{"id":40095,"date":"2025-03-26T22:09:51","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T05:09:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/?p=40095"},"modified":"2025-06-04T18:34:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T01:34:47","slug":"047b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/047b\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian Star Blazers<\/em> products"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2504icon\"<\/p>\n

A little over a year after Star Blazers<\/em> premiered in America, it burst onto TV screens in Italy with a different theme song, a localized dub, and a wave of unique merchandising seen nowhere else. Fortunately, it’s been preserved for posterity.<\/p>\n

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Part 1: Prehistory<\/h2>\n


\nPhotos by Carlo Savorelli<\/em><\/p>\n

The story of Star Blazers<\/em> in Italy begins the same way as it did in the rest of the western world: with the export of the compilation film that traveled under the title Space Cruiser Yamato<\/em>. This is the one that was cut down to about 90 minutes and dubbed in English before Star Blazers<\/em> existed. (Read all about it here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

The film was subtitled in Italian and screened on July 9 at the 16th International Science-Fiction Film Festival held in the city of Trieste from July 8-15, 1978. Its title was Incrociatore Spaziale Yamato<\/em>, which simply means Space Cruiser Yamato.<\/em><\/p>\n

An Italian blog named Imago Recensio<\/em><\/a> [Image Review] offers some enlightenment on this particular subject. The author, known as “Stengo” has this to say…<\/p>\n

The organization of the Trieste Festival in July 1978 (in the wake of the success of Goldrake<\/em>) had immediately grasped how revolutionary and varied Japanese animated science-fiction could be, but in the following years they lost interest in the subject. Japanese science-fiction cartoons were massacred in print, accused of the worst crimes against us children.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those who were qualified to defend them dealt with science-fiction from other nations except Japan. This is a factor that I have also noticed in our local science-fiction magazines, in none of those that I have consulted can one read even a shred of analysis on the phenomenon of Japanese science-fiction animation. (See examples here<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

The running time of the film screened in Trieste is confirmed as 98 minutes, therefore not the 145 minutes of the original 1977 Japanese film, but not even the 85 minutes of the English version. The names and plot of the film presented are those of the American version of the film, but missing some parts, probably the 13 minutes that would bring the film from 85 to 98. The question remains whether the journalists who wrote reviews and comments on Nishizaki’s film saw the feature film in Trieste or based their comments on the synopsis in this catalogue. Perhaps some saw it, but I think most did not.<\/span><\/p>\n


\nPhotos by Carlo Savorelli<\/em><\/p>\n

Following the film festival appearance, this 60-page hardcover storybook became the first Yamato<\/em> product to be produced in a western country. Published by Salani, the book’s indicia said it was based on the film Space Cruiser Galaxy<\/em>, distributed in Italy by Evi Film. However, the film never did get distributed in Italy, and “Stengo” has some thoughts on the name change…<\/p>\n

Obviously I can’t give certain answers, only hypotheses, however moderately logical. I imagine there could have been some question about the rights or more simply the name “Yamato” was considered not very science-fiction, and not without reason.
\nUnfortunately, the month in 1978 in which the hardback was published is not specified, which is not a small oversight. January is very different from December, especially because in the middle (more or less) Goldrake<\/em> was broadcast.<\/span><\/p>\n

(That’s the Italian version of Grendaizer<\/em>, which single-handedly ignited anime fandom there.)<\/p>\n

It can be reasonably assumed that after the success of Atlas Ufo Robot<\/em>, Salani noticed the sales of the Giunti Marzocco<\/em> hardback published in April 1978 , and therefore tried to ride the animated science-fiction wave. Of the animated science-fiction films immediately available in some warehouse was Space Cruiser Yamato<\/em>, which Salani then acquired to package as a hardback. It is worth noting that this publication won the silver medal on the podium of anime-inspired hardbacks, arriving in bookstores most likely just after Goldrake<\/em>. The proof that Salani used the reworked American version can be read in the hardcover, both in terms of the plot development and the names of the characters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Salani added another layer of confusion to the already existing mess; the American reworkers left the original name of Captain Okita, and we know that in Star Blazers<\/em> it was changed to Avatar. Salani renamed him Robin. Same thing for Yuki\/Nova who became a dull Mary… and for Doctor Sado\/Sane transformed into a ridiculous Ippo. Susumu Kodai\/Derek Wildstar was kept in the 1977 US film version as Jason Kodai, although in the hardcover version you can also read Jason Kodar… (typo?) Same fate for Daisuke Shima\/Mark Venture, left as Shane O’toole.<\/span><\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to continue Stengo’s detailed investigation of this book (use your browser’s translator if Italian off your language radar)<\/p>\n

