Official Report

Published at the official website. See the original post here.

■ Date & Time: Thursday, July 9, 20:55–21:35 (Stage greeting held after the screening)

■ Venue: Shinjuku Piccadilly

■ Speakers: Ayahi Takagaki (as Saki Todo), Arisa Komiya (as Urara Kusakabe), Aya Uchida (as Yuria Hoshina), Harutoshi Fukui (General Director), Naomichi Yamato (Director), Eriko Nakamura (as Mikage Kiryu / Moderator)

L to R: Eriko Nakamura (MC), Aya Uchida (Yuria Hoshino), Arisa Komiya (Urara Kusakabe),
Ayahi Takagaki (Saki Todo), Director Naomichi Yamato, General Director Harutoshi Fukui

Following the screening of the film, the cast members took the stage amidst thunderous applause. Aya Uchida spoke first, greeting the audience: “I was formerly Yuria Misaki, but I have now become Yuria Hoshina [following my marriage]. I’m nervous appearing on stage after such a long time, but I look forward to today’s event.”

Next, Komiya remarked, “The last time I greeted the audience was when the crew of the Ginga first appeared in Yamato 2202. This is my first appearance since Chapter 1 of 3199, so I’m a bit nervous, but I’ll do my best to ensure we all have a wonderful time.”

Takagaki followed up with enthusiasm, saying, “We’re in the second week of the screening run, and we’ve been told not to worry too much about spoilers, so I’m looking forward to having a fun conversation today.”

In fact, the characters voiced by these three women share a common link: they are all associated with the Wave-Motion Experimental Ship Ginga, which plays a pivotal role in Chapter 6. Takagaki was clearly moved, noting, “For Chapter 6, I’d say it was less of a ‘revival’ for Ginga and more of an ‘awakening.’ Seeing it charge forward, shining brilliantly, fueled by the feelings of Deputy Captain Kanzaki, was truly impressive. We didn’t see the full picture during recording, so I was deeply moved when I saw the finished footage.”

Komiya, who had visited the Shinjuku Piccadilly theater the day before to watch the film herself, also shared her thoughts: “Watching it on the big screen is incredibly powerful, and you can really appreciate the fine details of the CG. I was also deeply touched by the audience. When the lights came up after the screening, I saw people reading the program or passionately discussing the movie with friends. Seeing not just the older generation, but also young men in their twenties reading the program with such rapt attention, made me realize just how deeply loved this series is.”

Her words reflected a renewed appreciation for the enduring appeal of Yamato, a work cherished across generations. Regarding this installment, which shifts dramatically from the gentle atmosphere of Chapter 1 into a whirlwind of intense developments, Komiya commented, “In Chapter 1, we had that moment where Kodai-san’s marriage proposal practice was overheard [via the speakers], it was a scene where even Deputy Captain Kanzaki chuckled, but now, in Chapter 6, we’re reaching the climax. As a crew member of Ginga, I felt like I couldn’t afford to blink during the scenes between Deputy Captain Kanzaki and Captain Todo. I approached the recording session with the mindset that I just had to keep up with them. Captain Todo was truly cool.” As she addressed Takagaki, who was sitting beside her, she smiled happily and replied, “Thank you.”

Uchida, who plays Yuria, a character facing a marital crisis in Chapter 6, reflected on her character’s evolution, noting, “When she first appeared, she had that ‘gal’ vibe, saying things like ‘Yeah!’, and you wondered if she was really cut out to be on board Yamato. I feel like she’s really grown into a mature woman since then.”

She recorded her lines alongside Genki Takagi, the voice actor for her husband, Toru Hoshina. “It was great to be able to record while talking with him, worrying about what might happen to the couple on their journey home,” she recalled. “I think they’ll manage to pull through it somehow.”

Chief Director Fukui commented on the recording of that scene, making a surprising admission: “That scene was incredible. Actually, we didn’t need many takes for it. When I heard the tone of her voice, I sensed an explosive release of emotion, a feeling that ‘rational discussion is impossible here.’ The way she delivered lines without inflection reminded me of a voice I’ve heard a few times myself.” His remark drew a burst of laughter from the audience.

