A fierce interview with Producer Nishizaki
Yamato Part 3 is set to launch “Summer 1980”
This is truly shocking news. After Yamato is broadcast on Fuji TV on July 21st (7:30-9:00), Part 3 will be produced as a movie next summer. This is the latest and greatest information about Yamato that came out during an interview with Yoshinobu Nishizaki for the telefeature.
The “Summer 1980” Yamato begins with watching “Summer 1979” Yamato!!
Interviewer: Three months after Yamato 2 ended, the Yamato telefeature will be broadcast. First, I’d like to ask about the intention and motivation behind its production…
Nishizaki: First of all, I want to make it clear that the Yamato telefeature is not just a special or a compilation of episodes. In other words, next summer’s Yamato will begin with watching this work on July 21st.
Interviewer: Next summer’s Yamato!?
Nishizaki: That’s right. I’m going to make “Yamato Part 3″ in the summer of 1980. Production has already started.
Interviewer: That’s big news.
Nishizaki: This year’s Yamato is being made with the overall premise that the third film will be made for the summer of 1980. To tell the truth, the concept for the third film has already been completed. So I would like you to see this film as a preliminary step.
Interviewer: What is the concept for next summer’s Yamato?
Nishizaki: I can’t tell you yet. (laughs)
I want to make it a space opera with the dreams that Yamato is known for!!
Interviewer: By the way, last summer [1978], you said, “This is the last Yamato,” but it’s going to be made again. What’s the reason for that?
Nishizaki: I think there are two reasons. The first is that last year’s film went far beyond my imagination, including the wide audience. In other words, Yamato is no longer mine, but it belongs to everyone. Yamato belongs to all those fans. When I thought about them, I couldn’t stop.
Interviewer: What’s the other reason?
Nishizaki: To tell the truth, due to certain circumstances I didn’t touch Yamato 2 until Episode 15. Then, from Episode 16 onward, I consulted with Leiji Matsumoto and we worked together, but one day, I suddenly realized something. The story of Yamato 2 was quite different from the movie.
Interviewer: What do you mean by “different”?
Nishizaki: It’s related to the theme. I thought that Yamato 2 had a few too many opportunistic concepts, which might lead to a misunderstanding of the original Yamato.
Interviewer: What parts?
Nishizaki: In the first film, we depicted Yamato fighting for the people of Earth, and also portrayed Kodai questioning the very idea of fighting. Then, in the film, I took that theme a step further and portrayed a “love of space.” However, the theme of Yamato 2 has once again become a fight for the people of Earth. So I thought I would clarify two things in the future of Yamato.
Interviewer: What are they?
Nishizaki: One is to clarify when and for what purpose Yamato will fight the enemy. And also to bring out the original flavor of Yamato.
Interviewer: The original flavor of Yamato!?
Nishizaki: The original idea behind creating Yamato was to make a fun space opera. But that’s starting to change a little, so I’m thinking of making some revisions. That’s the main motivation for making this year’s Yamato.
Interviewer: Is next year’s Yamato based on the exact same idea?
Nishizaki: Yes. I want to establish the drama of Yamato. So, although I didn’t say anything earlier (laughs), I’ll say a little bit about next year’s Yamato. I want to depict the growth drama of boys and girls again.
Interviewer: One last thing.
Nishizaki: Both the telefeature and next year’s Yamato will be dramatic space operas full of dreams. Of course, we will also depict the challenge of love and the possibilities of oneself, which is the main premise of Yamato. Animage fans, please look forward to it!!
Prologue of the Yamato telefeature, scheduled to air on July 21
During the battle with Yamato, Dessler, who has formed a strange friendship with Susumu, realizes the futility of fighting.
“I was lonely. I could no longer see the person I loved.”
When he spoke those words, the image of a certain person came to Dessler’s mind. It was the image of a young Starsha from a long time ago, when Gamilas and Iscandar were still good friends.
Before leading his fleet to find a new home, Dessler wishes to burn the image of his mother planet, Gamilas, into his own eyes. After three and a half months and a distance of 148,000 light years, Dessler returns to his home planet. And then, right before Dessler’s eyes, Gamilas mysteriously explodes. Then Iscandar is thrown out into space by the blast of the explosion and drifts away.
Dessler harbors secret feelings for Starsha, so he follows Iscandar. He then sends a message to Susumu Kodai about his predicament.
A great interplanetary war has broken out at the edge of the universe, hundreds of thousands of light years away. A mysterious planet learned that the energy needed for this war was on Gamilas, and in an attempt to obtain it, accidentally blows up the planet. The elite fleet of the mysterious planet follows the instructions of their home country, and discovers that the same energy is also on Iscandar, so they follow it.
Meanwhile, Yamato, which lost many members in the battle with the White Comet Army (only 18 survived), adds replacement personnel and sets sail on a training voyage under the command of Susumu Kodai, training day and night in the galaxy. Yamato then receives Dessler’s message.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the universe, Dessler is desperately trying to protect Iscandar from the attack of the elite fleet.
“Kodai, you who have made a friendship with me, you will surely come.”
Will you make it in time, Yamato!?