2026 got off to a flying start as the final month before the premiere of Chapter 5 rolled by with the third 50th Anniversary Exhibition, pre-release coverage, product announcements, live events, and a continuing surge of online activity to keep the ship in the air.
January 1: Chapter 5 promotion
The year started in the best way possible, with a huge wave of promotion for Chapter 5, titled The Incandescent Galactic War. It was heralded by a new flyer (above) that turned up in theater lobbies across Japan. The text reads as follows:
FRONT
A fierce battle with a giant fortress, the secrets of Dezarium are gradually revealed. And–
In the last minute, everything changes.
BACK
Everything Changes.
The force that freezes this universe —
The moment of confrontation with the “Witch of Uralia” is drawing near.
The true identity of the “Witch” — the intermediate supply base Digabelas, lurking in the dark reaches of space. What is the relationship between Dezarium and the “Witch of Uralia”?
In the absolute disadvantage of a “frozen universe,” against a giant fortress that even renders the Wave-Motion Gun ineffective, Yamato and the combined fleet of Galman-Garmillas are forced into a desperate struggle.
Amidst this, Alphon reappears before Kodai. Guided by the bond of Yuki, yet believing in different futures, what truth about Digabelas will these two incompatible individuals witness—!?
Meanwhile, on Earth, which has fallen under the spell of Mother Dezarium, people are willingly accepting “Dezariumization.”
There is no time to lose. Seeking the answers to all the mysteries —
A shocking conclusion awaits Yamato as it plunges into unknown space!!
This moment brought with it a new push to sell advance tickets. They came in the form of vouchers to be cashed in later, and the vouchers for Chapter 5 came with a choice of two images. Buying one would also get you a poster version of the new flyer; see the art without text at the end of this page.
But the best form of promotion is always a fresh new trailer, and this one packed more scenes into one minute than any we’ve seen before. Click here to see it on Youtube and read our all-points breakdown.
January 1: ATAC on Twitter
The Anime Tokusatsu Archive Centre was just one day away from opening the doors on the 50th Anniversary Exhibition for the third time when they posted this photo on Twitter with the following caption:
Yokohama, the Space Battleship Yamato Complete Records Exhibition has returned! With newly-added, previously-unreleased materials, it will finally open tomorrow at Marui City Yokohama. Please come visit the exhibition at the start of the new year.
The photo depicted some of the new artifacts on display; storyboards and a screenplay from the final TV episode of Series 1.
January 1: ArtValt update
With eyes turned to the remake version of Be Forever Yamato, Tim Eldred (the guy writing these words) posted the final article in a series on the making of the Argo Press comic books back in the 1990s. The subject this time was the unpublished issue 12 and a couple of very rare spinoffs, plus the definitive story on why the series ended prematurely.
Read the article here
January 2: 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Yokohama
This was the third edition of the event, held from January 2-13 at Marui City department store in Yokohama. Those who had seen the first two in Tokyo and Osaka were lured back by the promise of new artifacts and new merch in the souvenir shop. And, of course, they brought their cameras along.
See a photo gallery of the Yokohama exhibition here
January 3: Arabic Captain Harlock
Speaking of artifacts, an unexpected treasure was revealed on Twitter, shared by an account named “Gundam Saudi.” It was an original Captain Harlock comic album, published in Arabic, that happened to include Yamato. In fact, it was essentially a reversal of their encounter in Leiji Matsumoto’s 1974/75 manga.
Several pages were posted with the following explanation:
In this comic, Captain Harlock’s spaceship Arcadia encounters the Space Battleship Yamato. Yamato is unmanned like a ghost ship, but there is a hologram of Captain Okita, writing a warning message to the Prime Minister of Earth. “To the Prime Minister – it’s coming, be careful! The merciless Mazone.”
See the photos at the Twitter post here
January 5: Studio Khara on Twitter
Get used to hearing the name Studio Khara this year, because that’s where the next Yamato anime project is coming from. They posted a photo of their company logo with this caption:
Today marks the start of our work year, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Studio Khara’s founding. We will be working hard on new projects this year, including the new Yamato. (According to our company president)
The company president is, of course, Hideaki Anno. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.
