Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199
Harutoshi Fukui & Naomochi Yamato
Interview
Yamato 2205 poses many mysteries, including the emergence of the mysterious force Dezarium. Finally, Dezarium’s invasion of Earth begins in earnest. Chapter 1 of Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199 has debuted. Since Yamato 2202, the series has been created by Harutoshi Fukui, preserving the essence of the original while elevating it into a more fascinating story.
What kind of resolve was needed to create 3199, which contains more mysteries than ever before? We spoke to Harutoshi Fukui, general director and series writer/scriptwriter, and Naomichi Yamato, who took over as director from this work, about what went on behind the scenes.
(Interviewer/Composition: Hiroyuki Kawai)
Two people torn apart, from the image of the original work
Interviewer: Finally, REBEL 3199 Chapter 1 has been released. Naomichi Yamato has been appointed as the new director. He’s been involved in directing since 2205; is that what prompted him to become the director?
Fukui: That’s right. Director Yamato was in charge of directing Episode 3 of 2205, in which the planet Garmillas collapses, and it required a lot of directing skills. After all, the whole Part A story is about the planet collapsing.
I was worried about how it would be handled, but it was a really great result from the very start. Normally, it would take several retakes to gradually improve, but this episode was so great that I yelled out loud. The director had both the power and the determination to produce such a great production in such a short time frame. And his name is Yamato. (Laughs)
Yamato: (Laughs) Because of the name, Space Battleship Yamato has always been on my mind since I was a child. I’m younger than the original Space Battleship Yamato generation, but I remember my father often showing me the anime, saying, “It has the same name.” But my memory is hazy, and I don’t remember exactly what forces were involved or what they were fighting.
Interviewer: It feels like a strange destiny that you ended up becoming the director after all these years.
Yamato: As I grew up and entered the anime industry, I was aware that Space Battleship Yamato was a special work. It defined an era, and so many other works were influenced by it.
After that, I joined the Yamato series on 2205. The production manager said something like, “Yamato-san will be in charge of Yamato Episode 3…” It was a bit confusing. (Laughs)
Interviewer: (Laughs) The original Space Battleship Yamato has the misconception that “it’s for your older brother,” but I think Be Forever Yamato has a stronger impression of “our Yamato” for the younger generation. In that sense, I think you’re in just the right generation.
Fukui: That’s right. He’s not a newcomer, but a veteran with plenty of experience, and he’s healthy and energetic. He was indispensable in building the new production system for 3199.
Interviewer: 2205 was peppered with mysteries, and I think many elements were carried over to 3199. I get the impression that you built 2205 in parallel with 3199.
Fukui: That’s right. What I valued most was the connection to the previous work, and the characters. I wanted to see how the characters reacted naturally, rather than thinking about it in my head, based on the events of the previous work. While keeping in mind that it’s basically “the story of Susumu Kodai,” it’s also a huge ensemble drama. Of all the works in the series so far, it can be said that this one has the most characters on camera.
Interviewer: In both the original and 3199, Kodai and Yuki are separated, which is a shocking development. I think that’s because the original had a strong impression of, “Yuki is always protected by Kodai.” But in the remake series, Yuki has the image of, “Even if she’s taken hostage, she can handle herself.”
Fukui: The way Yuki is portrayed in Be Forever Yamato really reflects the era. It’s a story set in the Showa era, so the basic format was, “a wife silently waiting for her husband to return” and “following her husband.” On the other hand, the way Yuki is portrayed in the original, she thinks, “I want information even if I have to devote myself to Alphon.” I think that was aggressive for that era. However, if the same depiction was used today, fans might have a negative reaction.
Interviewer: Even at the time, the impression that Yuki sacrificed herself in exchange for the secret of the Hyperon Bomb…was a painful development.
Fukui: Fortunately, in the remake series Yuki is portrayed as a modern woman in 2199, so I was able to continue that role in 2202 and beyond. Considering the developments at the end of 2202, if she wasn’t a tougher woman than average, she wouldn’t have been able to protect Kodai.
