MAY 3
Chapter 5 Review: On Susumu Kodai
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I prefer the Susumu Kodai of the remake series over the Kodai from the original works.
Since I was only in elementary school when I watched the originals, I didn’t really think much of it at the time. However, looking back as an adult, seeing him attempt to kill a prisoner of war or unilaterally declare war on foreign powers, I realized he was the type of person who absolutely should not be serving in the military.
In the remake series, by contrast, he has matured into a composed adult, making him a far more likable character.
In 3199, the cast has grown so large that the protagonist, Kodai, risks getting overshadowed. I suspect this is why they introduced the plot device wherein Alphon possesses multiple bodies capable of swapping consciousnesses, thereby allowing them to incorporate a direct confrontation between Kodai and Alphon.
Kodai will likely continue to act with his unwavering desire to save Earth as his sole motivation. Alphon, however, having realized that Mother Dezarium is manipulating the minds of the Dezarians, will likely find himself confronting Kodai while grappling with a complex mix of emotions.
At the very end of Chapter 5, Yamato suddenly appeared in Earth’s past. Specifically, 200 years prior to the present timeline. However, this “Earth” is almost certainly a fabrication created by the Dezarians. Their objective is likely to convince Yamato‘s crew that “correcting history is the right thing to do,” thereby inducing them to surrender and allow the Dezarians to seize the “Pure Wave-Motion Core” of Iscandarian manufacture, the very object they covet.
Judging by the trailer, it appears that Domon has completely fallen for the Dezarians’ trap. it will likely fall to Kodai to step in and stop him. Given that Kodai lost both his parents and his older brother during the war with Garmillas, his actions in this context carry a weight and significance that is truly unique to him. After all, even if humans from the future were to “correct” the past, there is no guarantee that it would lead to a positive outcome.
To put it simply: in an altered timeline, even if the Garmillas people were to successfully relocate to Planet Galman, Earth would subsequently be deprived of the Wave-Motion Engine, the Pure Wave-Motion Core, and the Cosmo Reverse, all of which were originally provided by Iscandar. In that scenario, there is a high probability that the Earthlings would face total annihilation in the war against Gatlantis.
Ultimately, I believe that as humans, we have no choice but to live our lives by making the best possible choice available to us, time and time again, within a limited set of options. I am truly looking forward to seeing Kodai in action as he resists the temptation to “correct the past” and leads Yamato‘s crew into their confrontation with Dezarium!
I’m really excited for the release of Chapter 6! I hope you all check out Yamato 3199 as well!
MAY 10
Chapter 5 Review: On Abelt Dessler
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Dessler’s screen time in Chapter 5 was limited. his role consisted mainly of presiding over a strategy meeting on the Galman-Garmillas homeworld, after which he remained there to observe the campaign against Digeblas. Well, seeing as he is a head of state, I suppose this is only to be expected.
So far, 3199 has delivered exactly the kind of developments I’ve been hoping for, one after another: the Galman-Garmillas Empire and the Bolar Federation joining forces against Dezarium, and the Galman-Garmillas Empire (in cooperation with Earth and the Bolar Federation) finally destroying the hated Goruba.
My remaining wishes are for Dessler himself to board the new Dessler Ship and use the Hyper Dessler Cannon to obliterate the Dezarium homeworld, and for Sasha to survive and become Mrs. Dessler. After all, if I don’t see him avenge the humiliation he suffered in 1979, when Meldarz dismissed the Dessler Cannon as merely an “energy projectile like a pebble,” I’ll be left with a lifelong regret! (Laughs)
I envision a moment where, just as Yamato finds itself in a desperate, life-or-death crisis, Dessler and Bemlarze come rushing in to the rescue.
Dessler & Bemlarze: “Tell me, Mother Dezarium, what religious denomination should we use for your funeral?”
Mother Dezarium: “I’m the one who’s going to be holding your funeral!”
After exchanging these lines, they would use Zespaze’s Black Hole Cannon to wipe out all the lesser enemy forces. Then, the new Dessler Ship would destroy the Dezarium homeworld using the Hyper Dessler Cannon. And as it happens, I’d love to hear Dessler retort something like, “You actually thought that armor, flimsy as a scrap of paper, would stand a chance against the Hyper Dessler Cannon?”