January 5: Siena Wind Orchestra Concert
The first concert of the year to include live Yamato music happened at Suntory Hall in Tokyo. Alongside selections from Bernstein, Bach, Final Fantasy, The Lion King, and others, they performed the first two pieces from Hiroshi Miyagawa’s 4-part Yamato Suite.
See a commercial for the concert on Youtube here
January 7: Kia Asamiya on Twitter
What’s the story behind this eye-grabber? If you read last month’s report you already know, but here’s Kia Asamiya’s description:
I checked the color for the REBEL 3199 soundtrack jacket. Every Wednesday, I go to Bandai to serve as an instructor for new animators, and it’s great that being there gives me the advantage of handling tasks like this quickly. It’s finally coming out on February 20th! Thank you for your support.
See his Twitter post here
Order the soundtrack from Amazon.co.jp here or CD Japan here
January 8: Ryusuke Hikawa on Twitter
The reopening of the anniversary exhibition inspired a new post from its greatest benefactor:
At the Yamato exhibition, there’s a ceiling missile background from Gamilas. You can see that the paint is peeling here, right? That’s because it wasn’t made by pasting cut-out paper onto a cel, but rather by directly painting the background onto the cel. I remember half a century ago, I brought one home, but it started peeling off in pieces, and I was so upset.
This is where the value of primary source materials lies, I suppose. But I need to explain and articulate this myself.
See the original post (with a second photo) here
January 9: Chapter 5 Blu-ray art revealed
Another sign of Yamato season: we get our first look at Blu-ray art by Character Designer Nobuteru Yuuki. At left is the sleeve art capturing the faceoff between Alphon and Kodai in the midst of battle. At right is the cover for the storyboard booklet that will come with the limited edition Blu-ray sold in theaters and online.
January 10: 1/1000 Ginga reissue
She’s back! Bandai released the 3199 version of Ginga with spectacular box art by Kia Asamiya.
The kit is essentially unchanged from the 2202 version, but this new edition comes with “energy beam” parts that fit onto the tips of the main gun turrets. A blue-tinted dome is also offered as an alternate to the clear dome.
See a photo record of the build at Hobby Watch here
January 11: HOBAS exhibition
The Hokkaido Battleship Yamato Association got together at the Chi-Ka-Ho Model Exhibition in northern Japan to bring their latest works into the public eye.
See a photo gallery here
January 11: Yamato Kouza [Lecture] 25
At Naked Loft Yokohama, just ten minutes away from the Anniversary Exhibition, fans assembled for the 25th time to discuss Yamato topics. This one focused on model kits with a plamo maker (Yasuhiro Takenaka), a garage kit maker (Soy-ya!!), manga artist Michio Murakawa, and MC Osamu Kobayashi.
Photos posted on Twitter by TOM2199
Superfan TOM2199 attended and had this to say about it on Twitter:
The talk on infinitely cool plastic models and garage kits was a joy. It’s heartening that production has become easier than before, widening the reach. But still, if you skimp on the handiwork, you won’t be able to move on to the next step. Nodding along so hard that even a surgeon could lose it. There were topics that had my weeping with joy…total satisfaction.
January 11: Yasuhiro Fujiwara on Twitter
Cool Guy Alert! You may not have seen him before, but you’ve heard him. Yasuhiro Fujiwara is the voice of Talan, our second favorite Garmillan. And more than just providing Talan’s voice, he also provides Talan’s insight. Today he wrote a lengthy and thoughtful post titled “Looking back at Chapters 1-3 through Talan’s eyes.”
What did he have to say? Click here to find out.
Follow Fujiwara on Twitter here or Facebook here. Visit his official website here.
January 13: Studio Khara on Twitter
Today’s post:
The Space Battleship Yamato Complete Records Exhibition has concluded at Marui City Yokohama. Thank you for the many visitors during the exhibition period. And the Complete Records Exhibition will now set sail for the next venue!!
Scheduled for Spring 2026 in Kyushu’s Hakata! Details will be announced on the anniversary website and Twitter. Stay tuned. Full speed ahead toward Hakata!
