Yamato Forever: Reassessing the moving film adaptation of the Space Battleship Yamato series

"Yamato Forever": The epic story and appeal of the Space Battleship Yamato series

■Overview of the work

"Yamato Forever" is the third film in the Space Battleship Yamato series, released on August 2, 1980, and is based on the original story by Leiji Matsumoto and directed by Toshio Masuda. The film depicts a fierce battle between the Earth Defense Force and the Dark Nebula Empire, making it an unforgettable work for fans of the series. At the time of its release, it was distributed by Toei, given the Eirin number 110116, and screened as a long film at 145 minutes.

■ Story

The story begins with a mysterious glowing object landing on Earth from outer space. It is a heavy nucleon bomb that instantly kills human brain cells. Following the bomb, a large fleet from the Dark Nebula Empire attacks Earth, and the planet is occupied in an instant. The crew of Yamato heads to the asteroid Icarus where Yamato is hidden, and launches the ship safely. They then decide to head to the enemy's home planet to stop the explosion.

■Explanation

"Yamato Forever" depicts the epic space battles and human drama that are characteristic of the series, while also introducing a new element, the "warp dimension system." This method allows travel from the Dark Galaxy to the New Galaxy, adding new tension and thrills to the story. In addition to the battle between the Earth Defense Force and the Dark Nebula Empire, the film also depicts the individual dramas and growth of the crew members, deeply moving viewers.

■Cast

The cast of this work features voice actors familiar to fans of the series, such as Toyama Kei as Susumu Kodai, Asagami Yoko as Yuki Mori, Han Keiko as Sasha, Kobayashi Osamu as Captain Yamanami, Nakamura Hideo as Daisuke Shima, Aono Takeshi as Shiro Sanada, Nomura Shinji as Giichi Aihara, Nagai Ichiro as Sado Shuzo, Ogata Kenichi as Analyzer, Hirokawa Taichiro as Mamoru Kodai, Nozawa Nachi as Alphonse, Terada Makoto as Kazan, and Ohira Toru as Skulldart.

■ Main staff

The production of this work brings together many talented people, including the original author Matsumoto Reiji and Nishizaki Yoshinobu, producer and general director Nishizaki Yoshinobu, director and general setting director Matsumoto Reiji, director Masuda Toshio, assistant director Tanahashi Ittoku, screenwriters Masuda Toshio, Yamamoto Hideaki, and Fujikawa Keisuke, storyboard artists Shirato Takeshi and Endo Seiji, SF setting collaborator Toyoda Aritsugu, music director Miyagawa Yasushi, producer Yoshida Tatsu, chief director Katsumata Guji, animation director Udagawa Kazuhiko, animation directors Takahashi Shinya and Kaneda Yoshinori, mechanic designers Tsuji Tadanao and Itabashi Katsumi, character designers Udagawa Kazuhiko, Takahashi Shinya, and Shirato Takeshi. The theme song "Ai yo Sono Made" was written by Aku Yu, composed by Fuse Akira, arranged by Miyagawa Yasushi, and sung by Fuse Akira, further enhancing the impact of the work.

■ Main Characters

Susumu Kodai is a crew member of the Yamato, and gets caught up in a battle on the way to investigate the Mars base. Afterwards, he heads to the asteroid Icarus with the former crew members of the Yamato, and his position on the Yamato is combat team leader. Yuki Mori is Kodai's lover, and is injured in an attack by enemy soldiers when departing Icarus, and is taken prisoner. Sasha is a girl born to Susumu Kodai's older brother Mamoru and the queen of the planet Iscandar, Starcia, and looks just like Yuki Mori. Captain Yamanami becomes the captain of the Yamato when the Dark Nebula Empire attacks, and leads the crew with appropriate combat instructions and instructor-like guidance. Daisuke Shima is Kodai's best friend, and after being attacked by the Imperial fleet, he and his companions board a high-speed escape pod and head for the planet Icarus. After discovering Yamato, he serves as the navigator. Mamoru Kodai is Susumu Kodai's older brother, and after returning from Iscandar, he was assigned to ground duties, but was injured in a battle with the Empire and was taken prisoner. Alphon and Scaldart are military officers of the Dark Nebula Empire, and appear as an intelligence and technical officer and a Holy Commander respectively, adding depth to the story.

■ Related works

"Yamato Forever" is closely related to the TV anime "Space Battleship Yamato 2". "Space Battleship Yamato 2" was produced as a sequel to the Yamato series and depicts the battle between the Earth Defense Force and the Dark Nebula Empire. "Yamato Forever" depicts the story after that and is an important work for understanding the flow of the entire series.

■ Evaluation and impressions

"Yamato Forever" is a work that is highly rated by fans of the series. The fusion of epic space battles and human drama, as well as the introduction of the new technology "Warp Dimension System", gave viewers a fresh surprise and excitement. The luxurious cast and staff also enhance the appeal of the work. In particular, the love drama between Susumu Kodai and Yuki Mori, and Sasha's presence make a strong impression on viewers. Furthermore, the tension and thrills in the battle against the Dark Nebula Empire are unmatched compared to other works in the series.

■ Recommendation points

Here are some reasons why we recommend "Yamato Forever."

• Spectacular space battles : The series' signature spectacular space battles are still present in this installment. The battle against the Dark Nebula Empire gives viewers a sense of tension and thrills.
• Human Drama : The individual dramas of the crew members, such as the love story between Susumu Kodai and Yuki Mori, and Sasha's coming-of-age story, are depicted, deeply moving the viewers.
• New Technology : The introduction of the "Warp Dimension System" adds new tension and thrills to the story. This technology has a unique appeal not seen in other works in the series.
• A star-studded cast and staff : The cast includes voice actors familiar to fans of the series, as well as a talented staff, all of which contribute to the quality of the production.
• Overall flow of the series : "Yamato Forever" is closely related to the TV anime "Space Battleship Yamato 2" and is an important work for understanding the flow of the entire series.

Conclusion

"Yamato Forever" is a must-see for fans of the Space Battleship Yamato series. It has many appealing features, including a fusion of epic space battles and human drama, the introduction of new technology, a stellar cast and crew, and its importance to understanding the overall flow of the series. This work will give viewers strong emotions and thrills, and is definitely worth watching at least once.