The 50th anniversary of Space Battleship Yamato‘s original TV broadcast was overwhelming. Live events, news flashes, social media posts, and more brought fans together from all parts of the globe to observe a day of love and celebration. It was enough to warrant its own report, so let’s dive in!
Bandai Emotion video tribute
“On October 6 1974 at 7:30pm, a miraculous anime was born.”
Few Japanese companies have benefitted more from Yamato than Bandai. As the first licensor of Yamato model kits, the immense popularity of their products elevated them to the top tier in the late 70s (read about it here), and when Bandai’s Emotion label acquired the home video rights in 1989, they tapped into a perpetual Wave-Motion Engine of profit.
It was fitting, then, for Bandai Emotion to begin the day with a 4-minute tribute video that took a walk through 50 years of history. See it on Youtube here.
(Trivia note: Yamato 2520 and the live-action movie are missing from this record since Bandai Emotion does not currently hold those video rights.)
Episodes 1-5 on Youtube
These days, there’s just one place to go if you want to see the classics the way they used to be shown: BS10 [Broadcast Satellite] Star Channel. They’ve been broadcasting Yamato movies and TV series for years, and when they ran through the entire catalog again in the summer of 2024 they even revived Blue Noah and Odin for the lineup.
As they prepared to restart the whole thing again in October, they briefly made the first five TV episodes (HD remastered versions) available around the world on Youtube. This window was open from October 6 to 18, so if you’re reading this in time, you still have a chance.
Click here and start watching.
Online articles
Understandably, most of the online coverage to be found on October 6 reacted to events that happened later in the day. But if you dug a little deeper, a couple gems were there to be discovered in the early hours.
First, Yahoo Japan turned to Rikao Yanagita of the Dream-Science Laboratory to investigate the question, “Why did they turn the Battleship Yamato into a spaceship?” Read it here.
Second, Magmix published an in-depth look at the early years in an article titled “How it went from a disastrous ratings defeat to an unprecedented boom.” Read it here.
And now, the main events…
Symphonic Suite Yamato concert
Amidst a record number of Yamato concerts held throughout the year, the Japanese news site Daily published an article on June 22 that clued us in on what was going to make this one extraordinary:
Recently, Kaito Ikeda, the leader and conductor of Orchestra Pitore-za and a second generation Yamato fan, appealed to Hiroshi Miyagawa’s son Akira. The first draft of the Symphonic Suite was discovered, and the entire score was recreated under Akira’s supervision.
Participating in the premiere will be Akira Miyagawa, Kaito Ikeda, Orchestra Pitore-za, and the Pitore-za Chorus, as well as Yuuki (scat), Takayuki Emori (guitar), Tetsushi Shiota (bass), and Hikaru Kanza (drums). The piano will be played by Hiroshi Miyagawa’s grandson Daisuke.
The venue was Galaxcity Nishiarai Cultural Hall in Tokyo (above left, photo posted on Twitter by S Meijin). Upon entry, everyone was greeted by an exhibit of artifacts from Yamato music history. See a photo gallery of them here.
Fans swarmed in from across the country for what may be their only chance to hear this most famous of all Yamato scores in a live concert: the 1977 Symphonic Suite Yamato, played end to end under the baton of Kaito Ikeda. The ensemble was a young one, mostly in their 30s, which meant they were born a good twenty years after Yamato began. The experience inspired them to comment on social media…
Photo posted by Fukapon
Yesterday was the final rehearsal for Space Battleship Yamato Symphonic Suite, with the rhythm section and choir. Welcoming Akira Miyagawa as our instructor, we are in high spirits. As expected of a teacher!
But it is conductor Ikeda-san who really impressed us. He carefully and thoroughly explained everything to the orchestra, saying, “This part of the song is from this scene, and because it’s this kind of scene, I want to express it like this!” before performing the piece.
There are other conductors who say they love Yamato. But are there any conductors who are such models of passionate fans? When conducted by someone like this, the performance is already wonderful, and Yamato is amazing too! Now, it’s finally here!
– Fumio Riverfield, guitarist
Photos posted by Kohei Nishishita and Araki Takuto. Conductor Kaito Ikeda is second from the left in the first photo.
I was in charge of the premiere, as well as producing and editing the sheet music. For the encore song Great Love, I transcribed the score even there was no sheet music. I am truly happy to have been able to create a day that Yamato fans around the world would drool over, and to add a new page to the history of Yamato!
I am truly honored to be involved in the premiere of the complete version on this memorable 50th anniversary. It reminded me of the time when I would always sing along to the Yamato CD on the way to cello lessons in the car, or when I would build Yamato out of blocks and imitate the lines for the Wave-Motion Gun and the warp sound.
