As we’ve followed the remake chapters, each theatrical premiere has been preceded by a TV special featuring new footage and interviews with staff and cast members. That tradition is preserved with REBEL 3199, but now we’ve got something new: a complete English transcript! With this, another barrier has been lifted to give us a closer experience to fans in Japan.
Broadcast June 26, 2024
See it on Youtube here
Translation by Anton Mei Brandt
Translator’s Note: the special is narrated by Kōsuke Toriumi, the voice of one of 3199’s newest characters, Seiya Kitano.
Prologue
Narrator: 1980 saw the original Be Forever Yamato premiering in cinemas, followed by the broadcast of Yamato III which continued the story. These two stories are now being reimagined as a 26 episode, 7 chapter series.
Saki’s voice: Something is closing in on Earth.
Narrator: In the year 2207, a giant object appears in the solar system. Earth is left at the mercy of a mysterious enemy. A top secret order is issued to the Yamato crew to respond to a new threat. And a parting from their most beloved.
Narrator: A new series heading into an unexplored realm: Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199. For 30 minutes, the regular members who have supported the series thus far, and the new members joining with this work, discuss this all-new Yamato that no one has seen before. Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199, Chapter 1 Just Before Launch Special.
Part 1: STORY
Narrator: Two years have passed since the shocking Iscandar Incident, which resulted in the evisceration of the Garmillan home planet and Iscandar. Susumu Kodai defied Earth’s non-interventionist policy and went to aid Garmillas, for which he’s being held accountable. He was dismissed from his post as captain of the Space Battleship Yamato, and the crew was reassigned.
Ginga’s Kusakabe: Target confirmed!
Narrator: Then, in the year 2207 of the space calendar, a massive mysterious object suddenly appears in the solar system.
Commander Todo: Initiate Operation DAD!
Seiya Kitano: Resonance wave at maximum output!
Miki Saijou, (probably) aboard Asuka with Seiya: Target speed unchanged!
Gladiator-class ship operator defending Earth: System down, out of control!
Narrator: Shrugging off all attacks, the object with impenetrable defenses descends toward Earth…
Yuki, observing the presidential building: Enemy attack!
Narrator: Faced with the overwhelming firepower of the enemy forces, Earth is swiftly overwhelmed…
Kodai, descending on Earth: Dezarium…
Narrator: In this hopeless situation, with no means left to resist…
Analyzer’s head, in Sado’s home: Assemble, assemble.
Yuki: Kodai-kun!
Kodai: Yuki!
Narrator: They attempt an escape, their sole remaining hope, but will they succeed…?
Interview 1
Harutoshi Fukui (Script Composition and General Director) & Naomichi Yamato (Director)
Directing Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199 is Naomichi Yamato, making his directorial debut after serving as an episode director and assistant director on numerous previous works. Harutoshi Fukui, who handled series composition for Yamato 2202, also serves as overall chief director in addition to series composition.
Question 1: Why were you (Naomichi Yamato) chosen to direct Yamato?
Fukui: Back during 2205, you (Naomichi) had already handled a couple episodes as episode director, right? Two or three? I believe it was two. At any rate, you fully demonstrated your abilities, efficiently tackling that challenging schedule in the short time allotted for Episode 3, the one where Garmillas was destroyed. I was really impressed by how thoroughly you handled all those complicated elements. I just thought to myself, this is the perfect guy – the name even fits! He must be here specifically for this job. So I may have gone around telling people something to that effect, and well, here we are (laughs). I guess it worked out, huh?
Question 2: What were your thoughts when offered the job?
Yamato: With sci-fi or space stories, they inevitably take on a human dramatic depth or incorporate social commentary. Recent works tend to really emphasize the characters’ emotional journeys, not putting as much focus on the societal aspects. So I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity to be involved in exploring those broader themes. And of course, the very fact that I get to work on something titled “Yamato” – I’m truly honored.
