Space Battleship Yamato

{{Short description|Anime series that started in 1974}} {{Other uses}} {{Infobox animanga/Header | name = Space Battleship Yamato | image = Cosmoship Yamato vol 1.JPG | caption = Cover of Leiji Matsumoto's manga adaptation | ja_kanji = 宇宙戦艦ヤマト | ja_romaji = Uchū Senkan Yamato | genre = Military sci-fi,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bernardin |first1=Marc |title=Watch 1st two minutes of new live-action Space Battleship Yamato |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/watch_1st_two_minutes_of_new_live_action_space_battleship_yamato |website=Syfy Wire |access-date=April 27, 2019 |date=December 14, 2012 |archive-date=April 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427034550/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/watch_1st_two_minutes_of_new_live_action_space_battleship_yamato |url-status=live }}</ref> space opera<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ressler |first1=Karen |title=Seven Seas Licenses Leiji Matsumoto's Space Battleship Yamato Manga |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-11-14/seven-seas-licenses-leiji-matsumoto-space-battleship-yamato-manga/.124025 |website=Anime News Network |access-date=April 27, 2019 |date=November 14, 2017 |archive-date=April 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427033047/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-11-14/seven-seas-licenses-leiji-matsumoto-space-battleship-yamato-manga/.124025 |url-status=live }}</ref><!-- Genres should be based on what reliable sources list them as and not on personal interpretations. Limit of the three most relevant genres in accordance with MOS:A&M. --> | creator = {{ubl|Leiji Matsumoto{{efn|name=work|Original Work (原作)}}|Yoshinobu Nishizaki{{efn|name=work}}|Eiichi Yamamoto{{efn|Original Plan (原案)}}}} }} {{Infobox animanga/Print | type = manga | title = | author = Leiji Matsumoto | publisher = Akita Shoten | publisher_en = {{English manga publisher|NA=Seven Seas Entertainment}} | magazine = Bōken Ō | first = October 1, 1974 | last = November 1, 1979 | volumes = 3 | volume_list = }} {{Infobox animanga/Video | type = tv series | director = Leiji Matsumoto | producer = Yoshinobu Nishizaki | writer = {{ubl|{{small|'''Story'''}}|Yoshinobu Nishizaki|{{small|'''Screenplay'''}}|Eiichi Yamamoto|Keisuke Fujikawa|Maru Tamura}} | music = Hiroshi Miyagawa | studio = Academy Productions | network = NNS (YTV) | first = October 6, 1974 | last = March 30, 1975 | episodes = 26 | episode_list = List of Space Battleship Yamato episodes }} {{Infobox animanga/Other |title = Sequels |content = '''TV series:''' * ''Space Battleship Yamato II'' (1978) * ''Space Battleship Yamato III'' (1980)

'''Animated films:''' * ''Space Battleship Yamato'' (1977, compilation movie) * ''Arrivederci Yamato'' (1978) * ''Yamato: The New Voyage'' (1979) * ''Be Forever Yamato'' (1980) * ''Final Yamato'' (1983) * ''Yamato Resurrection'' (2009) }} {{Infobox animanga/Other |title = Spin-offs |content = * ''Yamato 2520'' (1994, OVA series) * ''Great Yamato No. Zero'' (2004, OVA series) }} {{Infobox animanga/Other |title = Remakes |content = * ''Space Battleship Yamato'' (2010, live-action film) * ''Yamato 2199'' (2012, TV series) ** ''Odyssey of the Celestial Ark'' (2014, film) ** ''Yamato 2202'' (2017, TV series) ** ''Yamato 2205'' (2021, film duology) ** ''Yamato 3199'' (2024, TV series) }} {{Infobox animanga/Footer|portal=yes}}

{{Nihongo|'''''Space Battleship Yamato'''''|宇宙戦艦ヤマト|Uchū Senkan Yamato|also called '''''Cosmoship Yamato''''' and '''''Star Blazers'''''|lead=yes}} is a Japanese science fiction anime series written by Yoshinobu Nishizaki, directed by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto, and produced by Academy Productions.{{efn|Run by Nishizaki, later bankrupt; now absorbed into Toei Animation.}} The series aired in Yomiuri TV from October 6, 1974, to March 30, 1975, totaling up to 26 episodes. It revolves around the character Susumu Kodai (Derek Wildstar in the English version) and an international crew from Earth, tasked during an interstellar war to go into space aboard the space warship ''Yamato'', derived from the World War II battleship of the same name, in response to a message of aid from the planet Iscandar in order to retrieve a device which is able to reverse the radiation infecting Earth after being bombed by the Gamilas (Gamilons).

''Space Battleship Yamato'' is one of the most influential anime series in Japan. Its turn toward serious themes and complex storylines influenced later works in the medium, including ''Gundam'', ''Macross'', and ''Evangelion'', in addition to influencing the style of video games such as ''Space Invaders''.

==Development== The first ideas for what would eventually be ''Space Battleship Yamato'' began in 1973 by producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki, but the project underwent a number of revisions and overhauls before settling on the final design. The team responsible for the creation of ''Space Battleship Yamato'' consisted of Yoshinobu Nishizaki, Keisuke Fujikawa, Eiichi Yamamoto and Aritsune Toyota. It was initially planned to be a tokusatsu, and Nishizaki was inspired to create something set in space after reading ''Methuselah's Children''. Aritsune Toyota offered his 1970 novel {{nihongo|''Desecrated Earth''|地球の汚名|Chikyū no Omei}} as a further source of inspiration for Nishizaki.

In 1973, works such as ''The Poseidon Adventure'' and ''Japan Sinks'' were enjoying considerable success. Eiichi Yamamoto believed this was because of the way in which they depicted people being able to survive in extreme circumstances, and this influenced the creation of ''Yamato''. Additionally, he believed that, overall, industrialisation caused people to become more miserable, and ''Yamato'' was designed to show a triumph of humanity and love.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yamato Origins, Part 5|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/459/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=3 July 2013 |access-date=2020-10-26|archive-date=2020-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031143115/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/459/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Originally intended to be an outer-space variation on ''Lord of the Flies'', the project at first was titled "Asteroid Ship Icarus" and had a crew from all over the world journeying through space in a hollowed-out asteroid in search of the planet Iscandar. There was to be much discord among the crew with many of them acting purely out of self-interest and for personal gain. The enemy aliens were originally called Rajendora.<ref>{{cite news|title=1973-1976 Timeline|work=StarBlazers.com|url=http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=136|access-date=6 September 2008|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315040038/http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=136|archive-date=15 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Leiji Matsumoto 1976 Interview|work=StarBlazers.com|url=http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=303|access-date=1 September 2009|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314195345/http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=303|archive-date=14 March 2012}}</ref> The Rajendorians were robots whose exact form was unknown, and it was to be revealed towards the end of the story that the Rajendorians, along with the rest of the life on their home planet, had died over a hundred years ago.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yamato Origins, Part 4: Asteroid Ship Icarus|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/458/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=3 July 2013 |access-date=2020-10-26|archive-date=2020-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028211146/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/458/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The first rough draft of ''Yamato'' came towards the end of summer 1973, where the Yamato (named as such by Nishizaki) was a regular spaceship, that used a large rock as a shell, and the story was notably darker. Heavier emphasis was placed on the character's flaws, who were overall more misanthropic, and only one of them would survive until the end of the series.