I could really sense the passion for Yamato from everyone who came to the event, and it made me very happy both as a musician and as a Yamato fan! (I was singing and playing during the final encore, LOL.)
– Araki Takuto, cellist
Photos posted on Twitter by Junpei Hattori and Ueno Miina
On the 50th anniversary of Space Battleship Yamato, the complete Symphonic Suite premiered at Galaxcity! It’s been a while since we last performed with this gorgeous low brass band of four trombones! Wow, that was fun!!
– Junpei Hattori, trombone
Thank you for the full house premiere of the Symphonic Suite. I was very happy to be surrounded by such wonderful audience members and receive a standing ovation.
– Ueno Mina, percussionist
Photos posted on Twitter by Yukino Nagashima and Miyako Honda
Today I joined the choir at this concert! The enthusiasm of the audience was amazing, and the standing ovation after the performance was overwhelming! Moreover, today marks the 50th anniversary of Yamato‘s broadcast!! What a miracle!
I was honored to sing in the chorus at the Space Battleship Yamato Symphonic Suite Concert! The atmosphere on stage and in the audience was incredibly exciting! The thunderous applause and cheers brought me to tears. I’m really glad I was able to attend this concert. Thank you very much!
I performed in the choir. I felt like everyone in the venue, including the audience, was feeling the same way, and I was overwhelmed with emotion, thinking that it was a really good performance. Thank you for a wonderful time.
Kaito Ikeda with a Yamato-colored bouquet with art by Yamato fan Popoki Cat. Photos posted by S Meijin and Popoki Cat
Attendees had plenty to say, too…
Symphonic Suite Yamato, a legendary record that probably everyone in the audience listened to so much that it wore out, fully reproduced in concert. The audience was listening with bated breath and the excitement was explosive. It was so overwhelming that I can’t explain how amazing it was…
The year before I became seriously hooked on Yamato, the Symphonic Suite was played in the lunchtime radio broadcasts at the elementary school I attended. To think that I could hear it performed live…I was overwhelmed with emotion.
L: bouquet collection. R: Kaito Ikeda flanked by remake veterans Hideki Oka (scriptwriter) and Nobuyoshi Habara (2202 director). Photos posted by The Udoneeds and Ayaka.
It’s amazing to see such a performance by a young conductor and performers, transcending the ages, overflowing with love for Yamato and respect for Hiroshi Miyagawa. It feels like a new history for the Symphonic Suite is about to begin. I’m so happy to have been able to witness this legendary performance.
I have listened to the Symphonic Suite hundreds of times since my childhood, and it’s indescribable in words! It was exactly that sound. (crying)
– Fukapon
It was faithful to the original, but had more variation in tempo and a denser, more aggressive sound, which was really cool!
– Darakazu
Photo posted by Kohei Nishishita
It was absolutely amazing. I was a little worried before listening to the performance, but the passion and energy of the young musicians really touched my heart and moved me to tears from beginning to end. I hope for a re-performance and for it to be released on CD.
– S Meijin
I was very satisfied with Galaxcity’s Symphonic Suite concert. But the final a cappella theme song followed by Great Love was not fair! I felt embarrassed as tears started pouring down my face, but then Mr. H. Hara, who was sitting next to me, took out a handkerchief and started sobbing, which calmed me down a bit.
Has there ever been a day when I felt so glad to be alive? An emotional day, extremely grateful.
Lucky Special Bonus
The same day the concert was held, Bandai Namco announced a new remix of Symphonic Suite, which is already available for preorder with a release date of December 25. The following information about this project was published at the Matomame website…
In this memorable year, Symphonic Suite Space Battleship Yamato, famous as a monumental anime soundtrack, will be revived using the latest technology. This album, which has fascinated many fans since its release in 1977, has now been newly remixed using the latest digital technology based on the original 16-channel multi-tape.
By being released in various formats, including CD, LP, high-resolution distribution, and spatial audio distribution, more listeners will be able to enjoy this historic masterpiece with unprecedented sound quality. The mix was handled by veteran engineer Toshiyasu Shiozawa, who has won numerous Japanese Professional Music Awards. The LP was cut by Shigeru Takezawa, and the CD was mastered by Yumiko Yamashita, who has worked on the Yamato Sound Almanac series and music products for Yamato 2202, so the attention to sound quality is thorough.
There is more good news for this 50th anniversary project. An analog version of the Yamato 2202 Symphonic Suite by Akira Miyagawa will be released simultaneously by Bandai Namco Music Live. This work, which was released as a CD in 2021, will be issued in a new form as a two-disc LP set. For fans, it is a dream project to release works by father and son at the same time. Not only can you reaffirm the appeal of the original music, but you can also expect improved sound quality with the latest technology, making this a must-have item for Space Battleship Yamato fans.
