As we passed the halfway point between Chapters 4 and 5, news and announcements streamed in from various corners, fan activity rolled on, and the classics reappeared as we looked toward what will likely be the concluding year for 3199.

December 1: ArtValt update

As the final installment of a behind-the-scenes series on every issue of the Argo Press Star Blazers comic books, this one dug into the unpublished issue 12 and pulled some other rare items out of the vault.

Read the article here

December 4: Yamato perfume

Fragrances have crossed over with anime in the past, so this is not as big a stretch as you might think. On the other hand, how do you assign a scent to anything in this world?

With imagination, that’s how. According to the manufacturer, Fairytail Parfum, Yamato is wood/spicy, Kodai is wood/herbaceous, and Yuki is watery/floral. Click on each name to see their listing at Amazon.co.jp. However, international shipping may not be available.

December 5: REBEL 3199 Chapter 5 teaser

How much information can be packed into 30 seconds? We found out when the second teaser for Chapter 5, The Incandescent Galactic War, premiered out of the blue and gave us scene overload.

Watch it here and read our breakdown here

December 8: Video news

Are you one of the few fans who doesn’t yet have the first two Yamato movies on Blu-ray? Bandai Namco Filmworks is giving you another opportunity to correct that oversight. On January 28 (2026) a set of seven anime films will be reissued in the “Emotion Big Jacket Collection,” including Yamato, Farewell to Yamato, all three Gundam movies, Love Live, and Ghost in the Shell. Bonus features include an 8-page booklet and video extras.

What’s a “big jacket collection”? It’s sort of a throwback in which a regular-size Blu-ray is sold in an LP-size jacket, just over 12″ square. What’s the benefit? Much cooler packaging, that’s what. Another set is scheduled to be released in February, including The New Voyage, Be Forever, and Final Yamato.

Order Space Battleship Yamato: Amazon.jp | CDJapan

Order Farewell to Yamato: Amazon.jp | CDJapan

See more info at Bandai’s V-Storage website here

December 8: Michio Murakawa on Bluesky

Manga/animation artist Michio Murakawa posted this customized version of the Symphonic Suite LP jacket with the following caption:

This weekend! Sneaking out of work to be on stage in Kamata. Even though it’s called DJ’ing, I can’t handle a DJ controller, so it’ll be more like playing pre-edited audio sources.

The soundtrack is from The New Voyage. This was created by deconstructing and rearranging tracks using multiple pieces from the work, aiming to discover new charms in music familiar to the ear as a soundtrack. Titled Symphonic Suite 1979.

This is a reworked version of audio I created for Koshigaya FM’s soundtrack program 2D Music Hall, revising the timing and other aspects specifically for Soundtrack Pub. It’s always a sold-out event, and since I usually attend as an audience member, I’m nervous!

See the post on Bluesky here

December 10: Anime World Star on Twitter

We’ve talked about Anime World Star in these reports before; they’re a boutique licensor of anime goods, and they’ve been on board with Yamato for decades. They reminded everyone of this with a Twitter post that takes you to their website here.

If you see something you like, you can use ZenMarket to ship it internationally, so start shopping!

December 13: Manpa blog

How does the live-action Yamato movie hold up 15 years after its premiere? A blogger named Manpa investigated this question in an attempt to analyze why the film was so divisive.

Read their conclusions here

December 14: Amazing Shopping Street 11

Unparalleled shopping opportunities abound in Japan, and one of those is called Amazing Shopping Street. The 11th version of this event took place at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center, where various artisans assembled to sell unusual items. The soft vinyl figures above left were created by soft vinyl artist Migupiro. Also available: many of the items created for the 50th Anniversary Exhibitions by company called Tristar.

This was only the tip of the iceberg; see many more items from the event on Twitter here.

December 14: DD3199 Memories blog

You know what’s cool? When a shadowy memory from the past suddenly emerges into full sunlight and you realize you weren’t crazy after all. That’s the discovery this blogger made with regard to the original (1974) Yamato novelization, which delivered a very different version of the story.

Read this blog entry here

December 16: Exhibition news

Today, the location was announced for the third 50th Anniversary Exhibition: Marui City department store in Yokohama. Advance tickets went on sale for the tenure of the event, January 2-13. Hideaki Anno’s illustrated acrylic stand was offered as a bonus item with premium tickets, but everyone who entered would get a free bookmark.

