November 5, 70mm/6ch stereo Space Battleship Yamato, The Final Chapter
Perfect Edition announced!
Relive that great emotion once more…! Kodai, Yuki, Captain Okita, and the magnificent battleship Yamato are reborn on the big screen in 70mm full-size. We must see the finale for Yamato fans and anime fans alike!
Yamato shines brightest on the big screen
The long-rumored “perfect edition,” the full-size 70mm version of Yamato, The Final Chapter is finally set for release. This is not merely a simple blow-up of the 35mm version that was released during the spring holidays. Rather, the entire film has been meticulously reworked and enhanced with a 6-channel multi-stereo sound system. The result is a film that promises a truly scaled-up, high-impact cinematic experience worthy of great anticipation.
Production is currently in its final stages. Prior to its completion, Producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki took the opportunity to share his personal sentiments regarding this project.
Nishizaki:
“Ideally, we should have presented the 70mm version to you back during the spring release. Regrettably, due to various circumstances, we were forced to abandon that plan at the time. I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincere apologies to all our fans.”
“I personally harbor a deep and profound attachment to Yamato. I have always wanted you, the audience, to experience Yamato in the best possible setting: in a fine theater, from a great seat, and on a truly massive screen. Consequently, in order to fulfill the promise I made to you all, we are currently producing this 70mm version to bring a fitting conclusion to Yamato‘s ten-year legacy.”
“This endeavor stems partly from my own confidence that Yamato is a work that truly shines brighter the larger the screen on which it is projected. But there’s one other reason as well. Thanks to your support, our spring release was a tremendous success. However, for the sake of those who may have missed it the first time around, I wanted to ensure that everyone will have the opportunity to see this film.”
Not just an encore
While the storyline remains unchanged, it is said that a significant portion of the film, specifically involving special effects and animation, has been completely remade.
Nishizaki:
“From the very beginning, we produced this film with 70mm projection as our target. Consequently, our shot breakdown, character blocking, and layout compositions were all designed with the large screen in mind. However, details that might have been superfluous for a 35mm print become crucial when projected in 70mm. Simply having the characters move is not enough; it lacks impact. Therefore, for this release, we have completely redrawn more than one-sixth of the film’s shots.”
“Furthermore, in terms of special effects, the visuals should look drastically different. We utilized techniques such as Scanimate, slit-scan photography, and computer graphics. Although we conducted extensive testing and preparation for these methods during the original production, there were certain elements we were unable to implement at the time due to technical limitations.”
“For this release, we have revisited those specific areas and decided to incorporate electronic effects into many of the shots. Moreover, rather than simply applying computer-generated imagery for its own sake, we have devised effects that are specifically tailored to complement the aesthetic quality of traditional animation.”
“The film is scheduled to screen in 70mm theaters in both Tokyo and Osaka for a two-week run, beginning November 5th. I truly hope you will come and see it!”
The final festival of Yamato‘s 10th anniversary!
Nishizaki:
“Furthermore, this time around, I really want everyone to enjoy the 6-channel multi-sound experience. I believe this marks the very first time that a Japanese producer has utilized an entirely Japanese technical crew to handle the dubbing process in a Japanese studio. It basically comes down to the fact that there was this foolish producer who got it into his head to do something utterly ridiculous, just to prove that, ‘Hey, we can produce something of this caliber right here in Japan!’ (Laughs)”
“But on a serious note, I truly believe this will become a valuable asset for us. With that sentiment in mind, I’m planning to rent out a 70mm theater at next year’s Cannes Film Festival to screen this very film.”
“One more thing: I want the November release to serve as a ‘grand festival,’ a fitting culmination to the ten-year saga of Yamato. Ideally, I would have loved to make admission completely free of charge. However, the theaters simply wouldn’t agree to that. So then I suggested, ‘how about we do it like ‘Movie Day’ and offer half-price tickets?’ But that was a no-go as well.”
“Still, I do think we can manage to set the admission price at about 20% off the standard rate. And on top of that, I want to give away a piece of Yamato merchandise as a gift to every single person who attends. Now, when I say that, some of you might think, ‘Oh, that’s just a cheap gimmick to draw in a crowd…’ But for me personally, my intention as a producer is to give back to all the fans who have supported us so faithfully over these past ten years.”
“In fact, for about the last year and a half, we’ve been gradually pulling Yamato merchandise off the market. So, since I couldn’t make admission free, I figured this was the least I could do to show my gratitude to everyone. So please, everyone come and enjoy ‘The Final Yamato.'”
Well now…I can hardly wait for the release!
Lower left inset:
Yamato big model auction!
A cut away model of Yamato, which was used as reference for the animation, will be put up for auction as a way to give back to fans. This is one of only two, specially commissioned by producer Nishizaki. It is an impressive piece, measuring 2 meters in length. It’s a valuable item that cost over ¥5 million to produce. Apparently, even Leiji Matsumoto himself is after one, but it will be specially offered through bidding for the fans. For inquiries, please contact West Cape corporation.