On December 25, 2024, the legendary soundtrack will set off on a new journey. The timeless and universal appeal of the work is also clearly reflected in the music. The magnificent space, the tense battle scenes, and the sad melodies. This is not just background music, but an essential element in constructing the worldview of the work. And it can be said that the music composed by Hiroshi Miyagawa perfectly expresses that worldview.
This remix project is not just about improving the sound quality, but is an important attempt to convey the appeal of this work to a new generation. Modern technology reproduces the nuances and depth of sound that could not be expressed with the technology of the time, allowing you to immerse yourself more deeply. In particular, the spatial audio distribution may give you a sense of immersion as if you were inside a spaceship.
We hope that through this project, many people will rediscover the world of “Space Battleship Yamato” and experience new emotions.
PREORDER LINKS:
CD at Amazon.co.jp | CD at CD Japan | LP at Amazon.co.jp | LP at CD Japan
Photos posted on Twitter by henkyousubcul and Tom 2199
50th Anniversary screening event
Three of the most famous Yamato fans in Japan took the wheel for this special event, based at the Shinjuku Piccadilly in Tokyo and live-streamed to 42 other theaters. All three watched the original series in real time and all three were propelled into professional careers as a result.
Hideaki Anno became an anime auteur who went on to helm Evangelion, among other titles. Yutaka Izubuchi got his start as a mecha designer on both Yamato III and Final Yamato, ultimately returning to direct Yamato 2199. Ryusuke Hikawa is essentially the founding member of Yamato fandom and is now an author with several books on anime and tokusatsu to his credit.
Together they presided over a special screening and sat down for an engaging conversation that led to what had to be the most unexpected – and appropriate – announcement of the day. (And in case you’re wondering, there was ample time for concertgoers to take in both events, which must have been a relief to everyone.)
A substantial number of entertainment websites reported on the screening afterward. Presented here is an amalgam of coverage from Movie Marbie, Natalie, and Edgeline. (Click on the names to see original articles.)
Space Battleship Yamato embarks on a new journey for the next 50 years!
“Today is not the peak, it’s just the beginning”
A special project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the TV broadcast of Space Battleship Yamato is underway. The first part of the project was a one-night-only screening at the Shinjuku Piccadilly Theater, planned and produced by Hideaki Anno, who is a self-proclaimed big fan of the series.
The first episode was screened on the same day and time as it was broadcast 50 years ago, 7:30pm on October 6th, 1974. After the episode, the 8mm film version was shown in theaters for the first time. It consisted of three volumes: Part 1 Farewell Earth, Part 2 God, weep for Gamilas, and Part 3 Live for Love, Die for Love. Following the screening, the stage belonged to Hideaki Anno, Yutaka Izubuchi, and Ryusuke Hikawa.
Anno, who had suffered a compound fracture in his left leg in July, walked onto the stage with a slight limp. Izubuchi, expressing concern for his friend, revealed that Anno had been using a wheelchair backstage to minimize movement. Anno simply chuckled, saying, “Trying to limit my movement as much as possible.”
Video clip: walk-on and introduction (turn on captions and autotranslate to follow along)
Despite being a key figure in organizing the event, Anno intended to take a backseat during the talk, stating, “I’m here as the MC, so I won’t be speaking much.” Izubuchi, however, playfully turned to the audience, asking, “You all came here expecting him to talk, didn’t you?” The audience responded with enthusiastic applause. Slightly flustered, Anno admitted, “I came here today hoping to share the wonders of Yamato, but looking at you all…I feel like I’m preaching to the choir.”
He had assumed that the audience was already well-versed in the series, prompting a quick survey: “Is anyone here seeing Yamato for the first time?” To Anno’s relief, a few hands went up in the audience. Izubuchi was impressed, saying, “There are young people here! Thank you!” Anno also seemed relieved, saying, “That’s great. I’m glad people came who don’t know Yamato.”
Anno to Tomonaga: “It’s all your fault!”
The conversation then turned to their favorite aspects of the TV series. Izubuchi said, “I watched it in a rerun and thought it was great. There was no explanation at the beginning, which was a good hook (to make you wonder what was going on). In the middle, Okita’s ship retreats (after witnessing the power of the enemy), and from there the situation is explained. After that, it leads up to the final scene of the sunken ship, with a hint of Yamato. This structure is wonderful. And it’s cool that this appears symbolically at the end” (pointing to the sunken Yamato in the poster design).