New artifacts were added to the exhibition and new merch was added to the exhibition store, so there were ample reasons to see it all again. It closed shortly before this report was posted, but plenty of fans brought their cameras, so look forward to coverage next month.

December 17: TV news

End-of-year Yamato marathon? Yes, please! Japan’s on-demand streaming service WOWOW was ready to fulfill this request, announcing that access would begin on the 21st.

December 18: Anison Premium Live, Osaka

Isao Sasaki and his fellow anime theme legends are still at it, this time teaming up for action at Osaka’s Shin Kabukiza theater. Afterward, a fan with the Twitter handle TakenobuYamato posted this thought: “Hearing Space Battleship Yamato live with the full chorus led by Isao Sasaki was a delightful experience! Savoring the afterglow, I’m heading home while listening to the Yamato soundtrack.”

December 19: EPOS card announced

Yamato wasn’t the first anime property to appear on a credit card, but it was only a matter of time. Today the EPOS company announced that applications would open on the 23rd with no entry fees, and that 0.1% of points earned would be donated to ATAC (Anime & Tokusatsu Archive Centre). Also, an acrylic print (shown at right) was offered as an incentive for anyone to switch their previous card over to the Yamato version.

See the official website here

December 21: First TV series on WOWOW

To Iscandar and back in one day! The voyage went around the clock, starting at 9am and ending at 10pm. Truly a day well spent. And more was to come.

December 23: Official Tweet

If you took a look at our breakdown for the Chapter 5 teaser released earlier in the month, you’ve already had a look at…whatever this is. We’re definitely crossing a line into uncharted territory here, and the official Yamato website shone some light on it.

These images were posted here with the following text:

We announce that sculptor Takayuki Taketani is participating as the ‘Special Effects Artist’ for the REBEL 3199 series. Taketani has participated in numerous visual works, primarily tokusatsu, including director Keita Amemiya’s works such as GARO, the Kamen Rider series, and Shin Godzilla. He has also created diverse sculptural works, including toys and garage kits.

We are also unveiling the designs created by Taketani, marking his first participation in the Yamato series, which will appear starting from Chapter 5.

December 24: Chapter 4 Blu-ray standard edition

The standard edition of Chapter 4 arrived in stores today, and became available through online sources. Those who watched closely could get different bonus items depending on where they purchased their copy.

Clear blue Balmes Mecha Collection model kit, bonus from the Yamato Crew website.

Fascimile voice recording scripts from each episode, another bonus from the Yamato Crew website.

Left: postcard by Michio Murakawa (yet another Yamato Crew bonus). Center: art print of sleeve illustration, A-on Store.
Right: art print of Kia Asamiya’s teaser poster, bonus from Sofmap.

Left: story image prints, Rakuten. Right: Sasha art print, Joshin Diskpia.

Shalbart battleship art print or acrylic stand, Amazon.co.jp. (This is the only version readily available to overseas customers.)

Order the Blu-ray from Amazon.co.jp here or CD Japan here

December 24: Animage Plus interview

Adding another conversation to the Chapter 4 collection, Dessler’s voice actor Koichi Yamadera set a new goal for himself: “I want to master 100 different ways to say “Hmf.”

Read the interview here

See the entire Chapter 4 interview collection here

December 24: Forbes Japan interview

There are only two directors in Japan (and the world by extension) who have worked in the worlds of both Godzilla and Yamato: Takeshi Yamazaki and Hideaki Anno. What do you suppose they have to say about their shared experiences, and the current state of the entertainment world? Forbes Japan got them together for a “movers and shakers” issue in December, and published the entire Yamazaki/Anno conversation online.

Read it here

December 24: Yuki birthday goods announced

Did you know that December 24 is the canonical birthday of Yuki Mori? Did you also know that the Yamato Production Committee celebrated by announcing a new slate of Yuki Mori birthday products? Both are true; preorders opened for a Yuki-themed lineup, to ship out in April 2026.

See them all here

December 24: Hobby Japan Web

On this day, Hobby Japan‘s website reprinted Yamato Mechanics Part 14, an overview of the UX-01 Dimensional Submarine, presented in issue #679.

Read it here

December 25: Hobby Japan #680

The latest issue of the magazine (dated Feb 2026) brought us Yamato Mechanics Part 15, profiling the upgraded Dimensional Submarine Zerandal.

One page away was the final installment of a series on the building of the original Mecha Collection model kits.