Furthermore, I really hope they offer some redemption for poor Sasha, the character from the original series who lived for only a single year before sacrificing herself for the sake of Earth. After all, even if Sasha were to remain on Earth, she would only end up alone, given that Kodai already has Yuki. In that regard, if she were to emigrate to the Garmillas Empire, she would likely be revered as a member of the Iscandarian royal family. Moreover, were she to become Mrs. Dessler, she would serve as a powerful symbol of the unification between Iscandar and the Garmillas Empire.
In any case, my deepest wish is simply for Sasha to survive and find happiness.
So far, 3199 has continued to deliver a magnificent narrative that delights the fans, so I’m really looking forward to seeing a storyline unfold just as I’ve described above. I’m sure Chapter 6 is going to be absolutely thrilling!
MAY 17
Impressions of the Main Trailer for Chapter 6: The Azure Labyrinth
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Last week was the first week back after Golden Week, so work was hectic. Consequently, I didn’t have any time to check up on Yamato matters, but it turns out the main trailer had been released!
In this trailer, I felt that Alphon’s line, “What if the memories I’ve lived with in Dezarium were actually fabricated and rewritten?,” was the absolute highlight. Sure enough, just as I had predicted, it seems Sasha’s memories were indeed fabricated ones.
My theory is that Dezarium is not a future version of Earth, but rather an interstellar nation existing in a far-off region of space, or perhaps even in an entirely different universe. Mother Dezarium failed in her attempt to control Phase Energy. as a result, the space surrounding the Dezarium homeworld became contaminated. Since their biological bodies could no longer withstand this contamination, the inhabitants were left with no choice but to transfer their consciousness into mechanical bodies.
Therefore, their primary objective was to acquire the “Cosmo Reverse” system from Iscandar in order to restore both the Dezarium homeworld and the biological bodies of the Dezarium people to their original states.
However, since Iscandar self-destructed, causing them to fail in their acquisition of the Cosmo Reverse, I had hypothesized that they were likely executing “Plan B”: a strategy to take over Earth, seize the bodies of Earthlings, and then overwrite those bodies with the memories of the Dezarium people. The memories of the Dezarium people have themselves been rewritten, leading them to believe they are actually future inhabitants of Earth.
However, judging by the conversation between Mother Dezarium and Skaldart in Chapter 5, it seems Skaldart is the only one who knows the truth. Yet, judging by Alphon’s dialogue in this trailer, it appears there are certain facts that even Skaldart is unaware of.
Could this be the fact that, due to Mother Dezarium’s actions, control over Phase Energy failed, resulting in the contamination of the Dezarium environment?
In Be Forever Yamato, Kazan’s fleet abandoned the ground forces stationed on Earth to pursue Yamato. Consequently, the Dezarium ground troops were defeated by Earth partisans who possessed only meager weaponry. Even as a mere elementary school student at the time, I remember thinking it was just common sense to leave at least a portion of the fleet behind on Earth, even if they were intent on pursuing Yamato.
However, 3199 introduced a new plot point: the supply of Phase Energy has been cut off. This narrative addition explains why the Dezarium fleet has ceased to function. Ultimately, I felt this scenario was far more thoughtfully constructed than that of Be Forever Yamato, a film that, upon closer scrutiny, was riddled with glaring plot holes. 3199 truly boasts an exceptional level of narrative polish!
With this development, it has become possible to assault the “Grand Reverse” facility using only lightly armed forces, such as those of the partisans, thereby enabling Saki Todo to execute her plan to neutralize the Grand Reverse and reclaim Ginga. I suspect she will use Ginga to escape Earth and convey this critical secret regarding the Dezarium to Yamato‘s crew and the Galman-Garmillas Empire.
Armed with this intelligence, the fleets of the Galman-Garmillas Empire and the Bolar Federation would also be able to travel to the Dezarium system, potentially setting the stage for a scenario where they rush in to rescue Yamato just as it faces a dire crisis, much like Ram did in Chapter 5.
Returning to the subject of Sasha: while her memories were successfully transferred from her two-year-old body into that of a seventeen-year-old, it is highly probable that the Dezarium embedded a control system within her during that process. Consequently, might this lead to a storyline where she conspires with Domon and his faction to attempt a takeover of Yamato?