Fukui: He gave his answer right away, no hesitation in accepting. When we do a remake, there’s always that underlying premise of “What if we continued this series’ spirit from the original TV run into subsequent installments?” So in that sense, while the movie version of the original did lean more into pure entertainment value and didn’t emphasize messaging as much, we’ll make sure to properly incorporate those thematic elements, while still capturing that sense of fun.
Question 3: What kind of work do you want 3199 to be?
Fukui: I think there are certain iconic scenes that long-time Yamato fans universally recognize and expect to be included in some form. We’ll definitely make sure to hit those key points. But the journey getting there will be completely different. Places where things unfolded one way before might play out totally differently here, leading to the same outcome from an entirely new direction. It’s going to be a wild ride with constant unexpected twists and turns unlike anything we’ve seen so far in the series. Plus this time, there are quite a few elements incorporated from the Yamato III TV series as well…so yeah, it’s never been harder to keep everything contained within a reasonable scope.
Yamato: That’s true.
Fukui: Yeah, it’s always a struggle figuring out how to properly condense and fit everything into the allotted runtime.
Yamato: At a glance it may seem like we’re just jumping randomly from character to character…but in reality, each of those little vignettes is seeding information that pays off later. There are characters who don’t seem that important yet who will prove absolutely vital as the story progresses.
(Translator’s note: For this part of the interview, we see flashes of characters aboard Ginga, as well as Nanbu and his father Kozo . Probably by no coincidence.)
Fukui: This is truly shaping up to be a grand war drama on a scale we’ve never quite attempted before in the franchise. Up until now, the central narrative has still largely revolved around the personal journey of the protagonist Susumu Kodai to a certain extent. But this time, the overarching ensemble narrative is taking just as much importance – including perspectives from people not even aboard Yamato itself. All those disparate threads will ultimately weave together into a climax more intricate and impactful than anything I’ve ever constructed before. If we can properly pull this off, I really think it will be an endlessly entertaining and rewarding experience. I’ve never gone this far out on a limb, so for now, I’m considering this my potential magnum opus.
Part 2: MUSIC
Narrator: Continuing to handle the music for the remake series since 2199 is Akira Miyagawa. The Miyagawa family has composed the music for Yamato across two generations. And newly joining for this work is composer Shu Kunematsu, a jazz pianist who has scored numerous dramas and films.
Interview 2
Akira Miyagawa (Lead Composer) & Shu Kanematsu (Co-Composer)
Question 1: Why did you offer Mr. Kanematsu this role?
Miyagawa: As the series delves deeper, with the story and settings becoming more intricate, the music simply has to expand as well, you know? I’ve felt that way for years now. Occasionally, maybe 10% of the time, I’d get this feeling of, “Oh, I’m just pulling the same old trick out again.” So I knew I needed someone to assist, but finding the right person was really difficult. Ultimately, I just had to go with my gut instinct. For some reason, Kanematsu’s music just resonated deeply with me when I heard it on TV.
Kanematsu: Ah, I’m truly honored to hear that. (Nods graciously)
Miyagawa: Yeah. And hearing the stellar reputation that preceded you, it really lived up to my expectations. This must be fate. So what initially piqued your interest in Space Battleship Yamato?
Kanematsu: It started with the songs, actually.
Miyagawa: I see.
Kanematsu: I used to sing them.
Miyagawa: Oh?
Kanematsu: Maybe even skipped school because of it once or twice (laughs).
Miyagawa: Ah, I get it now.
Kanematsu: They were in our textbooks back then…
Miyagawa: In middle or high school?
Kanematsu: Elementary school, the 90s. I didn’t know anything about Yamato itself, just the songs.
Miyagawa: But you were familiar with Iscandar and all that?
Kanematsu: Yeah, it sort of rang a bell.
Miyagawa: That tracks.
Kanematsu: Just from singing the tunes. (Laughs) Didn’t really grasp the full Yamato series until much later as an adult…
Miyagawa: I see, I see.