Anno, unable to contain his enthusiasm, interjected, “For me, it’s the main gun and Yuki Mori in the second episode! That main gun was amazing!” He then joked, “What got me hooked on Yamato was the animation by Kazuhide Tomonaga (known for such films as Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro and Galaxy Express 999). That got me. [to Tomonaga] It’s all your fault!” (Tomonaga was in the audience, drawing laughter from the crowd).
See this moment in a video clip here
Anno continued, gushing about the show’s iconic weapon: “The Wave-Motion Gun blew me away. From the moment Kodai flips the switch to when it fires, it takes a full two minutes and ten seconds. Back then, there was no other show that would dedicate two minutes and ten seconds to firing a single shot.” Izubuchi recalled, “Until then, the concept of ‘Wave-Motion’ was beyond my grasp. It wasn’t until that gun fired that I understood: this ship is essentially a giant cannon.”
Hikawa said, “The situation (in the anime world) changed because of Yamato.” Anno agreed, saying, “I think Japanese animation would have been different without this work,” and Izubuchi reflected, “Our way of life would have been different, too,” to which Anno replied, “Probably not doing anime,” and the three reflected on the impact that Yamato had on themselves and the anime industry. Anno shifted his focus to Yoshiyuki Tomino, the creator of the Gundam series.
Gundam talk, transcribed on Twitter by Char_Tweet:
Anno: If there was no Yamato, there would have been no Gundam.
Hikawa: Sunrise had always been making things with five combining bodies. (Laughs)
Izubuchi: Because there was Yamato, there is Gundam. Tomino said, “Destroy Yamato.”
Hikawa: The Gundam project took place in the summer of ’78, when Farewell was released. Of course he was aware of it.
Anno: He was. Gundam was probably had White Base because of Yamato.
Hikawa: Yes. The thinking was, “Wouldn’t a battleship thing be good?”
Anno: It’s the Yamato method of banding together.
Izubuchi: Everyone in the classroom moves together.
Anno: Tomino’s amazing thing was to add one other thing to it, Mazinger Z. Yamato and Mazinger Z, this is invincible! This combination is amazing! The Cosmo Zero and Black Tiger were made into robots, and their pilots were made into the main characters. I think this substitution was the invention of Gundam. It would eventually surpass Yamato. It’s not that one is better than the other, but the reason Gundam has remained in the public eye is because of that extra something.
Izubuchi: The first episode of Gundam is very well done, but the one that stands up to repeated viewings is the first episode of Yamato.
Anno: For me, it’s the first episode of Gundam. Tomino is just amazing.
The conversation then drifted toward the technical aspects of TV broadcasting during the show’s original run. Back then, viewers had to manually turn a dial to change channels. Izubuchi chuckled at the archaic phrase “turn the channel,” before confessing, “Until then, I was all about Tsuburaya Productions (creators of Ultraman), but Yamato made me betray them!”
Regarding the 8mm version, Anno said, “At the time, it was so expensive that I couldn’t buy it,” but there were some core fans at the venue who had seen this legendary version.
An anime that makes you feel like you have to do something
Hikawa served as president of Yamato Association, one of the many Space Battleship Yamato fan clubs. During the broadcast, he visited Office Academy, the production studio of the series. There, he was given materials such as scripts, storyboards, original art, cels, and backgrounds that were on the verge of being discarded, which became the starting point of his career as a researcher. “I wanted to somehow preserve the materials for future generations,” said Hikawa, emphasizing, “This anime is a work that makes you feel like you have to do something.”
Izubuchi was impressed by Hikawa’s initiative, saying, “I never thought about that at the time,” but he sympathized with Hikawa’s urge to “do something,” and expressed his passion for Yamato, saying, “That’s why I think we have to pass it on even after 50 years, and I want to tell people about it. It makes you want to do missionary work.”
Regarding the reason why he became fascinated with the depths of Yamato, Hikawa recalled a story he heard from Animation Director Noboru Ishiguro when he started visiting the production studio. “I heard that Ishiguro became an animator because he admired effects animation. What is effects animation? Disney has had a department for that since long ago, and to put it simply, there is a section that draws things that look like special effects. Things that are not characters, like water or fire. Mr. Ishiguro said, ‘That’s what you should focus on,’ and it all made sense to me. I liked this work because it has special effects in the anime.” Hikawa further explained, “In Yamato, as Anno said, all the steps (such as firing the Wave-Motion Gun) are drawn in detail, and the effects animation asserts itself more than the story. But because it asserts itself, the story becomes denser and more believable.”