January 13: Nobuteru Yuuki doujinshi on sale
This must be a record of some kind. In the last report, we learned that a new Yamato doujinshi, featuring Nobuteru Yuuki’s work on Ark of the Stars, sold out at the 2025 Winter Comiket in less than half an hour. Afterward, it was announced that a limited number of copies (100) would be offered on the Yamato Crew website.
That offer opened up on this day, and the entire batch sold out in less than ONE MINUTE.
Yuuki’s Twitter account had this to say about it:
We received a report from Yamato Crew that it sold out in a much shorter time than anticipated. We sincerely apologize to everyone who was unable to make a purchase. Contrary to our desire to have as many people as possible get their hands on it, we deeply regret that we could not meet your expectations.
The voices and feedback from all of you are being received with great care as we consider future production and rollout plans. Thank you very much for this occasion.
Photos posted on Twitter by Osamu Kobayashi and Edakio
January 19: Preview reactions
Chapter 5’s post-production was completed in time for a private screening attended by crew members and friends of the production. While keeping clear of spoiler territory, some of them shared their impressions on Twitter…
I went to the invite-only screening for Chapter 5. The catchphrase was “the last minute…” but for me it started with a “Hmm?” right from the opening, followed by a nonstop string of “Oh?” and “Whoah!” And even after the final minute, there was another “Oh!?” in store. Release date is 2/20. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just getting into it lately, look forward to it!
Kio “Edakio” Edamatsu (animator):
Even though I had already read the script and storyboards for work, the film still kept me on the edge of my seat, giving me chills and heartwarming moments. I hope you’ll all witness the unfolding of this intense story with your own eyes. In the shots where I was responsible for the mechanical animation, I finally felt confident in drawing the cockpit of the disc-shaped fighter Alctea. I had been fumbling around quite a bit until this chapter, trying to accurately depict the subtle lines of the design created with unknown technology, but I think I finally got it right.
Photo posted on Twitter by Yasuhiro Fujiwara
Chapter 5 opens on February 20th. I contributed to the prop design, mechanical animation direction, and art settings. Thank you for your support.
Yasuhiro Fujiwara (Voice Actor, Talan):
After the very first preview screening of Chapter 5, I had the honor of joining a gathering with Director Yamato, Chief Director Fukui, and all the staff who created this work. Honestly, I was quite nervous. But more than that, I was overjoyed above all else to have shared this time as a member of the project.
We talked about the work, the characters, and the “final minute.” Because we’ve sailed this far together, I’m just profoundly grateful that moment existed. And then, learning that both Mr. Fukui and Mr. Yamato had seen my “Talan’s Perspective” post…I’m just humbled and overwhelmed with gratitude. I’m glad we talked together. I felt renewed pride in this role and this work. And that’s the honest truth.
Now, just a little hint. Seriously, that last minute. It changes everything. Shock. Awe. I can say this. No, I can’t not say it. Everyone, brace yourselves and look forward to Chapter 5.
The photo shows, from left: Mr. Fukui, myself, Mr. Yamato, and Genki Takagi
January 21: Anime World Star on Twitter
Anime World Star is a specialty shop that has been selling licensed Yamato products for many years, and participates as a vendor in the Anniversary Exhibitions. Today, they started promoting new Yamato goods for 2026.
See a gallery here
If you see something you like, visit their online shop here; they ship to worldwide customers via the proxy service ZenMarket!
January 22: Hobby Japan Web
The online version of Hobby Japan magazine posted Yamato Mechanics Part 15, a profile of the Dimensional Submarine Zerandal.
Read the article here
January 23: Hobby Japan #681
The HJWeb post is always a reliable signal that the next issue of the magazine is about to hit; this one contained Yamato Mechanics Part 16, which focused on the Type 99 Cosmo Falcon.
Read the article here
January 23: Chapter 5 preview screening
Four days after the private crew screening, fans who grabbed advance tickets became the first to see Chapter 5 and the stage greeting that followed. This one included Dessler’s voice actor Koichi Yamadera, who talked about the evolution of his character and the mind-blowing line he got to say this time out.
Read all about it here
Photo posted on Twitter by AzaviaE235
The fans had plenty to add to what we heard after the private crew screening…
popoki_cat: It was an incandscent!!! Galactic!!! War!!! Super hot!
