Flexi-disc “phonosheet” included with Fan Club magazine No. 24 (August 1981)
SIDE A
Duration 7:10
Yamato fan club sound gift!
A long-held dream has finally come true. How wonderful it would be if we could speak directly to our friends all over the country who are connected through Yamato. And what joy it would be if we could send all kinds of information to our fan club members by sound. And how fun would it be if that were a joy was exclusive to the fan club members who love Yamato? This sound gift is a new form of communication that Yamato has given us.
I, Ikeda Katsuhiko, introduce the Yamato fan club sound gift. As a first step, I have asked people related to Yamato to talk about their passionate thoughts about the next Yamato, which will be released in the summer of 1982. And now…voices from Y – A – M – A – T – O! YAMATO!
(Music: Infinite Universe theme)
Yoshinobu Nishizaki
Producer
Hello everyone. This is Yoshinobu Nishizaki.
If you think about it, it’s been nine years since the first Space Battleship Yamato was planned in 1973. I was 38 years old at the time, so I’m now 46. And next year, in 1982, it will have been 10 years since we started working on Yamato. Because it’s been 10 years, if you were 12-15 years old at the time, you’ll be 22-24 when you watch it next year. And among those who watched Yamato for the first time last year with the release of Be Forever, there may be some who have never seen the first series.
There have been many different productions since then, but I always think that the origin of Yamato lies in the first series, which was planned in 1973 and broadcast in 1974, and which consisted of 26 episodes. So maybe Yamato should have ended with the first series and the film Farewell to Yamato, which was based on the first series.
When I look back over the past nine years, I think that it should have ended with Farewell to Yamato, and many people think the same. However, I think that the significance of continuing to make the films has been that people have been able to appreciate the greatness of Yamato, the way of life and spirit of the crew, and the personification of Yamato. And the theme that has been consistently conveyed throughout the films can be summed up in one word: “love.”
In the context of the past nine years, as a producer I want to make Yamato, The Final Chapter to bring things to a conclusion. I can’t say what it is right now, but what exactly was the Yamato that has been created in this way? I thought we should return to the very beginning, and an ending for the two main characters, Susumu Kodai and Yuki Mori. I also thought that, through these two characters, we should bring closure to crew who served and died on board Yamato. I think this is my duty as a producer.
If someone were to ask me what a producer is, I would probably reply immediately that “a producer is a way of life.” And I would say that Yamato was made while I cherished what was inside me, and it is at least a genuine work. Specifically, a theatrical film is not made with the same mindset as a TV series. I can say with confidence that it is the first work in the animation world that is comparable to a live-action film in every sense of how it was made, including dramaturgy, highlights, music, and art.
The Final Chapter will embody this way of thinking, and will draw out the unique appeal of the staff by incorporating all the skills they have acquired up to now. There may be another opportunity for you to hear from me in the future, but for now I want you to look forward to The Final Chapter. I also want to convey from the bottom of my heart that I am making this film because I feel that I should be making it, and that I have a duty to make it.
SIDE B
Duration 7:05
Now, following producer Nishizaki, we bring you passionate messages from four people who bring color to Yamato. All of them are familiar to Yamato fans. Each of them will sing a song with a nostalgic melody. Please listen while remembering the scenes in which the music was used.
(Music: Iscandar theme)
Hiroshi Miyagawa
Composer/arranger
Hello, Yamato fans. I’m Hiroshi Miyagawa, the composer.
Yamato may become my life’s work. I’ve been working on this piece for the past few years. Of course, I’ve done other things, but Yamato is what I’ve put the most effort into. I’m excited about what new theme I’ll write next. In addition to the large-scale symphonic music I’ve done so far, I’d like to attack with a great punch and sharp music that emphasizes modern rhythm and brass. So, everyone, please look forward to it.
(Music: The Scarlet Scarf)
Isao Sasaki
Singer
Hello, everyone. I’m Isao Sasaki.
The day will surely come when Yamato will disappear from our sight. But I think it will remain forever in our hearts. I would be happy if you suddenly remember the theme song I sang at that time. I entered the entertainment industry when I was 17 years old. Then from my teens to my twenties I was into rockabilly and new dramas. Each was part of my youth. When I entered my thirties, I did a lot of animation work, and Yamato is the representative of that. I feel that this is also a part of my youth in my thirties.
I would like to continue singing the Yamato songs until the time comes in the distant future when someone else sings them. I have sung many songs since the first series. Yamato has many themes, and I feel very happy to have been able to sing them. And just as I myself will grow from now on, you will also continue to grow. I would be happy if you suddenly remember, “Oh, so that’s what this song meant,” or “Oh, so that’s what this theme was about.”
(Music: Love theme)
Kei Tomiyama
Voice actor (Susumu Kodai)
I’m Kei Tomiyama.
I’ve been with Susumu Kodai for seven years. Now that I’ve voiced all of Kodai’s emotions, I feel like he is me, and lives in my daily life. If you look at it from a different perspective, I feel like I live inside him. The short line “goodbye” contains many meanings, and voice actors can say “goodbye” differently each time. If there is a line like “goodbye” in the next work, I might say it as a farewell to Susumu Kodai.
Yoko Asagami
Voice actor (Yuki Mori)
I’m Yoko Asagami, who plays Yuki Mori.
Hey, you. Are you into Yuki Mori? I’ve been admiring Leiji Matsumoto’s female characters since I was a student. But, if tens of thousands of people all said “You are the one,” to one woman all at once, that woman would probably suddenly find her daily life becoming difficult and exhausting. I think Yuki is just such an ordinary woman. She is an ordinary girl, but she is also a wonderful woman who I admire. I think I’ve continued to do this job until today because I’ve been fascinated by the romance in space in which she plays an active role. Hey, everyone. I think it’s fine to be an ordinary person. But let’s have big dreams, right?
What did you think? This is the first Yamato fan club sound gift. I would like the next sound gift to be something that everyone can enjoy as well. If you have any requests or ideas, please send them in. Until next time.