Interviewer: To the contrary, Kodai in the remake series even feels like he’s being protected by Yuki.
Fukui: Yes. Even though Yuki is left behind on Earth, the image is that “she’ll manage to do something about it.” If you imagine the original story of “I’m worried about the weak Yuki I left on Earth,” it doesn’t help anything. (Laughs) On the contrary, I’m more worried about Kodai. The more he lies and says “I’m fine,” the more he’ll spin out of control.
Interviewer: The fans are also of a certain age, so they feel closer to Susumu Kodai as a normal person.
Fukui: Yamato is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, but the generation that watched the series has also had many experiences. I think they understand that “it’s impossible to always be cool.” Now that they’re adults, they can watch it and think, “I had a tough time back then,” and “This is how I got over it.”
Yamato: In particular, in the original work, Kodai and Yuki were the hero and heroine, symbolizing the Yamato series. However, in the remake series, I feel that there’s a strong awareness of depicting their emotions and conflicts while fighting with the world on their shoulders. It’s a really valuable work in the sense that it depicts raw sensations throughout the series.
Fukui: That’s what the original Yamato was like from the first episode. Rather than heroes, it was a gathering of professionals from various fields. It depicted the worries and suffering of humans who share the same feelings as the viewers. However, I think it was inevitable that it would become a symbol as the series went on.
But in Be Forever Yamato, Yuki’s line, “I’ll even go to hell,” gives a glimpse of her humanity. Now, I’m thinking, “I’ll expand on this line to portray Yuki.”
The story gets denser with more depictions of Earth
Interviewer: I think Kodai and Yuki as hero and heroine are the result of what young people in the Showa era wanted, but as we’ve become old men in the Reiwa era, the way we look at them has changed, hasn’t it?
Fukui: This is a really valuable work in that sense. What would happen if we were to remake a film from almost 50 years ago with today’s sensibilities? It wasn’t so much that I thought about it like that, it’s more like “I just applied this and it happened,” or “It just worked out that way on its own.”
Yamato in particular has a history that has been built up with each series, and its characters have been well established, so the impression gets stronger with each new work.
Yamato: It’s rare to see an anime that can portray pain and harshness these days. I think it’s possible to achieve this because of the tradition and history that Yamato has built up.
Interviewer: And I think fans are interested in how Sasha will be portrayed. She didn’t appear specifically in the first chapter, but I’m looking forward to seeing how the original concept of, “she grows to 17 years old in one year,” is utilized.
Fukui: For now, in the first chapter, only the eyes of Sasha are shown as Mio Sanada, but how old are those eyes? Details about Sasha will definitely be revealed in the second chapter, so please look forward to it.
Interviewer: While a new relationship between Kodai and Sasha is born, Yuki, who stayed on Earth, will develop a new relationship with Alphon, an intelligence officer of Dezarium.
Fukui: That’s right. The premise is that Alphon is by no means a shady playboy. (Laughs)
Interviewer: (Laughs) In the original, he had a strong image of being a playboy by profession.
Fukui: In this work, I’m portraying him as more of an intelligence officer. Considering his relationship with Yuki on Earth, he’s a very important character, so I want to delve deeper into him than in the original.
When Deda appeared in 2205, what I liked about him was the treatment of the dark circles under his eyes. We decided that they would only appear during combat, so I think Alphon’s normal appearance will give the impression that he’s more similar to an Earthling.
Interviewer: I heard that Yamato III elements will also be incorporated into this work, which gives me the feeling that it will become an epic story.
Fukui: The seven chapters are just barely enough for this much volume. Domon is already on board with the Yamato crew, and new characters such as Ageha have already appeared. How they will be involved in the story is a big difference from the original.
Yamato: The amount of characters and mecha is huge.
Fukui: I think all the characters that have appeared so far are included.
Interviewer: I didn’t think Yabu would be such a tear-jerker in 2205.
