{"id":33538,"date":"2023-01-03T18:56:28","date_gmt":"2023-01-04T02:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/?p=33538"},"modified":"2026-05-13T11:41:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T18:41:40","slug":"729a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/729a\/","title":{"rendered":"Vintage Report 9: 1978, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2301icon\"<\/p>\n

The new year brought new products, the birth of the official fan club, continued media attention, and a trickle of news about Yamato<\/em> Part 2 that only vaguely hinted at the rush of preproduction activity behind the scenes. Here is an extensive record for the busy first quarter of 1978.<\/p>\n

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As the new year began, the Yamato<\/em> movie was still raking in box office profits after an incredible five months. After a slowdown in December, the New Year’s holiday brought it surging back in 21 new theaters, and screenings would continue all over Japan throughout the spring. <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the late December release of the magnificent Symphonic Suite<\/em> brought equal attention to Yamato<\/em> music, giving it a life of its own and uplifting the entire anime industry as a result.<\/p>\n

New products appeared, media attention continued, the fledgling fan club was growing quickly, and everyone wondered what “Yamato<\/em> Part 2″ would bring. Meanwhile, the production staff worked like mad with just eight months to top the biggest anime film in Japan’s history. In retrospect, we know that they would succeed beyond all expectations, but let’s try to put that knowledge aside as we see how the busy first quarter of 1978 unfolded…<\/p>\n

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January 1: Manga Shonen<\/em>, February issue<\/h3>\n

Yamato<\/em>‘s first 1978 appearance in Manga Shonen<\/em> was as a cameo in one of the regular manga serials: Hachya-Mechya [Topsy Turvy] Lab<\/em>, a comedy strip by Mitsutoshi Furuya. In this episode, the professor character and his assistant test out an invention called the M13 Image Machine, which allows them to transmit a picture from their brains directly to a screen, out of which pops a solid image.<\/p>\n

The assistant decides to make Yamato<\/em>, but only manages a crude version. The professor does slightly better, producing something that could be called Yamato<\/em> in shape only. When their robot asks to give it a try, his photographic memory produces a picture-perfect Yamato<\/em> and a few other things.<\/p>\n

The professor and his assistant get more than they bargained for when Godzilla shows up, and after all the chaos is over, the robot uses the machine to produce his own mother to tuck him in.<\/p>\n

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January 1: Study Computer<\/em> magazine<\/h3>\n

Ahoy, computer nerds! It’s not evident from the cover, but this issue of Study Computer<\/em> marks the first time Yamato<\/em> crossed paths with the steadily growing world of home computing. It came with a supplement titled Introduction to BASIC for Micon [Microcomputer].<\/em> Regrettably, that supplement was missing from the copy obtained for Cosmo DNA.<\/p>\n

However, research from a contemporary Yamato<\/em> doujinshi reveals that the story of Yamato<\/em>‘s journey to Iscandar was somehow used as the framing device for the explanation of BASIC. Until a copy of the actual supplement can be obtained, we’ll just have to imagine how that task was carried out.<\/p>\n

So consider this a placeholder until the real thing can be found.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

January 1: Modern Film<\/em> magazine<\/h3>\n

In the November ’77 issue of Modern Film<\/em>, columnist Yoshio Shirai expressed his disappointment in the Yamato<\/em> movie. As a fan of the TV series, he found it wanting and asked for other fans to share their opinions. How did they respond?<\/p>\n

This issue’s column contained the followup, which you can read here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

January 1: Treasure Island<\/em> magazine<\/h3>\n

Here’s one of the stranger entries in the Yamato<\/em> media record. This issue of Treasure Island<\/em> had a lengthy anthology of essays called “78 Boken, proof that “facts are stranger than trivia.”<\/em> Exactly what that means is anyone’s guess, but there were indeed 78 short commentaries on different fads, trends, bands, celebrities, etc.<\/p>\n

Yamato<\/em> got the nod as well, but the essay was way off the beaten path. Read it for yourself here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

January 4-11: Keio Department Store exhibition<\/h3>\n

For one week, a major department store in Tokyo rode the Yamato<\/em> band wagon with a museum-style display of production materials with a well-stocked supply of products on sale, undoubtedly created for the ongoing theatrical presence of the first movie. The exhibition portion consisted of scripts, storyboards, cels, designs, diagrams, video clips, a life-size Analyzer statue, and more.<\/p>\n

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January 5: Yamato<\/em> Part 2 production<\/h3>\n

In story meetings that took place throughout December, a wide range of ideas was mixed and matched until the basic plot was worked out. Finally, Keisuke Fujikawa unified them into a single, comprehensive draft which was then turned over to Producer Toshio Masuda for further refinement. <\/p>\n

