July 2025 was jammed solid with Yamato action. The Osaka exhibition, concerts, a major hobby show, music, publishing, and a nice big wave of new products would have been enough, but a new teaser for 3199 Chapter 4 came along to get us over the halfway point of the long wait. Here’s the roundup of all that and more…

July 6: Akira Miyagawa’s music class

How much would you like to sit down with Akira and have him explain The Infinitely Expanding Universe to you note by note? Vocalist Ari Miyakawa gave us all that opportunity when she did exactly that in a 23-minute video.

Watch it on Youtube here (closed captions and autotranslate ON!)

July 7: Osaka exhibition promotion begins

Produced by author/director/superfan Hideaki Anno, the first round of the Yamato 50th Anniversary Complete Records Exhibition was a smash success in Tokyo, with record ticket sales from March 15-31. Shortly after it closed, the second round was announced for Osaka from July 19 to August 3.

The pre-show started on July 7 when promotion began at the venue, Nankai Namba Station in Osaka’s Namba district. Nankai is the train line served by the station, which itself serves as a shopping center with a convention hall named Skyo. As commuters marched through the station’s ground floor on the 7th, they were greeted by Yamato characters telling them to meet up at Skyo on the 19th.

Keep reading for MUCH more on this.

July 7: Live-action movie memory

Almost 15 years after the premiere of the live-action Yamato movie in 2010, there are still stories to be told about it.

Actor Toshiro Yanagiba (64) appeared live as a guest on Fuji TV’s Poka Poka. Fellow guest Hayashi Kento named Takuya Kimura (who played Kodai) as an actor who had a profound impact on him, and Yanagiba agreed, saying, “He’s cool. Every single one of his movements.”

Yanagiba, who played Shiro Sanada, surprised everyone by revealing a conversation he had with Kimura before the movie went into production.

“He asked me, ‘Do you like Space Battleship Yamato? If you were to play a role, which one would you want?’ I immediately answered, ‘I love it. I’d be Sanada’. I got the offer for that role. I think Kimura cast me. So now I can’t sleep with my feet pointing toward him.”

(In other words, a gesture of eternal respect.)

July 8: Hobby Japan Vintage Vol. 13

In the spirit of preserving pop culture history, Hobby Japan has been publishing this mook series since 2019. Every issue picks a body of work to examine in detail, and succeeds with honors. They have yet to do a Yamato issue (which is bound to be amazing when it happens), but this one included an interview with model designer Masatoshi Muramatsu, who created the original 1974 model kits for Bandai.

Muramatsu was also interviewed last year for Figure King magazine (read it here); watch for this one in a future update.

July 9: T-shirt promotion

In June, Studio Khara (the organization producing the 50th Anniversary Exhibition) announced an unprecedented wave of merchandise to be sold at the event, including a huge wave of 19 new T-shirt designs. This month, they got a celebrity boost when voice actor/cosplayer/DJ/anime fan “Tsunko” modeled some of the shirts for promotion.

Find the photos on Twitter here and here

July 10: Osaka exhibition commercial

Getting the word out! Starting today, a 15-second spot went live wherever 15-second spots go live in Osaka (and online) to tell everyone what they were in for.

Watch it here

July 10: Neppu magazine, July issue

Neppu [Hot Air] is a monthly digest-size magazine of culture and commentary published for free by Studio Ghibli, with which Hideaki Anno has been associated from time to time. The July issue caught the attention of Yamato fans due to an extended article on Yamato‘s 50th anniversary. It was a 29-page conversation between Anno and fellow expert Ryusuke Hikawa that will absolutely be translated in a future update. Count on it!

Photos posted on Twitter by ishikoimineral and TTi5_XP

July 12: Product releases

At the Tokyo anniversary exhibition back in March, a few premium products were offered for preorder. On this day, fans reported that they began to arrive. First up was the Space Battleship Yamato Voyage Record Collection, a 2-volume hardcover reprint of all the movie program books from 2199 through 2205. It came with a set of postcards featuring some of the center spread paintings by the great Naoyuki Katoh.

Photo posted on Twitter by mrscarytak

Next up, an incredible new art print by Kia Asamiya, the first to feature four versions of Yamato building up to a WMG blast.

Photo posted on Twitter by mat_hama

The bonus item with this one (for the first 100 orders) was a postcard-size print with Asamiya’s autograph.

The prints themselves were numbered, and a very lucky fan with the Twitter name mat_hama actually scored print number 001!

Photos posted on Twitter by shaberukinoko

On the 15th, the third item started showing up, a striking 50th anniversary watch from Seiko. Sold by the Premico company, these were also numbered, and limited to 5,000 pieces.

Photo posted on Twitter by Info_ATAC

July 13: Ryusuke Hikawa lecture

In an event related to the Osaka exhibition, O.G. superfan Ryusuke Hikawa gave a live talk on his most recent book, Theory of Imaginary Visual Culture, which was published for the Tokyo exhibition in March. The talk took place in Umeda, Osaka, and was sponsored by ATAC [Anime Tokusatsu Archive Centre] in sync with a “Yamato Commemorative Fair” that started that day at the local Asahiya Bookstore. It’s always fun to watch these threads weave together, isn’t it?