Fukui: The theory is that the next time he appears, he’ll be in even bigger trouble. Will he survive this time, or will he make us cry again? Please look forward to it.
Interviewer: The concepts that have been built up so far have become history, so to speak.
Yamato: The concepts alone are a huge volume. It’s really hard to incorporate them all into the storyboard. When creating a scene, the more detailed the arrangement and the positioning, the more difficult it is to design. However, I think when you watch it to the end, you’ll realize that it’s worth seeing.
Fukui: I don’t think there’s another work in the series with as many changes of setting as 3199. The main characters Kodai and Yuki are depicted separately in space and on Earth, which has a big impact, so I think you’ll feel that there are two settings, one in space and one on Earth.
Yamato: Up until now, we’ve hardly touched on the situation on Earth. After Yamato launched in the original, there was almost no depiction of the Earth side. 3199 will easily surpass the number of shots on Earth that we’ve had up until now. However, with the increase in scenes on Earth, we’ve had a hard time with the setting and consistency. We start by verifying what science and technology is correct and what level it’s at.
Interviewer: The depiction of the Earth side will also become more detailed.
Fukui: Yes. In the previous series, due to the length, we weren’t able to focus on the Earth side very much. But in this work, we’l also be depicting the activities of the partisans on Earth.
Interviewer: In terms of different forces, there are the Galman/Garmillas, the Bolar Federation, and the Dezarium on Earth, and it seems that the interstellar war is intensifying.
Fukui: In the original, Gamilas and the Bolar Federation were depicted in a diagram that was reminiscent of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, but the real world situation has become more complicated and unstable.
Dezarium appears, a force with unknown aims, and it seems to link to the current world situation. What is Dezarium’s aim? Is it just to invade Earth? When their intentions become clear, how they will fight?
Interviewer: In the original work, Dezarium only had an intermediate supply base on the way to the Double Galaxy, but I think they would have expanded the front line a little more.
Fukui: The movie needed to move forward at a fast pace to wrap up the story. With that in mind, the depth of story and battles are detailed enough now to fit the volume of seven chapters.
Interviewer: I’m looking forward to seeing the Bolar Federation, which was a superpower, finally come into its own.
Fukui: I can’t reveal what kind of battles will unfold, but there will be a lot of fleet combat, so please look forward to it.
Interviewer: In 2202, Earth lost its Time Fault, and was then drawn into the interstellar war that they feared. This development makes a lot of sense. The naming of “3199” makes me wonder, “will it be possible without the time fault…?”
Fukui: I’m still dreaming about it. (Laughs)
Interviewer: Is the title “3199” a name that evokes the image of 1,000 years after 2199?
Fukui: No, there’s no deep meaning behind it. We’ll reveal everything about that in Chapter 2, so please look forward to it.
Thoughts of fans on the anchor mark
Interviewer: In terms of mechanics, Yamato finally got the third refit with commemorative painting and the anchor mark and stripes on the main guns. As someone from the generation that watched the original in real time, it’s a heartwarming experience.
Fukui: It’s just an anchor mark on Yamato, but it has a special meaning for fans from that time. It was such a big element that it couldn’t be helped if it meant one more Yamato had to be added to the collection.
What was unexpected was that when the anchor mark was added to the bow of the CG model in this work, it looked smaller than I imagined. The anchor mark is a new element in 3199 and many people have a strong attachment to it, but it didn’t look very good. It was because of the panel line. When the anchor mark crossed the panel line, it was split and didn’t look cool. So we tried making the anchor a relief, and it looked much better.
Interviewer: That’s why it’s three-dimensional.
Fukui: However, the decoration itself has no functional meaning. It’s for ceremonial purposes (commemorative painting for a medal award ceremony), but Yamato was hidden after returning from the Iscandar incident, so it was decided to launch with the decorations still on.
Interviewer: In the original work, various power-ups were applied. A new Wave-Motion Gun, a super charger was installed in the Wave-Motion Engine, and the main gun used cartridges.