Uchida herself reflected deeply on the matter, noting, “From Yuria’s perspective, in the scene where he cries and says, ‘I want you to hold me tight,’ I’d want to tell Hoshina, ‘You really gave it your all, didn’t you?’ But personally, it was Makoto’s scene that really moved me. I was deeply touched by her strength as a mother and the realization that, as a woman, she was truly loved by her husband. I think Yuria wanted to be loved like that, too, and I hope a relationship develops where Yuria comes to love Hoshina deeply in return. We see various types of married couples in the story, but this time, I found myself viewing them in stark contrast to one another.”

Chief Director Fukui also spoke bluntly, drawing laughter from the audience: “Hoshina is the type of guy who’s spent his whole life working hard just to get praised. That’s simply how he was raised. At such a young age, he was told that if the moment came, he had to suppress a rebel force all by himself, that’s hardly normal, is it? I kept wondering why a guy like that would marry Yuria. The reason is actually mentioned in the dialogue in this installment, but ultimately, it’s a narrative that’s convenient for the man. So this time, he really gets a taste of his own medicine, a massive counterattack.”

A major highlight of this work is the strength of its female characters. When the moderator, Nakamura, pointed this out, the audience nodded in agreement. Chief Director Fukui revealed some behind-the-scenes details: “Actually, it’s been that way since Chapter 1. It was the women working hard in the ground units, and the crew of Ginga fighting in space. I didn’t set out to portray it that way intentionally. It just happened naturally as we arranged the characters and roles.” He added, “Works of art are mysterious things. They reflect the spirit of the times. After watching Chapter 1 several times, I finally realized, ‘It’s mostly women doing the fighting, while the men are pretty pathetic.’ Chapter 6 feels like the culmination of all that.” This elicited more laughter from the crowd.

As the event began to draw to a close, Uchida remarked, “There was a scene where Yamato was flying over the Odaiba area, and I almost shouted out in excitement. Seeing Yamato interact with modern society made it feel personal to me. It connected with the current state of the world and the burdens the Yamato crew carries. It gave me the resolve to keep living and striving without losing hope, even when things are tough.”

Komiya added, “It’s a story about human love, of course, but the battle scenes were incredibly cool, too, I’d love to see it in 4DX! Wanting to physically experience Yamato shaking and rattling is the ‘otaku’ in me talking, but I’m just happy to see the Yamato legacy continue so wonderfully.”

Takagaki then commented, “We touched on the theme of strong women earlier. Characters like Makoto and Deputy Captain Kanzaki come to mind, but this time, I really felt the strength of a mother and the intensity of unconditional love. The story depicts the bond between parent and child, and I believe Saki [Todo] herself holds deep feelings regarding motherhood. It’s deeply significant that Ginga was awakened through the choice made by Deputy Captain Kanzaki, a woman Saki looked up to as both a sister and a mother figure, and who served as her emotional anchor. I hope everyone will stay tuned to see how the story unfolds in Chapter 7.”

Finally, Director Yamato shared a message: “We plan to upload footage to YouTube from years ago, showing the location scouting trip I took around Tokyo with Mr. Fukui and the others while preparing for this chapter. I hope you’ll watch it and have a laugh.” With that, the event came to a successful close.

Watch a highlight video here (closed captions and auto-translate ON)

Additional coverage from Mantan Web:

Ayahi Takagaki, Arisa Komiya, and Aya Uchida Appear at Stage Greeting; “Female Strength” Strikes a Chord

See the original post here

When the conversation turned to how Yamato 3199 highlights the “strength of women,” Fukui revealed, “That’s been the case since Chapter 1. It wasn’t necessarily intentional. It just happened naturally as we positioned the characters. Works of fiction are mysterious things, perhaps they simply reflect the times. Watching Chapter 1, I realized just how pathetic the men were.”

Uchida was deeply moved, remarking, “Makoto [Kato] was amazing! Her lines really resonated with me,” a sentiment Takagaki echoed with a nod, adding, “It really struck a chord.”

