{"id":20662,"date":"2015-02-03T23:13:34","date_gmt":"2015-02-04T07:13:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/?p=20662"},"modified":"2025-09-05T22:40:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T05:40:11","slug":"088a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/088a\/","title":{"rendered":"Yamato<\/em> Year 2015, part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Back up to part 1<\/a><\/p>\n

Music<\/h2>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/br><\/br><\/p>\n

Best of Best: Isao Sasaki<\/em> CD<\/h2>\n

Columbia COCX-39013, April 1<\/em><\/p>\n

Columbia is very good at keeping classic anime themes in print through tribute albums like this one, which pulls together all the favorites rendered by vocalist Isao Sasaki (other legendary singers got their own volumes). Best known for the original Yamato<\/em> theme and The Scarlet Scarf<\/em>, his other credits run deep into both anime and live-action. This 25-track CD brings them all to life again.<\/p>\n

Order it from Amazon.co.jp here<\/a> or CD Japan here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Isao Sasaki 55th Anniversary Concert Birthday Live<\/h3>\n

May 17<\/em><\/p>\n

Sasaki celebrated his 55th year as a professional singer with a concert in Tokyo filled with thirty songs including his best-known anime hits (Yamato<\/em> chief among them) and some Elvis tunes. The event also served as a birthday party. At 73, he told reporters that he keeps fit through weekly aerobics and assured them that his hair is still his own. His frequent collaborator Mitsuko \u201cQueen of Anison\u201d Horie appeared with him as a special guest.<\/p>\n

Other guests helped present a career history slideshow, including Leiji Matsumoto and the original voice of Yuki herself, Yoko Asagami.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This is all I want to know: 50 Anime Songs<\/em><\/h3>\n

Columbia COCX-39272, September 23<\/em><\/p>\n

50 years, 50 songs. That\u2019s the shortest way to sum up this massive 2-CD compendium of Columbia\u2019s most popular anime theme singles starting with Jungle Emperor [Kimba]<\/em> in 1965. It\u2019s a lot to get through if you only want the original Yamato<\/em> theme, but if you\u2019re looking for an instant collection of classics it can\u2019t be beat.<\/p>\n

Order it from Amazon.co.jp here<\/a> or CD Japan here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Yamato Sound Almanac 1974-1983: Yamato Music Addendum<\/em><\/h3>\n

Columbia COCX-39257~9, October 28<\/em><\/p>\n

In terms of the pure Yamato<\/em> sound, this was the single biggest release of the year, a triple-disc treasure trove that followed in the wake of the 30-CD Sound Almanac series. It may be hard to imagine that anything had been left out, but the well goes deeper than even the production supervisor thought, as described in his liner notes.<\/p>\n

In case you\u2019re wondering if they finally dug up the original source for the Bee People festival in Series 1, that still remains sadly elusive. And truthfully, there\u2019s nothing completely new here, but completists love diving into alternate takes and remixes that liven up the old favorites.<\/p>\n

Highlights include alternate takes from the Yamato<\/em> radio dramas, tracks from the Anime Piano ~ Yamato\/Gundam<\/em> album, The instrumental-only version of Prelude to Final Yamato<\/em>, a \u201crefresh collection\u201d of BGM remixes from Yamato 2<\/em> through Final Yamato<\/em>, and a handful of songs that didn\u2019t fit on previous releases.<\/p>\n

Read the extensive liner notes and a complete track listing here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Order it from Amazon.co.jp here<\/a> or CD Japan here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Tomoko Kuwae, I Can’t Wait + 1<\/em><\/h3>\n

Solid Records CDSOL-1691, November 18<\/em><\/p>\n

Tomoko Kuwae was the singer who performed The Love of Two<\/em>, the sweeping and emotional song heard in Final Yamato<\/em> during the Cosmo Zero’s flight carrying Kodai and Yuki through a cloud of memory. It appeared on Kuwae’s I Can’t Wait<\/em> LP in 1983, and finally came to CD 32 years later. The “+1” added to the title indicated an extra bonus track titled See You Again<\/em>, which was the B-side on the original Love of Two<\/em> single.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Alfee: One Night Circle<\/em> DVD & BLu-ray<\/h3>\n