The production of ''Yamato'' in its conceptual stage was overseen by Eiichi Yamamoto, until 1974, when he had to leave to work on a documentary film. As a replacement, Toshio Masuda, who had worked on ''Tora! Tora! Tora!'', was considered, but had to decline as he had other projects of his own to focus on, though he would become involved in the production of the 1977 film. The role was given to Leiji Matsumoto, who had at an earlier stage declined an offer, due to his desire to have complete creative control.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yamato Origins, Part 1: The Big Picture|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/455/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=3 July 2013 |access-date=2020-10-26|archive-date=2020-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028205843/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/455/|url-status=live}}</ref> Matsumoto overhauled the story, designing the titular ship after the IJN ''Yamato'', its crew, and the Wave Motion Gun, which came from ''Sexaroid'', an erotic comedy manga written by Matsumoto in 1968.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yamato Origins, Part 6 Story Outline by Leiji Matsumoto|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/302/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=3 July 2013 |access-date=2020-10-26|archive-date=2020-10-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029214856/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/302/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the earliest stages of production, ''Space Battleship Yamato'' was planned to be 52 episodes in length, before reducing this to 39, and ultimately, 26. The bulk of the cut content centered around Gamilas, who had more characters, and more complex motivations and goals. Additionally, in this earlier stage, the ''Yamato''{{'}}s battles were more closely tied to events in World War II – for example, the battle near Neptune in the first episode represented Germany circumventing the Maginot Line.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yamato Origins, Part 8: The 39-Episode Outline|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/462/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=3 July 2013 }}</ref>

The first draft for ''Space Battleship Yamato'' was completed on May 21, 1974. In August, a ten-minute pilot episode was created, with at least nine copies being sent to the relevant organisations,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yamato Origins, Part 9 The Pilot Film and the Homestretch|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/463/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=3 July 2013 |access-date=2020-10-26|archive-date=2020-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030000123/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/463/|url-status=live}}</ref> and, after the pilot's success, pre-production of the anime began, with the first episode airing in October that year. The original series contained 26 episodes, following the ''Yamato''{{'}}s voyage out of the Milky Way and back again. A continuing story, it featured the declining health of ''Yamato''{{'}}s Captain Okita (Avatar in the ''Star Blazers'' dub), and the transformation of the brash young orphan Susumu Kodai (Derek Wildstar) into a mature officer, as well as his budding romance with female crewmember Yuki Mori (Nova Forrester). The foreign edits tend to play up the individual characters, while the Japanese original is often more focused on the ship itself.<ref name="Make way for StarBlazers">{{cite news|title=Make way for StarBlazers |work=StarBlazers.com |url=http://www.starblazers.com/images/jun09/images/Starlogpages.PDF |access-date=2009-09-11 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120180239/http://www.starblazers.com/images/jun09/images/Starlogpages.PDF |archive-date=January 20, 2013 }}</ref> In a speech at the 1995 Anime Expo, series episode director Noboru Ishiguro said low ratings and high production expenses forced producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki to trim down the episode count from the original 39 episodes to only 26. The cut episodes would have introduced Captain Harlock as a new series character.<ref>Fenelon, Robert. ''Yamato Forever'', ''Animerica'', Vol 3 No 8, August 1995.</ref>

==Storyline== {{See also|List of Space Battleship Yamato characters|List of Space Battleship Yamato episodes}} {{redirect|Wave motion gun|other uses|}}

=== Original series === In the year 2199, Earth is threatened by the Gamilons, an alien race that has been bombing Earth for around five years. The last line of defense is at Pluto, where Captain Juzo Okita, alongside Mamoru Kodai, command the Earth Defense Force's remaining vessels. Gamilon forces ask the Earth Fleet to surrender and in the English version (Star Blazers) Okita tells the Gamilon fleet that they are "idiots". The Gamilons proceed to destroy the Earth fleet, except for the ''Yukikaze'', commanded by Mamoru and the ''Kongou'', commanded by Okita. Mamoru decides to stay behind so Okita can retreat to Earth.

During the battle, an unknown spacecraft, neither Terran nor Gamilon, is detected by the ''Kongou''. The craft reaches Mars, where it jettisons a capsule prior to crashing to the surface. Earth Defense Force orders two space cadets commanding the Mars center, Susumu Kodai—Mamoru Kodai's younger brother—and Daisuke Shima, to investigate. The pair investigate the wreckage and discover a humanoid alien who apparently died after exiting the smaller capsule. The cadets also find a small capsule near the alien's body, which the two deliver to Earth Defense Force. The capsule contains a message from a distant planet known as "Iscandar", ruled by Queen Starsha. In the message, Starsha says that she has the means to restore Earth to normal using "Cosmo DNA", but that she is unable to send it to Earth herself. However, Starsha states that the capsule contains plans for the "Wave Motion Engine", which can propel a ship at faster-than-light speeds and allow Earth to come to Iscandar to get the Cosmo DNA. It would also be able to shoot heated up energy, at its front end, known as the "Wave Motion Cannon". By this point in the series, Earth's radiation was already seeping underground, and it would take an entire year to wipe out the underground cities all of earth were living in. To try to combat this, the EDF, alongside the entire world, started a plan to use an old WWII battleship as the last saving grace of the entire Earth population.

While the Yamato was being rebuilt underground, a scout jet from the Gamilon base on Pluto flew around the Yamato's "wreckage", alarms sounded throughout the EDF base, which led to Susumu Kodai and Daisuke Shima flying off to the wreckage without orders. They started fighting the scout plane, which was much faster and more agile than the fighter jet Kodai and Shima were in. Their fighter jet crashed into the ground near the Yamato, and they crossed over a hill and saw the Yamato's wreckage, which was hiding the Space Battleship under the rocks.

In episode three, the rebuilt Yamato, still hiding under the wreckage of the old battleship, has to do an emergency launch as the Gamilon base on Pluto sends a missile referred to in Star Blazers as the "Ultra Menace Missile". Susumu Kodai and Daisuke Shima are called to the Yamato to test out the systems before the eventual launch. When the crew of the Yamato learn of the danger headed towards the wreckage itself, the Yamato launches and Susumu Kodai, chief of the tactical unit, manages to fire the Yamato's shock cannons at the Ultra Menace Missile. It looked as if the Yamato had been destroyed, but to much of the EDF's surprise, the Yamato came out unscathed, flying through the clouds of the explosion that just happened. In the series, every episode, around 1–10 days are taken off the deadline to return home from Iscandar. At this point in time, the Yamato had 364 days left until the human population would die from the radiation.

After the Yamato took off from Earth, it had arrived at the Moon, where the first space warp would occur. In the series, the timing would have to be perfect enough that it hit the middle of going in between the third dimension and the fourth dimension. The warp goes almost perfectly as they arrive at Mars, completing the first of many warps along the mission to Iscandar.

After warping to Mars, it flew by, headed for planet Jupiter, which had a huge magnetic field. By the time it crossed the inter-planetary space between Mars and Jupiter, Jupiter's gravity started pulling the Yamato in. Then, the Yamato fell into a methane sea upon Jupiter's bands of gas and clouds. The Yamato detected a floating continent using infrared technology, but its video panel couldn't show it yet due to the dense clouds and gas on Jupiter. As it fought against the gravity of Jupiter, Susumu Kodai went to check out the floating continent, and was attacked by a Gamilon fighter pilot. After a while it was decided to use the Wave Motion Gun for the first time against the floating continent. The Yamato got into position in front of the floating continent. The gun charged up and fired at the floating continent, destroying it completely, and killing the gamilons on the base.

===Original film edition=== {{Main|Space Battleship Yamato (1977 film)}} The series was condensed into a 130-minute-long movie by combining elements from a few key episodes of the first season. Additional animation was created for the movie (such as the scenes on Iscandar) or recycled from the series' test footage (such as the opening sequence). The movie, which was released in Japan on August 6, 1977, was edited down further and dubbed into English in 1978; entitled ''Space Cruiser Yamato'' or simply ''Space Cruiser'', it was only given a limited theatrical release in Europe and Latin America, where it was called ''{{lang|pt|Patrulha Estelar}}'' (''Star Patrol'', in Brazilian Portuguese) or ''{{lang|es|Astronave Intrepido}}'' (''Starship Intrepid'', in Spanish), though it was later released on video in most countries.

