Most of Chapter 6’s theatrical tenure happened in the sweaty month of July, boosted by its international debut and a flurry of online coverage. The 50th anniversary exhibition returned for a fifth round, various live events kept fans in motion, and the month ended with a Chapter 7 bang. Let’s run to catch up…
Cosmo DNA editor Tim Eldred here: before you dive in, please take a minute to visit the website for Icons of Anime, a forthcoming mega-documentary about the impact of anime on the western world. CREATOR VC has invited me to write and direct this very ambitious project, and we need your input to power up the engine to 120%! There’s a survey at the website for you to tell us what you’d like us to cover; find it here and then head on back for the news! Thanks!
July 2: Yamato meets Gundam (finally)
If you’ve seen the opening of REBEL 3199 Chapter 6, you already know about the unprecedented scenes of Yamato flying over 2026 Tokyo. None were more surprising than this one, Yamato flying over the 1/1 scale Unicorn Gundam statue. This was a tremendously symbolic moment in anime history, as described in an article from Mantan Web:
The life-sized Unicorn Gundam statue, based on Unit 01 from the anime Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, stands approximately 19.7 meters tall and weighs about 49 tons. It has been on display in Odaiba, Tokyo, since September 2017, with the exhibition scheduled to end at the close of August. Harutoshi Fukui, who wrote the story for Gundam Unicorn, serves as the chief director for Yamato 3199; this connection paved the way for this surprising collaboration between the Yamato and Gundam series.
A collaborative painting featuring Yamato 3199 and the life-sized Unicorn Gundam statue has also been released. The artwork was created by Kia Asamiya, who is responsible for the concept art for Yamato 3199.
(See a larger version at the end of this report.)
Additionally, the opening sequence of Chapter 6, featuring the life-sized Unicorn Gundam statue and other elements, has been made available on YouTube.
Watch it here
July 2: Fan blog
Today, a blogger writing under the name “Presentation Cafe” shared some intimate thoughts under the headline, “What has Space Battleship Yamato been trying to depict? Something I finally realized after 50 years.”
The opener:
Before I knew it, I had reached my late fifties, making me older than Captain Juzo Okita, whose age was raised in the remake series. As a child, I identified with Susumu Kodai, and even as a young man, I saw myself as being on his side. However, just the other day, after finishing the latest animated film, REBEL 3199 Chapter 6, I realized something, albeit rather late in the game. Please allow me to share this realization.
Click here to read the rest
Photo at right posted on Twitter by himawa_rhythm_e
July 3: Chapter 6 week 2 handout
Superfans didn’t need an excuse to get in line for another viewing, but theaters gave them one anyway. At the start of Chapter 6’s second week, all ticket holders received a free illustration board that reprinted the 1980 Be Forever model sheet for Yuki Mori. There would be two more giveaways before the run was over.
July 3: 50th Anniversary Exhibition opens in Ebina
Returning for its fifth engagement since March 2025, the exhibition put its huge archive of Series 1 production materials on display again. Each engagement has added newly-found artifacts to the collection, and it was the same this time.
Click here for a photo walkthrough.
July 7: Kodai birthday goods announced
Yuki, Dessler, and Sasha have all had their commemorations, and Kodai got his turn on his own canonical birthday (July 7). The A-On Store announced a lineup of products for preorder, which will ship out and go on sale October 28 (just two days before Chapter 7 arrives).
See the A-on website here | See the product lineup here
July 9: Chapter 6 on Crunchyroll
Chapter 5 took four weeks to turn up, probably due to the shock ending being such a spoiler. But with Chapter 6 the wait was only half as excruciating, with all four new episodes being posted just two weeks after the premiere.
Find them on Crunchyroll here; keep clicking “next season” until you get to 3199. (Or is it 2026?)
NOTE: the episode titles are scrambled. The correct order is:
19 • July 21, 2026 – Yamato appears in Tokyo
20 • The stolen Yamato – the choice of 2026
21 • Terrifying! The black Space Battlehip Yamato
22 • Begin the counterattack! Revive, Ginga!
July 9: Chapter 6 stage greeting
The second week closed out with another stage greeting at the Shinjuku Piccadilly theater, in which the two directors were joined by four voice actors: Aya Uchida (Yuria Hoshina), Arisa Komiya (Urara Kusakabe) Ayahi Takagaki (Saki Todo) and Eriko Nakamura (Mikage Kiryu/MC).
The strong female lineup brought new topics to the conversation, which you can read about here.
Photo at right posted on Twitter by masatomokikuchi
July 10: Chapter 6 week 3 handout
The start of the third week brought another giveaway to moviegoers, a “smart phone sticker” featuring the new “power couple” of Ryusuke Domon and Miyako Kyozuka.