Read both articles here

December 26: Exhibition products announced

Marui City, the department store that will host the upcoming anniversary exhibition in Yokohama, released images of the products that will be sold during the event, which includes a few new items.

Get a better look at all of them here

December 26: Dessler vinyl figure preorders open

Artisan Toy, a company we learned about when their products appeared at the first 50th anniversary exhibition, announced general sales of their Dessler figure on this day, to ship in April.

See more photos here

Visit the official website here; the Worldshopping service provides shipping to international customers

December 27 & 28: Movies on WOWOW

Over two days, you could watch the entire Yamato movie catalog with the first three on the 27th (the first two were 4K remasters), and the other three on the 28th. All of the Yamato programming on WOWOW was scheduled to repeat in January.

December 28: Yamato Days blog

This blogger focused like a laser on the alien creature we briefly glimpsed in the teaser and worked out an elaborate theory for what it could represent.

Read the blog post here

December 28: Exhibition prep

It was beginning to look a lot like Yamato at Marui City, Yokohama. Superfan S. Meijin posted these photos on Twitter with the following caption:

Space Battleship Yamato Complete Records Exhibition Yokohama. Five days left until it opens. Just 5 days! Preparations are steadily underway.

December 30: ATAC on Twitter

The Anime Tokusatsu Archive Centre, curator of the anniversary exhibition, posted three tantalizing photos during the prep phase.

Setup is going smoothly at the Space Battleship Yamato Complete Records Exhibition, Yokohama venue.

Added newly-unveiled display items such as storyboards, original drawings, art boards, and more! Please come visit Marui City Yokohama, January 2-13, 2026.

December 30: Comiket 107

The world’s biggest comics-related event happened again when thousands of fans gathered at Tokyo Big Site. Kiyo Club was the most visible Yamato-centered fan circle on hand with a new doujinshi release.

They offered the latest issue of YCE (Yamato Crew Everyday), an ongoing art jam-zine, with a bonus Sasha postcard.

Not far away, you could find three new issues of the illustrated mecha series Galaxy Navy.

Another seller with the penname Kokomama offered their own products, and a few on consignment. Get a better look at them here.

Photos posted on Twitter by NEO@GON

But the bigger story of the day was a new book from Character Designer Nobuteru Yuuki, filled with his design and animation art from Ark of the Stars. This was his first new collection in six years, and the entire supply sold out in the first half hour.

Photo at left posted on Twitter by cosplayer hikonasakemuyou. At right: Happy New Year message from Nobuteru Yuuki himself.

Yuuki himself was on hand to watch them go, and announced on Twitter that an additional 100 copies would be sold through Yamato Crew sometime in 2026. Chances are good they’ll vanish with equal velocity.

December 31: Tristar on Twitter

Tristar Corp., whose acrylic products earned well-earned attention at the first two anniversary exhibitions, called special attention to their newest one with this caption:

Yamato‘s iconic “Wave-Motion Gun firing” moment brought to life in a dynamic diorama! Compact yet impactful, it lets you immerse yourself in the world of the series.

See the original post here

December 31: Twitter campaign

As the year eased to an end, the Yamato Production Committee offered a new way to mark the occasion. They posted the image at left as a transparent PNG with the following caption:

To celebrate the new year, we’re distributing this “Yamato flying in the sky” frame. We’re also running a present campaign. Among those who post images using this frame with the “#ヤマト2026” by midnight January 15, we’ll draw 3 winners to receive a REBEL 3199 Chapter 4 poster as a gift, signed by the cast.

A couple days later, they added the image at right, with Yamato drifting over the Shinjuku Piccadilly theater in Tokyo.

See many, many other entries here

December 31: New Year’s Eve concert

Akira Miyagawa has made an annual tradition of conducting a New Year’s Eve concert in the afternoon of December 31, and Yamato music is always included. The event was named Super! Sylvester Concert 2025/2026, and it was performed at Sumida Triphony Hall, Tokyo.

Left: photo posted on Twitter by newjapanphil. On either side of Akira Miyagawa are his daughter Chiko and the singer Aki Miyakawa.

This time, he led the New Japan Philharmonic through various pieces, including one from 2205, and two tracks from the classic Symphonic Suite Yamato: Overture and Birth. In observation of this, a fan artist with the Twitter name Girigiri_yukka posted the art at right. In a just world, it would become a CD cover for this performance.