Masuda came from the live-action film world, but he was certainly no stranger to Yamato<\/em>. He made significant contributions to Series 1 while it was in development, and returned to edit the series down into the movie that was still blazing away in theaters.<\/p>\n

The content of the Masuda Draft is almost the same as the finished film, but the battle between Yamato<\/em> and the Comet Empire in the second half is somewhat different. Click here<\/a> to read it.<\/p>\n

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January 5: All About SF Space Movies<\/em><\/h3>\n

Published by the Kantosha company, the title of this 126-page spinoff of Aviation Information<\/em> magazine was somewhat misleading. Instead of focusing on space movies, it was more of a general encyclopedia of SF and fantasy films, many of which had nothing to do with space (King Kong<\/em>, for example).<\/p>\n

However, the actual space movie content was good enough for the time it was published, most likely meant to capitalize on the rising tide of Yamato, Star Wars<\/em> (which hadn’t premiered in Japan yet) and the swing toward Sci-fi on the big screen. Articles profiled 2001<\/em> and other films, along with an SF glossary, a movie index, a look at NASA spacecraft, and more.<\/p>\n

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

Yamato<\/em> featured in a short piece titled Yamato vs. Gotengo<\/em>, stacking it up against the drill-nosed flying submarine from Toho’s Atragon<\/em> (1963). The headline on the 2-page spread read as follows:<\/p>\n

Immediately after Toho’s production announcement in late September, inquiries about the film began to arrive from America and Europe. Let’s compare Yamato<\/em> and Gotengo!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Yamato<\/em>, here’s what has changed<\/span><\/p>\n

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January 7-11: Hawaii trip<\/h3>\n

The writing staff of Yamato<\/em> Part 2 took a five-day “retreat” to Hawaii for some much needed relaxation before they dove headfirst in what would be a punishing 8-month production period that would consume their every waking minute.<\/p>\n

One purpose of the trip was to take in Star Wars<\/em> and Close Encounters<\/em>, the two blockbuster American SF movies that had yet to premiere in Japan. Leiji Matsumoto began his initial designs for the movie, and Toshio Masuda’s story draft was thoroughly digested by everyone to prepare for the task of expanding it into a script.<\/p>\n

Animation Director Tomoharu Katsumata talked about the trip in the March 1983 issue of Kinejun<\/em>. Here is his personal account:<\/p>\n

I boarded an airplane to Hawaii, and before long I was staring out at a star in the night sky. My heart eased as I imagined Yumenoshima [the island of dreams] and this and that. However, a thick pile of memos was stacked up in front of me. I was given a summary of the proposal and told, \u201cread this until morning.\u201d I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d have to bring work on the plane, but the SF writer Aritsune Toyota who shared my table read it quickly. When I finally finished reading one copy, he\u2019d read three different novels. When I asked him about it, he said it was his routine to read three books at night before going to sleep. I wondered what kind of structure was in his head. There are some amazing people in this world.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Next I went to see our good friend Tsuji Tadanao (concept artist). I got another surprise. He was sleeping instead of reading. \u201cDid you read it already?\u201d I asked, and he said, \u201cUh, I started reading, but didn\u2019t feel well.\u201d The proposal book was open in the middle and turned over on his knee. I was secretly relieved.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because of this, it was hard on us even after arriving in Hawaii. It was not the time to sing, \u201cViva Hawaii.\u201d We ate breakfast and immediately had a meeting about the proposal I\u2019d read on the plane. When I looked at a clock, it was pointing to 9am. No one expected that this would continue for four days. Rather than saying we had come here to watch movies for reference, it would have been more accurate to say we were coming here to have meetings. This was exactly Nishizaki style, a surprise attack on Hawaii.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more about the trip, and the work that followed, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

January 13: Asahi Graph<\/em> magazine<\/h3>\n

Unless you’ve taken a look into the history of Japan, you may be unaware that the name Yamato<\/em> goes much farther back than the 20th century. It originated as the name of Japan’s dominant ethnic group and expanded to encompass a province, a spirit, a time period, and ultimately the nation itself. That heritage manifested in the name of the World War II battleship and its anime descendant.<\/p>\n

This issue of Asahi Graph<\/em>, a tabloid-size culture magazine published by Asahi Newspaper, took a look at the many forms of the name Yamato<\/em> and its propagation across the country from high-end entertainment to everyday objects.<\/p>\n

Read the article here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

January 14: High 1st Course<\/em>, February issue<\/h3>\n

Yamato<\/em> made a few appearances in this issue of Gakken’s student digest for 10 graders, including the first image in an 8-page article titled SF World of Everything.<\/em> The article was too wide-ranging to say anything specific about Yamato<\/em>, but you couldn’t help but be drawn in by its intro:<\/p>\n