== Factions == === Earth Federation === The '''Earth Federation''' or just Earth, is a nation which controls the entirety of planet Earth. It was founded in 2201, after Earth won once the Yamato returned to Earth in late August-early September 2200 (as shown in the original movie).

==== History ==== Before the Earth Federation, the United Nations was the main liberation force for Planet Earth during the Earth-Gamilas War, which lasted from 2191 to 2200, after the Battle of Gamilas occurred. It was founded in 1945 after the fall of the Japanese Empire, and lasted until 2201 when it was officially turned into the Earth Federation.

=== Great Gamilas Empire === the Great Gamilas Empire, or just Gamilas is an alien empire located mainly in the Large Magellanic Cloud alongside its twin planet, Iscandar. It is led by Abelt Dessler as Supreme Leader and General Krypt as Prime Minister of Gamilas.

==== History ==== In ''Space Battleship Yamato III'', it is revealed that the people of Gamilas, came from Planet Galman, from which they were brought by presumably Starsha of Iscandar to its sister planet, which became the home for the Gamilas people.

===== 2200 ===== In 2200, Gamilas was at threat of falling to earth, as around two months earlier, at the "Battle of the Rainbow Star Cluster" General Erich Domel who was commanding the fleet that was meant to take out the Yamato, got defeated by self-destructing his ship below the Yamato.

===== Battle of Gamilas ===== After the Battle of the Rainbow Star Cluster, the Yamato was en route to Iscandar, but got caught in a magnetic radio jammer gas, which was beamed by the Gamilas.

==Sequels== ===''Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato'' (1978)=== {{Main|Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato}} The success of the ''Yamato'' movie in Japan led to the production of a second movie that would end the story. Also going by the name ''{{lang|it|Arrivederci}} Yamato'', ''Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato'', set in the year 2201, shows the ''Yamato'' crew going up against the White Comet Empire, a mobile city fortress called Gatlantis, from the Andromeda Galaxy. A titanic space battle results in the crew going out on a suicide mission to save humanity. The film has been considered as a non-canonical, alternate timeline.

===''Space Battleship Yamato II'' (1978)=== {{Main|Space Battleship Yamato II}} Viewer dissatisfaction with the ending of ''Arrivederci Yamato''{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} prompted the production of a second ''Yamato'' television season which retconned the film and presented a slightly different plot against Zōdah (Prince Zordar in the ''Star Blazers'' dub) and his Comet Empire, and ended without killing off the ''Yamato'' or its primary characters. Like ''Arrivederci'', the story is set in the year 2201, and expands the film story to 26 episodes. This second season featured additional plots such as a love story between Teresa (Trelaina) and ''Yamato'' crew member Daisuke Shima (Mark Venture), and an onboard antagonism between Kodai and Saito (Knox), leader of a group of space marines.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}

Footage from ''Arrivederci Yamato'' was reused in the second season, particularly in the opening titles. The sequence of the ''Yamato'' launching from water was also reused in two of the subsequent movies.

===''Yamato: The New Voyage'' (1979)=== {{Main|Yamato: The New Voyage}} The television movie ''Yamato: The New Voyage'' (aka ''Bon Voyage Yamato''), came next, featuring a new enemy, the Black Nebula Empire. The story opens in late 2201. In the film, later modified into a theatrical movie, Dessler sees his home world, Gamilas, destroyed by the grey-skinned aliens, and its twin planet Iscandar next in line for invasion. He finds an eventual ally in the ''Yamato'', then on a training mission under deputy captain Kodai.

===''Be Forever Yamato'' (1980)=== {{Main|Be Forever Yamato}} The theatrical movie ''Be Forever Yamato'', set in the year 2202, sees the Black Nebula Empire launch a powerful weapon at Earth, a hyperon bomb which will annihilate humanity if they resist a full-scale invasion. The ''Yamato'', under new captain, Yamanami, travels to the aliens' home galaxy only to discover what appears to be a future Earth—defeated and ruled by the enemy. Appearing in this film is Sasha, the daughter of Queen Starsha of Iscandar and Mamoru Kodai (Susumu's older brother).

===''Space Battleship Yamato III'' (1980)=== {{Main|Space Battleship Yamato III}} Following these movies, a third season of the television series was produced, broadcast on Japanese television in 1980. Its date was not mentioned in the broadcast, but design documents, as well as anime industry publications, cited the year 2205 as the time it takes place. In the story, the Sun is hit by a stray proton missile from a nearby battle between forces of the Galman Empire and Bolar Federation. This missile greatly accelerates nuclear fusion in the Sun, and humanity must either evacuate to a new home or find a means of preventing a supernova. During the course of the story, it is learned that the people of the Galman Empire are actually the forebears of Dessler and the Gamilas race. Dessler and the remnants of his space fleet have found and liberated Galman from the Bolar Federation. Originally conceived as a 52-episode story, funding cuts meant the season had to be truncated to 25 episodes, with a corresponding loss of overall story development. This third season was adapted into English several years after the original ''Star Blazers'' run and, to the dissatisfaction of fans, used different voice actors than the earlier seasons.

===''Final Yamato'' (1983)=== {{Main|Final Yamato}} Premiering in Japanese theaters on March 19, 1983, ''Final Yamato'' reunites the crew one more time to combat the threat of the Denguilu, a militaristic alien civilization that intends to use the water planet, Aquarius, to flood Earth and resettle there, having lost their home planet to a galactic collision. Captain Okita, who was found to be in cryogenic sleep since the first season, returns to command the ''Yamato'' and sacrifices himself to stop the Denguili's plan. Kodai and Yuki also get married.

The story is set in the year 2203, contradicting earlier assumptions that its predecessor, ''Yamato III'', took place in 2205.

===''Yamato: Resurrection'' (2009)=== {{Main|Space Battleship Yamato: Resurrection}} Although ''New Space Battleship Yamato'' was abandoned, Nishizaki promptly began work on a new movie titled {{nihongo|''Yamato: Resurrection''|宇宙戦艦ヤマト 復活篇|Uchū Senkan Yamato: Fukkatsu hen}}, set after the original series, while Matsumoto planned a new ''Yamato series''. However, additional legal conflicts stalled both projects until August 2008, when Nishizaki announced plans for the release of his film on December 12, 2009.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Attempt at Yamato Anime Project Announced |work=Anime News Network |date=2008-08-01 |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-08-01/new-attempt-at-yamato-anime-project-announced |access-date=2008-08-31 |archive-date=2008-08-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080831151247/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-08-01/new-attempt-at-yamato-anime-project-announced |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Brand New Day |work=StarBlazers.com |url=http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=263 |access-date=2008-10-02 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901111931/http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=263 |archive-date=September 1, 2009 }}</ref>

Set 17 years after the events of ''Final Yamato'', ''Resurrection'' brings together some members of the ''Yamato'' crew, who lead Earth's inhabitants to resettle in a far-flung star system after a black hole which will destroy the Solar System in three months is discovered.

==Spin-offs== ===''Yamato 2520'' (1994-1996)=== {{Main|Yamato 2520}} In the mid-1990s, Nishizaki attempted to create a sequel to ''Yamato'', set hundreds of years after the original. ''Yamato 2520'' was to chronicle the adventures of the eighteenth starship to bear the name, and its battle against the Seiren Federation. Much of the continuity established in the original series (including the destruction of Earth's moon) is ignored in this sequel.

In place of Leiji Matsumoto, American artist Syd Mead, known for works such as ''∀ Gundam'', and ''Blade Runner'', provided the conceptual art.

Due to the bankruptcy of Nishizaki's company West Cape Corp (former Academy Productions), and legal disputes with Matsumoto over the ownership of the ''Yamato'' copyrights, the series was never finished and only three episodes (out of ten) were produced and released on home video.

===''Great Yamato No. Zero'' (2004)=== {{Infobox animanga/Header | name = Great Yamato No. Zero | ja_kanji = 大ヤマト零号 | ja_romaji = Dai Yamato Zero-go | image = Great_Yamato_Zero,_Poster.jpg | caption = ''Great Yamato No. Zero'' poster }} {{Infobox animanga/Video | type = ova | title = | director = Tomoharu Katsumata | producer = Masamitsu Haga<br/>Takahiro Kanamori | writer = Yasushi Arai | music = Hiroshi Miyagawa | studio = JCF Studios | first = March 31, 2004 | last = June 15, 2007 | runtime = 35–45 minutes (each) | episodes = 5 | episode_list = }} {{Infobox animanga/Footer}}

{{nihongo|''Great Yamato No. Zero''|大ヤマト零号|Dai Yamato Zero-go}} is the second original animated video based on ''Space Battleship Yamato''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-12-15/2-yamato-copyright-suits-settled-for-250-million-yen|title=Yamato Copyright Suits Settled for 250 Million Yen|access-date=25 June 2009|work=Anime News Network|archive-date=2009-06-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611132551/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-12-15/2-yamato-copyright-suits-settled-for-250-million-yen|url-status=live}}</ref> It was released in five episodes from 2004 to 2007. Its first episode was temporarily available for streaming online in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|title=Great Yamato #0 Volume 1 Streamed Online for Free|work=Anime News Network|date=2007-06-01|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-06-01/great-yamato-no.0-volume-1-streamed-online-for-free|access-date=2009-08-02|archive-date=2022-10-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003061611/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-06-01/great-yamato-no.0-volume-1-streamed-online-for-free|url-status=live}}</ref> Unable to continue his plans for the ''Great Yamato'' project after a copyright shift in March 2002, Leiji Matsumoto radically redesigned the ship and staffed it with a completely new crew starting with modified versions of his ''Great Yamato'' characters.<ref name="Great Yamato 0">{{cite news|title=Leiji Matsumoto's Dai Yamato Zero-Go |website=StarBlazers.com |url=http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=313 |access-date=2022-10-05 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312061036/http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=313 |archive-date=March 12, 2012 }}</ref>

The story begins in 3199, when a mighty enemy attacks the Milky Way from a neighbouring galaxy, and defeats the Milky Way Alliance, reducing them to just six fleets. After the Alliance headquarters is destroyed, and when the collapse of the central Milky Way Alliance is imminent, the ''Great Yamato "Zero"'' embarks on a mission to assist the Milky Way Alliance in one last great battle.

===''New Space Battleship Yamato'' (2004, cancelled)=== In March 2002, a Tokyo court ruled that Yoshinobu Nishizaki legally owned the ''Yamato'' copyrights. Nishizaki and Matsumoto eventually settled,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Schilling|first=Mark|title='Space Battleship Yamato'|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2010/11/26/films/film-reviews/space-battleship-yamato/|website=Japan Times|date=26 November 2010|access-date=25 October 2020|archive-date=28 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028211142/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2010/11/26/films/film-reviews/space-battleship-yamato/|url-status=live}}</ref> and Nishizaki pushed ahead with developing a new Yamato television series. Project proposals for a 26-episode television series were drawn up in early 2004, but no further work was done with Tohoku Shinsha not backing the project. American series expert Tim Eldred was able to secure a complete package of art, mecha designs, and story outline at an auction over Japanese store Mandarake in April 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ourstarblazers.com/vault/869/ |title=New Yamato Proposal Plan |date=7 June 2013 |publisher=Ourstarblazers.com |access-date=12 May 2016 |archive-date=4 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404161517/http://ourstarblazers.com/vault/869/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Set 20 years after ''Final Yamato'', the series would have shown Susumu Kodai leading a salvage operation for the remains of the ''Yamato''. The ship is rebuilt as the Earth Defense Force builds a second Space Battleship Yamato to combat the Balbard Empire, an alien race that has erected a massive honeycombed cage called Ru Sak Gar over Earth, in a bid to stop the human race's spacefaring efforts. A feature film to be released after the series ended would have featured the original space battleship fighting the Balbards' attempt to launch a black hole at Earth. Kodai, Yuki, and Sanada are the only original series characters who would have returned in the series.

==Remakes==

===Live-action film (2010)=== {{Main|Space Battleship Yamato (2010 film)}} Released on December 1, 2010, ''Space Battleship Yamato'' is the franchise's first live-action film. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the movie stars Takuya Kimura as Susumu Kodai and Meisa Kuroki as Yuki. It was revealed originally that the plot would be based on that of the 1974 series.<ref>{{cite news|title=Noboru Ishiguro Confirms Live-Action Yamato in Development (Update 2)|work=Anime News Network|date=2009-07-18|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-07-18/noboru-ishiguro-confirms-live-action-yamato-in-development|access-date=2009-07-21|archive-date=2014-07-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718191640/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-07-18/noboru-ishiguro-confirms-live-action-yamato-in-development|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="LA_Yamato">{{cite news|title=Live-Action Space Battleship Yamato Film's Cast Listed (Update 3)|work=Anime News Network|date=2009-10-02|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-10-02/live-action-space-battleship-yamato-film-cast-listed|access-date=2009-10-03|archive-date=2014-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326234337/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-10-02/live-action-space-battleship-yamato-film-cast-listed|url-status=live}}</ref> However, an official trailer released during June 2010 on Japanese television has also shown elements from the series' second season (1978). The film had a budget of over ¥2 billion,<ref name=":0" /> and was the fourth highest grossing Japanese live-action film of the year,<ref name="BOM">{{cite news|title=Space Battleship Yamato|work=Box Office Mojo|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?page=&wk=2010W50&id=_fSPACEBATTLESHIPY01|access-date=July 9, 2012|archive-date=December 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222124903/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/intl/?page=&wk=2010W50&id=_fSPACEBATTLESHIPY01|url-status=live}}</ref> and the 31st highest grossing Japanese film of all time at the time of release.

===''Yamato 2199'' (2012)=== {{main|Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2199}} Debuting in Japanese cinemas on April 7, 2012, ''2199'' is a remake of the 1974 series. Yutaka Izubuchi serves as supervising director, with character designs by Nobuteru Yuki, and Junichiro Tamamori and Makoto Kobayashi in charge of mecha and conceptual designs. The series is a joint project of Xebec and AIC. Hideaki Anno designed the new series' opening sequence.<ref name="Yamato_2199_Anno">{{cite news|title=Evangelion Director Hideaki Anno to Design Yamato 2199 Anime Opening|work=Crunchyroll|date=2012-02-25|url=http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2012/01/25/evangelion-director-hideaki-anno-to-design-yamato-2199-anime-opening|access-date=2012-02-25|archive-date=2012-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131004949/http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2012/01/25/evangelion-director-hideaki-anno-to-design-yamato-2199-anime-opening|url-status=live}}</ref>

===''Yamato 2202'' (2017)=== {{main|Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2202}} The sequel to the first remake heptalogy, and debuting in Japanese cinemas on February 25, 2017, ''2202'' is a remake of the second series, with Nobuyoshi Habara as director and Harutoshi Fukui as writer. Most of the staff and original cast from the first remake were brought back to the project. It is also the final animated project by then-defunct Xebec, returning to animate the series.