TOM2199: Man, what can I say, I just watched something absolutely mind-blowing. I think this every time, but isn’t this just 4 episodes’ worth? It felt so dense, like I’d been watching for six hours straight.
k_rangiku: “The last minute changes everything” is not a lie. It’s not an exaggeration either. In the last minute, the trembling wouldn’t stop. My brain glitched. To those who will watch it: all hands, brace for shock and protect against flash!
AzaviaE235: It had such an intense storyline packed with plenty of surprises that I got completely immersed in the world, forgetting to even blink as I watched in rapt attention. Director Yamato says the key points to watch for are the scattered homages to the original work!
Chapter 5 is really packed with so much stuff, and I want to talk about it, but I can’t because it’d be a spoiler. What I can say right now is…the shocking finale of Chapter 5 is truly shocking in so many ways. And then, after the end title, the preview [for Chapter 6] was shocking, too.
tarehocchan: It was insanely good! The animation quality of the battle scenes is insane! All the tributes to the original! Shocking ending! No-way, Jiro-kun!! The teaser for Chapter 6 is way too ominous! I want to see the continuation so badly!!
Indy2205: I was completely captivated by the powerful battle scenes, the thrilling developments, and the human drama. There’s so much information packed in, it’s the kind of movie that makes you want to watch it again and again. I’m already curious about Chapter 6. Looking forward to the February 20 release!
January 28: “Big Jacket Collection” Blu-rays
Bandai Emotion released the first two of the five original Yamato films in a special deluxe format called “Big Jacket Collection.” They contain the same Blu-rays released in 2024, the 4K upgrades of Space Battleship Yamato and Farewell to Yamato, now in an LP-size package.
Kia Asamiya posted these photos on Twitter, saying that Bandai had sent him courtesy copies. He said, “At first I was like, Laser Disc?!”
Space Battleship Yamato Amazon.co.jp | CD Japan
Farewell to Yamato Amazon.co.jp | CD Japan
The New Voyage Amazon.co.jp | CD Japan
Be Forever Yamato Amazon.co.jp | CD Japan
Final Yamato Amazon.co.jp | CD Japan
January 30: A-on popup store
When 3199 Chapter 4 was released last October, it happened to coincide with the canonical birthday of Sasha. This prompted the home office to generate a batch of commemorative products with custom artwork that were promoted for release in January 2026. Hey, that’s now!
Bandai Namco has its own section of the A-on Store in Japan, and that’s the first place you could actually walk up and buy the Sasha birthday products. Does it seem a little late? Not if you’re prepping for October 2026.
See the product lineup here
January 30: Odin, Photon Sailor Starlight Blu-ray
Forever adjacent to the Yamato saga is this unsuccessful experiment by Producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki to re-bottle the lightning. Initially conceived as a year-long NHK anime series (12 1-hour episodes), funding challenges forced Odin to be downsized into a feature film instead. It got a theatrical release with all the trimmings in 1985, but failed to capture Yamato-size support.
Video releases for Odin in Japan stalled after VHS, VHD, and LD. The first DVD was an American release in 1992, and a Japanese DVD didn’t appear until 2003. This 2-disc Blu-ray set from Kinematics finally took the next step 26 years later.
However, owing to what must be a lack of pristine materials, this version is an upscale rather than a remaster. Fan reviews cite low picture quality that isn’t much better than a VHS tape. On the other hand, the second disc is a DVD containing a rare gem indeed, a 1985 making-of documentary called Birth of Starlight (only ever released on VHS and almost impossible to find now).
Order the Blu-ray from Amazon.co.jp here
Read more about Odin here
January 31: Yokohama Modeler’s Club exhibition 2026
This annual gathering took place at the Industrial Trade Hall Marineria in Yokohama. A very long table display was set up to contain as many Yamato models as possible, maybe the most ever seen in one place, from old favorites to a few unexpected surprises.
See it all from end to end here
Also spotted in January
Classic Yamato on WOWOW TV
This satellite network concluded its December cycle with Be Forever, Final Yamato, and Resurrection all airing on January 4, then started the cycle over again with another marathon of Series 1 beginning January 29.