Scientists who leap through time and dimensions, heroes who traverse the sci-fi universe, beauties from mysterious planets…this world is a realm of dreams, fantasies, and thrilling mysteries. Why don’t you take a journey into the world of science-fiction?!<\/span><\/p>\n

See the article and other features here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

January 15: “Hamidashi” doujinshi<\/h3>\n

Here’s another example of how grateful we should be to the first generation of Yamato<\/em> fans for their diligent preservation efforts. The Hamidashi (“split off”) Yamato<\/em> Fan Club did us all an enormous service when they noticed a discrepancy in manga reprints; Leiji Matsumoto and Akira Hio’s versions were riding high, but nobody had seen or heard of Yuki Hijiri’s version since it ran its course in Terebiland<\/em> magazine (October ’74 to February ’75).<\/p>\n

They sought permission from Yoshinobu Nishizaki to make their own reprint. He agreed as long as they limited the circulation to 300 copies. Their club \u2018zine was titled Zero<\/em>, so this project was titled Supplement Zero<\/em> Vol. 1. About the size of a standard paperback, it contained a complete photocopy of the manga (taken from Terebi Land) in 84 pages. To this day, it remains the only source other than the original magazines.<\/p>\n

In it, the club staff wrote the following:<\/p>\n

How did you like Hijiri’s Yamato<\/em>?<\/span><\/p>\n

It was serialized in six issues of Terebiland<\/em> during the time Yamato<\/em> was broadcast. The design of the characters is quite different from the original work, which has been a problem for Academy since that time. Mr. Nishizaki in particular stated that he wants to “cherish the image of the original work” and is hesitant about reprinting this, but permission was granted to us for research purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n

We’re sure you will have your own opinions and impressions when you read it. Please send them to the Hamidashi Fan Club and we will feature them in a future issue. Finally, we’d like to express our gratitude to Mr. Hijiri, and Mr. Nishizaki at Academy, for their kind cooperation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more about this doujinshi, and see the complete manga translated, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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January 15-28: Yamato<\/em> Part 2 Production<\/h3>\n

After the staff returned from Hawaii, story development entered its next phase. Aritsune Toyota consulted on SF concepts and Keisuke Fujikawa began work on the first draft of the script. The production office officially opened at Toei studio on the 27th, and design meetings began the next day.<\/p>\n

Something else that happened on the 28th was a much-requested rebroadcast of the 4-hour radio drama first heard on All Night Nippon<\/em> in December. (Described in Vintage Report 8.)<\/p>\n

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January 17: Iscandar<\/em> Vol. 6 doujinshi<\/h3>\n

The Cosmo Battleship Yamato Connection fan club released their 6th volume on this day, a 54-page treasure trove of mecha designs, character profiles, one fan’s account of meeting Leiji Matsumoto, original fanfic and comics, a segment of the Episode 26 script, and more.<\/p>\n

See it from cover to cover here<\/a><\/p>\n

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January 20: Kinejun<\/em> magazine #728<\/h3>\n

This issue of Kinejun<\/em> only had a short piece on Yamato<\/em>, submitted by a fan for the Reader’s Film Reviews<\/em> section. But it was a different kind of review with a wholly unique observation.<\/p>\n

Read it here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

January 21: Roadshow<\/em> magazine, March issue<\/h3>\n

Yamato<\/em> finally dropped out of the top ten in the favorite movie poll, but still featured prominently on the reader page. See a larger version here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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January 28: OUT<\/em>, March issue<\/h3>\n

Despite the Yamato<\/em> logo on the cover, there wasn’t a Yamato<\/em> article in this issue. But there was still a good reason for the logo to be there; the main feature was a huge 34-page profile of the legendary Studio Nue, mecha designers for the first Yamato<\/em> series and the forthcoming Space Pirate Captain Harlock<\/em>. The studio has been written about in many other publications since then, but nobody else captured them in a time capsule like this one.<\/p>\n

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January 28 & 29: Toei Anime Festival<\/h3>\n

For fans in Osaka, the first big event of the year was a Friday\/Saturday festival held at Sankei Hall. Three films were screened on both days: Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> (45 minute digest version), an episode of Rainbow Sentai Robin<\/em> and Cyborg 009 Monster War<\/em>. Also promised was a Yamato<\/em> merch selection.<\/p>\n

There were display panels showing the history and production process of anime, and two big name guests turned up to deliver lectures: Shotaro Ishimori on the 28th and Leiji Matsumoto on the 29th.<\/p>\n

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January 29: Fan event<\/h3>\n

Yamato Launch to 1978<\/em> was the name of a one-day mini-convention, put together with the participation of four private fan clubs and Academy studio. It was held on a Sunday, and the only surviving artifact seems to be this 2-sided program.<\/p>\n