Leave it for posterity, not as part of your own collection
Another precious piece of footage was shown on the screen, the non-credit opening and ending titles of the TV series. Anno said, “I was really looking for this, so I was overwhelmed when I found it. I was like, ‘I heard it didn’t exist, but it does! And there are three of them!’ So I checked the content and found the versions for Episodes 1 and 2, and the versions from Episode 21 onward. I found the phantom cut (“Cut 5″) that Hikawa had received from the production studio and added it. I didn’t have a chance to show it for a while, but I finally got permission this time.”
At right: this photo was posted by Anno on Twitter October 2 with this caption: “It’s impossible to put into words the excitement I felt when I found this 35mm film cannister. I am simply grateful that we are able to screen this digitally on the anniversary.”
Some background: when the original TV series aired in Japan, there were four different versions of the opening title throughout the run. The differences from one to the next were mostly in the music, but there were subtle picture changes as well. (See them all for yourself here.) The fifth version described and shown here was never aired. “It’s a phantom version,” Anno said excitedly.
After sharing this precious footage with Yamato fans, Hikawa said, “I’m glad that the things I saved can be of use in this way.” Izubuchi expressed his respect, saying, “It’s all thanks to you who preserved them properly.” Hikawa revealed, “When the production site was to be disbanded, I felt that it would be a loss for humanity if this material disappeared,” and the three talked about how original drawings and other things were casually thrown away at the time.
Hikawa explained, “When I visited the animation studio right after the broadcast I asked, ‘What’s that tied up there?’ I looked closely and it was a pile of original drawings (laughs). When I asked, ‘What are you going to do with these?’ they said, ‘We’ll exchange them for tissue paper,’ so I asked, ‘Can I take them?’ and I preserved them.” Anno praised him, saying, “Thanks to that, they’re still here today.”
Hikawa continued, “I didn’t intend for it to become my own collection, but kept it for future generations. Mr. Anno created the Anime and Tokusatsu Archive Organization (ATAC), so now everything is stored there. All that remains is the mission to make it a national thing.”
Anno said, “I created ATAC because I wanted valuable materials to remain even after we are gone from this world. Even if I own them personally, they’ll disappear when I’m gone. So it’s not a collection, it’s about preserving the materials,” he said, passionately talking about the significance of preserving anime culture for future generations.
Hikawa continued, “The 50th anniversary doesn’t just mean that 50 years have passed. When you think of it in terms of a ‘decade’ or a ‘century,’ I think there’s a mission (to leave it for future generations). The voyage of Yamato is still continuing.”
“You went ahead and did it first!”
Hikawa then said, “Thanks to Izubuchi-san making 2199, the voyage has continued,”
The conversation naturally shifted to Yamato 2199, the remake directed by Izubuchi, who had the daunting task of reconciling some of the original series’ less scientifically-sound elements. “Let’s just say I did a lot of ‘theoretical arming’,” he said with a smile. “That project was like an exorcism, a ritual cleansing. It was my way of giving back to the generation that grew up with Yamato, the ones who watched it in middle and high school. We wanted to recreate it for them. I actually wanted Anno to be involved in the opening sequence (Anno did storyboard part of it), but he declined, so I ended up doing it. We even joked that it would be something fun to do in our retirement.”
Anno quickly quipped, “You went ahead and did it first!” Izubuchi assured the audience that he had asked properly, adding that Anno had even given him feedback, including criticism, twelve years ago.
Hikawa said, “Yamato was the original anime that people poke fun at. Before that, no one would poke fun at TV manga. It’s so realistic that it makes you want to poke fun at it.” Izubuchi also reflected, “There are seniors who like it, but who have knowledge of science-fiction and who poke fun at it. I would use my imagination to say, ‘This is what it means, probably,’ and that’s what I was like at the time.” Anno added, “2199 is the culmination of all that,” to which Izubuchi nodded, saying, “Exactly. I’m glad we did 2199.” Anno said, “It was wonderful,” and the venue was filled with warm applause.
“There are other things I need to do, but I have to do this”
Finally, Anno announced more screenings, publications to be released in 2025, and a Space Battleship Yamato Exhibition to be held in March next year. Then he shared the biggest announcement of the evening. He said that the rights to produce a new anime film based on Space Battleship Yamato had been granted to Studio Khara, of which he serves as president and CEO. “To put it simply, it means that I can now make a new film.” This drew a round of applause from the audience.
See this moment on video here (at 3:30)
Anno said, “I wanted to tell everyone here first, so I asked to be allowed to make the announcement to Yamato fans on this day. I can’t talk about the content yet. The script isn’t even done yet.” He then turned his gaze to the others, saying, “The people here are also working on it.”