July 16: Isao Sasaki 65th anniversary CD set

65 years as a working pro, commemorated by 69 songs from anime and tokusatsu shows. Isao Sasaki’s brand new 65th Anniversary Best Collection is a 3-disc set with opening, ending, and “insert” songs from all the favorites, including most of his Yamato songs from across the classic era.

Order it from Amazon.co.jp here or CD Japan here

Listen to the complete album for free (with commercials) on Youtube here

July 18: REBEL 3199 Chapter 4 2nd teaser

In case you were wondering, YES, there is some REBEL 3199 news in this REBEL 3199 report. And it’s a good one, a new 30-second teaser for Chapter 4 with moving pictures and dialogue!

Watch it here and see our breakdown here

July 18: Yasuhiko art print

Back in March, the world was treated to the first Yamato painting from the great Yoshikazu Yasuhiko since his famous 1978 poster for Farewell when it adorned the cover of Ryusuke Hikawa’s book mentioned above. It came back into the news today thanks to an offer from publisher Kadokawa: an autographed and fully-framed art print (measuring 13″ x 17″).

Orders are being taken through August 19 with the final product to ship mid-October. If this floats your boat and you have a friend in Japan to get it for you, visit Kadokawa’s order page here.

July 18: Osaka exhibition preview

The day before the grand opening, a few VIPs were invited to a preview tour of the Anniversary Exhibition, and one of them was allowed to take the rest of us along for the ride. That was Shuichi Miyawaki, the president of model company Kaiyodo, who goes by the name “Senmu” in the world of fan media.

Photos posted on Twitter by senmusann

The outcome was a 32-minute Youtube video in which Senmu talks Yamato history with the curators from ATAC [Anime Tokusatsu Archive Centre] against the backdrop of the exhibition, then gets to run wild in the store afterward.

Watch the video here (closed captions and autotranslate ON!)

Footnote: back on May 23, Senmu’s Youtube channel posted a 20-minute talkshow in which he examined rare and unique Yamato models from across the decades. Give it a watch here.

Photo posted on Twitter by OGVNetwork

July 19: Osaka exhibition opens

At last, the waiting was over and the re-immersion could begin. All the displays from the Tokyo exhibition were back, but in a more open configuration (thanks to a larger space) with a few new additions and the single largest dedicated merch store since the classic era. Maybe even the biggest of all time.

There was a lot to absorb; enough to earn an entire report of its own. See it here!

Afterward, Studio Khara and web dealer A-on Store offered unsold products from the exhibition online. See them here and here. (Shipping to Japanese addresses only, of course.)

July 20: Hobby Japan Web

The Yamato Mechanics article from last month’s Hobby Japan magazine, spotlighting the Bolar battleships, appeared online today.

See it here and read it in English here.

Photo posted on Twitter by info_IsoSasaki

July 20: Isao Sasaki 65th anniversary concert

Despite his health scare earlier in the year, Isao Sasaki delivered his long-anticipated 65th anniversary concert in Tokyo. The entertainment news website Encount published the story afterward…

Miraculous recovery from serious illness: 83-year-old Isao Sasaki performs Space Battleship Yamato at comeback concert, saying, “I am alive because of others.”

Singer Isao Sasaki (83) held a live concert titled 65th Anniversary Debut Commemoration: A Celebration of Resurrection with Friends at Zepp Haneda in Tokyo on the 20th. Sasaki was hospitalized with a serious illness in January of this year, but was discharged at the end of February and made a miraculous recovery. He returned to the stage at the end of April and demonstrated that he is still going strong as the “King of Anime Songs” in front of an audience of about 2,000 people.

Photo at right posted on Twitter by powderskin

Sasaki made his stage appearance singing the theme song of the hit anime Space Battleship Yamato a cappella. After his performance, which was met with cheers and applause, he greeted the audience with a smile.

“Since falling ill, I have come to feel that I am being kept alive by others. Today, I will sing with gratitude to everyone who has supported me.”

He then sang two more songs related to Yamato: The Scarlet Scarf and Yamato!! The New Voyage.

In addition, in memory of the late “Emperor of Anime Songs” Ichiro Mizuki, who passed away in 2022, he performed Captain Harlock. Sasaki also captivated the audience with a rendition of Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun by Shimon Masato. Together, Sasaki, Masato, and Mizuki were known as the “Three Kings of Anime Songs.”

Anime song artists Mitsuko Horie, Hironobu Kageyama, Masaaki Endo, and Kentaro Hayami appeared as guests, singing their representative songs and celebrating Sasaki’s 65th anniversary. Receiving encouragement from his friends, Sasaki declared, “I will continue to live my life the way I want to!” and sang the famous song My Way. For the encore, all the performers and the audience stood up and sang Space Battleship Yamato together.

He concluded his set of 24 songs with a sigh of relief, saying, “I’m glad I was able to sing all the way through.” Sasaki also appeared as a voice actor in the Japanese dub of the newly released film Superman directed by James Gunn, has recently released his best-of album, and plans to continue his active career.

