way than before, and I’m approaching it with the same feeling of never being defeated.

Furukawa: I’m honored…!

Interviewer: What did you think when you found out that you were going to be a rival to Mr. Ono?

Furukawa: I thought there was no way any rival could beat him.

Ono: That’s not true. (Laughs)

Furukawa: But I thought it would be better if someone more senior played this role. Until recording started, I really didn’t know why I was entrusted with the role of Alphon, or why I was facing off against Daisuke Ono. But as I listened to Director Harutoshi Fukui’s story, it gradually started to make sense to me. Rather than a battle scene, it’s more of a “romance rivalry.” I believe there’s always something that can be seen by contrasting two opposites.

Interviewer: What’s your message to the fans who are looking forward to the screening?

Ono: They’ve put a lot of time and effort into finishing this so they can deliver it to everyone as a new work. There is an incredible number of drawings, and the writing is very impressive. The animation is full of moving parts, so there is a lot to see. Usually, when we record the voices, all the drawings aren’t all finished and there’s no sound, so when we see the movie version, we actors are moved just like the Yamato fans. And every time it happens, I feel proud that I’m on such a wonderful ship. I think that once again, you will be able to fully experience how amazing Japanese animation is.

Furukawa: I think the story will develop in unexpected ways that are different from the original. You will be able to watch it with the feeling that you are experiencing something new, and since this time it’s composed of seven chapters, it will take a long time to dig into the story, so I think it’s worth going to see. I hope that both those who know the original and those who have been following the remake series for a long time will enjoy it.

PROFILES

Daisuke Ono

Born on May 4th, from Kochi Prefecture. Major works include JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Jotaro Kujo), Black Butler (Sebastian Michaelis), Osomatsu-san (Jyushimatsu) and others.

See his profile at Anime News Network here

Makoto Furukawa

Born on September 29th, from Kumamoto Prefecture. Notable works include Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (Miyuki Shirogane), Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (Shaddiq Zenelli), One Punch Man (Saitama), and others.

See his profile at Anime News Network here