World-reknown confectionary company Ezaki Glico had a huge impact in the mid-70s with inexpensive tie-in products for Japanese idol stars, and they made the jump into anime licensing in October 1978 with Yamato 2 as one of its first properties.
These five interviews were published just before the premiere of Yamato 2205 Chapter 1, with Kenji Yasuda discussing the challenges of stepping in as a new director and Harutoshi Fukui examining the cultural positioning of Yamato past, present, and future.
Even before the first TV series concluded, the next and most important phase of Yamato history began: the “redemption year.” Its driver was an unexpected force that would slowly but steadily change everything for the better. The name of that force was “fandom.” In 1975, that force took shape for the first time.
Predictably, April 2022 was one of the slowest months for Yamato news in a long time, since we’re back in the stretch between productions. But any news is still good news in this world, and fans are always there to pick up the slack. Here’s what kept it alive…
As part of the promotional campaign for Yamato 2205 Chapter 2, Daisuke Ono (the voice of Susumu Kodai) sat for a series of media interviews that were published on various entertainment sites. Four of those interviews are presented here, two of which feature him in conversation with Director Kenji Yasuda.
This series answers the question, “What if Cosmo DNA existed in real time during the production years?” Everything is chronicled in the order it all happened, bringing history to life in a whole new way. First up: the prehistory of Yamato all the way up to the end of “origin year” 1974. [2 pages]
The official Yamato fan club set very high standards throughout its run from 1977 all the way to 1991. So what happened next? A new group stepped in to pick up the slack, and they lasted another ten years. This is their story.