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It looks to have been a simple affair, commencing with opening remarks and TV episode screenings in the morning, then a staff speech and quiz game in the afternoon, followed by more screenings with a 3:30pm close. Regardless, until we hear otherwise, this marks the first Yamato<\/em> event organized by fans for fans. Of course, there would be many more. Yamato Party<\/a> would pick up this format and run with it six years later.<\/p>\n

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January 31: Department store exhibition<\/h3>\n

Tokyo’s Imai department store was the first commercial venue to host a Yamato<\/em> exhibition with products and displays. Imai placed this Yamato<\/em>-themed ad in newspapers to promote it along with other attractions going on that same week. It was probably the first time a major department store decided to get in on the anime boom, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.<\/p>\n

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Also spotted in January<\/h2>\n

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Famous Monsters magazine #140<\/em><\/p>\n

Lest we forget, Yamato<\/em> was slowly making its way outward to the rest of the world thanks to the English-dubbed Space Cruiser<\/em> version being licensed in Europe, America, and elsewhere. It was due to open in American theaters in the spring, so Famous Monsters<\/em> described it in a 6-page article titled Incredible Future Films<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Read that article here<\/a><\/p>\n

See the entire magazine here<\/a><\/p>\n

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News headlines from January<\/h3>\n

The 77th male number one chosen by Kurikuri<\/em> is Susumu Kodai!
\nKurikuri<\/em>, January 1<\/span><\/p>\n

Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> Part 2 to launch during summer vacation! The production of Yamato<\/em> is a challenge to adults of the “disengaged” generation
\nSankei Sports<\/em>, January 8<\/span><\/p>\n

Teenagers now play a leading role in animation, which was once thought to be for young children
\nNihon Keizai Shimbun<\/em>, January 11<\/span><\/p>\n

Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> selected as a participant in the Mainichi Film Contest in the Japan Film Awards category
\nMainichi Shimbun<\/em>, January 25<\/span><\/p>\n

Yamato<\/em> to be rebroadcast on radio.
\nMainichi Shimbun<\/em>, January 25<\/span><\/p>\n

30,000 postcards requesting the encore broadcast of Yamato<\/em> were received, and the battleship Yamato<\/em> was re-launched
\nSankei Sports<\/em>, January 27<\/span><\/p>\n

Symphonic Suite Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> joins the best 4 popular LPs.
\nMainichi Shimbun<\/em>, January 31<\/span><\/p>\n

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February 3-7: Yamato<\/em> Part 2 production<\/h3>\n

Before the script for the new movie could proceed past the opening act, numerous battle and strategy details had to be worked out for the action scenes. This was the work of Leiji Matsumoto, Tomoharu Katsumata, and Noboru Ishiguro in consultation with others on the main staff. While Series 1 was considered an extrapolation of World War II, battle scenes in the sequel would be designed on the basis of modern scientific strategies and combat methods.<\/p>\n

Read the results here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Concurrent with the \u201cBattle Plan\u201d stage, Leiji Matsumoto took the initiative to produce one more draft of the story before scriptwriting began in earnest. It was essentially a new synopsis meant to serve as script reference, infused with his own ideas for SF concepts, strategy, character names, and battle scenes. This was the last of the pre-script documents and strongly reflected Matsumoto\u2019s personality in interesting ways.<\/p>\n

Read it here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

February 14: High 1st Course<\/em>, March issue<\/h3>\n

Gakken’s student digest for 10th graders was on a roll with the magazine’s first all-up Yamato<\/em> article, an 8-page “encore” presented as a refresher before “Part 2” arrived in the summer. It consisted mostly of synopsis, but one page was devoted to little-known production trivia.<\/p>\n

Read it here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

February 15: High school chorus festival<\/h3>\n

From the time the Yamato<\/em> theme stormed its way into pop culture, it was destined to become a standard in school music performances. This created a new and eclectic channel for music releases when some of those performances were preserved on keepsake LPs like the one shown here. It was recorded at the February 1978 Tokyo Metropolitan Musashi Murayama High School 3rd Chorus Festival and released later in presumably limited numbers. It may have been the first, but it would not be the last.<\/p>\n

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February 16: Phantom II<\/em> Vol. 1 doujinshi<\/h3>\n

F4 Phantom II was the name of a new Yamato<\/em> fan club that entered the fray with a 36-page debut fanzine. It was heavily preoccupied with mecha, starting with Yukikaze<\/em>, and offered some exceptionally good fan art as a bonus.<\/p>\n

See it from cover to cover here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

February 16: Dynamic Happy Concert<\/h3>\n

Following Nippon Columbia\u2019s release of the groundbreaking Symphonic Suite Yamato<\/em> album in December 1977, Hiroshi Miyagawa teamed up with contemporary composer Katsuhisa Hattori to conduct the first live concert to feature Yamato<\/em> music. Both men were already famous for many of their other works, which included numerous film and television scores for NHK (Japan\u2019s PBS), and were also known for being a couple of goofballs both onstage and off, which only added to their popularity.<\/p>\n

