First mounted in March 2025, the exhibition opened for the fifth time at a Marui department store in Ebina, Japan (about 50km south of Tokyo). It’s always been a free-photo zone, so Japanese fans have been especially generous in sharing the experience on social media.
For now, we’ll do a photo walk-through of the Ebina version. In the next update, we’ll take a closer look at what it had to offer.
The first signal that we’re getting close appears right after we get off the train in – no kidding – Yamato station. The exhibition is happening at the Marui Ebina event space.
Outside the store; “MARU” means “circle,” and the number 1 looks like “I”, so the store name is rendered as OIOI.
As we close in, we know we’re in the right place.
Hey, there’s a good sign. Waka waka.
The event space beckons with a big video wall near the entrance.
Step in a turn right, and there’s everything we came for.
Just past Okita on the right is a wall with Hideaki Anno’s welcome message, original art, and art prints for sale.
Then we enter the first section, titled “The Birth.” This contains a wealth of concept and preproduction materials.
We step around a corner into “Take Off,” which contains production materials from the first five TV episodes.
Finishing that section, let’s turn around and get our bearings…
…then continue backward into a new area.
When we turn around, we see an art space dedicated to illustrator Kenji Tsuruta, who lent his work to images for merchandising and created a new one in a live-drawing session on July 11.
Coming around the corner, we see another illustration of his on the left…
…which guides us into the next section of the exhibition.
This area is called “Trial.” Episodes 6-9 are collected on the right, episodes 10-13 are on the left.
As we make our way down the right wall…
…we turn right to see “Trial” continue through Episode 18. At Episode 19, the title switches to “Fierce Battle” and takes us through Episode 22 at the left.
Just on the other side is the start of the final section, titled “To Victory.” Here we see materials from Episode 23 on the left…
…and Episode 24 on the right.
Hang a left, and we’re greeted by the handsome “Cut Model” built for public events like this one back in 1978.
Here we find some new artifacts that appeared for the first time in Ebina, blueprints and construction drawings created for the Cut Model when it was built.
Just past the model space, we reach Episode 25…
…and finally Episode 26.
Captain Okita thanks us as we exit the space.
Then we turn right to see the exit foyer.
On the right, the famous Yamato flyaway scene guides us along…
…taking us to the autograph boards that have been accumulating since the first exhibition. These are the signatures and sketches of people who were either involved with production, organized the exhibition, or are in some other way associated with anime and manga.
Roll credits.
One more attraction: an island containing the historical displays and Yamato store.
There are two wall panels showing Yamato history; this is the second panel.
Finally, you-know-who directs us to empty our wallets.
This set of shelves holds the new merchandise illustrated by Kenji Tsuruta.
Special thanks to the fans in Japan who posted these pics. They are too numerous to mention, but substantial photo collections can be found at these links:
Space Battleship Model Club on Facebook | AnalyzerAU09 on Twitter
Revisit photo galleries of the previous exhibitions here:
March 2025, Tokyo | July 2025, Osaka | Jan 2026, Yokohama | April 2026, Hakata