Kanematsu: …when I properly studied up on it for this project.
Question 2: Participating in recording the Yamato score
Kanematsu: We’re spaced out a bit into separate rooms, but essentially all together in the same place.
Miyagawa: Right.
Kanematsu: So when we’re recording…
Miyagawa: Yes?
Kanematsu: …you’re immediately hearing that full, lush sound as it’s being captured, you know?
Miyagawa: Ah, I see what you mean.
Kanematsu: It was totally new for me. Normally it’s like, just the trombones alone, or trombones and trumpets, strings separate…
Miyagawa: Right, right.
Kanematsu: With that divide, you figure, “Eh, if the strings aren’t loud enough here, I can punch them up in the mix later.”
Miyagawa: Exactly.
Kanematsu: You can make those adjustments as you’re writing. But that pre-mixed, full ensemble sound? If we played this in a concert hall without mics, it probably wouldn’t work at all, would it?
Miyagawa: You’re absolutely right, yeah.
Kanematsu: So realizing, “Oh, this balanced sound is what it’s meant to be” – that hit me from the very first take of the opening piano. The fact that this finalized blend is being captured from the outset – the people who can pull that off are incredible.
Miyagawa: Ah yes, absolutely.
Kanematsu: It really struck me.
Question 3: What inspiration did you take from working with Mr. Kanematsu?
Miyagawa: I thought I worked across a pretty wide range myself, but you really didn’t shy away from areas (in music) I tended to avoid…
Kanematsu: Is that so?
Miyagawa: Yeah, more contemporary avant-garde styles and such.
Kanematsu: There was some of that, yes.
Miyagawa: As a jazz pianist, you’ve explored realms that…well, I wanted to be a jazz pianist too, but I figured doing both was impossible, so I always kept it a bit amateurish when dabbling in jazz. But the paths we’ve walked are distinctly different beyond just senior and junior. So in that sense, all the new pieces you contributed this time revealed capabilities I simply don’t have. Every single one made me think, “Ah, those aren’t choices I could make.” I was genuinely amazed throughout.
Part 3: Voice Cast
Narrator: Daisuke Ono has continued voicing the protagonist Susumu Kodai since Yamato 2199. And Makoto Furukawa voices Alphon, the intelligence officer of the invading Dezarium forces – a key figure in the story of 3199.
Interview 3
Daisuke Ono (Susumu Kodai) & Makoto Furukawa (Lt. Alphon)
Question 1: What do you keep in mind when portraying Kodai?
Ono: Well, I don’t really consciously keep anything in mind.
Furukawa: You don’t make any conscious effort? That’s concerning.
Ono: In terms of being mindful of something specific, you mean?
Furukawa: Yes, exactly.
Ono: I’ve reached a point where I don’t really think about “portraying” him anymore.
Furukawa: Eh?
Ono: I’ve gotten closer to simply becoming Kodai.
Furukawa: Ah, you’ve melded with the character?
Ono: Yeah, that feeling. That exact feeling.
Furukawa: I see…
Ono: Back when I was first cast as Kodai in 2199, of course I felt tremendous pressure. I mean, it’s Yamato we’re talking about! You saw all the diehard Yamato fans visiting the recording sessions, right?
Furukawa: (Laughs)
Ono: Yeah…
Furukawa: They can be pretty blunt with their opinions.
Ono: The sound director and others would lay it on thick. “You sure you can handle playing Kodai, kid?” Everyone’s such a huge fan, you know?
Furukawa: That’s how devoted they are, I suppose.
Ono: I spent so much time battling against that pressure in the beginning. But over 12 years, you inevitably become one with the role.
Furukawa: I can see that, yes.
Ono: At first, I felt I had to perfectly embody the image of Kodai everyone had grown so attached to.
Furukawa: Mm-hmm.
