Yamato Origins, Part 5
Plan Book by Eiichi Yamamoto

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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In the summer of 1973, a critical threshold was reached when the title Space Battleship Yamato finally emerged. By late summer, a 45-page plan book was assembled by writer Eiichi Yamamoto which combined text with artwork. Here is the full text of that book, translated to English for the first time. [2 pages]

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Leiji Matsumoto: A Tribute

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Writers around the world have exhausted entire vocabularies trying to describe his unique vision, his incredible range, and his bottomless supply of creative energy. So in the end, there’s only one way to sum up Leiji Matsumoto: he’s a true original.

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Yamato Supermodels, Continued

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Yamato Origins, Part 6
Story Outline by Leiji Matsumoto

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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There still would have been a Space Battleship Yamato without Leiji Matsumoto, but none can deny that it wouldn’t be the Yamato we know and love today. Unsatisfied with many of the ideas in the 1973 plan book, Matsumoto wrote his story treatment in April and May of 1974, presented here in full.

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Yamato Origins, Part 7
Story Notes by Leiji Matsumoto

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Collected here is a mish-mash of Leiji Matsumoto’s story notes written during the spring and summer 1974, demonstrating how truly inspired he was in this pivotal phase. This included a wide range of characters on the Gamilas side that later informed the concepts of Yamato 2199.

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Yamato Origins, Part 8: The 39-Episode Outline

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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A composite summary of the charts and story memos for the 39-episode version before the forced reduction to 26. Episodes 1-10 made it to TV largely intact, but everything that followed was subject to heavy revision, compression, or elimination. Some of the lost material would later inform the creation of Yamato 2199.

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Live Action Movie, Report 1

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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The first trickle of promotion on January 1, 2010 ignites interest around the world. We review the credits of the entire cast and present the earliest newspaper interviews with star Takuya Kimura, along with a complete translation of a tabloid newspaper dedicated to the film.

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Star Blazers Voice Actor Reunion

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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It’s been a long time since Wildstar, Nova, and Desslok were in a room together, and even longer since their voices were heard live in a room together. But the clock was finally reset when Ken Meseroll, Amy Howard Wilson, and Eddie Allen made their first-ever joint public appearance in March 2010. Read the transcript here.

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Twice the Goddess

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Despite how it looks in the Star Blazers/Yamato universe, it isn’t often that you get to meet a space goddess. Imagine, then, how rare it is to find two in one body. That’s a claim that can be made by Ms. Lydia Leeds, who portrayed both Queen Starsha and Trelaina of Telezart. Read her interview about the experience here.

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Live Action Movie, Report 2

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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The first full trailer is released in June 2010 and live promotion begins at the World Hobby Fair. Then we meet the filmmakers: Director Takashi Yamazaki, writer Shimako Sato, and composer Naoki Sato. We then review each of Yamazaki’s previous films and recommend related viewing.

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Yamato Origins, Part 9
The Pilot Film and the Homestretch

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Getting all the story ideas lined up was one thing; turning words into pictures for the first time was quite another. As network negotiations concluded, Yoshinobu Nishizaki decided to produce ten minutes of finished animation for a pilot film as a warmup for the TV series, marking Yamato‘s first breath of life.

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Live Action Movie, Report 3

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Fall 2010: the second trailer, the Sanrio tie-in, the prop exhibit, early products appear, and Steven Tyler is announced as the performer of the ending theme. We then review the trailer and the novelization for hints about the finished film.

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Homer’s Odyssey

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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It is our supreme pleasure to welcome back into the Star Blazers pantheon Mr. Michael Bertolini, who won all of our hearts as Communications Officer Homer Glitchman! This interview was conducted shortly after Michael first reconnected with his fans via Facebook in August, 2011.

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Series 1 Character Design

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Like everything else about the first series, the character design went through many phases before finally taking shape as the anime icons we know now. Leiji Matsumoto began developing the story and the early character designs simultaneously. As time went on and the project got exponentially bigger, others joined him.