TBS News posted a highlight film with clips from several anime themes, including the ones we’re here for. He doesn’t hit every note or time every phrase the way he used to, but for an 83-year-old man running on just 40% lung capacity, he’s still better at it than most of us will ever be.

Watch the highlight video here

July 23: Hiroshi Miyagawa, The Hit Parade CD set

Yep, it was a heckuva month for music, wasn’t it? The official description says it all:

This 5-CD box set traces the remarkable career of composer and arranger Hiroshi Miyagawa (1931–2006), who supported Japanese pop music from its early days and produced numerous hit songs. This collection features a hit parade of Japanese pop songs that still shine brightly today, including enka ballads, group sounds, and new music, as well as arrangements that anticipated the sounds of their time, and nostalgic theme songs from TV shows that brightened up living rooms during the Showa era. This luxurious compilation includes approximately 100 of the most beloved songs from this era. The set includes a luxurious booklet with liner notes, biographies, and messages from prominent figures! A must-have for collectors.

See a highlight video on Youtube here

Order it from Amazon.co.jp here or CD Japan here

July 24: 50th Anniversary screening in Osaka

As the the Osaka exhibition closed in on the end of its first week, there was a special treat for those who couldn’t get enough; all three of the “Special Selection” screenings from last December were given another round on the big screen at Namba Parks Cinema, in walking distance from the exhibition venue. Together, they offered nine episodes from Series 1.

The lobby photo above was posted by AnalyzerAU09, who said the only improvement he would make was to show all 26.

July 25: Space Battleship Yamato CFSP reissue

First released by Megahouse (a division of Bandai) back in September 2017, the “Cosmo Fleet Special” version of the 6.5″ long 2202 Yamato with its asteroid ring was back in stores with a slightly revised box and a new weathered paint job.

See more photos at Dengeki Hobbyweb here

July 25: Hobby Japan No. 675

The 10th installment of the monthly Yamato Mechanics feature was the first 2-page edition, a mini-essay examining the entire Andromeda-class lineup from 2202 and forward.

Read it here

July 26: “Tsunko” as “Yuki”

The T-shirt model we met earlier in the month made a comeback today, appearing at the Osaka exhibition in a Yuki uniform to greet fans and encourage more T-shirt sales. (Like anyone needed encouragement.)

July 26: Yamato Kouza 24

“Kouza” means “Lecture,” and this was the 24th time fans gathered for a “Yamato Lecture.” The last one brought host Osamu Kobayashi together with artist Michio Murakawa at Tokyo’s Loft Plus One to discuss pieces from his then-new art book, Yamato Iconics.

They resumed their conversation at Loft Plus One West in Osaka, joined by illustrator Rin Kotou, to open up more of the book and discuss the theories and techniques Murakawa uses to create his appealing illustrations. The audience had access to a Yamato-themed menu of food and drinks.

July 27: 17LIVE collaboration announced

17LIVE is a live-streaming platform that hosts various collaboration projects and events with the aim of fostering a vibrant online community. From today through August 11, the platform hosted a Yamato “Character Collaboration Event” to commemorate the 50th anniversary. Users who earned points from their efforts qualified to win limited-edition digital prizes and merch.

The 17LIVE app can be downloaded here. (You’ll need to use Japanese text to navigate, though.)

July 27: Wonder Festival 2025 Summer

Back in the analog world, the biggest hobby show of the summer took place in Tokyo. Bandai didn’t announce anything new, but numerous garage kit makers were there to fill in the gap with amazing models we’ll never see from Bandai.

See a photo gallery here

See a huge collection of WF2025 videos on Youtube here

July 27: Summer Pops Concert

Another dimension was added to the excitement of the Osaka exhibition when live orchestral Yamato music was performed at the city’s Symphony Hall. Conductor Sachio Fujioka posted the photo at right on Twitter five days earlier, with the score for the 4-part Yamato Suite at the top of his to-do list. He led the Kansai Philharmonic Pop Orchestra through it, along with other lively choices such as Galaxy Express 999, the Lupin III theme, and many more.

July 28: Yuki Hijiri manga collection

It’s been known to us here at Cosmo DNA for many years, and to hardcore Japanese fans since 1974, but to the rest of the world it’s been out of reach. Until now. On this day, 50 years after it vanished into the shadowy corners of Yamato world, Yuki Hijiri’s unique manga adaptation, originally serialized in Terebiland magazine, made its long-overdue appearance in print.

Thanks to a years-long effort to recover as much original art as possible, and touch up the rest from hi-rez scans of vintage magazine pages, all six chapters have been restored to their original glory and collected into an 84-page book from Studio Khara. Bonus features include a commentary by touchup artist Masato Hayase and a conversation about the manga between Hideaki Anno and Yutaka Izubuchi.

Everyone involved vastly underestimated demand for this book, so the entire first print run sold out over a week before the publication date. However, it came back into stock shortly before this report was published, so order your copy here before it runs out again.

Meanwhile, click here to read the entire manga in English.

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