Izubuchi replied, “Thank you very much, we’ll work together. As I said before, we promised to work on Yamato together even before we made 2199. I never thought we’d do another one (laughs). The next one will be the fifth Yamato.” Anno said with a sulky look, “That’s nice. There have been five Yamatos in my life. I’m only just getting to my first one.” Izubuchi replied, “You don’t know, the number may increase in the future. How many years will it take to make it?” To which Anno replied, “That’s in the contract, so I’m not sure yet.”
Despite saying that, Anno predicted, “I think I’ll be spending the rest of my life on this,” to which Izubuchi replied, “It takes years to make one film. Don’t you have other things to do?” Anno showed firm determination, saying, “It takes time. We have to make sure it doesn’t sink before it reaches port. There are other things I need to do, but I have to do this.”
To close the event, Anno called out, “Today is not the peak or the final day of the 50th anniversary, it’s just the beginning. We want to get the excitement going from here. Finally, we’ll show the opening title, so let’s all sing together,” and everyone in the audience joined in a chorus of the Yamato theme song.
In his closing remarks, Izubuchi said, “We are pleased to celebrate the 50th anniversary, and now it feels like a restart. I did Yamato once (laughs), but I’m going to restart it again. (To Anno) If you need anything, please ask me.”
Hikawa then expressed his gratitude, saying, “Space Battleship Yamato is an important work that brought a miracle to the history of Japanese anime. Rather than looking back with nostalgia, I think today is the day we set off for the next 50 years. I’m very happy to have shared this milestone with you all. Thank you very much.”
Click here for more video highlights
0:00~ Opening talk
2:06~ An anime that makes you feel like you have to do something
2:57~ Announcement of the 50th anniversary project
8:10~ Announcement of Studio Khara’s new Yamato anime
11:39~ Everyone sings the opening theme together
Studio Khara’s official announcement, posted here after the event:
Khara Inc. has been granted the rights to produce a new animated film based on Space Battleship Yamato by Voyager Holdings Inc. (CEO: Shoji Nishizaki), and has also received permission from Tohokushinsha Co., Ltd. to use the copyright.
We are currently working hard on planning a new theatrical production, aiming to start in 2025, in order to contribute to the further development of the Space Battleship Yamato series, which has a glorious history as a Japanese anime, and to create a work that can be enjoyed by many fans.
This new anime film will follow a different route from the remake series that began with Yamato 2199 in 2012 and continues with REBEL 3199, the second chapter of which will be released in theaters on November 22, 2024. We pray for the safe voyage of the remake series currently in production.
If I hadn’t encountered Space Battleship Yamato 50 years ago, I don’t think I would be who I am today. Now that I am involved with Yamato, I want to spend the rest of my life creating as many interesting works as possible that combine new and old, with respect and gratitude for all the staff and cast of Yamato, and I would like to leave Space Battleship Yamato for future generations.
Thank you very much for your cooperation.
– Hideaki Anno, CEO of Khara Inc.
Studio Khara posted this followup message from Anno a week later (October 13). See the original post here.
A little about my involvement with Yamato
Fifty years ago, the world of Yamato was huge, with the original TV series, the theatrical version (with the Starsha death version), and the theatrical version that was broadcast on TV (the Starsha survival version), as well as several novels, including the Sonorama version by Arashi Ishizu, and manga by Leiji Matsumoto, Akira Hio, and Yuki Hijiri, which were developed around the same time as the TV broadcast.
For me, Yamato was a work that depicted multiple worlds existing simultaneously. Of course, I felt this same sensation with Ultraman, Ultraseven, Kamen Rider, Mazinger Z, Devilman and other works, due to differences in the way the worlds were depicted in the TV and manga versions. Even among these parallel worlds, Yamato was special. This is because the original TV series had an epoch-making worldview, and multiple authors were freely and individually drawing their own versions in various media. The remake series 2199 also has a parallel between the main story and the manga by Michio Murakawa.
The parallel world aspect of the Yamato series was confirmed with Farewell to Yamato and the Yamato 2 series. The version drawn by Mr. Matsumoto is also a parallel world, and there are two versions of Resurrection by Mr. Nishizaki. Even in the case of Japanese content such as Ultraman, Kamen Rider, and Gundam, which are representative of the genre, parallel worlds created by branching off or resetting the story continue to this day. Such worlds are now too numerous to count.
I think that resetting and creating parallel worlds is a natural phenomenon for works that are not only historically significant but also strong as content. For me, it has always been natural to have multiple versions of the same work. I think the fact that we are following in the history of Yamato created by our predecessors, while having multiple versions in existence at the same time, is a continuation of the Yamato style.
At the end of the 1970s, we also experienced the bitter history of fans clashing with each other over their differing preferences for Farewell and Yamato 2, and the emotional arguments and disputes that ensued. I think preferences for the versions that were first imprinted on us are a long-standing problem for fans of long-running works.