===''Yamato 2205'' (2021)=== {{main|Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2205}} The sequel to the second remake heptalogy,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-03-28/star-blazers-space-battleship-yamato-2202-anime-gets-new-sequel/.145141|title=Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2202 Anime Gets New Sequel|website=Anime News Network|access-date=2021-06-12|archive-date=2021-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612042849/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-03-28/star-blazers-space-battleship-yamato-2202-anime-gets-new-sequel/.145141|url-status=live}}</ref> it debuted in Japanese cinemas on October 8, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-06-10/1st-of-2-space-battleship-yamato-2205-films-opens-on-october-8/.173814|title=1st of 2 Space Battleship Yamato 2205 Films Opens on October 8|website=Anime News Network|access-date=2021-06-12|archive-date=2021-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612042849/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-06-10/1st-of-2-space-battleship-yamato-2205-films-opens-on-october-8/.173814|url-status=live}}</ref> ''2205'' is a remake of the film ''Space Battleship Yamato: The New Voyage''. Kenji Yasuda directed the film while Harutoshi Fukui returned as writer. It is the first ''Yamato'' work animated by Satelight.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://starblazers-yamato.net/|title=『宇宙戦艦ヤマト2205 新たなる旅立ち』後章-STASHA- 2022年2月4日劇場上映|website=『宇宙戦艦ヤマト2205 新たなる旅立ち』後章-STASHA- 2022年2月4日劇場上映|access-date=2021-06-12|archive-date=2021-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210612042903/https://starblazers-yamato.net/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===''Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199'' (2024)=== {{main|Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199}} A sequel in the remake series, ''3199'' was announced in January 2022 and is a remake of both ''Be Forever Yamato'' and ''Space Battleship Yamato III''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/comic/news/462240|title=「ヤマトよ永遠に REBEL3199」制作決定！「宇宙戦艦ヤマト2205」の続編|access-date=2022-01-19|archive-date=2022-01-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119190144/https://natalie.mu/comic/news/462240|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crunchyroll.com/it/anime-news/2022/02/10/be-forever-yamato-rebel-3199-confirms-its-26-episode-run|title=Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199 Confirms Its 26-episode Run|access-date=2022-02-10|archive-date=2022-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309152840/https://www.crunchyroll.com/it/anime-news/2022/02/10/be-forever-yamato-rebel-3199-confirms-its-26-episode-run|url-status=dead}}</ref> It will premiere as seven films, beginning on July 19, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-02 |title=Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199 Anime's Teaser Reveals July 19 Debut of 7 Films |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-01-02/be-forever-yamato-rebel-3199-anime-teaser-reveals-july-19-debut-of-7-films/.206129 |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}}</ref> Naomichi Yamato is directing with Fukui returning as writer. The series is animated by Studio Mother with Satelight assisting.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://starblazers-yamato.net/3199/staff/index.html|title=starblazers-yamato.net ''Be Forever Yamato: REBEL 3199'' STAFF & CAST|access-date=2024-06-28}}</ref>

==Timeline(s)== With the retelling of ''Arrivederci Yamato'' as the open-ended ''Yamato II'' television series (ending in late 2201), ''Arrivederci'' was redesignated as a discardable, alternate timeline. The follow-on film, ''Yamato: The New Voyage'', took place in late 2201; and its successor, ''Be Forever Yamato'', in early 2202. ''Yamato III'' was commonly believed to be set in 2205 (several printed publications used this date, although it was never stated in the show's broadcast). But the following film, ''Final Yamato'', was set in 2203. The opening narration of ''Final'' mentioned the Bolar/Galman conflict, implying that the date for ''Yamato III'' was to be regarded as some time between 2202 and 2203 (making for an unrealistic and compressed timeline).

It is not known if this change was due to the lackluster response to ''Yamato III'', the production staff's dissatisfaction with the truncated series (additionally, Nishizaki and Matsumoto had limited involvement with it), or a mere oversight.

In 2220, the ship is rebuilt following the events of ''Final Yamato''. The new captain of the ship is Susumu Kodai, who was the main character in the previous movies. It is stated in ''Space Battleship Yamato: Resurrection'' that it is set 17 years after ''Final Yamato''.

===Original continuity=== * 2199–2200: ''Space Battleship Yamato'' (1974–1975) / ''Yamato: The Movie'' (1977) * 2201: ''Arrivederci Yamato'' (1978) / ''Space Battleship Yamato II'' (1978–1979), ''Yamato: The New Voyage'' (1979) * 2202: ''Be Forever Yamato'' (1980) * 2203: ''Space Battleship Yamato III'' (1980–1981), ''Final Yamato'' (1983) * 2220: ''Yamato: Resurrection'' (2009) * 2520: ''Yamato 2520'' (1995–1996) (unfinished) * 3199: ''Great Yamato No. 0'' (2004–2007) (unofficial)

===Remakes=== * 2199: ''Space Battleship Yamato'' (2010, live action) / ''Yamato 2199'' (2012–2013), ''Odyssey of the Celestial Ark'' (2014) * 2202–2203: ''Space Battleship Yamato 2202'' (2017–2019) * 2205: ''Space Battleship Yamato 2205'' (2021–2022) * 2207: ''Be Forever Yamato: Rebel 3199'' (2024–)

==Staff== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:99%;" |- ! rowspan="2" style="width:20%;"| Series / Film ! colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"| Staff ! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| Studio |- ! style="text-align:center;"| '''Director'''<!-- "Series directors" and "film (chief) directors" only. Not "chief", "supervising" or "episode directors" --> ! style="text-align:center;"| '''Producer'''<!-- "Producers" only. Not "executive" or "supervising producers" --> ! style="text-align:center;"| '''Story''' ! style="text-align:center;"| '''Screenplay''' |- ! colspan="6" style="background:#ddf;"| |- ! ''Space Battleship Yamato''<br /><small>(1974 series)</small> | Leiji Matsumoto | rowspan="2" colspan="2"| Yoshinobu Nishizaki | Keisuke Fujikawa,<br>Eiichi Yamamoto<br>& Maru Tamura | rowspan="8"| Academy Productions |- ! ''Space Battleship Yamato''<br /><small>(1977 film)</small> | rowspan="2"| Toshio Masuda | rowspan="2"| Keisuke Fujikawa<br>& Eiichi Yamamoto |- ! ''Arrivederci Yamato'' | Tooru Yoshida | rowspan="4"| Leiji Matsumoto |- ! ''Space Battleship Yamato II'' | Noboru Ishiguro | Osamu Hirooka | Keisuke Fujikawa<br>& Eiichi Yamamoto |- ! ''Yamato: The New Voyage'' | Yoshinobu Nishizaki | rowspan="2"| Tooru Yoshida | Eiichi Yamamoto |- ! ''Be Forever Yamato'' | Tomoharu Katsumata | Toshio Masuda |- ! ''Space Battleship Yamato III'' | Eiichi Yamamoto | Osamu Yamane<br>& Motoo Fukuo | rowspan="2"| Eiichi Yamamoto | Keisuke Fujikawa<br>& Eiichi Yamamoto |- ! ''Final Yamato'' | rowspan="2"| Takeshi Shirato | Masahisa Saeki | Kazuo Kasahara |- ! ''Yamato 2520'' | colspan="2" | Yoshinobu Nishizaki | Eiichi Yamamoto<br>& Yasushi Hirano | Studio Take-Off |- ! ''Great Yamato No. Zero'' | Tomoharu Katsumata | Masamitsu Haga<br>& Takahiro Kanamori | Leiji Matsumoto | Yasushi Arai | JCF Studios |- ! ''Yamato Resurrection'' | Yoshinobu Nishizaki | Toshio Masuda<br>& Takeshi Shirato | Yoshinobu Nishizaki | Bull Ishihara<br>& Atsuhiro Tomioka | Enagio |- ! ''Yamato 2199'' | Akihiro Enomoto | Atsushi Ariyoshii<br>Hideaki Matsumoto<br>Fumi Teranishi<br>& Mikio Gunji | rowspan="2"| Yutaka Izubuchi | Yutaka Izubuchi,<br>Hiroshi Ōnogi,<br>Sadayuki Murai<br>& Shigeru Morita | Xebec & AIC |- ! ''Odyssey of the Celestial Ark'' | Makoto Bessho | Fumi Teranishi<br>& Mikio Gunji | Yutaka Izubuchi<br>& Hiroshi Ōnogi | rowspan="2" | Xebec |- ! ''Yamato 2202'' | Nobuyoshi Habara | Hirotaka Furukawa | rowspan="4"| Harutoshi Fukui | rowspan="4"| Harutoshi Fukui<br>& Hideki Oka |- ! ''Yamato 2205: Takeoff'' | rowspan="2"| Kenji Yasuda | rowspan="2"| Kumiko Nakagawa<br>& Mizuki Amekawa | rowspan="2"| Satelight |- ! ''Yamato 2205: Stasha'' |- ! ''Yamato 3199'' | Harutoshi Fukui<br>& Naomichi Yamato | Shōji Nishizaki | Studio Mother |}