July 10: “Yamasanpo” Tokyo Edition video
“Sanpo” is the Japanese word for “walk” and that’s what we see in this unique 11-minute presentation: a camera following Director Naomichi Yamato and General Director Harutoshi Fukui in a location walkthrough for Chapter 6. It was shot in September 2023, almost three years before we saw the results on screen.
In it, the two go from one site to another to “previz” the Tokyo flyover sequence, and Fukui describes how this will become the “Warp Dimension” moment for 3199. Needless to say, it’s the first time in the Yamato series such a project was possible.
See it on Youtube here (closed captions and autotranslate ON)
July 12: Cast comment video
Shot during the June preview screening for Chapter 6, actors Megumi Han (Sasha) and Daisuke Ono (Kodai) went on camera to share the nuances of what it’s like to grapple with their characters’ family connection. Ono said the real work began for him when Kodai wouldn’t hug the young Sasha. Han talked about her own struggles, and became effusive when Ono praised her as an acting partner. The challenges faced by their characters being thrown together as family turns out to be a close parallel to the challenges of performing together as scene partners.
Watch it here
July 12: Mantan Web article
If you’re a certain kind of fan (the kind who thinks about anime history), the appearance of a Gundam on screen in 3199 raises an inescapable question: if there was no Yamato in this version of the world, and Gundam couldn’t exist without Yamato, then where did this Gundam come from? That question did not escape the attention of Harutoshi Fukui and scriptwriter Hideki Oka, and they came up with an answer.
Read the article here
July 15: Arizona model at Big Owl
In Report 31, we learned that Big Owl Manufacturing had released a miniature 3D printed Yamato by superfan Warren Swanson. In July, it gained a companion piece in the form of a miniature Arizona.
Order it via Etsy here
July 15: 3DCG fan project
Some years ago, a fan artist named “Digitrue” began building a hyper-detailed 3DCG model of Yamato. As you can see by the updated image above, it’s coming along nicely. On this day the following message was posted at Digitrue’s website:
With the end of the rainy season came body-temperature heat. There’s no point complaining about space. With the thought of, “A passion as hot as this summer,” here’s a picture that evokes the heat of the Wave-Motion Engine (lol).
See a short video clip here
July 15: Today’s Science for Beginners Vol. 16
So far, three of these explainer videos have been released for each chapter of REBEL 3199. The set for Chapter 6 was a little late, but showed up just the same. The first one was titled “The Phasing of the Wave-Motion Core.”
Official description:
Today’s Science for Beginners explains the scientific concepts found in Space Battleship Yamato in a way that’s easy for newcomers to understand! In this 16th installment, we explain “The Phasing of the Wave-Motion Core”!
Tasuke Tokugawa and Isidore (cosplaying as Power-Saver-kun), talk about the creepy things that happen when you take history into your own hands, and “grandma” steps in to explain what happens in the wave core to transform Yamato. Fair warning: expect your head to spin.
See it on Youtube here (closed captions and auto-translate ON)
July 16: Tohokushinsha Film Co. article
Tohokushinsha, the master licensor for all things Yamato, delivered a delightful surprise when they published an article about the 50th Anniversary Exhibition and a heartwarming visit from a distinguished guest. You don’t want to skip this one!
Read the article here
July 17: Chapter 6 week 4 handout
The last freebie for Chapter 6 moviegoers was a mini clear file spotlighting Arizona with two renderings by mecha designer Junichiro Tamamori. This kicked off the fourth and final week in most theaters; it was later announced that three of them would hold the movie over for a fifth week, one each in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.
July 17: Today’s Science for Beginners Vol. 17
The topic today was “The Story of Black Yamato.” Domon is added to the cast, Isidore flings off his “Power-Saver-kun” costume in frustration, and a dizzying description of the Black Yamato phenomenon, you can be forgiven for feeling like you know less after watching this one.
There is talk about favorite foods, and the conversation reveals that “Power-Saver-kun” has become sort of a celebrity in the world of Yamato with a healthy showbiz career. It remains to be seen if any of this will become canon.
Nevertheless, watch it here
Photo at right posted on Twitter by anison legend Mitsuko “Micchi” Horie
July 18: Anison Premium Live concert
Isao Sasaki and his veteran “anime song” pals were at it again, this time belting out the classics in Osaka. The backdrop behind them should tell you what song the audience was hearing when this photo was taken.
July 18: Cast comment video
The last comment video for Chapter 6 paired Daisuke Ono (Kodai) with Shin Furukawa (Alphon). They shared their shock at the opening sequence, then teased Chapter 7 with Furukawa only saying that Alphon has a mission to complete and Ono revealing that they both recorded something together at the end — implying one more meeting between Kodai and Alphon.