Regarding the Kato and Hoshina couples, Fukui explained, “What Saburo Kato [Makoto’s husband] did in the past isn’t exactly praiseworthy. But people don’t live just to be praised. Hoshina, on the other hand, worked hard specifically to earn praise. He underwent such intense training, he’s not an ordinary person. I thought about the reasons why he married Yuria, and that became part of the dialogue. It was a story that was too convenient for the man, so he faced a backlash.”

He also highly praised Uchida’s performance as Yuria: “The scene where she delivers the ultimatum to Hoshina was incredible. We didn’t even need multiple takes. Her acting conveyed that any attempt at discussion was futile. The lack of inflection made it truly chilling.”

As Takagaki noted, “I could feel the intensity of a mother’s love and the bond between parent and child.”

Chapter 6 featured many scenes that prompted reflection on the nature of family love. The ending of Chapter 5, “Fierce Galactic War” (released on February 20), generated buzz when the Yamato crossed a space-time node and arrived not in the future, but in Tokyo in the year 2026. Chapter 6 features the life-sized Unicorn Gundam statue in Odaiba, Tokyo.

Fukui commented, “Yamato arrives in the modern day, but there is one difference from our world: it is a world where the anime Space Battleship Yamato does not exist. If the anime existed, people would recognize what the ship is. Yet, Gundam does exist. The creator of Gundam set out to make Gundam specifically to defeat Yamato. Screenwriter Hideki Oka and I wondered, ‘So, how did this Gundam come into existence?’ We concluded that it must have been inspired by the Space Carrier Blue Noah.”

(Read all about Blue Noah here.)

Arisa Komiya: First Space Battleship Yamato stage greeting since 2202; “I want to see Yamato in 4DX!”

See the original post here

Arisa Komiya, who voices Urara Kusakabe, the tactical officer of the Wave-Motion Experimental Ship Ginga, appeared at the event. Noting that this was her first time on stage for a Space Battleship Yamato event since the 2202 series, she remarked, “Urara Kusakabe is returning in Chapter 6 for the first time since Chapter 1, so I’m feeling nervous.”

Reflecting on Chapter 6, Komiya said, “I went to see it in the theater yesterday, and the impact was incredible on the big screen. I was moved by the audience as well; I could feel everyone’s passion. Realizing just how much Yamato is loved brought tears to my eyes.”

She shared her thoughts on the characters, adding, “I was deeply touched by the bond and the intense passion shared between the Captain (Saki Todo) and the Executive Officer (Megumi Kanzaki). Personally, I love those two characters, and their dynamic really moved me.”

In closing, she said, “As a fan myself, I want to see Yamato in 4DX! I suppose that’s just the opinion of a total otaku, though.”

Backstage at the Shinjuku Piccadilly. Photo posted on Twitter by the Yamato Production Committee.

Ayahi Takagaki’s blog

REBEL 3199 Chapter 6 Week 2 Stage Greeting

See the original post here

Good evening, everyone!

Last night, I appeared on stage at Shinjuku Piccadilly for the REBEL 3199 Chapter 6 second-week stage greeting! Since Ginga plays a major role this time, the cast members connected to Ginga gathered together!

It had been a while since I last did a stage greeting for this series, so I was a bit nervous, but having Eriko-san as the MC was so reassuring…!! I also got to chat with Uchida-san and Komiya-chan, and hear valuable stories from the Director Yamato and Chief Director Fukui!

Above all, as the voice of Ginga Captain Saki Todo, I was so happy to speak, touching on scenes from the 2202 era and more, in a space filled with such love and passion for Yamato. Thank you all for watching over us!

Chief Director Fukui’s talk about a timeline representing “a modern world where Yamato was never born” was also incredibly fascinating!

It seems new theater-goer bonus gifts are being distributed starting today! I really want you to experience the heroic figure of Ginga on the big screen! I hope you enjoy the powerful visuals and sound! Please continue to support the series!

I can’t wait for Chapter 7, either. Once it is released, there are things I just have to talk about!!! But first, please make sure to see Chapter 6.

And…regarding what Komiya-chan mentioned, 4DX…I really hope that happens!!!

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