Miki Saijo: Image Change and Growth, but “Unchanged in the Best Way”
Published at Mantan Web, Oct 12, 2025.
See the original post here
In Chapter 3 of REBEL 3199, released on April 11th, the activities of Miki Saijo, who served as the operator of Yamato‘s new equipment, the Spherical Radar Room, became a topic of discussion.
Miki Saijo is a new character introduced in the remake series. She is a “person of effort” who has served aboard the Yamato on every voyage, silently and diligently carrying out diverse duties within the ship’s operations department. Her performance in Chapter 4, Pale Blue Maiden (Sasha), released on October 10th, is also highly anticipated. We spoke with Satomi Moriya, the voice actress for Miki Saijo, about her thoughts on Yamato and the character of Saijo.
The Moment Yamato Was Recognized by Her Parents
Space Battleship Yamato is an immensely popular anime series first aired as a TV anime in 1974, celebrating its 50th anniversary last year. While Moriya isn’t part of the “Yamato generation,” she has a childhood memory connected to it.
“My earliest memory of Yamato dates back to kindergarten. I was assigned to play the theme song on the xylophone, and even though I didn’t know what the work was about, I practiced really hard. So the melody has been ingrained in me since childhood. It’s a work from my parents’ generation, but my parents weren’t really into anime. However, they somehow found out I was appearing in it, and that became the catalyst for them accepting my career as a voice actor. It is a work everyone knows, after all.”
The remake series began with Yamato 2199 in 2012, followed by Yamato 2202 and Yamato 2205. Moriya has portrayed Saijo for over a decade.
“It’s a work that’s been deeply and enduringly loved by so many people, but honestly, I was constantly tense and never had the mental space to truly feel its weight. Of course, I understood Saijo’s role, but there were things you couldn’t grasp until the story progressed. The director intentionally didn’t explain everything either, so I kept moving forward without really feeling like I was truly part of Yamato. During 2199, I was recording alongside such an incredible cast, and I thought, ‘I have to hang on for dear life…!’ I was given such a precious, happy time.”
Giving it my all, Saijo-style
REBEL 3199 is directed by Harutoshi Fukui, who also handles the series composition and screenplay. Mr. Fukui served as series composer and screenwriter for 2202 and 2205, and now takes on the role of chief director for this latest installment. In Chapter 3, Miki Saijo serves as a radar operator on the main bridge while also doubling as an operator in the Spherical Radar Room when it’s active. As the operator herself becomes the “eyes of the Yamato,” she masterfully utilizes the augmented reality-based information concentration management system, achieving great success such as detecting the Dezarium stealth battleship Grodez.
“I hadn’t been told she’d be this active, so when I got the script, I was like, ‘What?!’ After 2205 ended, when I greeted Mr. Fukui, he said, ‘I’ll need you to put in a little extra effort,’ and I wonder if that was what he meant? I never imagined such a development was waiting for me.”
In 3199, Saijo’s image change, like switching from long hair to a bob, also became a talking point. Given her character was known for her long, beautiful black hair, many were surely surprised. Perhaps she’s grown through her voyages so far…
“Who would’ve thought she’d cut her hair!? She’s aged, and with Tsuchi-san and the others joining, I think she’s matured. I do wonder how much growth I should consciously portray in my acting. Having survived various battlefields and now entrusted with the Spherical Radar, I tried to incorporate a bit more maturity and growth into my performance for the Chapter 3 test. But then I got direction saying, ‘Maybe a bit more timid would be better’. (Laughs) It’s like being thrown out into space; an unprecedented, massive event. I need to be composed, but Saijo is still Saijo, striving her hardest. In a good way, 3199 hasn’t changed.”
Saijo, the “hard worker,” shows even greater prowess in 3199.
“I want to play her in a way that lets you feel Saijo as a person while she fulfills her role. She stands here now because of the voyages she’s been through. She stands here because of the regrets she’s carried. I’ve been moving forward wanting to discover her charm. But I can’t be too conscious of it either. I’m playing her by drawing from her relationships with various people.”
A Sense of Security and Tension
It’s been about 14 years since the remake series began. Moriya has felt the “essence of Yamato” while participating in the recordings.
“With 3199, the recording became smaller and more dispersed. I could really see how the senior cast members approached the work with intense focus and concentration, giving it their all. Everyone carries their own weight, and there’s a deep respect for Yamato. Daisuke Ono, who plays Kodai, maintained an especially sharp, focused mindset throughout recording. Toward the new crew members like Tasuku Hatenaka, who plays Ryusuke Domon, he seemed to gently envelop them, like a captain should.”
“When I recorded alongside Mr. Ono, he said, ‘It’s been a while since I recorded with Saijo, and I’m glad we could do it together,’ which made me incredibly happy. Recording for Yamato has a sense of security while maintaining constant tension, with everyone desperately striving to fulfill their roles. I’m desperately trying to keep up too.“
Moriya recently finished recording all seven chapters of 3199.
“There were so many moments that left me speechless, like ‘What?!’ Each character has their own convictions, and seeing them fight against the odds really moved me. I’m excited to see what everyone thinks when they finally watch it all the way through. I’m really looking forward to the finished product myself.”
What surprises await in 3199? A passionate story packed into all seven chapters. Alongside Miki Saijo’s struggles, let’s see it through to the very end.