Alfred, December 23<\/em><\/p>\n

Prog-rock band The Alfee was still going strong in 2015, as evidenced by this contemporary concert video\/documentary. It had been six years since they performed two songs for Yamato Resurrection<\/em>, and both were performed live. The entire program can be seen on Youtube here<\/a>. The two songs are played back to back starting at 13:45 and DEMAND to be seen rather than just heard.<\/p>\n

Find more data on this release here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Yamato Sound Arrange Project<\/em> CD series<\/h3>\n

2010-present<\/em><\/p>\n

Off to the side is a special series of discs that has been flying under the radar for a while, but finally emerged in 2015. Y.S.A.P. is the brainchild a fan circle called Brightness<\/em>. They combine their musical talents to create rich, inventive cover versions of Yamato<\/em> music from across the entire saga and 2199<\/em>. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As of this writing, Brightness has released five full-length albums of Yamato<\/em> music. They typically premiered at the Winter Comiket, culminating with Volume 5 in December 2014. At present, you can only get their works by asking a Japanese friend to order them online. Short of that, you can click on the following links to hear samples from each album:<\/p>\n

Vol. 1 Aphelion<\/em><\/a> | Vol. 2 Transition Waves<\/em><\/a> | Vol. 3 Synthesis<\/em><\/a> | Vol. 4 Crossover<\/em><\/a> | Vol. 5 Elements<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Find more info on the Brightness blog page here<\/a> and their Tumblr page here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Twitter action<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

IJN Yamato revival
\nJanuary 29<\/em><\/p>\n

Elsewhere in the world of homemade CG comes this image, first tweeted by a user named Zozi<\/a>. The building with the green roof is the Battleship Yamato<\/em> museum in Kure city. And parked in the water, more or less where the original was built, is a resurrected Battleship Yamato<\/em>. It was added to the photo with CG, of course, inviting us to imagine a different flow of history. Incidentally, the flat area directly below Yamato<\/em> is a walkway upon which half of the forward deck has been reproduced at 1\/1 scale in tiles.<\/p>\n

See what the museum looks like from the ground here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An early Yamato<\/em> knockoff model, revealed
\nPosted by PMF Miya-P on March 19<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Yomiuri Shimbun<\/em> profile on beloved actor Masato Ibu credits him in the first line as Dessler from Space Battleship Yamato<\/em>
\nPosted by \u201cAoi\u201d on April 6<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An unusual Yamato<\/em> sighting in the Hiroshima countryside. The sign (and presumably the model) was erected by the Hiura Corporation (a civil engineering company) and says \u201cRoad Safety.\u201d
\nPosted by \u201cKendama567\u201d on April 9<\/em><\/p>\n

See a video walkaround of the model on Youtube here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Left: Photo-stop outside the Battleship Yamato<\/em> Museum in Kure
\nPosted by \u201cHoney-Hasamari\u201d on June 1<\/em><\/p>\n

Right: Yamato<\/em> and Andromeda<\/em> take flight
\nPosted by \u201cAsuka\u201d on August 14<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Imaginary \u201cAndromeda<\/em> Museum\u201d custom model
\nSpotted at Wonder Festival 2015 summer, July 25<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A beautifully-detailed homemade CG Andromeda<\/em>
\nPosted by \u201cMirror MK\u201d on September 7<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Impressive fan renderings of the infamous Red Hawk Yamato<\/em><\/a> capital ships
\nPosted by \u201cKamidekorokoro\u201d on November 14. See them bigger here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Classic Yamato<\/em> cels from Series 1 spotted at a Mandarake store auction case
\nPosted by \u201cUraniwamoviecom\u201d on November 19<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Magazine photo depicting the filming of a vintage Yamato<\/em> model kit commercial
\nPosted by \u201cToshiro Ifukube\u201d on December 5<\/em><\/p>\n