Ono: There was [original actor] Kei Tomiyama’s portrayal, and then the reimagined 2199 version was its own distinct take too, right?
Furukawa: Eh? Ehh…?
Ono: The core essence is the same Kodai, but the outward characterization – that aspect really resonated with me personally.
Furukawa: Ahhh, I see now…!
Ono: Yeah. And there came a point where I felt “Ah, this IS me.”
Furukawa: Ehh? Ehhh?
Ono: After that, I didn’t have to force it anymore. I could just naturally inhabit Kodai. And… (deep breath) for the longest time, I made a point of not watching my own past performances.
Furukawa: Oh? Oh yes.
Ono: I avoided it until after each new portrayal, treating the re-watch as a reward of sorts.
Furukawa: I see, I see. Not for comparison’s sake then, but to appreciate how the new take emerged differently?
Ono: Exactly, exactly! To discover, “Oh, this aspect matched up” while other parts diverged. Like how my delivery of the “Follow Captain Hijikata’s final order!” line after the decisive battle (2202, ep 24) was uncannily similar to Tomiyama’s reading!
Furukawa: Yet you made no conscious effort to channel that…?
Ono: Not at all, I had no idea!
Furukawa: Some deeper power must have been at work there.
Ono: Yeah…
Furukawa: Some sort of…?
Ono: Yeah. So while I sync my own interpretation of Kodai, the essence carried over from past portrayals still rings true in this legacy work.
Furukawa: A chilling thought.
Ono: Mmm. That’s when I realized – I can just be myself, and that will become Kodai. I reaffirmed that mindset then.
Furukawa: Ah…
Question 2: Your experience portraying Alphon.
Translator’s note: Ono’s nickname in the industry is OnoD(aisuke), which Furukawa calls him here.
Furukawa: OnoD-san, you mentioned feeling that pressure earlier.
Ono: Yes.
Furukawa: I’m at that level now.
Ono: Eh?
Furukawa: I’ve been constantly overwhelmed by the pressure throughout this journey. Yes.
Ono: Is that so? But we’re already releasing the first chapter to the public soon, so you must be getting a handle on it by now, right?
Furukawa: That’s true.
Ono: You’re still anxious?
Furukawa: Oh, absolutely.
Ono: Really?
Furukawa: Absolutely. It’s a reimagining, so they’re adding new facets to characters like Alphon, too. Broadly speaking, Mr. Fukui has added aspects to the original Alphon that were never shown before; a softer, more nuanced side.
Ono: Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh.
Furukawa: Mr. Fukui was very thorough in explaining the character’s underpinnings to me initially.
Ono: He does provide plenty of context about the characters, yes.
Furukawa: “This is Alphon’s perspective here, these are his motivations, and this is how he relates to Yuki,” and so on.
Ono: Uh-huh, uh-huh.
Furukawa: So right from those initial impressions, the image was quite divergent from how I perceived him in the original.
Ono: Ah, I see. Diverging already?
Furukawa: Already, yes.
Ono: Ah, okay, okay.
Furukawa: Well, the broad strokes of how he carries himself are still quite similar, but when interpreting these reimagined facets on a personal level – like what emotional tenor best conveys his ideology and standing within Dezarium society in the full context of this story – that’s where I could apply my own insights.
Ono: Hm, hm, I see.
Furukawa: I’ve been granted just a bit more freedom to expand on the core characterization in my own way.
Ono: Ahhh…!
Ono: Ah, this may be a bit of a digression, but I’m really glad you ended up playing the rival role here, Furukawa-kun. It feels gratifying, us going toe-to-toe like this.
Furukawa: Ah, thank you, I appreciate that.
Ono: You know why, right…?
Furukawa: Yes?
Ono: We get cast as brother roles quite often, don’t we?
Furukawa: We do, yes.
Ono: And people would sometimes comment, “Your voices sound kinda alike, huh?”
