Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: Warriors of Love - Reevaluating the masterpiece by directors Leiji Matsumoto and Toshio Masuda

Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: Warriors of Love - A Record of an Inspiring Space Voyage and Fierce Battles

■Overview of the work

Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: Warriors of Love is the second film in the Space Battleship Yamato series, released on August 5, 1978, and was written and directed by Reiji Matsumoto and Toshio Masuda. The film is set in the year 2201, one year after the end of the previous film, Space Battleship Yamato, and depicts a new battle to protect the Earth. When it was released, it recorded an unprecedented number of audiences for an anime film, and had a major impact on the anime world in the late 1970s.

■ Story

In the year 2201 AD, Susumu Kodai, who was serving as the captain of an escort ship in a transport fleet heading for Earth, receives a mysterious SOS message from the planet Terezart. He and his former crew members head to Terezart aboard the Space Battleship Yamato, where they meet the sender of the message, a woman named Teresa. Informed by Teresa of the threat of the White Comet Empire (Gatlantis) and the crisis facing Earth, Kodai and his comrades decide to challenge the White Comet Empire led by Emperor Zordar. However, in the fierce battle, the crew of the Yamato lose their lives one by one. Susumu Kodai becomes the new captain of the Yamato at the young age of 19, and ultimately meets a heroic death.

■Explanation

Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato is a work that can be said to be a monumental achievement in space opera. It is a wonderful blend of the battles that unfold on the spectacular stage of space and the human drama of the crew. In particular, the love story between Susumu Kodai and Yuki Mori, and the presence of Teresa, add depth to the story. In addition, the Yamato's settings, such as its wave-motion engine and wave-motion gun, add visual impact and enhance the appeal of the work.

This work led the anime movie boom in the late 1970s and maintained the highest audience numbers for about 10 years. Its influence was so great that it has had a major impact on subsequent anime works. In particular, the spectacular battle scenes and moving ending are deeply etched in the hearts of many fans.

■Cast

・Susumu Kodai: Kei Toyama ・Ryu Hijikata: Horo Kimura ・Hikozaemon Tokugawa: Ichiro Nagai ・Akira Yamamoto: Kazuyuki Sogabe ・Hajime Saito: Isao Sasaki ・Zodar: Osamu Kobayashi ・Teresa: Miyuki Ueda

These voice actors express the emotions of the characters realistically, adding depth to the story. In particular, Kei Toyama's performance as Susumu Kodai is perfect, as he combines youth with a sense of responsibility. Miyuki Ueda's performance as Teresa is also impressive, as she exudes a mysterious presence while also conveying her love for the Earth.

■ Main staff

・Original concept and director: Reiji Matsumoto, Toshio Masuda・Planning and executive production: Yoshinobu Nishizaki・Assistant director: Ittoku Tanahashi・Screenplay: Toshio Masuda, Keisuke Fujikawa, Hideaki Yamakawa・Producer: Tatsuya Yoshida・Animation director: Guji Katsumata・Chief animation director: Shigeru Kogawa・Animation directors: Kenzo Koizumi, Shingo Araki, Toyoo Ashida, Kazuhiko Udagawa, Masamune Ochiai・Storyboard: Yoshikazu Yasuhiko・Editing: Yutaka Senkura・Producers: Yoshinobu Nishizaki, Tatsuya Yoshida, Saburo Yokoi, Shoji Nagashima, Osamu Hirooka・Art director: Geki Katsumata・Music: Yasushi Miyagawa・Theme song: "From Yamato, With Love"
Lyrics: Yu Aku Music: Katsuo Ohno Arrangement: Yasushi Miyagawa Vocals: Kenji Sawada Technical Director: Noboru Ishiguro SF setting cooperation: Aritsugu Toyoda Production: Office Academy, Tohokushinsha

This team of staff members each performed at their best in their own field, enhancing the quality of the work. In particular, the original story and directors Reiji Matsumoto and Toshio Masuda have firmly established the framework of the story, and have managed to create both visual beauty and a moving story. In addition, Yasuo Miyagawa's music enhances the grandiose atmosphere of the universe and stirs the emotions of the viewer.

■ Main Characters

・The protagonist is Susumu Kodai. In the latter half of the story, at just 19 years old, he becomes the new captain of the Space Battleship Yamato. He leads the crew of the Yamato in a battle against the White Comet Empire, and in the end dies a heroic death. Susumu Kodai's growth and sacrifice deeply move viewers.

・Yuki Mori The only female crew member of Yamato and Kodai Susumu's fiancee. She boards Yamato with Kodai Susumu and the others to fight against the White Comet Empire, but loses her life in the process. Her death further strengthens Kodai Susumu's resolve.

Teresa: A woman who was imprisoned on the planet Terezart by the White Comet Empire. Her body is made of antimatter, and when she comes into contact with normal matter, she explodes due to annihilation. Teresa's existence is a symbol of love and sacrifice for the Earth.

After experiencing a surprise attack by the White Comet Empire, he becomes the captain of the Yamato. He gives Kodai and the others clues on how to defeat the White Comet Empire, but then dies. His courage and knowledge have a major impact on the strategy of the Yamato.

・Yamato A space battleship remodeled from the former Japanese battleship Yamato, which sank during World War II. Equipped with a wave motion engine, it is capable of warp navigation. The wave motion gun mounted on the bow boasts tremendous power. Yamato is a symbol of hope and battle for the Earth.

・The White Comet Empire Invades planets in space with overwhelming military power, and is also known as the Comet Empire of Gatlantis. Led by Emperor Zordar, the Empire has a fortress-like city empire inside a giant artificial comet, and a super-giant battleship is stored inside that city. The threat of the White Comet Empire gives despair and hope to the crew of the Yamato.

■ Related works

・TV anime "Space Battleship Yamato"
"Space Battleship Yamato 2"
"Space Battleship Yamato: A New Voyage"
"Space Battleship Yamato III"

・The movie "Space Battleship Yamato"
"Yamato Forever"
"Space Battleship Yamato: Final Chapter"
"Space Battleship Yamato Resurrection"

・OVA
"YAMATO2520"
"The Great Yamato Zero"

These related works depict the events before and after Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato, and are essential for a deeper understanding of the Yamato story. In particular, the TV anime series expands the world of Yamato and complements the background of the film version. In addition, the later film depicts new adventures and battles for Yamato, making it a must-see for fans.

■ Evaluation and recommendation

Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato is a masterpiece that combines a spectacular space setting with a moving human drama. Each character's story, such as Susumu Kodai's growth and sacrifice, Yuki Mori's love and death, and Teresa's love for Earth, touches the hearts of viewers. In addition, the Yamato's wave-motion engine and wave-motion gun add visual impact and enhance the appeal of the work.

This work led the anime movie boom in the late 1970s and maintained the highest audience numbers for about 10 years. Its influence was so great that it has had a major impact on subsequent anime works. In particular, the spectacular battle scenes and moving ending are deeply etched in the hearts of many fans.

The recommended points are as follows:

• A fusion of a spectacular space setting and a moving human drama
• The stories of each character, including Susumu Kodai's growth and sacrifice, Yuki Mori's love and death, and Teresa's love for the Earth.
• Visual impact of Yamato's wave motion engine and wave motion gun
• Historical significance in driving the anime movie boom of the late 1970s
• A huge influence on later anime works

This work is recommended not only for fans of the Space Battleship Yamato series, but for anyone who loves space opera and moving stories. If you want to experience a grand space adventure and a moving human drama, be sure to watch Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato.