RIGHT SIDE
Hello everyone! We, the Yamato fanatics, have gathered together to create this. We’ve finally managed to publish the first issue of Negal, the fan club’s official magazine.
So, as for our fan club, we’d like to continue it for the next year, starting after the Yamato broadcast ends. The main staff and I are still inexperienced, but we appreciate your support.
– Naomi Honda
Space Battleship Yamato FC chairman
LEFT SIDE
Space Battleship Yamato Ending 3 Months Early!!
Hello everyone! Let’s get straight to the point: the most important issue we are currently facing is the cancellation of the broadcast, and what we would like you to understand as our heartfelt wish.
When Yamato ends, what will we have to look forward to, and how will we spend our lives? That’s right! Perhaps we, boys and girls have lost all sense of purpose and are just hastening our own death! (Exaggeration…) What will become of Japan when all the boys and girls lose such a promising future?
Yamato, the future of Japan rests on your shoulders! There are only two months left until the end of the broadcast! Just two months!
I’m just rambling on, but the fan club was formed rather late, and the show is ending only about two months later. Doesn’t it feel like we’re going to trip and fall?
Seriously, what are the producers doing!?
They’re watching the competing program! When we went to see them, they actually said that! What a terrible thing to say!
“You guys, stop watching Yamato and watch Heidi instead.”
I was so stunned I couldn’t speak. Really. Surely if we watch Yamato the viewership ratings will go up even a little.
Anyway, this is not the end of Yamato. No! Everyone, please cooperate!
Let’s keep Yamato going!
By the way!
You’re probably wondering, why we are yelling about it like this, right? Apparently, Yamato was originally planned to run until June. It makes me even more frustrated! I can’t help but wonder if Yamato might’ve continued for much longer. I feel so frustrated and regretful, thinking there was a possibility that it could’ve continued for much longer.
I can’t back down like this, can I!?
Because it was shortened, I’m frustrated about how much more story they could have packed into that shorter time. First and foremost, what’s most frustrating is Captain Harlock! Yes, that person. If the show had been longer, Harlock would have appeared and made a big impact! But what happened?
He will only make a brief appearance in the final episode!
We’ve all been gathering together and dropping to our knees and seeing things like, “Oh how much we’ve been waiting for Harlock to appear!”
So, seriously, is there absolutely no possibility of Yamato not being canceled?
This is no joke!! Even if the final episode is finished, and the voice recording is done, we won’t give up! What kind of program will they air after Yamato? I don’t even feel like watching it. To be honest, I think it would be difficult to get good ratings with anything other than Yamato at that time slot. They blamed Yamato because the ratings were not as good as expected. But I think it would be a problem if they drop it. They should change the broadcast time. Just do it!
Art and text by Motohashi
Space Battleship Yamato Episode 1
The year is 2199. Earth has been attacked by the mysterious planet Gamilas with bombs that covered the world in radioactive contamination, and there is one year left until the extinction of humanity. The remaining humans barely survive in underground cities, but the enemy forces are overwhelmingly powerful, and now the Earth fleet is on the verge of annihilation in a battle near Pluto.
Many space warriors are killed, including Mamoru Kodai, and only the ship of Captain Juuzo Okita returns to Earth. At that time, Susumu Kodai and Daisuke Shima, who are on the Mars observatory base, discover a communication capsule from a rocket that crashed in the desert, and it is subsequently deciphered.
The capsule contains a message from Starsha, Queen of Iscandar in the Large Magellanic Cloud, instructing them to come and obtain a radiation removal device called the Cosmo Cleaner. However, the planet Iscandar is 148,000 light years away. A round trip of 296,000 light years is a distance that wouldn’t allow you to return in less than a year, even traveling at the speed of light.
And what’s more, the Gamilas are waiting for them. Could such a spaceship exist on Earth? Kodai and Shima, tracking a Gamilas reconnaissance plane, discover the Battleship Yamato, which had sunk 300 years ago.
“Yamato, awaken from your 300-year slumber.”
DROOLING!
There are 365 days left until the end of humanity.
CLICK. Ahhhhh. (Sigh)
I just finished listening to the tape of Episode 1. It’s wonderful! The sound effects! The music at the end is the best. It has an infinite vastness befitting the universe. I wonder what will happen next. It feels like everything is about to begin.
Even the scenes where Mamoru Kodai’s Yukikaze is heading toward Pluto and gets beaten are good. The part where Susumu Kodai confronts Captain Okita is the best! I absolutely loved how Okita didn’t try to make excuses!
Also, Starsha was beautiful, lovely, noble, elegant, and her echo effect was impressive. The animation cels were meticulous, and the colors were beautiful. To put it simply, the episode was surprisingly well-made with very few shortcuts taken. It’s incredibly detailed. Ah, the scenes come vividly to mind. It makes a strong impression.
What’s really great is that it’s not “for kids.” The character designs are great, too. They’re all charming in their own way. And it’s great that Leiji Matsumoto is the director. Yeah.
I’m deeply moved right now, and I want to share this with you. Those of you reading this understand perfectly well, right?