Furukawa: Ahhh, yes, I’ve heard that too. Mm-hmm. We even get some fan letters implying we might be related sometimes.
Furukawa: Ah, that’s right.
Ono: So I figured maybe we’d be rivals vying for the same girl this time or something.
Furukawa: That’s a natural assumption, yes.
Ono: Since there’s that bit of vocal chemistry there, you know?
Furukawa: I appreciate that, thank you.
Ono: You tend to get a bit of a hard time too, character-wise.
Furukawa: (Laughs) That’s true!
Ono: Initially…
Furukawa: Yes?
Ono: I figured an older, more veteran actor might take this rival role. Given the age and experience gap, it wouldn’t have been out of place.
Furukawa: I see.
Ono: But when I heard it was you, Furukawa-kun, I thought “Ah, of course! He’s perfect for it!”
Furukawa: The more I embodied the character, the more I realized how fitting it was, yes.
Ono: Ah!
Furukawa: That became a key point in portraying this first chapter’s events.
Ono: Does that lead into spoiler territory?
Furukawa: Not necessarily a spoiler per se, but…
Ono: Uh-huh, uh-huh.
Furukawa: I haven’t actually revealed anything plot-wise yet! (laughs)
Ono: Ah, I was really curious there for a second! (laughs)
Furukawa: We’ll have to wait until Chapter 2 for any major revelations.
Ono: Wait for Chapter 2, got it?
Furukawa: Yes.
Ono: Understood.
Furukawa: While you may sense some initial dissonance, the more background I received, the more it all clicked into place rationally.
Ono: Uh-huh. So you’ve overcome the pressure as your understanding of the character deepened?
Furukawa: Yes, I’ve really begun inhabiting him.
Ono: Getting a grip on embodying him, then? A similar feeling to what I described about initially inhabiting Kodai earlier.
Furukawa: Quite.
Ono: Though the pace at which you’ve settled into it is way faster than it was for me initially.
Furukawa: Well, I didn’t face nearly as much external pressure from die-hard fans as you did! (laughs)
Ono: Ah, that’s right! No one badgered you with “You’re playing Alphon??”
Furukawa: No, not at all.
Ono: No one said that?
Furukawa: It was all fresh, new encounters for me.
Ono: Lucky you, everyone was so welcoming then! (laughs)
Harutoshi Fukui’s message to fans
The world has been tremendously difficult this century from the very start, with the massive earthquake and disaster. Maintaining our fundamental sense of humanity has become an immense challenge in these times. There are aspects we must change and adapt, but there are also absolutes we must never compromise on. This story’s core premise states that regardless of circumstance, we must firmly resist anything that violates our inviolable human values and dignity. I believe that strongly resonates with our present society, so I truly hope you’ll all see this journey through to the very end.
Daisuke Ono’s message to fans
Once again, Yamato takes flight into the cosmos! I’m truly overjoyed. Over 12 years of voicing him, Kodai has become an extension of my very being. Whenever I embark on this journey anew, I’m reminded that I’m never alone. It’s thanks to everyone’s support that this ship can forge ahead. And on this latest voyage, we’ve welcomed so many fresh new crew mates! The cast is brimming with youthful energy; the next generation carrying the torch. Seeing these passionate young actors join Yamato‘s ranks fills me with immense joy. Not just us, but all of you longtime Yamato fans watching, my own generational peers, and the youths to follow – this Yamato tale will be a transmission to the future for all. Please, join us on board as we launch into the unknown! Yamato, taking off!
Narrator’s epilogue & promo
In the darkest era, the new Space Battleship Yamato carries the will to resist!
Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199 Chapter 1, Dark Invasion, opens July 19th!
Movie ticket cards are on sale now. Check the official website for details. The Volume 1 Blu-ray Limited Edition, featuring the clear Ginga model kit and other exclusive bonuses, goes on early sale alongside the theatrical premiere. The standard Blu-ray release follows on October 30th, pre-orders available now!