Fukui: Going back to the basics, Yamato is a product of over-technology brought from Iscandar. Andromeda and other ships are merely imitations of that. No matter how good the specs are, Yamato is the origin of over-technology, so I’m conscious of the fact that it’s fundamentally different.
Interviewer: It’s the only remaining Iscandar original, right? I think that’s an interesting point of view.
Fukui: In the original work, various power-ups were applied, but if they are suddenly powered up, the sense of satisfaction is diminished. This time, we’ve clearly depicted the point of “Why is Yamato special?” I think this time fans will be fully convinced.
Interviewer: In the first chapter, Ginga is in a bit of trouble. At the end, a miracle occurs in which the main gun fires only one shot at Kanzaki’s call, but…
Fukui: A sacrifice is necessary to make a miracle happen. Kanzaki’s deceased family appears, implying that, “We will allow you to use the main gun, but if you do, you will come to us.”
Interviewer: In 2205, Asuka and Hyuga were also part of “Team Yamato,” so it’s sad to see Ginga leave now.
Fukui: That’s true. In 2205, we fought in a fleet, but Yamato is a ship suited for a solo journey. This time, we may fight together at various places, but we’ll basically travel alone.
Interviewer: In terms of the range of expression, the mecha on the Dezarium side are also quite different from the past.
Yamato: That’s why in 2205, if it’s a special aircraft (like the Caterpillars), the movement was created from scratch. We just made it up and checked whether it was right or not. The Dezarium side’s mecha was created by accumulating these experiences.
Fukui: There are a lot of designs, but they were drawn to incorporate a lot of concepts and functions.
Elements that fans are interested in will be revealed in the second chapter!?
Interviewer: It may be too early to say, but the existence of the Ancient Akerius civilization is mentioned many times. As a fan, I can’t help but look forward to what happens next.
Fukui: It’s a concept that existed since 2199, so it can’t be ignored. As for the future, the best way to go forward is to gain the support of the audience.
Interviewer: With the TV broadcast of 2205, I think many new fans will start watching with 3199. It would be great if they could go back from there and watch the other series.
Fukui: As always, there’s a thorough recap at the beginning, so even those who start with 3199 will be able to enjoy it. If you’re interested, please go back to 2205, 2202, and 2199.
Interviewer: I’m also curious about how the second chapter will unfold.
Fukui: Well, the first chapter ended with the Dezarium attack. So, starting with the second chapter, all the mysteries that you imagine at first, such as “What is Dezarium?” and “What’s happening to Sasha?” and “What does the number 3199 mean?” will be revealed. We’ll reveal more and more without holding back, so please look forward to it.
Interviewer: Finally, please give a message to the fans who are looking forward to the second chapter.
Yamato: What’s unique about the Yamato series is that if it follows a pattern, it’s no longer “Yamato-like.” In the case of regular robot mecha anime, it’s a really difficult genre to create, so in many cases, scenes are made by deciding on a certain pattern. On the other hand, in the case of Yamato, while keeping in mind the same production flow as regular robot mecha anime, a more complex approach is required.
It’s difficult, but the range of expression is very different from patterned works. It takes a lot of time to put together the scenes, and with the cooperation of staff from various generations, we’re working to create images that are unique to Yamato. Indeed, some of the people who worked on the old Yamato 2 are still working on it. We put our heart and soul into each and every scene, so we hope you enjoy it.
Fukui: First of all, I’d like to say, “I hope younger fans will see this.” But at the same time, I want to make a work that adults in their 50s can enjoy. There is surprisingly little video content that people that age can enjoy.
As times change, I feel like the idea that “we have to keep changing” is taking over. We’re in a situation where we have to throw away even the most important things that we really want to keep. Regardless of generation, we’re being pushed by the times. But I’d like to properly pursue the issues of “what needs to change” and “what needs to be protected.”
I’m sure there are many people of our generation who think, “I’m tired of watching anime now” or “I’m not going to watch new releases any more,” but I hope they’ll give it a try. I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for here.
Interviewer: Thank you very much for today.