This time, thanks to the kindness of the various companies involved, I was given relatively free rights to create a new Yamato. That’s why, rather than aiming for the small goal of fulfilling my dream as a junior high student, I’m trying to make a new Yamato that has a high possibility of continuing to the 100th anniversary.
I don’t know how many of the works I’m involved in will set sail and reach their destination of release, but I’m doing my best anyway. Because that’s all I can do right now.
And once again, I pray for the safe voyage and safe return of the ongoing remake series REBEL 3199.
– Hideaki Anno, CEO of Khara Inc.
Studio Khara merchandise sold at theaters October 6; photos posted on Twitter by chotyo and imakenken1
Lucky Special Bonus
As described in the report above, the next parts of the 50th anniversary project were mentioned at the event. To start with, more screenings of original TV episodes were announced for December and January:
December 27 to January 2: Episodes 2, 3, and 7
January 3 to 9: Episodes 16, 18, and 22
January 10 to 16: Episodes 23, 24, and 26
Next, four books are in production for 2025, published dates TBD…
From the classic era: the first-ever reprint of Yuki Hijiri’s “lost” Yamato manga, originally published in Terebi Land magazine, 1974-75. (See it here)
Also, a 2-volume reprint of the Complete Collection of Records for Series 1, originally published as three volumes in 1978. (Read about it here)
From the remake era: art collections devoted to both Michio Murakawa (manga artist) and Junichiro Tamamori (mecha designer).
Fan blog
You might be wondering if two major events in one day created an impossible choice for hardcore fans. But someone almost certainly anticipated this and saw to it that they were several hours apart. Those who attended the concert could make it to the anniversary screening with ease since both were held in Tokyo. One such attendee, going by the name EMH (the H stands for Hisato) made it to both and shared their impressions afterward.
See the original post at EMH NOTE here
50th Anniversary of the Broadcast of Space Battleship Yamato
Once again, I feel that Space Battleship Yamato is an amazing work. To put it in modern terms, it would be “content,” but I don’t want to use that word, so I’ll say “work.”
October 6th was the milestone anniversary of the 50th anniversary of the broadcast of Space Battleship Yamato. My first reason for coming to Tokyo that day was the Symphonic Suite Yamato concert (at Galaxcity Nishiarai Cultural Hall). It doesn’t necessarily have to be an event, but it’s nice to have a place where you can feel like “I’ll meet everyone here.”
While waiting for the doors to open and the show to start, messages of “Congratulations!” were spontaneously heard here and there. Volunteers played live Yamato music on a street piano set up in front of the venue until the doors opened. It had the atmosphere of an adult cultural festival.
Also, as has become a regular event recently, volunteers sent flowers to celebrate! (Thanks to the organizers!)
There has never been a concert where the entire Symphonic Suite was performed, and after more than 40 years, this memorable concert was essentially the “premiere.” The origins of this historic project were originally conceived by Kaito Ikeda, conductor of Orchestra Pitore-za, who planned it with a producer and hall manager, who are also big Yamato fans, and went to consult with Akira Miyagawa.
The late Hiroshi Miyagawa basically left no sheet music behind, but when Akira went to his parents’ house to look for materials for the currently ongoing REBEL 3199, he found the sheet music for Symphonic Suite. From then on, the possibility of realizing the project increased dramatically. However, because the score differs in some parts from the actual performance (at the time, scores were often changed at the recording site), the orchestra went through painstaking verification and ear copying before finally completing it.
Even if you have the original score, I don’t think you could come up with such a project unless you’re a huge fan of Yamato. But according to Akira-sensei, “the orchestra is made up of the generation that watched Quintet as children,” and they gave a beautifully coordinated performance. The sound they produced was full of fresh youthfulness. I was amazed at how lively they played. I don’t think that the orchestra members were all fans of Yamato, but I imagine that the image and worldview of the entire orchestra was unified, as expected from the Quintet generation! (I just want to call it that.)
[Translator’s note: Quintet was a Sesame Street-style children’s show that taught music to preschoolers. Akira Miyagawa was the host. See clips from the series here.]While I was listening, I really let myself go with the melody and enjoyed it. But because it was music I know well, I could clearly see the end. By the time Hope for Tomorrow came around, I wanted to keep listening to this wonderful performance. But it was almost over…and as it got closer to the end, I felt more and more sad. It was a struggle of emotions.