Fan art
It’s hard to believe, but the fan art bucket just keeps slopping over with riches. January gave us some real gems, especially on the mecha side.
See the character gallery here and mecha gallery here
Fan models
The model kits posted online in January ran the gamut with something for everyone, from classic to augmented to eclectic . And there was a LOT of it.
See them here: Gallery A (Earth part 1) | Gallery B (Earth part 2) | Gallery C (everyone else)
Shinya Takahashi auctions
The character designer from Be Forever onward released a new set of sketches for online auction in January.
See them all here
Michio Murakawa on Bluesky
Murakawa shared recent thoughts from his vantage point inside Yamato world, including the very welcome news that Yamaket will soon return to life.
Read his latest comments here
Hoshi Suzu blogs
In January, fan blogger Hoshi Suzu reacted to the Chapter 5 trailer very positively and speculated himself all the way into a conviction that REBEL 3199 is the very best Yamato story ever made.
Read his January blogs here
Star Blazers review
New voices are always welcome in the chorus, and in January a Youtuber named Linkara took a look at the first three episodes of Star Blazers in his series Atop the Fourth Wall.
Watch his half-hour analysis here
Keeping score
A Twitter account with the name Maad@Anime Info posted a running tally of the longest anime films ever made. Final Yamato held the crown for many years, but now it ranks a close second on the list:
5) Demon Slayer, Mugen Castle Arc – 2:35
4) Evangelion 3.0 – 2:35
3) The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya – 2:44
4) Space Battleship Yamato Final Chapter – 2:45
1) In This Corner (and Other Corners) of the World – 2:48
Yamato fan Ragunso made the following observation:
It seems that if it exceeds two hours, there’s an additional cost for the overrun screening time (a penalty)…and this was back in the era when anime hadn’t even established its status for theatrical releases yet. But Producer Nishizaki went ahead and released Farewell to Yamato at 2 hours and 32 minutes like it was no big deal, leaving even Haruki Kadokawa himself to say, “I can’t imitate that.”
As chronicled elsewhere on Cosmo DNA, Kadokawa was a media mogul who had a friendly rivalry with Nishizaki. In May 1983, that rivalry came to a head when he released his first anime feature film Genma Taisen (Harmagedon) with a run time of 2 hours and 15 minutes. He wanted very much to imitate Yamato‘s success, but a movie that ran in excess of 2 hours was as close as he could get.
Yamatunes for January
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Shinjuku Piccadilly Theater, photo posted on Twitter by TOM2199
What’s Next
Back on the big screen, baby! The premiere of REBEL 3199 Chapter 5 brings another wave of pure Yamato bliss with new anime, interviews, merch, and fan activity. We’ll wrestle it all to the ground in Report 27 next month! Until then, follow our Facebook page for daily posts and breaking news!
And if you still have an appetite for news, check out the latest Vintage Report, which takes us into the afterglow of Final Yamato and the birth of anime on home video. Click here and be transported back to spring 1983!
Cosmo DNA writer/editor Tim Eldred here, inviting you to a party that’s just one click away. If you’ve enjoyed this website and my various Star Blazers comics, it’s my duty to tell you that they represent only a fraction of a career that spans more than 40 years. ARTVALT is where I open my archives and roll out all sorts of weird and cool things ranging from unknown to world famous! New updates happen on the first of every month!
And HEADS UP: a brand new sci-fi webcomic titled The Last Blue Eagle is underway! Chapter 5 was posted November 1st and is ready for you read RIGHT NOW! Click here to join the fun! (No paywall.)
Great stuff Tim! We’re 5 days away from Chapter 5 being released and idk when it’ll be released on Crunchyroll because I remember this past October, Chapter 4 was released exactly a week after it was released in theaters in Japan and the previous were released like on the exact day or a few days after. Just saying. It’s crazy that the way how Sasha Iscandar is been giving all of the special treatments in terms of official arts, merchandise, promotions etc which makes sense but Akira used to have that treatment back then during the 2199, 2202 and even to a lesser degree, 2205 era. With all the stuff I’ve seen in 3199, I’m no longer paranoid because I’m coming to my conclusion that it looks like Akira and Melda WILL survive 3199 and Beyond. Have a good day Tim. Keep up the good work.