==Manga==

===''Space Battleship Yamato'' (1974)=== Leiji Matsumoto had written adaptations of ''Space Battleship Yamato'', published in Akita Shoten's ''Bōken Ō'' magazine from November 1974 issue (released on October 1) to May 1975 issue (published on April 1) and collected into one volume,<ref name="Cosmoship Yamato Part 1">{{cite news|title=Cosmoship Yamato Part 1: The Leiji Matsumoto Manga |website=StarBlazers.com |url=http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=171 |access-date=2008-10-02 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110105145353/http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=171 |archive-date=January 5, 2011 }}</ref> and ''Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato'', published from July 1978 issue (released on June 1) to December 1979 issue (published on November 1) and collected into two volumes.<ref name="Cosmoship Yamato Part 2">{{cite news|title=Cosmoship Yamato Part 2: The Leiji Matsumoto Manga |website=StarBlazers.com |url=http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=173 |access-date=2008-10-02 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314162937/http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=173 |archive-date=March 14, 2012 }}</ref> Also included in the third volume is the gaiden manga ''Eternal Story of Jura'', originally published in 1976 in Akita Shoten's ''Playcomic'' periodical.<ref>{{cite news|title=Eternal Story of Jura: the "Secret" Episode |website=Cosmo DNA |url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/172/ |access-date=June 25, 2022|date=June 25, 2013 }}</ref>

Seven Seas Entertainment licensed the manga in 2017 and released it in English as hardcover omnibus ''Space Battleship Yamato: The Classic Collection'' on April 9, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seven Seas Shoots for the Stars With Release of Leiji Matsumoto's SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO: THE CLASSIC COLLECTION Hardcover Manga Omnibus|url=http://www.sevenseasentertainment.com/2017/11/14/seven-seas-shoots-for-the-stars-with-release-of-leiji-matsumotos-space-battleship-yamato-the-classic-collection-hardcover-manga-omnibus/|website=Seven Seas Entertainment|access-date=14 November 2017|date=14 November 2017|archive-date=15 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115050103/http://www.sevenseasentertainment.com/2017/11/14/seven-seas-shoots-for-the-stars-with-release-of-leiji-matsumotos-space-battleship-yamato-the-classic-collection-hardcover-manga-omnibus/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://sevenseasentertainment.com/books/space-battleship-yamato-the-classic-collection/|title=Space Battleship Yamato: The Classic Collection |website=Seven Seas Entertainment |access-date=September 30, 2022 }}</ref>

===''Great Yamato'' (2000)=== {{Nihongo|''Space Battleship Great Yamato''|新宇宙戦艦ヤマト|Shin Uchū Senkan Yamato|{{lit}} "New Space Battleship Yamato"}} is a manga created by Leiji Matsumoto during his tenure as a copyright holder for ''Space Battleship Yamato'' (1998–2002). It was published in Shogakukan's monthly magazine ''Gotta Comics'' from February 2000 to October 2001 and partially collected into two volumes. It was set in the year 3199 and brought together the distant descendants of the Yamato crew to lift off in a much bigger version of the original ship. In 2001 Matsumoto, Columbia Records, and composer Hiroshi Miyagawa released a music album ''Symphonic Suite Great Yamato''. In early 2002 Matsumoto announced his intentions to create an anime titled ''The Great Galaxy Series: The Tale of Great Yamato 7vs7''. But ''Great Yamato'' was cut short when a court order in Japan blocked Matsumoto's further use of the copyright in March 2002.<ref name="Great Yamato">{{cite news|title=Leiji Matsumoto's Great Yamato |website=StarBlazers.com |url=http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=312 |access-date=2022-10-05 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312061036/http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=312 |archive-date=March 12, 2012 }}</ref>

==Video games==

=== Arcade game === ''Space Battleship Yamato'' was a 1985 Japanese exclusive Laserdisc video game designed by Taito which was based on the television series of the same name.<ref name="games 2">{{Cite web|title=Games in Outer Space, Part 2|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/332/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=29 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-27|archive-date=2020-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030193346/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/332/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The Forgotten Game 2|work=StarBlazers.com|url=http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=363|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314144903/http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=363|archive-date=14 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=1985 Laserdisc Game Part 2|work=StarBlazers.com|url=http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=432|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120726151820/http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=432|archive-date=26 July 2012}}</ref> ''Game Machine'' listed ''Space Battleship Yamato'' on their August 1, 1985 issue as being the second most-successful upright/cockpit arcade unit of the month.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - アップライト, コックピット型TVゲーム機 (Upright/Cockpit Videos)|magazine=Game Machine|issue=265|publisher=Amusement Press, Inc.|date=1 August 1985|page=25|lang=ja}}</ref>

=== Game Boy game === Released in 1992 for the Game Boy, ''Space Battleship Yamato'' is a turn-based strategy game, with the player fighting against Dessler. The player can move a few places on the battlefield at a time, and, if they encounter an enemy, it will start a shoot 'em up section that they must complete without losing all their ''Cosmo Tigers'' in order to advance.<ref name="games 2"/>

=== ''The Distant Planet Iscandar'' === {{main|Space Battleship Yamato: Harukanaru Hoshi Iscandar}} Released in 1999 for the PlayStation, the game's story is based on original ''Yamato'' series, but incorporates events from Leiji Matsumoto's manga.<ref name="PS1 trilogy">{{cite news|title=Yamato Games for PlayStation |work=StarBlazers.com |url=http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=338 |access-date=2008-10-02 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315114832/http://www.starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=338 |archive-date=March 15, 2012 }}</ref> The game requires the player to manage the Yamato, and its crew, flying the ship, attacking enemies, and using individual crewmen to invade enemy territory.

=== ''Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato, Soldiers of Love'' === Released in May 2000 for the PlayStation, this game is based on the events of ''Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato'' and ''Space Battleship Yamato II''. It features the same basic gameplay as ''The Faraway Planet Iscandar'', but allows for a branching story, with events coming from either ''Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato'' or ''Space Battleship Yamato II''.<ref name="games 2"/>

===''The Tracks of Heroes''=== Released in September 2000 for the PlayStation, this game is an original series fan disc based on the Leiji Matsumoto's 1976 manga ''Eternal Story of Jura''.<ref name="PS1 trilogy"/>

=== ''Reminiscences of Iscandar'' === {{main|Space Battleship Yamato: Iscandar e no Tsuioku}} The first PlayStation 2 ''Yamato'' game, released in 2004, ''Reminiscences of Iscandar'' is more action-oriented than previous titles, focusing more on combat between the Yamato and Gamilas, rather than micromanaging the crew, though it is heavy on dialogue and cutscenes, which make up the majority of the content of the game.<ref name ="PS2 trilogy">{{Cite web|title=Yamato Games for Playstation 2|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/342/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=29 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-27|archive-date=2020-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031072518/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/342/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== ''Counterattack of the Dark Nebula'' === A March 2005 game, and the first ''Yamato'' game to be a third-person shooter, but still offers a branching story like the other games.<ref name ="PS2 trilogy"/> It is the second in the PS2 trilogy of ''Yamato'' games.