Miyagawa’s portion of the concert would be released in May on what would become the next hotly-anticipated Yamato<\/em> LP, titled The World of Hiroshi Miyagawa<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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February 21: Yamato<\/em> Part 2 production<\/h3>\n

Something unprecedented in the history happened on this day; a renowned fashion designer was asked to participate in the look of an anime film. As one who made a habit of thinking outside the box, Yoshinobu Nishizaki hired haute-couture designer Yukiko Hanai to contribute her talents to costuming the characters.<\/p>\n

Not all of her contributions would be used, but she ended up creating Yuki’s beloved pink daywear and a crew T-shirt (above) that would become a real product. More importantly, she became a visible part of the production crew, one of the first women (if not THE first) to be seen in that capacity.<\/p>\n

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February 21: Roadshow<\/em> magazine, April issue<\/h3>\n

For the second month in a row, fans kept Yamato<\/em> visible in Roadshow<\/em> via artwork on the Reader Page. See an enlargement here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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February 24: News from abroad<\/h3>\n

While Japan was gearing up for the next Yamato<\/em> adventure, America came knocking at the door. The international version of the first movie was still making the rounds, but now something new was afoot. In the February 24 issue of Backstage<\/em> magazine, a syndication company named the Peter Rodgers Organization (P.R.O.) announced that they had acquired a series called Star Force<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The news flash announced that episodes would be previewed at the upcoming NATPE convention (National Association of Television Program Executives) where new programs were seen and evaluated for network pickup. This was the first step down a path that would eventually lead to Star Blazers<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Read more about that path here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

February 25: Yamato<\/em> fan club magazine #1<\/h3>\n

Imagine, just for a moment, what it must have been like for fans to open their mailboxes and see this waiting inside. It wasn’t a lot, just 18 pages including the covers and mostly black and white, but the weight of what it represented was monumental, especially for those who had carried the flame on their own from the beginning. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Fan Club (or \u201cFun Club\u201d if you prefer) Magazine #1 made Yamato<\/em> Part II its first headline story, becoming the first publication of any kind to deliver movie news directly from the home office. By the time it arrived, the script was in its third draft, design work was well underway, and storyboarding (by Yasuhiko Yoshikazu) had just begun. Found in its pages were a Part II announcement and comments, character guide, a “roots of Yamato<\/em>” retrospective, a Leiji Matsumoto mini-gallery and studio visit, a “fan plaza” that opened the door to contributions, info on private clubs, and a Q&A with Yoshinobu Nishizaki.<\/p>\n


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

Read some of the articles here:<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/a><\/p>\n

Interview with Chief Director Tomoharu Katsumata<\/a><\/p>\n

Q&A with Yoshinobu Nishizaki<\/a><\/p>\n

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February 25: Starsha Space Love<\/em><\/h3>\n

This nearly-forgotten artifact was the only Yamato<\/em> book from Joy Us publishing (created in cooperation with Bandai), but it remains a record-holder to this day.<\/p>\n

Starsha Space Love<\/em> was a children’s book, a highly simplified 16-page look at the Yamato<\/em> story from her point of view. Like Studio Nue’s Big Picture Book<\/em> from late 1974, it was handled by an insider. Studio Mates was one of many participants in the production of Series 1. One of its artists, Kenzo Koizumi, assisted illustrator Tenkou Fukuta in the making of 8 elaborate paintings that were reproduced in a giant 18″ x 24″ format, making this the Imax of Yamato<\/em> storybooks. <\/p>\n

This is where it still holds the record: for square inches. Only a couple of Yamato<\/em> wall calendars have topped it. The artwork inside has never been reprinted, but is as striking today as when it was published.<\/p>\n

See it from cover to cover here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

February 28: Mechanic Analysis<\/em> No. 2 doujinshi<\/h3>\n

Published by a club named UBYF (Uchu Battleship Yamato Fans), this followup to their first issue in December ’77 devoted 12 pages to what they were able to gather on Mamoru Kodai’s Yukikaze.<\/em><\/p>\n

See it from cover to cover here<\/a><\/p>\n

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Also spotted in February<\/h2>\n

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5th Grade Age<\/em>, March issue<\/h3>\n

This magazine from Obunsha fit into a publishing genre that would become a major component for movie publicity: student digests. Every grade had their own edition, and three different publishers competed for every grade level, which made for a wide “target zone.”<\/p>\n

This was one of the first articles, a generous 10-page primer for the original Yamato<\/em> series with an unusual “origami” gimmick in which pages were to be cut across the middle and even folded over to display images in a specific fashion. It concluded with a message of encouragement from Yoshinobu Nishizaki.<\/p>\n

See the article here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Children’s Parade Band Songbook 2<\/em><\/p>\n

Until an earlier candidate emerges, this looks to be the first professionally-published Yamato<\/em> sheet music. The publisher’s name is unclear, but the Yamato<\/em> theme is right there among other tunes such as Wooden Shoes, Beautiful Sunday<\/em>, and Butterfly<\/em>. No doubt the composition was highly simplified, but many other sources were on the way to rectify that.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

HERO No. 1 doujinshi<\/em><\/p>\n

HERO<\/em> appears to have been a doujinshi devoted to anime in general, but Yamato<\/em> got the lion’s share of its first 36-page issue with extensive ship art and six pages of Leiji Matsumoto’s Series 1 story notes.<\/p>\n

See it from cover to cover here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1978 Nippon Columbia flyer<\/em><\/p>\n

The exact date of this colorful foldout flyer is unknown, but February is a good guess based on the soundtrack albums it promotes for the upcoming months. Yamato<\/em> Part II is right on top, but its contemporaries are eminently noteworthy.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Space Fantasy Emeraldas<\/em> and Jungle Emperor [Kimba] Hit Parade<\/em> are both listed for late March. Mazinger Z, Phoenix<\/em>, and Message From Space<\/em> are listed for April. Star Wolf<\/em> and Space Pirate Captain Harlock<\/em> (soon to debut on TV) are listed for late May. Other titles (already available) are Babel II, Casshan, Ribbon Knight<\/em>, and Rainbow Soldier Robin.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Yamato<\/em> entry is particularly interesting from an archival standpoint. The promo text reads, “Aiming for a big hit in summer ’78, another big start!” The name of the movie is listed as “Sayonara Space Battleship Yamato ~ Soldiers of Love.”<\/em><\/p>\n

If the timing estimate is correct, this would be the first instance of the movie title in print (rather than “Yamato<\/em> Part 2,”) and it’s only one word off; “Sayonara” instead of “Saraba.” They mean “Goodbye” and “Farewell” respectively.<\/p>\n

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

News Headlines for February<\/h3>\n

It was decided that the Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> theme song will be played during training at the Hankyu [Braves, baseball team] grounds
\nHochi Shimbun<\/em>, February 1<\/span><\/p>\n

Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> Producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki interviewed by Seiyoung [radio show] (Bunka Broadcasting). Talked about the film’s production, incorporating actual sounds.
\nSeikyo Shimbun \/ Hochi Shimbun \/ Tokyo Shimbun \/ Yomiuri Shimbun \/ Asahi Shimbun<\/em>, February 8<\/p>\n

Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> radio drama program, popular with young people, is a representative of this type of program
\nTokyo Shimbun<\/em>, February 8<\/span><\/p>\n

Next to “Kadokawa,” maybe a “Nishizaki boom”
\nSports Nippon<\/em>, February 12<\/span><\/p>\n

Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> is the fuse for a re-boom of theater anime
\nSports Nippon<\/em>, February 19<\/span><\/p>\n

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

<\/p>\n

March: Yamato<\/em> Part 2 production<\/h3>\n

Several key milestones were met in the month of March to push the movie forward. The script was completed on the 7th, except for the final scene, which became the subject of intense focus in two subsequent meetings on the 17th and the 20th. Yukiko Hanai completed her costume designs on the 11th, character names were finalized on the 18th, and Yasuhiko Yoshikazu finished storyboarding the first of four “blocks” so that layout and animation could get underway at Toei Studio on the 22nd.<\/p>\n

Outside the production bubble, the Yamato<\/em> movie was still in theaters, the TV series returned for another rerun on four regional stations, and two major department stores in Tokyo hosted what we now call “popup shops” for Yamato<\/em> products. They very likely showcased the merchandise shown here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March 5: Kinejun<\/em> No. 731<\/h3>\n

This issue of the biweekly movie magazine didn’t have any Yamato<\/em> articles, but did provide an early announcement for Farewell to Yamato<\/em> (top right) with a caption reading, “The unprecedented topic of the day has now resurfaced!” This casual mention is slightly more important than it may first appear, since it gives the full and correct title of the upcoming movie: Saraba [Farewell] Space Battleship Yamato, Soldiers of Love<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Based on current research, this is apparently the first time it appeared in print. Before we get too much farther, it’s worth acknowledging the “other” title: Arrivederci Yamato<\/em>. This was seen on many posters and products in 1978, and was the accepted international name of the film until it was officially changed to Farewell<\/em> in 1988 when a dubbed version was produced. The words Saraba, Arrivederci,<\/em> and Farewell<\/em> are all basically synonymous, and the film is still one of a kind no matter what we choose to call it.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in Kinejun<\/em> No. 731 could be found an ad (bottom right) promoting the return of the first film to two Tokyo theaters (the Tokyu Meigaza in Shibuya and the Meigaza Milano in Shinjuku) from March 18 to April 7. The promo text reads:<\/p>\n