I imagine the story will ultimately conclude with the realization that humans from the future must not interfere with the past. consequently, they will reject the Dezarium’s methods and choose the path of fighting against them.
Osamu Yamanami
I had initially thought that Yamanami would fall in battle midway through the conflict, leaving Kodai to inherit the captaincy. However, judging by the trailer, it looks like he might step down from Yamato due to some unforeseen circumstances, thereby handing the captaincy over to Kodai instead.
Shino Todo
Shino is trying to persuade Makoto, urging her to “talk some sense into him.” However, Makoto looks rather reluctant, so I suspect Shino is likely asking her to convince Hoshina, and the other Partisans, not to take up arms against the Dezarium.
Since this is an anime, after all, I imagine the plot will ultimately unfold like this: Shino realizes the error of her ways, risks her life to steal the Dezarium’s secrets, and meets her end in the process. Personally, though, I’d prefer to see her arrested by the Partisans, put on trial after the war against the Dezarium is won, and sentenced to death for the crime of aiding a foreign enemy.
There are only six weeks left until the release of Chapter 6, I’m truly looking forward to it!
MAY 24
Where Exactly Does Dezarium Exist?
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In this post, I’d like to speculate on the actual location of the Dezarium.
Up until now, I have consistently argued that Dezarium is not the Earth of the future. rather, I believed their home planet existed in a different universe or in a far-off, distant region of space. However, considering how skillfully both 2205 and 3199 have incorporated elements from the original series’ lore, I’ve come to suspect that the reality might be something like this:
First, as I mentioned above, Dezarium is not the Earth of the future.
It was Mother Dezarium who discovered Phase Energy, a breakthrough that allowed their civilization to advance by leaps and bounds. However, it is believed that as an unintended side effect, the galaxy inhabited by Dezarium became enveloped by a “Dark Galaxy,” rendering them unable to escape. Consequently, environmental conditions within the Dark Galaxy, such as extreme cooling, deteriorated to a point where human life could no longer be sustained. Thus, the Dezarium people were left with no choice but to transform themselves into cyborgs.
Yet, at some point, Dezarium discovered a method to break through the confines of the Dark Galaxy. This discovery likely enabled them to reach Iscandar. their intention was presumably to acquire the “Cosmo Reverser” located there and use it to restore both their galaxy and their physical bodies to their original states. However, this plan was ultimately thwarted by the self-destruction of Iscandar in 2205.
Once it became clear that the restoration of their own galaxy was impossible, Mother Dezarium devised a new strategy: she fabricated a narrative claiming that the Dezarium were, in fact, “future humans from Earth,” and formulated a plan to occupy Earth and hijack the bodies of its inhabitants. However, one might question whether Dezarium technology, while capable of implanting memories into cyborgs, is actually incapable of implanting memories into living, biological human bodies.
It is plausible that this specific technology is applicable only to the Iscandarians. thus, Sasha may have been the sole individual into whom memories could be successfully implanted within a 17-year-old biological body.
Furthermore, since a “Pure Wave-Motion Core” is required to implant Dezarium memories into a human body, could their strategy be to deliberately place Sasha aboard Yamato, thereby compelling the ship to surrender, in order to seize the Pure Wave-Motion Core?
The reason Yamato has been unable to locate the Dezarium homeworld is likely because it resides within a space sealed off by the Dark Galaxy. indeed, what Yamato actually traversed in Chapter 5 may not have been a “Space-Time Nexus,” but rather the Dark Galaxy itself.
By presenting Yamato, which has now penetrated the interior of the Dark Galaxy, with a fabricated vision of Earth from 200 years in the past, the Dezarians are likely attempting to induce the ship’s surrender by convincing its crew that “intervening in the past to guide history toward its proper course is a justifiable act.”
It is at this juncture that they will likely activate the “Comm Medal” implanted within Sasha, thereby manipulating Domon and his companions into becoming their unwitting accomplices. However, Kodai, himself a victim whose parents and older brother were killed by the Garmillas, will likely remain unconvinced by this notion. Instead, he will persuade Yamato‘s crew, leading them to the realization that “the past cannot be changed. we have no choice but to live fully in the present.”