=== ''Collapse of the Double Galaxy'' === {{main|Space Battleship Yamato: Nijū Ginga no Hōkai}} An April 2005 game, and the third in the PS2 trilogy of ''Yamato'' games.<ref name ="PS2 trilogy"/>

=== Typing games === Three separate ''Yamato'' typing games have been released – ''Typing Wave-Motion Gun'' (2000), ''Typing Warp'' (2001), and ''Typing Dispersion Wave-Motion Gun'' (2001).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Keystroke Heroes Typing Game 3|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/336/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=22 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-27|archive-date=2020-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031182039/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/336/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Keystroke Heroes Typing Game 2|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/335/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=29 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-27|archive-date=2020-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030234330/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/335/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Keystroke Heroes Typing Games|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/334/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=29 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-27|archive-date=2020-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031121654/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/334/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Pachinko games === Three pachinko games for ''Space Battleship Yamato'' have been created, released in 2007, 2009, and 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Space Battleship Yamato Pachislo Game|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/441/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=22 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-27|archive-date=2020-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031024028/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/441/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=CR Yamato 2 Pachinko Game|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/345/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=22 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-27|archive-date=2020-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030190130/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/345/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=CR Yamato Pachinko Game|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/344/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=29 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-27|archive-date=2020-10-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031013259/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/344/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== ''Space Battleship Yamato: Voyagers of Tomorrow'' === ''Space Battleship Yamato: Voyagers of Tomorrow'' is a browser game on the G123 platform based on the remake series and released in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pre-registrations are Open Now for Space Battleship Yamato: Voyagers of Tomorrow |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2022-11-02/pre-registrations-are-open-now-for-space-battleship-yamato-voyagers-of-tomorrow/.191514 |access-date=2023-04-05 |website=Anime News Network |language=en}}</ref>

== Merchandise == Due to its extensive financial success,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kane|first=Aaron|title=Repackaging Grand Narrative: From Narrative to Database in the Remakes of Space Battleship Yamato and Gundam|publisher=University of Vermont|year=2016|pages=21}}</ref> ''Space Battleship Yamato'' has since its release seen a long line of merchandise.

Starting in 1974, many Yamato-themed products have been sold, including clothing, tableware, stationery, and models of the characters, with the ''Cosmo Tigers'' and ''Yamato'' itself receiving particular attention. Additionally, models of Dessler's fleet were available, and at the time it was uncommon for the villain's ships or mecha to be sold.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yamato Model Kits by Bandai|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/159/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=29 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-29|archive-date=2020-07-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717110517/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/159/|url-status=live}}</ref> Bandai was responsible for most of the merchandising, and their choice to sponsor ''Space Battleship Yamato'' at such an early stage of its production is considered influential in the company's financial success.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yamato Models by Bandai|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/164/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=29 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-29|archive-date=2020-09-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927095948/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/164/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Bandai produced an extensive number of models of the ''Yamato'', in a variety of sizes, the largest, and most elaborate one being a 70&nbsp;cm (27.5 inch) model released in 2007. The ship comes with a remote control, designed to look like the Wave-Motion Gun's pistol grip, with which the ''Yamato's'' shutters, main and auxiliary guns, pulse lasers, and Wave-Motion Gun can all be interacted with. The ship was sold for ¥47,250 ($450).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yamato Models by Bandai Part 11: The Crown Jewel|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/165/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=29 June 2013 |access-date=2020-10-29|archive-date=2020-09-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901223319/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/165/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Legacy and impact == Initially, ''Space Battleship Yamato'' was ignored to the extent that the original 1974 anime halved its episode count due to low ratings and viewership. The release of the 1977 film brought a surge of popularity, however, ultimately achieving a cult status.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kane|first=Aaron|title=Repackaging Grand Narrative: From Narrative to Database in the Remakes of Space Battleship Yamato and Gundam|publisher=University of Vermont|year=2016|pages=23}}</ref> During the original broadcast, despite the general lack of interest, Leiji Matsumoto received a "very surprising" amount of fan mail from women who had watched the show, which came as a surprise due to the fact he had intended for it to be watched mostly by a male audience.<ref>{{cite web|title=Leiji Matsumoto 1976 Interview|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/303/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=29 June 2013 |access-date=2020-11-21|archive-date=2020-11-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117184554/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/303/|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|Two or three months after the broadcast started, fans began to make frequent appearances at the studio. There were enthusiastic girls who came by plane from Kyushu and we gave them cels and background paintings as souvenirs because they had taken such great pains. Those cels now have the same street value as drugs, but in those days they were just a waste of space.|Noboru Ishiguro, 1980<ref>{{cite web |title=Noboru Ishiguro Essay, 1980 |url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/367/ |website=Cosmo DNA |date=26 June 2013 |access-date=2020-11-21 |archive-date=2020-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031093155/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/367/ |url-status=live }}</ref>}}

Prior to the release of ''Yamato'' in 1974, anime was called ''terebi manga'' (TV manga). The success of ''Yamato'', both because of its tone and themes that were ambitious for an anime at that time, and the fact it was an original work, made it influential in the move towards the term anime.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Day it All Changed|url=https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/42/|website=Cosmo DNA|date=29 June 2013 |access-date=2020-11-23|archive-date=2020-08-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813080553/https://ourstarblazers.com/vault/42/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cultural impact=== ''Space Battleship Yamato'' is one of the most influential anime series in Japan. Its turn towards more serious themes and complex storylines influenced future works in the sci-fi and mecha genre, including ''Gundam'', ''Evangelion'',<ref>"''Yamato'' also caused a paradigm shift in animation. Departing from the usual plot of "good vanquishes evil" so common in children's programming, it acknowledged the enemy's necessity in attacking Earth: the Gamilons must relocate, as their home planet is doomed to die. The highly realistic design of "mecha" (meka) — mechanical vessels and weapons — also set the standard for the genre of "mecha-robot anime". Without ''Yamato'' there would have been no ''Gundam'' or ''Evangelion'' (pls. 30, 33)." [http://www.gwern.net/docs/2005-little-boy#space-battleship-yamato "Space Battleship Yamato"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112202452/http://www.gwern.net/docs/2005-little-boy#space-battleship-yamato |date=2014-01-12 }} entry in ''Little Boy'' 2005 ed. Takashi Murakami {{ISBN|0300102852}}</ref> and ''Macross''.

