August 2026 was the first of two “standby months” between the final chapters of 3199, and while animators toiled away in the shadows the rest of us celebrated in the usual manner with news flashes and chatter and everything else fans do in the waiting room.

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!

August 6: Studio Khara on Twitter

For three years running, Hideaki Anno (president of Studio Khara) has drawn Yamato for paper lanterns placed on display at the Bonbori Festival in Kamakura, Japan. It happened again on August 6, but this time there was an important change: the illustration was a printout of a CG model. What’s more, it had several noticeable differences from the original bridge tower as we’ve seen it in the classic anime AND in the remakes.

It doesn’t take a major leap to guess that this could be the ship that appears in Anno’s forthcoming Yamato movie, about which we still know precious little. The presence of “Cosmo Ship Yamato” as a potential title should also not be ignored.

The photo at right was posted on Studio Khara’s Twitter page with this caption:

Today, August 6, marks the 49th anniversary of the theatrical release of the Space Battleship Yamato movie in Tokyo. The new Yamato is steadily and diligently in production even today.

See the original post here

Fans speculated wildly on Twitter, including YMT-0312Yamato, who wrote:

Is this the new Yamato?! Compared to the remake Yamato, the space between the first and second bridge feels so much longer and way taller! It’s a design close to the original Yamato! The pulse laser turrets are gatling guns?! The barrels wouldn’t recoil with each shot; instead, each barrel rotates and fires in bursts…!! (So freaking cool…)

What I love most is that they’ve added a rangefinder to the first secondary turret!! This is a pretty major design change even among all the previous Yamato series…! It’s a design bursting with that Battleship Yamato vibe! The detailing is worked out down to the finest parts, and that’s cool too!!

Will it finally start next year? This is Cosmo Ship Yamato! The Anno version.

August 7: Online poll begins

From today through September 4, the Yamato Production Committee ran a popularity poll project for the entire remake series with separate character and mecha categories.

Fans were allowed to vote for their favorites once per day, which compromised accuracy, but the goal was online promotion rather than science. Ten randomly-chosen winners would receive illustrations of the winning subjects. Tallies were shared weekly, so keep reading…

August 7: Product news

The mini “pullback toys” displayed at the Yamato popup shop in July got a release date when the A-on Store announced that they’re coming just before Chapter 7, on October 28. There are two color variants, both containing friction motors.

See more photos here and see video clips here and here

Another item releasing the same day is a framed print of Kia Asamiya’s poster of Yamato against the Tokyo Skytree, accented with silver ink.

See the product page here

August 11: Music news

The word we’ve been waiting for hit the streets on this day…REBEL 3199 Original Soundtrack Volume 2 is on the way, with a release date of October 30. What’s more, it will be accompanied by a theme song collection on the same day. There wasn’t much to look at yet (just the text image above), but more info would be posted ten days later, so stay tuned…

August 13: Polling update

One week after the campaign began, the Production Committee revealed the current standings in the character and mecha polls. Most of the character ranks were unsurprising, but practically no one could predict such strong results for Miki Saijo at #4. On the mecha side, Andromeda was ahead of Yamato, though we should note that every variant of Yamato is on the ballot, so that probably diluted support for each one.

August 15: Project 2199 VRC

A unique fan-run online “boarding event” took place called a VRC (Virtual Reality Chat). Managed by Twitter user Katu_VRC, fans signed up to spend some time in a virtual Yamato world populated by mecha from the remake era. Sample footage was posted later for the rest of us:

Earth mecha flybys | Wave-Motion Gun Rally

August 15 & 16: Comiket 108

New Yamato doujinshis showed up again this year, and for the second time Character Designer Nobuteru Yuuki brought the hottest ticket: another collection of his production art from Yamato 2202. The entire stock sold out within the first hour, which surprised no one.

For those who missed their shot, there were other Yamato items to be found. Kiyo Club, one of the most active fan circles (and the organizer of Yamaket), had several postcard sets available…

…along with these striking acrylic character stands with two different Sashas to choose from.

Also on hand was the ever-reliable fan artist Takeshi Oka, who added three new volumes to his long-running Galaxy Navy series.

August 16: Presentation Cafe event

This cafe, located in the Hachioji district of Tokyo, frequently posts meetup events for patrons with shared interests. Possibly tying into the conclusion of Comiket, they announced a “Yamato Conversation” for fans of all ages:

For over 50 years, Space Battleship Yamato has touched the hearts of many people. What did we feel and what did we cherish in each era and each work? When different generations, different perspectives, and different works of art that people “love” come together, new discoveries are sure to emerge.