Since I’ve run out of things to write about, please read the following pages for more on the charms of Yamato.
Text by Umino
Leji Matsumoto‘s recent Works
Our opinion
I think Master Matsumoto’s works, spanning a wide range of genres, depict realistic human beings in all fields while at the same time many of them have a fantastical atmosphere.
Works such as the Fantasy World Series, Four Dimensional World Series, Otoko Oidon, Wadachi, the 4 1/2 Tatami Mat series, and the Battlefield manga series all feature the author’s unique style. It’s unpretentious, it shows the true face of humanity, and the expression has a kind of melancholic and serene quality to it. It deeply touches the hearts of those who see it.
The famous Otoko Oidon depicts the people he lived with in his boarding house when he first came to Tokyo, and the events surrounding them. anyone who has ever experienced living in a boarding house would understand his story. Because these things are also real, it can be said that it is a very relatable work from that perspective.
Other notable works include action stories such as Submarine Super 99, Lightspeed Esper, and Lightning Ozma. Sexaroid is a sci-fi story aimed at older audiences. Gun frontier and Laramie Ranch are westerns. Hayakawa Bunko‘s science-fiction series Solar Queen was written by Andre Norton. The Northwest Smith series was written by C.L. Moore. Then there is Michael Moorcock’s The Book of the Beast from the Star Warrior series. And 20th Century Book’s Insects: a Fun Book. From our perspective as readers, Matsumoto’s illustrations really suit the content, and the character images are a perfect fit.
According to him, the illustration work is difficult and troublesome because the stories are written arbitrarily by the science-fiction authors.
Finally, there was an interview where he was asked about his recent activities.
“Is my current job considered unlucky? I don’t know. The Battle Manga Desert School, which is currently serialized in Sunday, has finished its run.”
When will the final installment appear?
“It’s almost time. The issue number is yet to be determined.”
What about your other work?
“It’s a hassle.”
You used to draw girls manga like Maria of the Silver Valley, The Tale of Princess Aurora, Marie with the Blue Eyes, and The Eye of the Ganges. What changed recently?
“My beloved cat Mi-kun died.” (The same name as Doctor Sado’s cat!)
Text and art by Sogawa
Space Battleship Yamato
Short anime review…part 1
I was asked to write an article about science-fiction, but I don’t have much knowledge of science-fiction. So it ended up being all about Yamato. Yamato is science-fiction, so it’s fine.
Lately, I have been finding the Yamato story a little boring. My initial excitement subsided a little, but when I watched Episode 18, I was thrilled. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this excited watching Yamato. That excitement faded after two or three hours, but as I listened to the recorded tape, my excitement returned, and I was even more moved.
“Ah! Yamato is truly amazing!”
It’s not just a simple sci-fi anime. It takes time and effort to create something so good. I wonder how they managed to do that. Seriously, it has suspense, action, science-fiction, romance, and on top of that, it even includes the kind of human misunderstandings that I find so appealing.
This is something I felt especially after watching Episode 18. Really, the two characters, machines, space…the way they managed to portray the human aspect to such a high degree in the midst of that space atmosphere is wonderful, Isn’t it?
The usually taciturn Sanada tells a story to Kodai. The fact that it’s so moving is probably due to the excellent voice acting and the superb sound design, which have a very positive effect.
To put it in part, Sanada says, “For me, science is a stinging, monstrous enemy.“ In that scene, the computer voice makes a sound like a woman laughing, right? That laugh makes me think she’s saying to Sanada, “Human flesh can’t beat science.“ I wonder what kind of computer it was.
After that, Sanada is a little weird. When Kodai leaves him behind he seems to say, “I can’t say anything to him.“ I thought he would stop him, but the fact that Kodai left him behind felt like a kind of “male friendship.“
Also, the short conversation between Domel and Gael at the end was good (and it seems Gambles people smoke cigarettes, too).
After that, Kodai says, “My brother might still be alive.“ Sanada says, “I’m alive and I hope that you’ll keep feeling that in your heart.“ But that’s a bit of a shock. I feel like it would’ve been better if he said something like “I’m sure he’s alive.“ But that’s OK.
Yamato is an experimental anime, and I think that’s what makes it a success. It’s quite mature and good. This seems like a comment just about episode 18, but I thought it was a good piece of writing.
Glory to the future of Yamato!
Text by Motohashi, art by Rami
Space Battleship Yamato
Short anime review…part 2
Now, let me write my thoughts about Yamato. Every time I watch it, what I think is really great is the background music and sound effects, starting with the theme song.
It’s simply amazing. How can I express it with words? It’s difficult to express in writing, too! It’s just so good. The melody, composed by Hiroshi Miyagawa is excellent in itself. But even more so, Atsushi Tashiro’s use of sound is fantastic, irresistible. The version [of the opening theme] in Episode 4 is especially huge. It’s really wonderful, and I actually prefer it to the current opening theme.
In the first one, the melancholy of Yamato, or rather its crew, as they embark on their fateful journey with a great mission, quietly touches my heart.
There are so many great pieces in the BGM catalog. The sound design is amazing, too. I think you’ll understand what I mean if you actually hear it.
Now, let’s talk about the screen movement and visuals. I think the colors and movement were definitely better in the beginning. Like the way the planet bombs fall and the ship advances. I was amazed to see all the meter needles moving little by little. It only lasts for a few seconds, but when you watch it, it’s pure love for someone who draws pictures. I was truly impressed.
I wrote that the early opening was better, but it’s not that the current one is bad. Anyone who has watched it from the beginning will understand. But now [the opening recap] it’s the same scenes, with the same narration. And on top of that, the music is the same. That’s cheating. It’s unfair. People who watch it every week are getting tired of it, so I think they should stop doing that.
The animation process involves drawing original artwork, creating the animation cells, painting them, and then editing them onto film. At that point, accents (i.e. sounds) are added to suit the scene, and then the final product is created. The way the sounds are added makes a big difference. Whether or not the emotional impact is heightened depends on the sensbility of the person in charge of the sound.
I think the best thing about Yamato is the visuals and the music. In that respect, I think Yamato is the best I’ve ever seen.
What I want to say most is that the story is the best of Mr. Matsumoto‘s works, especially in the field of science-fiction. I think Yamato is a truly experimental work. It feels completely different. For example, there is melancholy.
But what I find most experimental is the idea of a battleship flying through space, the fact that it’s set in the vast expanse of space, and the fact that it’s made for an older audience. I think it should be a hot topic just for that. When it comes to anime, there seems to be tendency to think of it as “for children,” and for some reason there aren’t many anime made for middle school to college age audiences.
Now let’s consider the theme, which is related to the essence of it all. What is common to the works of Director Leiji Matsumoto is that melancholy and fantasy are always mixed together, creating a distinct mood within the work. In the case of Yamato, rather than fantasy, I think the main theme has a sense of melancholy and and self-relatability unfolding within the vast of space. It’s not just a typical space action story, and I think that’s what gives it a fresh perspective.
Text by Umino
Space Battleship Yamato
This corner aims to clarify things that are difficult to understand through words alone
Part 1
Space warp
Originally, it was a phase concept based on Einstein‘s principle of relativity, referring to the curvature or distortion of space. However, in science-fiction this term is used to mean a method of space travel that is faster than the speed of light, almost instantaneous, across vast distances of space, spanning tens, hundreds, or even millions of light years.
Space novels deal with interstellar travel at the speed of light that takes decades or centuries, or across galaxies with a diameter of 100,000 light years, or even flights to 1 million light years away. Even if constant light speed space travel was possible using a spaceship, the discrepancy between time inside the ship and time on each planet would make development of the story impossible. In other words, if Yamato exceeded the speed of light, even if it had obtained the Cosmo cleaner and returned to Earth, everyone there would’ve died a long time ago. To make the impossible possible, the space warp drive was invented.
Space warp navigation works as follows: it can be easily explained by a classical analogy. Pick up a piece of paper with two points in its opposite corners. The distance between the two points is very large, as long as you are traveling two-dimensionally on the paper. However, if you roll this paper into a cylinder, the two points will quickly come into close proximity. Using the same principle, space warp navigation distorts ordinary space, drawing closer together targets tens of thousands of light years apart in a super-dimensional and super-temporal manner.
This is allows us to make the story unfold simultaneously across the infinite universe, within the same timeframe. Besides space warp, the terms “hyperdrive“ and “leap“ are also used, but they essentially mean the same thing.
Text and art by Hana Tanaka
If there’s anything you’d like us to explain in this section, send it in!
Note from the Editor
We will collect articles to be published in the next journal. Items to be collected are a title for the section on page 11, which investigates and analyzes unfamiliar words, or the words you would like us to look up.
* Your favorite episode and your thoughts on it
* Starting in the next issue, the series, “VS: a thorough analysis of two characters” will feature two contrasting characters in each issue, analyzing them from every angle, including personality and appearance. Thorough analysis comparing the two. Please give us your opinion on next issue’s Kodai versus Shima article.
In addition, please share your thoughts on science-fiction, Yamato, anime, or anything else even if it’s not about anime or Yamato.
Final Editor’s Note
It’s cold, isn’t it? Well, we finally managed to deliver the first issue of our magazine to you. What do you think? We tried to include lots of your favorite sci-fi and the irresistible charm of Yamato. This time, I wrote the manuscript right before publication so it might be a little rough, but I’ll put more effort into it starting with the next issue. (Motohashi)
Sanada son! I love you! (Sounds like a gay guy) (Honda)
Ha ha, Captain Okita is so cool! (Umino)
I love you, Starsha! (Miegawa)
Go to hell, Yuki Mori! Ha ha ha, I’m just jealous of you. I love you, Yuki Chan! (Lee Family)
Let’s protect Dr. Sado! (Kamiyama)
Well, then, everyone, please stay healthy until the end of the series!
Space Battleship Yamato FC magazine Legal issue number 1
February 10, 1975
Publisher: Naomi Honda
Editor: Tokyo Izumi, Hiromi Motohashi
Cover art by Hiro Motohashi
Back cover illustration by L. Matsumoto