''Yamato'' would go on to influence many later anime, including ''Mobile Suit Gundam'' and ''Neon Genesis Evangelion''. Its popularity subsequently lead to various parodies and references, such as in ''Sgt. Frog'',<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kurland|first=Daniel|title=10 Parody Anime That Are Actually Better Than What They Were Satirizing|url=https://www.cbr.com/parody-anime-better-than-what-they-were-satirizing/|website=Comic Book Resources|date=22 June 2020|access-date=21 November 2020|archive-date=29 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129053636/https://www.cbr.com/parody-anime-better-than-what-they-were-satirizing/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Haruhi Suzumiya'' and ''Space Battleship Tiramisu''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Frye|first=Patrick|title='Space Battleship Tiramisu' ('Uchuu Senkan Tiramisu') Anime Is A 'Mobile Suit Gundam'/'Yamato' Parody [Review]|url=https://www.inquisitr.com/4876877/space-battleship-tiramisu-uchuu-senkan-tiramisu-anime-is-a-mobile-suit-gundam-yamato-parody-review/|website=Inquisitir|date=24 April 2018|access-date=21 November 2020|archive-date=29 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129085155/https://www.inquisitr.com/4876877/space-battleship-tiramisu-uchuu-senkan-tiramisu-anime-is-a-mobile-suit-gundam-yamato-parody-review/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Hideaki Anno has ranked ''Yamato'' as his favorite anime<ref>{{cite web|url=//home.comcast.net/~hasshin/shimamoto.html|title=Kazuhiko Shimamoto and Hideaki Anno|date=7 April 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050407200800/http://home.comcast.net/~hasshin/shimamoto.html|archive-date=7 April 2005}}</ref> and credited it with sparking his interest in anime.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Yamato Discussion with Hideaki Anno, Leiji Matsumoto, and Hiroshi Miyagawa; translated from the 1998 Railway of Fantasy Concert Program|url=http://starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=252|publisher=Starblazers.com|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129004733/http://starblazers.com/html.php?page_id=252|archive-date=29 November 2010}}</ref> ''Yamato'' was also the first anime series or movie to win the Seiun Award, a feat not repeated until the film ''Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'' (1984).

The later 1977 film ''Star Wars'' bears a number of similarities to the original 1974 ''Yamato'' series. For example, both are space opera works with militant empires, star ships and space battles; the robot R2D2 bears a strong resemblance to Analyzer in ''Yamato'', in terms of both design and narrative function; and both works involve ship design blue-prints which are delivered by the female leads. Several critics have suggested that ''Yamato'' may have influenced ''Star Wars'', though George Lucas did not mention it among his Japanese influences (such as Akira Kurosawa's samurai films).<ref>{{cite web |title=To Japan and back: A brief look at Star Wars, Kurosawa and Japanese influences |url=https://www.phoenix.org.uk/blog/to-japan-and-back/ |website=Phoenix Square |date=4 February 2016 |access-date=30 March 2021 |archive-date=2 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702211417/https://www.phoenix.org.uk/blog/to-japan-and-back/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Ollie|last=Barder|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2015/12/21/understanding-the-japanese-influences-behind-star-wars/|title=Understanding The Japanese Influences Behind 'Star Wars'|magazine=Forbes|location=New York City|date=December 21, 2015|access-date=November 10, 2016|archive-date=December 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229164229/https://www.forbes.com/sites/olliebarder/2015/12/21/understanding-the-japanese-influences-behind-star-wars/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=McCarthy |first1=Helen |last2=Ashmore |first2=Darren-Jon |title=Leiji Matsumoto: Essays on the Manga and Anime Legend |date=21 January 2021 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=978-1-4766-4085-3 |pages=78–9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T7EWEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA78 |access-date=30 March 2021 |archive-date=2 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702225001/https://books.google.com/books?id=T7EWEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA78 |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Yamato'' also had an impact on video games. It was cited as an inspiration behind the influential shoot 'em up game ''Space Invaders''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kohler|first=Chris|title=Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life|date=2016|publisher=Courier Dover Publications|isbn=9780486801490|page=19|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lD4fDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA19|access-date=2018-03-05|archive-date=2020-08-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819141428/https://books.google.com/books?id=lD4fDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA19|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Tomohiro Nishikado – 2000 Developer Interview|journal=Game Maestro|date=2000|volume=1|url=http://shmuplations.com/nishikado/|access-date=2018-03-05|archive-date=2019-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608174731/http://shmuplations.com/nishikado/|url-status=live}}</ref> Game designer Takashi Nishiyama also credits the Wave Motion Gun as the origin of the Hadouken move in the ''Street Fighter'' series.<ref>{{cite news|title= The Man Who Created Street Fighter |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160526013901/http://www.1up.com/features/the-man-who-created-street-fighter?pager.offset=1 |date=2011-12-14 |url=http://www.1up.com/features/the-man-who-created-street-fighter |archive-date=2016-05-26 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 1980 kaiju film ''Gamera: Super Monster'' utilized stock footage of ''Space Battleship Yamato''.<ref>{{cite web |last= Hata |first= Fuminobi |date= 12 December 2022 |url= https://jp.ign.com/gamera-rebirth/64425/feature/netflix |title= 俺はお前を待っていた！Netflixで復活の大怪獣ガメラ、その歩みと新作への期待 |website= IGN Japan |access-date=2026-04-14 |language= ja }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date= |title=宇宙怪獣ガメラ Super Monster |url=http://park8.wakwak.com/~tokusatsu/uchugamera.htm |website= 空想特撮愛好会 |access-date=2026-04-14 |language= ja}}</ref>

==Characters and themes== {{Main|List of Space Battleship Yamato characters}} The ''Space Battleship Yamato'' series generally involves themes of brave sacrifice, noble enemies, and respect for heroes lost in the line of duty. This can be seen as early as the second episode of the first season, which recounts the defeat of the original battleship ''Yamato'' while sailors and pilots from both sides salute her as she sinks (this scene was cut from the English dub, but later included on the ''Star Blazers'' DVD release). The movies spend much time showing the crew visiting monuments to previous missions and recalling the bravery of their fallen comrades. Dessler, the enemy defeated in the first season and left without a home or a people, recognizes that his foes are fighting for the same things he fought for and, eventually, becomes an important and loyal ally to Earth.

==English-language title== For many years, English-language releases of the anime bore the title ''Space Cruiser Yamato''. This romanization has appeared in Japanese publications because Nishizaki, a sailing enthusiast who owned a cruiser yacht, ordered that this translation be used out of love for his boat. However, in reference to naval nomenclature, it is technically inaccurate, as {{nihongo||戦艦|senkan}} means "battleship" and not "cruiser" (which in Japanese would be {{nihongo||巡洋艦|jun'yōkan}}). Leiji Matsumoto's manga adaptation was usually referred to as ''Cosmoship Yamato''.<ref name="Cosmoship Yamato Part 1"/><ref name="Cosmoship Yamato Part 2"/>

''Star Blazers'' (1979) is a heavily edited dubbed version for the United States market produced by Westchester Film Corporation. Voyager Entertainment released DVD volumes and comic adaptations of the anime years later.

Contemporary ''Yamato'' releases, including the Voyager Entertainment DVD and Seven Seas Entertainment release of the manga, are marketed either as ''Star Blazers'' or ''Space Battleship Yamato''.

== Explanatory notes == {{Notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

== Further reading == * Mizuno, Hiromi (2007). [http://www.upress.umn.edu/Books/L/lunning_mechademia2.html "When Pacifist Japan Fights: Historicizing Desires in Anime"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215165131/http://www.upress.umn.edu/Books/L/lunning_mechademia2.html |date=2007-12-15 }}. ''Mechademia'' 2.

==External links== * {{IMDb title|0140644|Uchû senkan Yamato}} * [http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/uchu_senkan_yamato "Uchū Senkan Yamato"], ''The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction'' * [https://leijiverse.com/en/yamato/ Uchû Senkan Yamato - Leijiverse.com]

{{Space Battleship Yamato}} {{Leiji Matsumoto}} {{Seiun Award - Best Media}} {{Portal bar|Science fiction}}

Category:Space Battleship Yamato Category:1974 anime television series debuts Category:1974 manga Category:Akita Shoten manga Category:Animated space adventure television series Category:Anime with original screenplays Category:Comics based on television series Category:Comics set in the 22nd century Category:Large Magellanic Cloud in fiction Category:Military science fiction television series Category:Seven Seas Entertainment titles Category:Space opera anime and manga Category:Television series set in the 22nd century Category:Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation original programming