Then, the battle for the Dezarium homeworld will commence. however, deep within the Dark Galaxy, Yamato will be unable to unleash its full power and will likely find itself struggling. Suddenly, however, the Dark Galaxy will vanish, and the Galman-Garmillas Empire, led by Dessler, will appear. The “Hyper Dessler Cannon,” mounted on Dessler’s new flagship, turns out to be the ultimate weapon capable of annihilating Phase Energy.
The Bolar Federation fleet will also arrive on the scene, but with Sasha still remaining on the Dezarium homeworld, they will be unable to take any action. However, Sasha will be rescued by Heiney, who was previously presumed dead. In a feat reminiscent of Talan rescuing Dessler from the City Fortress in Yamato 2, Heiney will successfully extract Sasha.
With Sasha safely in his custody, Dessler will fire the Hyper Dessler Cannon, and the Dezarium homeworld will vanish from the cosmos. Since Yuki is present in Kodai’s era, Sasha resolves to make her life within the Garmillas Empire. Becoming Lady Dessler, she serves as a symbol of the unification between the Garmillas Empire and Iscandar.
Personally, and perhaps with a touch of wishful thinking, I suspect this is the direction the story will take. I’m truly looking forward to the release of Chapter 6!!
MAY 31
Who Is the Person Shino Todo Is Trying to Persuade?
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In the trailer, Shino speaks to Makoto, saying, “There is something I need your help with. I need you to persuade him.”
Interpreted at face value, the “him” she refers to is likely Nanbu, who plays a central role within the Partisans. With the fall of Digeblas, the Dezarium fleet stationed on Earth has had its energy supply severed. Judging by the trailer, it appears the Dezarium fleet still has some operational vessels remaining, but once the Goruba’s energy runs out, they will presumably be rendered immobile.
Believing they could hold their own against Dezarium’s ground forces alone, the Partisans devised a plan to raid the Grand Reverse, neutralize it, and reclaim Ginga.
Could it be that Shino, who chose a path of “coexistence” with Dezarium (a nice-sounding term, though in reality, it amounts to selling out the Earth), is now attempting to persuade Nanbu to back down, in an effort to avoid further antagonizing Dezarium?
However, given that Dezarium has already framed Nanbu as the ringleader of a terrorist plot, such a request is utterly self-serving and audacious. From Nanbu’s perspective, his only natural response would likely be, “What on earth are you talking about?”
After all, Nanbu and his group have already secured Earth’s decommissioned vessels and have even engaged in combat with the Dezarium fleet. Given that they appear to possess substantial ground forces, it is inconceivable that they would be swayed by Shino’s persuasion.
In the trailer, there are scenes suggesting that Saki recaptures Ginga takes flight toward an unknown destination.
While the most logical assumption is that she intends to rendezvous with Yamato and head for the Dezarium homeworld, another possibility exists: she may have discovered a route to the Dezarium homeworld and intends to inform the Garmillas Empire, requesting that they dispatch reinforcements to aid Yamato.
We cannot say for certain which scenario is true, but I’m truly excited to see how the story unfolds!
Furthermore, there is a possibility that the person Shino intends to persuade is actually Kodai. The Dezarians manipulate Sasha and bring the majority of Yamato’s crew under their control. However, because Kodai refuses to accept a compromise with Dezarium, they are unable to force Yamato’s surrender, and, consequently, fail to acquire the “Pure Wave-Motion Core” (which, as I noted in a previous post, appears to be essential for the Dezarium to imprint their memories onto human bodies).
Therefore, the theory that she is attempting to persuade Kodai is not entirely implausible. In any case, there is no doubt that Shino is acting on behalf of Dezarium.
Personally, I anticipate a narrative arc in which Shino eventually realizes the error of her ways, risks her life to steal a critical secret from the Dezarium, conveys that information to the Partisans, and then meets her end. However, given that her actions have resulted in the deaths of numerous innocent Earthlings, my personal preference would be to see her arrested by the Partisans, put on trial, and sentenced to death for the crime of aiding a foreign enemy. In fact, I believe that any Earthlings who collaborated with the Dezarium should all be sent to forced labor camps.
I am truly looking forward to the release of Chapter 6!