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Yamato Origins, Part 5 continued

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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The Doctor is in

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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The rarest and most enjoyable part of working on this website is the chance to welcome a Star Blazers voice actor back into the warm embrace of fandom. So meet Frank Pita, better known to Star Blazers fans as the beloved Dr. Sane! This doctor’s appointment was a long time coming, but it’s finally here!

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Live Action Movie, Report 4

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Covering October and November, 2010: promotion explodes in the final run-up to the premiere. Magazine coverage, the preview screening, Yamato Earth goes live, the Famima prize campaign, the English-language screening, multiple promo tie-ins, the giant model, the “Countdown Event” and much more! [2 pages]

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The Anime Magazine #17

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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A Day Unlike Any Other

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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By Tim Eldred. One day I got the go-ahead to interview two men whose work helped change my life and that of many others: Ken Meseroll and Eddie Allen, the voices of Derek Wildstar and Desslok. The arrangements were made and the date was set. Yes, September 11, 2001 was going to be a very special day.

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Live Action Movie, Report 5

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Covering December, 2010: The movie sets box office records during its first month, and numerous products are sold in theaters. Magazine coverage continues, fans get the chance to buy replica props, and more!

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Return of the Rivals

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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By Tim Eldred. For the first time in over 20 years, actors Ken Meseroll and Eddie Allen reprised their roles as the all-time fan favorite Star Blazers characters Wildstar and Desslok in a special project for Voyager Entertainment. It was my distinct pleasure to help orchestrate this event.

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Episode 1 Commentary

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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SOS Earth! Revive Battleship Yamato!
In the year 2199, Earth hovers on the edge of extinction. The Gamilons, a race from outside the Milky Way, has bombed the Earth and covered it with deadly radiation. But a message from space brings hope for the future.

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Episode 2 Commentary

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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The opening gun! Space Battleship Argo starts!
A secret plan has come to fruition: the ancient battleship Yamato has been rebuilt into the Space Battleship Argo, the most powerful vessel Earth has ever launched. But a Gamilon attack could end the voyage before it even begins!

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Episode 3 Commentary

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Argo take off! The challenge of 296,000 light years!
People are called from around the world to board the Space Battleship Argo and make the journey to another galaxy. They are called the Star Force, and they must reach planet Iscandar in one year or Earth is doomed!

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Episode 4 Commentary

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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World of wonder! Argo leaps past light!
The Argo has left Earth in its desperate mission to retrieve the Cosmo DNA machine from Planet Iscandar, which will remove the radiation that threatens humanity. But first the Star Force must survive a deadly space warp!

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Episode 5 Commentary

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Escape the floating continent! Crisis calls the Wave-Motion Gun!
Hidden in the clouds of Planet Jupiter is a giant floating island–and a secret Gamilon base. Jupiter’s mighty gravity will trap the Star Force here forever…unless the mighty wave motion gun can set them free!

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Episode 6 Commentary

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Space Destroyer Paladin sleeps in the icefield
With the Argo running low on energy, the Star Force stops at Saturn’s moon Titan to mine the ore they need to continue the voyage to Iscandar. But they are unprepared for what else they will find!

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Episode 7 Commentary

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Argo sinks! Fateful battle to destroy the enemy stronghold!
As the Argo approaches Pluto, the Star Force is attacked by the Gamilons’ deadly reflex gun, a cannon with unlimited range. Hit and damaged, the Argo plummets into the frigid seas of Pluto. Will this become its final resting place?

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Episode 8 Commentary

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Argo braves death! Destroy the reflex gun!
Derek Wildstar leads a task force into the Gamilon base on Pluto to find and destroy the reflex gun. But the Argo is under constant attack, and time is running out for the Star Force!

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Episode 9 Commentary

Posted on July 3, 2013 by TimEldred

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Revolving defense! Asteroid belt!
The Argo is on the edge of the solar system, farther than any humans have travelled…but before they can continue, they have to break a Gamilon blockade–something no Earth ship has done before!

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