Sayonara Roman and the Adventures of Battleship Yamato<\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n

This work, which became a huge hit last year and drew a lot of attention, will be shown in a sayonara format during this time period. Don’t miss this chance! In the year 2199, Earth is contaminated by radiation, and humanity is one year away from extinction. Then, a message comes from the far reaches of space…<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March 14: High 1st Course<\/em>, April issue<\/h3>\n

Gakken’s student digest for 10th graders marked the 15th anniversary of TV anime with a 16-page lookback that culminated with 4 pages on Yamato. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Another highlight was a 5-page conversation between Leiji Matsumoto and SF newcomer Motoko Arai.<\/p>\n

See the Yamato<\/em> pages and read the interview here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March 14: Space Pirate Captain Harlock<\/em> debuts<\/h3>\n

Occasional space-oriented anime series appeared after 1974 to echo some of that Yamato<\/em> magic, but it took this long for a truly worthy successor to arrive. Leiji Matsumoto’s gestation period for the character went all the way back to high school, and Harlock made several disconnected manga appearances before an attempt was made to fold him into Yamato<\/em>. If not for the fateful decision to cut the series down to 26 episodes, it would have worked. (Read all about Harlock’s relationship with Series 1 here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

This new anime TV series was based on the Space Pirate Captain Harlock<\/em> manga that debuted in Playcomic<\/em> magazine on January 13, 1977. Amazingly, Galaxy Express 999<\/em> would debut in Shonen King<\/em> just 11 days later, providing a near-simultaenous launch for Matsumoto’s two most famous creations. Yamato<\/em>‘s incredible success flung the door wide open for both to migrate to anime, and all three franchises would follow very similar trajectories ever after.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March 20: News from abroad<\/h3>\n

Following the early march NATPE event, Broadcasting<\/em> magazine published a list of all the programs that were placed on the market for broadcast consideration. Star Force<\/em> was among them, now indicated as a series of 26 episodes being offered by the Peter Rodgers Association. In other words, Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> Series 1 translated into English. Yamato 2<\/em> hadn’t been announced yet in Japan, so it wasn’t part of the package being offered.<\/p>\n

The series wouldn’t get a pickup from anyone for the rest of the year, but the path to Star Blazers<\/em> was slowly being forged.<\/p>\n

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

<\/p>\n

March 21: Roadshow<\/em>, May issue<\/h3>\n

More Yamato<\/em> fan art turned up on the Reader Page of the May issue (see it here<\/a>), and the results of a “lookback poll” placed Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> on a “best ten movie list” for 1977. It landed in the #4 slot behind Rocky, The Spy Who Loved Me,<\/em> and A Bridge Too Far.<\/em><\/p>\n

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

March 25: Symphonic Suite from
\nSpace Battleship Yamato<\/em> EP single<\/h3>\n

With this release from Nippon Columbia, anyone who still hadn’t caught the buzz of the Symphonic Suite<\/em> could sample the album from the three tracks presented here. A foldout insert reproduced liner notes from the LP, which included this charmingly humble commentary from Hiroshi Miyagawa:<\/p>\n

When Producer Nishizaki called upon me to create Yamato<\/em>‘s Symphonic Suite<\/em>, I figured it would be a fairly challenging piece of work, but it would also be a bewitching job for a composer. Three years had passed since I created the soundtrack for Space Battleship Yamato<\/em>. I set my will on fire, and I wanted to create some new music with a deeper theme.<\/span><\/p>\n

At times, Mr. Nishizaki would get extremely passionate about his views, which resulted in a positive experience for a musician whose views held a wide horizon. Since there are many new arrangements here, those that have the drama album may think these are somewhat incompatible, but I feel that if you listen closely, you can catch the deeper themes I have added, and I believe they’ll fit right in with the broader tone of Yamato<\/em> music. I figure that once you listen to the opening, you’ll understand that this LP is reasonably priced.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March 25: Yamato<\/em> fan club magazine #2<\/h3>\n

The second issue of the Fan Club magazine seemed more like a doujinshi than a newsletter. There was only a single page devoted to Part 2, probably because animation production was monopolizing the staff\u2019s time and little attention could be spared for interviews. Thus, almost the entire issue became a compendium of designs from Series 1.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the designs chosen for the single page were pretty significant in hindsight. Fans got their first glimpse of the iconic Hero’s Hill monument, a rebuilt Earth city, and previously-unseen spaceship called “A new Earth Defense Force Battleship.”<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The accompanying text read as follows:<\/p>\n

Yamato<\/em> Part 2 Bulletin: Original picture production progressing smoothly<\/span><\/h3>\n