The promotion was well-informed, extending the invitation to longtime fans, remake fans, newbies, and those just looking to converse. So…here’s a solute to a heart in the right place!

August 18: New Battleship Yamato book

Over on the English-speaking side of the world, a new book arrived to promote more conversation. Battleship Yamato: The Ship, The Myth, The Legend by former British Royal Navy officer Alexander Wooley.

Author’s note (posted on Facebook):

Afloat for less than five years, but a cultural icon for more than 80. My new book about the Yamato, published today by the United States Naval Institute Press, and with a fab cover designed by World of Warships creatives. Whether flying into space or transformed into human form, invoked during nuclear calamities and by domestic terrorist groups, see why the ship continues to have such a powerful hold on the imagination, represented in film, fiction, anime, manga, painting, and, of course, naval history. Photo credit my partner Aneta Leska.

Mr. Wooley took the opportunity to inform me (Tim Eldred, the guy writing these words) that this very website was a major resource for a chapter dedicated to Space Battleship Yamato, so this book comes with the Cosmo DNA stamp of approval!

Read more about it and order your copy here or here

August 21: CG by Haru

Would you have liked to see the Cosmo Tiger 1 get more screen time? CG virtuoso “Haru” has what you’re looking for. See his latest masterwork on Youtube here.

August 21: Polling update

Results at the end of the second week showed significant movement, especially on the character side. Could Miki Saijo have her own secret fan club with a mission to poll-bomb in her favor? Time would tell.

August 21: Nobuteru Yuuki art collection at Yamato Crew

The last time Mr. Yuuki released an art collection at Comiket (Dec 2025) it also sold out within the first hour, but 100 copies were held back for online sale at Yamato Crew…where they were all claimed in about one minute. This time they held back 200 copies, but pretty much the same thing happened. Let’s hope they continue to learn lessons from this.

Official description:

Yamato 2202 Character Design & Illustration Rough Sketch Collection

78 pages, full color

This volume features a collection of character designs, setting sketches, and illustration roughs for Yamato 2202 by animator Nobuteru Yuuki. It showcases a wealth of valuable rough sketches, including early design proposals and initial concepts, that reveal the process of trial and error involved in the characters’ creation. Readers can witness the trajectory of Mr. Yuuki’s creative work, insights that cannot be gleaned from the finished anime alone.

Production materials like these are often scattered or lost amidst the hectic pace of anime production, so opportunities to see them compiled and published are rare. This book allows you to experience the creative process behind how Mr. Yuuki built the world of Yamato 2202. It is a must-have for Yamato fans, as well as anyone interested in anime production or character design.

August 21: Music news

Today, the Yamato Production Committee gave us the rest of the story about the forthcoming 3199 music releases:

The CD release of the REBEL 3199 Original Soundtrack Vol. 02 has been confirmed for Friday, October 30! We have unveiled the cover art, newly illustrated by Kia Asamiya, featuring Arizona and the Grand Reverse.

The music is composed and arranged by Akira Miyagawa and composer/pianist Shu Kanematsu. The album will primarily feature background music (BGM) used from Chapter 5 onward, on 2 discs. Additionally, a special limited edition will be released as a retailer-exclusive item, featuring a set of two canvas boards (333x333mm) using the cover art from Vol. 1 and Vol. 2.

A REBEL 3199 Theme Song Collection is also set for release on the same day! This will include a total of nine tracks, including the opening theme and the ending themes from each chapter. Both the Theme Song Collection and Original Soundtrack Vol. 02 utilize the UHQCD format, which reproduces sound more faithfully to the original master recording compared to conventional discs.

Preorder them from Amazon.co.jp here: OST Vol. 2 | Theme Song Collection

Preorder them from CD Japan here: OST Vol. 2 | Theme Song Collection

August 22: RealSound interview

Hot on the heels of the soundtrack news, the music-oriented website RealSound published the first interview with Miyagawa and Kanematsu since 3199 debuted more than two years ago. They spoke in great detail about how the score was conceived, what it means to inherit a musical legacy, and how the craft of composing soundtrack music changes with the generations.