Watch it here
July 19: Today’s Science for Beginners Vol. 18
The final video for Chapter 6 was titled “The Wave-Motion Blade.” The running gags about Power-Saver-kun’s busy film career reached critical mass before the characters threw it over to “grandma” to explain the main topic. “Wave-Motion Blade” is the name for unique the power surge we see from Ginga as it launches and destroys the Goruba in Earth orbit (by disabling its phase-energy shield). In the end, Domon departs with valuable lessons about tampering with history.
Watch it here
Photos posted on Twitter by Karapon2199 and MASH_nishikawa
July 19: Yamato Kouza [Lecture] 26
The 26th fan-driven talk show in this ongoing series took place in Ebina, near the site of the 50th Anniversary Exhibition. Writer/host Osamu Kobayashi was joined by manga artists Yoshimiru and Shinji “MASH” Nishikawa for a look back at 3199 Chapters 1-6. Promo art by both guests is shown above.
Photo at right posted on Twitter by M.T
July 21: Arrival Day
Today, an object resembling a battleship mysteriously appeared in the sky over Tokyo and things got a little nuts.
July 21 is the actual calendar day that Yamato time-slips into the year 2026. Fans marked the occasion by visiting the “sacred sites” newly-enshrined into Yamato history. What are they and how does one find them?
Click here to follow Yamato‘s path and learn things about Tokyo that you never knew before (unless you’re a native).
July 21: US Embassy video
In a truly unexpected move, the U.S. Embassy posted a short video hosted by Aaron Snipe visiting the 50th Anniversary Exhibition and giving his own testimonial of the original series–which will sound VERY familiar to Gen X fans who watched Star Blazers in real time.
Official description:
Did you know that Space Battleship Yamato aired in the United States in 1979, and that the Yamato was known as the Argo? For many kids in America, this groundbreaking series was their very first touchpoint with Japan, and our Deputy Chief of Mission Aaron Snipe is no exception!
Watch the video here
July 21: Yamatalk
The special guest for the Chapter 6 Yamatalk was returning champion Kia Asamiya, who talked with the “Yamato trio” about creating the teaser posters, the box art for the Arizona model kit, and more.
Read the official report and additional coverage here
July 21: Kia Asamiya on Twitter
Right after the Yamatalk, Asamiya shared news online that he broke while on stage: a book titled Space Battleship Yamato Complete Works Art Archive has been greenlit for production. It will mark the 40th anniversary of Asamiya’s illustration career and pack in as much of his Yamato art as possible, which will be a challenge since it goes all the way back to the early 90s. The title is Wadatsumi, which means “Sea God.” Publishing date is TBD.
July 22: Hobby Japan Web
The online version of Hobby Japan posted part 21 of the Yamato Mechanics series, examining the Shalbart-class battleship.
Read it here
July 22: Yamato plates announced
One day it might be possible to eat an entire meal off a Yamato place setting. We are one step closer to that reality with this ornate set of small plates created by Kutani Seikou Kiln. If someone in Japan can buy them for you, you have until the end of the year to order a set here.
July 22: News from Dreamer Cafe
In Report 31, we learned about the opening of Dreamer Cafe, run by a pair of O.G. Yamato/Leiji Matsumoto fans. After their grand opening in July, they received their first “celebrity guest.”
Posted on Twitter by “Waraho“:
Hello everyone. It’s another hot day, isn’t it? Amidst this heat, we had an amazing surprise visit here in Musouya, located way out on the edge of Osaka, from none other than Makoto Bessho, the Chief Director of Ark of the Stars! Thank you so much for signing this precious poster for us! We are committed to continuing our work as a welcoming gathering spot for Yamato fans. Thank you!
Makoto Bessho has a lot more than Yamato on his resume, having begun his career all the way back in 1983. See his credit list at Anime News Network here.
July 24: Hobby Japan #687
Yamato Mechanics part 22 turned the spotlight on the Kongo-class space battleship, which has seen action in every series since 2199.
Read the article here
July 24: REBEL 3199 marathon screening
For most of Japan, the 4-week run of Chapter 6 concluded on July 23 with just three theaters holding it over for a 5th week. One was the Shinjuku Piccadilly in Tokyo, which is where you’d go to find the hardest of the hardcore fans. Starting at 10:30pm on a Friday night, they had the chance to watch Chapters 3-6 back to back in a marathon that would conclude at 5:24am.
Your reward for this endurance test was a Dezarium comm-badge button. To put on when you’re sleepy…and highly suggestible.
July 26: Wonder Festival 2026 Summer
Touted as the “world’s largest sculpture and figure festival,” Wonderfest featured over 2,000 exhibitors, and plenty of Yamato garage kit companies were there to carry the flag.