Since the first brainstorming (planning meeting), we have completed the setting, script, storyboard, and layout meetings, and Yamato<\/em>‘s engine has finally started moving forward into the stage of original picture production (i.e. key animation). In this issue, we present a bulletin on the setting meeting for the story.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is an important meeting to decide on settings for story development, characters, mecha designs, weapons, and so on. Based on a vast amount of materials, staff members discuss new images of mecha and characters and come up with unusual ideas, such as a design plan for an ultra-modern city, and other matters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Producer Nishizaki sometimes nods his head, and at other times makes suggestions and finalizes the settings. The staff’s faces are serious, since the quality of the work depends on this meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March 27: Valelus<\/em> Vol. 1 doujinshi<\/h3>\n

Edited by Yuuto Onomura, who published HERO<\/em> No. 1 in February, Valelus<\/em> was sort of a companion piece that took the same story development material by Leiji Matsumoto and enhanced\/expanded it into a 24-page compendium.<\/p>\n

See it from cover to cover here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March 28: OUT<\/em>, May issue<\/h3>\n

This issue of OUT<\/em> did not have a dedicated Yamato<\/em> article, but certainly rode the wave with a huge cover feature called The World of Akira Hio<\/em>, who had recently completed mecha designs for the forthcoming live-action Message from Space<\/em> feature film. 42 pages were devoted to his life, art, and extensive manga career.<\/p>\n

Read another career-spanning interview with Akira Hio (from 2014) here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March 29-April 4: Children’s Cinema Theater<\/h3>\n

Daimaru department store in Tokyo’s Machida district was a haven for kids during spring break, since it offered a free week-long film festival packed with a variety of anime featurettes, many of which were TV episodes repackaged for festival showings. Rotating features included Mighty Atom, Triton of the Sea, Maya the Honeybee, Star of the Giants, Ultraman Ace, Heidi of the Alps,<\/em> and more. The 45-minute Yamato<\/em> digest film was the anchor that closed out each day.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Also spotted in March<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

Yamato model kit, gold version (Bandai)<\/em><\/p>\n

After all this time, there were still only two Yamato<\/em> model kits available: the windup motor version from December 1974 and the “Deform Display” version from November 1977. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This followup was substantially resculpted to replace the much-despised windup motor with a proper third bridge and the plastic was coated in a golden-bronze finish. It also included a tiny Analyzer and two fighters, like those in the 1974 model.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It was definitely a step up, but still only a prelude to what would become a wildly successful breakout year for Bandai.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bandai promotion<\/em><\/p>\n

This ad was found in an entertainment magazine from early 1978, when Bandai put its marketing focus on the few Yamato<\/em> kits they had. The text makes an extravagant appeal to those who were only just starting to become aware of the fervor:<\/p>\n

The spectacular fantasy Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> has stirred up excitement among young people all over Japan. This excitement did not stop with the film, but also extended to records and numerous publications, and its popularity shows no sign of slowing down. Bandai has responded to the expectations of Yamato<\/em> fans by completing a full-scale display model. The defining feature of this model is the deformed bow. This has allowed us to recreate the powerful image of Yamato<\/em> just as it was in the film. Yamato<\/em> is both a joy to look at and a joy to build. Now, with the dreams and adventures that race through the majestic universe, and the love and romance of humanity hidden within its massive body, new emotions can be brought to life in your hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Starburst magazine Vol. 1, No. 2<\/em><\/p>\n

The English-dubbed Space Cruiser Yamato<\/em> movie finally made its international debut early in 1978. Exact dates and places are unknown, but this British Sci-fi magazine at least proves that someone saw it before the month of March, since it contained the first detailed review…that sliced the movie into bloody ribbons.<\/p>\n

Writer Tom Crawley, who was far more impressed with Star Wars<\/em> at the time, disqualified himself early in the review with this uninformed sentence: \u201cconsidering that Space Cruiser<\/em> must have been in the creation stage at the same time as Star Wars\u2026\u201d<\/em> and tied everything up in a smug little bow with: \u201cAmerica has the force, Japan has the farce.\u201d<\/p>\n

A 1980 issue of Starburst<\/em> followed up with a review of the second movie, admitting in the warmup that “Space Cruiser Yamato<\/em> was not that bad after all.” But we’re not up to 1980 yet, so here’s a look at the article in all its misguided glory. The poster was quite nice, though.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to read a PDF with all pages<\/p>\n

See the entire magazine here<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

What’s Next<\/h3>\n

We dive into the second quarter of 1978, a pivotal stretch of time that included heavy duty movie production, new music, new manga, legendary moments in anime publishing, official fan club meetings, and – most visibly – the first press conference to announce the coming of an anime feature film.<\/p>\n

Continue to Vintage Report 10<\/a><\/p>\n

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