\n
\n

Youtube gems<\/h2>\n

(visit our Links page<\/a> to find many, many more)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Left: Endearing public performance of Yamato<\/em> theme on an Electone organ, March 14. View it from different angles here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Right: Stunning violin accompaniment with Yamato<\/em> theme, June 18. View it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Left: The Scarlet Scarf<\/em>, blisteringly covered by Ninomiya Band, October 9. View it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Right: Fully symphonic anime theme concert at Shizuoka Hobby Show, May 16 (Yamato<\/em><\/em> starts at 8:22). View it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Left: One-of-a-kind, all-bass Yamato<\/em> theme by Panda Wind Orchestra, May 17. View it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Right: Yamato<\/em> theme deftly covered by pianist Fabrizio Spaggiari, September 26. View it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Left: Yamato<\/em> theme endearingly performed by KaiMana Family, November 14. View it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Bonus: The Scarlet Scarf<\/em> performed by KaiMana Family, November 14. View it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Right: Elaborate multimedia performance of Yamato<\/em> themes by the SDF orchestra, November 15. View it here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Honorable Mention<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

A fan named Tetsuya Maruyama emerged in March to share two of his exquisite sculptures with the world, one based on Starsha and another on Yuki Mori, which was pictured in Model Graphix<\/em> magazine.<\/p>\n

See photos on his blog here<\/a> and here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A blogger\/modeler named \u201cDeep Space Pat\u201d gave everyone a look at his kit conversion of a mecha-scale Yamato<\/em> into the infamous Dai Yamato Zero-Go<\/em>. Have a look at his work here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Hero\u2019s Hill<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Voice actor Chikao Ohtsuka, January 16<\/em><\/p>\n

This section is where we bid farewell to Yamato<\/em> luminaries who departed in the last year, and though the number is very low this time it doesn\u2019t make the news any more welcome. But here goes: icy-voiced Chikao Ohtsuka played the small but memorable role of Baruze, the Comet Empire officer from Farewell to Yamato<\/em> and Yamato 2<\/em> who commanded the solar system invasion fleet. (In Yamato 2<\/em>, he commanded from the Manga-Flame ship Medaluza).<\/em><\/p>\n

This was just one of Ohtsuka\u2019s many memorable parts that included Goemon in Lupin III<\/em>, Jagi and Ryuken in Fist of the North Star<\/em>, TaoPaiPai in Dragonball<\/em>, Moriarty in Sherlock Hound<\/em>, Pailsen in Armored Trooper Votoms<\/em>, Gold Roger in One Piece<\/em>, Arthur Hellsing in Hellsing Ultimate<\/em>, and many more.<\/p>\n

See an extensive list of his credits at Anime News Network here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Voice actor Patrick W. Lohn, February 2<\/em><\/p>\n

It’s always a huge thrill when another Star Blazers<\/em> voice actor emerges from the fog of history. It’s always a tragedy when we learn that name too late. Such is the case with Patrick W. Lohn, the voice of the one and only Christopher Eager.<\/p>\n

It wasn’t a big part. Eager never got the spotlight the way other characters did. He almost never had good news for anyone, and he never actually got to show his mettle as the “assistant pilot” of the ship. It would have been easy for him to go unnoticed if not for Patrick’s voice. Eager’s unique Texas drawl added a level of character that was not only absent from the original Japanese casting, it made Eager unforgettable. Either the Star Blazers<\/em> writers went out of their way to give him an outsized personality, or Patrick did it all by himself to perk up what could have been a very bland role. Unfortunately, we’ll never know.<\/p>\n

Patrick’s brief obituary was published in the Suffolk Times<\/em>, and actually included a mention of Star Blazers<\/em> (see it here<\/a>). This fact alone tells us the show was important enough to him and his family to record it as part of his legacy. Let’s all say a silent word of thanks for his remarkable contribution.<\/p>\n

Special thanks to friend-of-the-website Brian Lombard for this find.<\/em><\/p>\n

The End<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20662","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20662"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20662\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41747,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20662\/revisions\/41747"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}