See an extensive photo gallery of their wares here
July 26: Grand Symphony Concert in Hiroshima
Kentaro Haneda’s Yamato Grand Symphony was taken out for another masterful spin, this time by the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra performing in Kure, the city where the Battleship Yamato was built.
Read about the event and get an eyewitness description here
Photo posted on Twitter by mat_hama
July 29: REBEL 3199 popup shop opens
It was only there for seven days, but the popup shop at Tokyo Skytree gave fans a rallying point at one of Yamato‘s new “sacred sites” and a chance to scoop up some new merch made for the occasion.
See a photo gallery here
July 31: Chapter 7 promotion
There’s really no better way to finish a Yamato month than with a breath of what the future has in store. The first 30-second teaser for Chapter 7 was released online today, giving us all a taste of what the poster calls “A Magnificent End.”
Watch the teaser here and read our breakdown here
We were also given a look at the Chapter 7 blu-ray slipcase art by the great Naoyuki Katoh. There’s not much to go on story-wise, but there sorta seems to be something happening with the sun in the background. You know, like in Yamato III? We’ll find out in October, won’t we?
Bandai Visual promo showing the release date of the standard blu-ray on December 23.
Also spotted in July
Michio Murakawa on Bluesky
As manga artist Michio Murakawa moved through another month of being a fan with a dream project, he shared more personal insights about what it takes to keep up with it all.
Read his July posts here
Shinya Takahashi auction art
Sasha’s original character designer explored many different sides of his most famous girl in the sketches he put up for auction on Yahoo Japan.
See his works from May and July here
Fan art
Inspirado was at an all-time high in July, especially with Kodai’s canonical birthday fueling some extra attention.
See the character gallery here and mecha gallery here
Fan models
Airbrushes were swishing, 3D printers were humming, and Lego blocks were clicking to produce another museum-worthy collection of Yamato mecha.
See them here: Gallery A (Earth) Gallery B (everyone else)
Juuzo Hizikata gallery
As the most prolific fan artist for the second month in a row, “Juuzo” earned himself another dedicated gallery of both character and mecha pieces.
See his July output here
Hoshi Suzu blogs
The weekly posts by Hoshi Suzu swirled with new thoughts after absorbing Chapter 6.
Read his impressions and predictions here
Outstanding Achievement of the Month
You’re really seeing this; the most spot-on 3D rendition of classic Sanada anyone has ever accomplished. What may not be readily apparent is that this mask (and the Cosmogun) are made entirely out of cardboard. They are the work of a specialist in the craft named “Doctor Mtan,” and they’re just the tip of a cardboard iceberg.
Visit his Twitter page here, and see his Sanada in action in these video clips:
Manning the desk | Planting a surprise | Target practice | Bonus: Cosmogun assembly
Citation needed
Twitter user Daiya Kuroi posted these stills with the following caption:
I recall there was a story where Doraemon had a space battleship that looked like Yamato.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to wade through however many hundreds of Doraemon episodes there are to track this down. Your reward will be one genuine Cosmo DNA No-prize.
Fan videos: Star Wars X Yamato
This is just about as big as it gets. A fan group going by the name ” 9th Mobile Group, 2nd Squadron” decided to show us what it would be like if ALL the good guys from Yamato and Star Wars teamed up against ALL the bad guys from Yamato and Star Wars. You just have to watch it to believe it.
Part 1: Naval Battle in the Procyon System: Rebel Alliance, Assemble!
Part 2: Shocking! Skaldart and Snoke: A Millennium of Darkness
Part 3: Battle of Coruscant: All ships, commence combat operations!
Part 4: The Dawn of Yamato
Part 5: Space Battleship Yamato: A Jedi’s Choice in 34 ABY
Podcast roundup
In my quest to get the word out for the Icons of Anime documentary project, ye editor made the podcast rounds and had some delightful conversations about anime in general with more than one tale from Yamato world. Add these to your playlist the next time you need to fill some silence:
Baka Banter (July 15)
Gateway to Anime (July 16)
Special Announcement
Yamato fanzines are no longer Japan-only! There’s one being created right now here in the USA, and YOU have an opportunity to contribute! Click here for the submission form!
Yamatunes for July
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What’s next
Comiket 108 was the big news for August with fans and pros alike adding new treasures to the world of Yamato doujinshis (Character Designer Nobuteru Yuuki among them), and the weeks began to peel away as Chapter 7 got steadily closer. Set course for our next report when we round up all the action from another month! Until then, follow our Facebook page for daily posts and breaking news!
And don’t forget, that Icons of Anime survey still needs your advice on what should be covered in an unforgettable mega-documentary. Click here to make your mark!
And if you’re still hungry for more Yamato reportage, click here for the latest wave of Vintage Report backlog, exploring newly-unearthed gems from the years 1982 and 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 and ready for you read RIGHT NOW! click here to join the fun! (No paywall.)
