Starting in January 2019, Hachette Collections Japan embarked on a monumental project: a series of complex 1/350 models accompanied by an extensive Yamato 2202 encyclopedia built into the instruction manuals. Here, we dive into the deepest look at the series that can be found on paper.
What was it like to build the largest commercially-available model ever made for the Yamato saga? A 20-pound behemoth measuring over 50 inches long when completed? Go step by step through all 60 volumes and see it come together one piece at a time.
At last, time to get down to business and actually build this beast. And what a build it is! I photographed the entire process volume by volume in such a way that you could see what it was like, alternating between smooth seas and bumpy roads.
As we look toward the future of the “reboot universe,” we naturally wonder how vintage stories will be adapted. Surprisingly, significant parts of them already have been. Here, Anton Mei Brandt digs deep for fragments of Yamato lore that have found their way to the screen, sometimes barely noticed.
September 2021 was a month of news from multiple directions and included the long-awaited revival of the original saga. With Yamato 2205 just over the horizon, Aquarius Algorithm reawakened the sleeping giant of the past. Here’s how it all went down…
August 2021 ticked up a bit over July with some interesting announcements, a new fan club magazine, Age of Yamato on home video, and a LOT of fan activity. Plus, Yamato 2205 got another month closer. Here’s everything that went down…
These two interviews were published within days of each other, both featuring musical discussions with Yamato‘s resident composer, Akira Miyagawa. The topics ranged from Age of Yamato to the 2202 Symphonic Suite to the summer 2021 concerts and a glimmer of what we can look forward to in 2205.
From the Age of Yamato movie program book; Mecha Designer Junichiro Tamamori and Animator Kia Asamiya discuss the thought process behind the highlight of the film, the opening segment that established a prehistory never seen before.
The survivors gather on Hero’s Hill, where a brand new monument stands. The year is 2203. Half a year has passed since the battle with Gatlantis. It seemed peace has returned to Earth, but the real “ordeal” was about to begin…
Here you will find the most comprehensive look into Yamato 2202 in the English language. Compiled by Kathy Clarkson and Anton Mei Brandt, each episode is thoroughly examined in a synopsis combined with images, insights, background, and trivia. Episode 26 added September 2021
After the “boom month” of June, Yamato activity dropped back down to pre-movie levels as the countdown to 2205‘s October premiere got underway. Covid caused another event to be postponed, but fans came to the rescue again with phenomenal levels of online engagement. Here’s the rundown for July.
During the week leading up to the premiere of Age of Yamato on June 11, a generous series of interviews was published by various sources. Here we round up all the interviews that involved voice actors. The content overlaps in several of them, but each contains something that makes it unique, so all are worth reading.
From Star Blazers/Yamato Fan Club magazine issue 11: Mecha Designer Junichiro Tamamori and Hachette Editorial Director Ken Sato discuss their collaboration on the unprecedented 1/350 Yamato and Andromeda Diecast Gimmick Models published by Hachette Collections Japan.
Zordar has awakened the Ark of Destruction, which consumes the remains of the city empire and takes its true form, which dwarfs the entire Earth. Yamato confronts it, but is covered in damage and no longer has the strength to fight. As the captain, Kodai makes his final decision.
Well, now, that’s more LIKE it. You have to go all the way back to the premiere of 2202 Chapter 7 (March 2019) to find a month as busy as June 2021. That’s what a long-awaited movie premiere will do for you. Age of Yamato finally opened and 2205 news poured in with it, making June an extraordinary month to be a fan. [2 pages]
In keeping with tradition, a flurry of interviews was published in the week leading up to Age of Yamato‘s June 11 premiere. Among them were four insightful conversation with writers Harutoshi Fukui and Yuka Minakawa, discussing the genesis of the film and its connection with Yamato 2205.
From the pages of Star Blazers/Yamato fan club magazine: when an Earth/Garmillas hybrid Andromeda showed up in 2202, it didn’t matter that we only saw it for a few seconds; the flames of our imagination were lit. In this interview, the designer of that intriguing ship comes forward to explain how it got to the screen.
The Transit Wave-Motion Gun is fired at the Comet Empire city. With Earth at its back, Yamato takes on the final battle, invading the city empire with the help of Garmillas and Tomoko Katsuragi. Their goal is the grand imperial throne room. With much bloodshed and many sacrifices, Kodai reaches Zordar’s doorstep…
May 2021 was one of the slowest months in years, seemingly caught up in the malaise of uncertainty over when the Wave-Motion Engine would restart. That moment arrived June 1 when it was announced that Age of Yamato would open as planned. But up until then, the holding pattern kept the plane on the ground. Here’s what we got while we waited…
The week leading up to Age of Yamato‘s June 11 premiere gave us a wave of media interviews with cast and crew alike. Director Atsuki Sato spoke to both Gigazine and Mantan Web about his work as the director of the film and his experience creating the trailers we always look forward to.
Miru, the puppet of Zordar, confront’s Keyman with a “devil’s choice.” But Kodai rejects this, offering instead to surrender to Gatlantis. In order to the end the battle, he will not pull the trigger. That is his choice. Miru is furious and fires his gun. Instantly, the pullet pierces Yuki’s body…
The 1/350 Yamato Diecast Gimmick Model is, so far, the largest and most complex commercially-available Yamato in history. In this series, we’ll go through it piece by piece and see what it takes to put it all together. Before embarking on this massive project, it’s necessary to lay some groundwork and get the big picture.
April 2021 was a surprisingly slow month in Yamato world, with the lowest amount of activity since January 2020. But quality always trumps quantity ’round these here parts. When official stuff slows to a crawl, fans reliably race to Yamato‘s rescue, just as they’ve always done.
An unidentified spy still lurks on board Yamato, and Saito is frustrated because he cannot deny his suspicions. Yamato undergoes an emergency refit and launches for the decisive battle. The Nue Deusuler appears to block its course. What is Dessler thinking as he faces Yamato?
The 10th issue of the Star Blazers/Yamato Fan Club Magazine was published in February 2021, and its lead story was a collection of interviews with the unsung heroes of the Yamato animation team, talking about aspects of the process that rarely (if ever) get the spotlight but always enhance our viewing experience.
March 2021 was a month of milestones and surprises. Age of Yamato‘s new release date was announced, the Hachette Yamato gave way to the Hachette Andromeda and we even got the first 2205 teaser. Other news nuggets flew in from multiple directions to give us a nice uptick in activity.
The 10th issue of the Star Blazers/Yamato Fan Club Magazine was published in February 2021, and its lead story was called The “Green Power” That Supports Yamato. This was a collection of interviews with artists who worked on various aspects of Age of Yamato, starting with veteran animator and designer Kia Asamiya.
Yamato action held steady throughout February, matching January despite the continued delay of the Age of Yamato premiere. While news of a revised date remained out of reach, continuity saved the day and set the table for some nice surprises.
Despite the efforts of the combined fleet, the Comet Empire is about to break through the final defense zone at Mars. While Yamanami is convinced that Yamato is trapped in its gravity sphere, the AI issues the “G Plan” for the survival of humanity. Captain Saki Todo is forced to choose between the machine’s orders or rescuing Yamato.
