From the January 1979 issue of Kodansha’s manga magazine Mimi comes this six-page exploration of the Yamato 2 production office at Academy Studio, filled with insider details and step-by-step instructions for how anime is made.
Space Battleship Yamato 2 Production Site Report
And so, Yamato is on its way!!
The staff of love
Yamato is back on TV. Kodai, Yuki, Shima…and now the production studio is burning with the flames of a new battle. Let’s take a look inside Yamato‘s launch base.
From the January 1979 issue of Mimi, published December 1978
Written by Shuji Funaki
Photos by Yoshiaki Takahashi
This is Yamato‘s launch base!
From the Mic With Love, Soldiers of Acting
An off-the-record interview at the recording site
Kei Tomiyama Kei & Yoko Asagami
Interviewer: What do you think about working with each other?
Asagami: He’s very easy to work with. Tomiyama-san is a veteran, so…
Interviewer: Do you feel like you’re lovers?
Asagami: On the job, it can be like that.
Interviewer: But when you’re away from work…
Asagami: It’s not like that at all.
Tomiyama: My goodness, Asagami-san is quite strong-willed.
Interviewer: Yuki Mori is the type who silently follows the man she loves, but Asagami-san…
Asagami: I seem to live my life in the opposite way of Yuki. I believe in doing what I want to do first. I want to take better care of myself.
Interviewer: What about you, Mr. Tomiyama?
Tomiyama: Yuki? She’s a beautiful woman, isn’t she? But does someone like that really exist…? (laughs)
Interviewer: It seems like there’s a difference between ideals and reality…Even so, Yamato is incredibly popular, isn’t it?
Tomiyama: It’s always moving to see someone fight for love, no matter when it is.
Interviewer: Can you fight for love, Mr. Tomiyama?
Tomiyama: Well, I don’t know. I rely on women quite a bit… (laughs) But I think men have two sides, the fighting side and the spoiled side…
Interviewer: What do you think, Ms. Asagami?
Asagami: Well, I don’t really know. Studying men is a topic for the future. (laughs)
1. Yamato TV Guide
Here are the points you can’t miss on TV!
In Part 1, Yamato saved Earth from the invasion by planet Gamilas, and in Part II, it sets out on another battle to save the entire universe from crisis. This time, the enemy is a giant white comet! The main story is the same as the movie Farewell to Yamato. However, there are various innovations and improvements that only a serial TV anime can offer…!?
2. On TV, there is a rumor that “Susumu Kodai will not die” and it may be true!
With the dead Yuki by his side, Kodai says, “Yuki, this is our honeymoon. We’ll always be together,” and charges toward the giant battleship. This is the last scene of the highly acclaimed movie Farewell to Yamato. A spectacular death, and a head-on collision! Susumu Kodai is supposed to have died in the far reaches of space.
However, there is a rumor that Kodai doesn’t die on TV, which is highly likely. The production team is still undecided, but under pressure from fans who say, “Don’t kill Kodai,” they are gradually feeling more and more that they don’t want to kill Kodai.
If Kodai doesn’t die, what will become of Kodai and Yuki’s love? In the movie, they set off on a space battle three days before their wedding, but on TV, they are portrayed as a loving couple, not yet getting married. And on TV, the love story that couldn’t be fully depicted in the movie will be shown in more detail. I have a feeling that Kodai won’t die, and that he’ll end up with Yuki! (Please!)
3. A new robot appears!
A new robot appears on TV and has a humorous showdown with its senior, Analyzer (pictured above).
4. Kodai and Hijikata are rivals on TV!
In the movie, Hijikata was the captain of Yamato, but on TV he is the captain of the new battleship Andromeda. He plays a great role as a strong rival to Yamato.
5. Shima Daisuke has a girlfriend? What, what, the other party is Teresa!
Teresa, the goddess of love from the planet Telezart, was an “antimatter” being that could not interact with humans in the movie. But on TV she has a human body and thinks the same as humans. She’ll talk about love with Shima Daisuke! Shima fans may have their hearts torn apart by this situation!
6. A battle between a mountain of postcards and a phone!
Space Battleship Yamato fan club headquarters
Most of the calls that come in to the fan club are from people saying, “I want to join the fan club.” Others include, “Can I have a cel?” “I’d like to see the production site…”
And on the desk is a mountain of letters. “This is still a small number. I sorted out a lot of them a week ago…” The six office staff members look through all the letters, hoping to not only keep fans updated but also to help them communicate with each other. The number of members is said to be 120,000 nationwide, and it looks like it will continue to grow.