Photo posted on Twitter by Kaito Ikeda
And so the performance ended. And after thunderous applause, there was an unexpected encore, which started with an a cappella version of Farewell, Earth…followed by Great Love from Farewell to Yamato! Although Akira had given a kind of advance notice about the encore at the beginning of the second part, it was still a surprise, with me thinking “That’s what he was going to do!?” I was so moved that my eyes were watering. This concert was truly structured in a way only people who love Yamato could have done.
The concert ended with a unanimous singing of our national anthem, Space Battleship Yamato, to thunderous applause. Now that we’ve been through the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it impossible to sing out loud, it’s becoming even more of a tradition where we can’t end a concert without singing this song!
This “premiere” took place more than 40 years after the music’s release, but more than that, I feel it’s extremely significant that the orchestra, which is made up of very young performers, planned and inherited its aspirations. I always have in the back of my mind the feeling that “good music is something that can be passed down through generations,” but I have never felt it as strongly as I did at this concert.
Just as the words suggest, people who will pass it on to future generations have appeared. The reproduction of the score was finally achieved through the efforts of many people. I hope that this will be passed on to future generations and performed again and again by many more performers.
After the show, many of the fans moved directly to the next venue, Shinjuku Piccadilly, or to one of the live viewing theaters. After the adult cultural festival, it felt like an adult field trip!
Photo posted on Twitter by kangeki7
50th Anniversary Screening (Shinjuku Piccadilly)
We are from different generations, and I’m watching the remake series, so I’m a newcomer to this space. I don’t feel that it’s difficult to get into, even when watching it in the theater (there are a lot of younger characters in the remake, and I interact with a lot of people younger than me), but when I come to a place like this, I can’t help but feel inferior in terms of my generation. The work has a longer history than I do, so a certain generational gap is inevitable.
So, to be honest, I wondered if I should even be there. But I was so keen to see the 8mm film version and the legendary non-subtitled opening and ending scenes that I was surprised to discover that I had become a true Yamato fan all the way to the core (although that may be a strange way to put it.)
Also, I was simply looking forward to the talk show. I’ve had quite a few connections with Izubuchi-san, having spoken to him at a 2199 stage greeting and at another event, but it was my first time seeing Anno-san in person even though I’ve seen a lot of Evangelion and the Shin series!
The 4K screening also gave me the same feeling, but rather than the age, my first impression was that “such an amazing work was made 50 years ago.” And really, the first episode had a great start, and was a well-made debut. Of course, the technique is a little old-fashioned when you watch it today, but it is firmly established with a solid structure that can be considered a “model” for many works today. When you realize that the technique really started with this work…I really think it should be preserved in its original form and passed on to future generations.
Also, it has a unique individuality that should be seen from a completely different perspective from a remake and passed on. As I am once again surprised at how amazing it is, I think that the children who saw it back then would have been completely captivated. Of course, you couldn’t record programs at the time, and I understand that many people succumbed to Heidi due to the historical background. Well, Heidi started many months earlier and the quality of the work was high, so I guess that’s inevitable. Considering that, broadcasting it in the same time slot would be an incredibly challenging thing even today. Well done.
Photo posted on Twitter by ymt_0312
The feelings of fans who love Yamato create a mysterious bond and power. It does not necessarily mean something tangible, but it all starts from the desire to “do something,” that eventually bears fruit. At the talk show that day, it was said that “Yamato is a work that makes the viewer think, ‘I have to do something’,” and that is exactly right. Just as the event itself resulted from the desires of many people who once received that small seed, the desire of each and every person to do something “because of Yamato” literally moves Yamato.
I think it is a rare work, and I want to be like that too. I love the ship called Space Battleship Yamato, including the fact that it is a symbol of that will. That’s why this “love” cannot be replaced by any other work.
A Symphonic Suite concert in the afternoon and a 50th anniversary screening in the evening. The generations of the people involved in making it happen were different, but “inheritance” was the common theme. These two events happened on the same day. It was a miracle, even if it was planned, and a truly valuable experience.
However…I never expected to sing the national anthem so seriously so many times in one day. (LOL)
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world…
As October 6 ended in Japan, it was just beginning in America where fans held a celebration of their own on a Youtube livestream. It began with the premiere of Episode 3 of the animated fan series Saga of a Space Battleship and continued with conversation for a program that lasted over three hours. The special guests were Eddie Allen (the voice of Desslok) and Tim Eldred (the guy writing these words).
Good news if you missed it: the entire thing was recorded and can be viewed when you’re ready for it here.
Of course, there was a lot more activity in the month of October, including additional anniversary observances, so tune in to the November 15 update of Cosmo DNA for the next regular report.
For now, let’s go out with a very special fan art gallery. All of this was posted October 6. Click on the artist’s name to visit their Twitter page.
Kio “Edakio” Edamatsu, animator