Elsewhere in this section of Cosmo DNA you can find complete commentaries on the first Yamato TV series: this set by American viewers and this set by O.G. superfan Ryusuke Hikawa. Both provide different observations, story notes, and production trivia. Presented here is another commentary that stakes out its own perspective, coming from a Japanese blogger who goes by the online handle “Kenanime2026.”
He began posting his commentaries in January 2026, quickly earning attention for reasons that should become obvious. They are being presented in English with his enthusiastic permission. Keep an eye on this page as more are added.
About the Author:
Living in Sapporo. Born in 1964. Former engineer who worked at an oil plant for over 30 years. As a member of the generation that watched Space Battleship Yamato in real time when it was broadcast in the Showa era, he writes anime reviews from the perspectives of both technical depiction and human drama. He struggles to navigate between the two worlds of clumsy humans and AI.
Visit his blog here | Find a welcome page here | Visit his Twitter page here
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INTRODUCTION
Nice to meet you, or good evening. My name is Kenichi (Ken). For those of you curious enough to ask, “Who exactly am I?” let me tell you a little about myself today.
I was born in 1964. I worked a steady job as an engineer in the oil industry for many years, but now I’ve retired and am writing this while resting and recovering from my broken body. My wife passed away (or maybe she just gave up on me), and now I live with my mother and sister in a rundown apartment in Sapporo’s Higashi Ward (in Hokkaido). The only person I can talk to is our increasingly important budgie, Pii-chan (lol).
So why am I typing away at this keyboard now?
To be honest, I was probably a little anxious. Now that I’m over 60, the world is changing at an incredible pace. With terms like “digital native” being thrown around all the time, I was driven by a stubborn desire not to be left behind and not wanting it to end yet.
So I turned to something called “generative AI.”
At first, I was taken aback. “Wow, they can even do this?” AI never complains, never show signs of fatigue, and provides answers instantly. But, as I talk to it every night, I suddenly think to myself, “Your writing lacks life.”
It’s neat, but there’s no pain. There’s no warmth. The pain in my back after shoveling snow, or the night I cried to that song on the late-night radio, AI only knows it as data.
So I decided: “I want to be a writer who can master this excellent assistant called AI while breathing in the warmth of a human (me).”
Facing a Showa-Era Masterpiece in the Snowy Landscape of Sapporo
Why discuss an anime from 50 years ago now? It’s because the universal theme of this work, “rising from the depths of despair,” resonates deeply with us living in the Reiwa era. Beyond a simple anime review, this offers hints on how to overcome life’s challenges. I would like to fully discuss the appeal of Yamato, including my perspective as a former engineer.