Read the interview here

Photo posted on Twitter by Sarasate

August 22 & 23: Symphonic Suite performance

One of the purposes behind Sarasate‘s special magazine (published in June) about the Yamato Symphonic Suite was to give amateur musicians the chance to play it, either on their own or in a group. That promise paid off today when Sarasate invited volunteers to rehearse and perform all eight pieces over two days, conducted by Kaido Ikeda. Non-musicians were also invited to listen and enjoy.

Eyewitness review from AnalyzerAU09:

I listened to this. Based on the sheet music featured in the special magazine, they switched up the instrumentation while going for a max string ensemble of ten players plus piano. The arrangement is just so good, you know. Performing the mixed choir piece Hope for Tomorrow with pizzicato, can you believe it?

Since it was packed with friends as performers, it felt more intimate than the professional concerts I usually attend. There were new encounters too, top-notch ones at that, and it made for a truly enriching time.

Sarasate: Participants brought official goods, which also made an appearance. (Apparently one of them is handmade. Which one?) – LOL

August 23: Fan-made CG

In a short video titled The Night of Umlaska, a fan with the handle “Hagorut” created a short imaginary battle led by Arizona against a Bolar fleet.

See it on Youtube here

August 24: Hobby Japan Web

The Hobby Japan website posted part 22 of the ongoing Yamato Mechanics series, featuring the Kongo-class battleships.

See the post here

Read the translated version here

August 25: Hobby Japan #688

The next issue of the magazine arrived one day later, containing part 23: an examination of Dezarium’s Pleiades and Hyades-class ships.

Read it here

August 25: The Great Figures TV special

Posted on Facebook by Akira Fujimoto:

In a special program dedicated to Showa-era composers, including the late Hiroshi Miyagawa, the conversation naturally turned to Space Battleship Yamato! I was deeply moved by the program, which featured interviews with figures such as his son Akira Miyagawa and Isao Sasaki. The Yamato symphony is truly magnificent!

August 26: REBEL 3199 Chapter 6 standard edition Blu-ray & DVD

The general release of Chapter 6 on home video happened today, reissuing the limited edition without the bonus booklets. The disc contains the same features: episode commentaries, a Chapter 5 Yamatalk, Chapter 6 trailers, the “story far segment” for Chapter 6 (only seen in theaters), Chapter 5’s Science for Beginners videos, and Chapter 6 episode commentaries.

And thus began the hard choice of where to buy the thing, since multiple retailers had their own exclusive bonus items…

Yamato Crew’s online shop offered facsimile voice recording scripts and a new postcard by manga artist Michio Murakawa.

Amazon.co.jp offered a choice of either an A5-size art print of Ginga or acrylic stands of Ginga and Yamato.

A-on Store offered an A5-size illustration of the slipcase art by the great Naoyuki Katoh. Sofmap/Animega offered a B2-size tapestry of the red Yamato.

Rakuten Books offered a set of five still image sheets. Joshin Disc Pier offered an illustration board of Sasha.

Other retailers offered a clear version of Bandai’s Cosmo Python model kit in a Chapter 6-themed box.

August 28: Event news

There’s some Yamato III love in the air! On October 10, the 2026 Fukuyanime Festival will feature a very rare screening and panel discussion as described at the event website:

Space Battleship Yamato, which previously electrified the Fukuyanime Festival with all-night marathons, live audio commentary screenings, and a “Warp Dimension” simulation experience, is back. This time, we are screening two episodes of the 1980 production Space Battleship Yamato III on the big screen! The latest remake series, REBEL 3199, is a reimagining that incorporates new interpretations of the theatrical film Be Forever Yamato and the TV anime Yamato III. So, ahead of the release of the final chapter of REBEL 3199, we look back at the source material that inspired it.

We will also focus on the late Toyoo Ashida, who served as an animation director and episode director for Yamato III, and “Studio Live,” the animation studio he founded. Guests will include Nobuyoshi Habara (director of Yamato 2202) and Studio Live alumni Kazuko Tadano (animator/character designer) and Hiromi Matsushita (animator/animation director), who will share stories about the behind-the-scenes production of that era and the role Studio Live played. Don’t miss this special Fukuyanime screening and “Legend Talk” event.

August 29: Polling update

The end of the poll’s third week brought us another tally. This time we saw the top ten in both categories, and the front-runners are no surprise.

On the mecha side, three different versions of Yamato made the top ten, but other favorites are carving out their positions. The poll closed on September 4, but results were not announced in time for this report.

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