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

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Other pages to check out at Imago Recensio<\/em>:<\/p>\n

5 articles from July and October 1978 + August 1979 on the feature film Space Cruiser Yamato<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

3 articles from 1978 on Space Cruiser Yamato<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Promotion of Space Cruiser Y.<\/em> – The greatest animated science fiction film, January 14, 1978<\/a><\/p>\n

Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> Roman Album<\/a><\/p>\n

Collection of blueprints from Farewell to Yamato<\/em>, 1978<\/a><\/p>\n

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Part 2: Star Blazers<\/em> arrives<\/h2>\n

A little over a year after Star Blazers<\/em> premiered in America, it burst onto TV screens in Italy with a different theme song, a localized dub, and a wave of unique merchandising seen nowhere else. The copyright credited both Yoshinobu Nishizaki and Westchester Merchandising Corp. (The first official Star Blazers<\/em> merch created in the US was still a few years away.)<\/p>\n

Italy had gone all-in on anime years earlier, and a thriving infrastructure already existed to both localize and merchandise any show that came through the doors. The original wave of Star Blazers<\/em> products began with the TV premiere on November 13 1980, and continued into 1981.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> for a personal account by an Italian Yamato<\/em> fan.<\/p>\n

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Opening song single, Ariston Music (Listen to it here<\/a>)<\/div>\n

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Books from Mondadori Libri<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

Mondadori was the most prolific maker of Star Blazers<\/em> products, starting with storybooks in three different formats. All the cover art was native to Italy, but the interiors were a mixture of animation stills and Italian illustrations. Page sizes started at 7.5″ x 10.25″ for the softcovers and went up to 9.5″ x 13.5″ for the deluxe hardcover.<\/p>\n

2000 lira softcover storybooks<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Departure of the Argo<\/em><\/div>\n

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2. In the Fourth Dimension
\nSee it here<\/a><\/div>\n

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3. An Enemy in the Ice
\nSee it here<\/a><\/div>\n

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4. The Octopus Star
\nSee it here<\/a><\/div>\n

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\nSide note: Mondadori is a very large publisher in Italy, presumably with international partnerships. That’s a solid explanation for what we see here, two of the above storybooks translated to Hebrew. They were probably all exported to Israel, since Star Blazers<\/em> debuted there under the name Chlutzi Hachalel [Space Pioneers]<\/em> in January 1981. Special thanks to Jim Barry for this find!<\/p>\n

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5000 lira hardcover storybooks<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Planet Earth: year 2199<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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2. Planet Iscandar, year 2200<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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8000 lira hardcover storybook.<\/span> See it from cover to cover here<\/a><\/div>\n

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Products from Mondadori Giochi<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

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Board game from Mondadori Giochi. Read about it on Imago Recensio<\/em> here<\/a>. (Browser translator ON)<\/div>\n

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Jigsaw puzzles from Mondadori Giochi<\/div>\n

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Sticker book from Edizioni Flash<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

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Very similar to the sticker collections published in Japan by Amada, Flash released packs of individual stickers and a 28-page booklet to house all 300 of them. When you were done, you’d have the entire story of the first TV series at the tips of your fingers.<\/p>\n

See an uncompleted booklet here<\/a><\/p>\n

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In a rare example of double importation, the Italian sticker book was sent over to Israel where a Hebrew edition was created. Interestingly, it reads right to left as it would in Japan. Otherwise, it is identical to the Italian original.<\/p>\n

See this version from cover to cover<\/a><\/p>\n

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Comic books from Atlas UFO Robot<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

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8 issues were published as part of a weekly ongoing series in December 1980 and January 1981. The numbering continued from an adaptation of Goldrake<\/em> (Grendaizer<\/em>), running from 97-104, after which another feature took over.<\/p>\n

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\nSee issue 98 from cover to cover here<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
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\nSee issue 102 from cover to cover here<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
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Part 3: Modern times<\/h2>\n

After a gap of several years, import products began to appear in 2007. Below is a selection of manga and video, photos mainly found on Italian Ebay…<\/p>\n

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Manga by Leiji Matsumoto, 3-volume Planet Comics edition<\/div>\n

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Manga by Leiji Matsumoto, 3-volume GOEN edition<\/div>\n

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Manga by Leiji Matsumoto, 1-volume GOEN edition<\/div>\n

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Yamato 2199<\/em> manga, GOEN edition<\/div>\n

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Great Yamato<\/em> manga by Leiji Matsumoto, 2-volume Hazard Edizioni edition<\/div>\n

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Star Blazers<\/em> series 1, 3-volume EXA edition<\/div>\n

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Star Blazers<\/em> series 1, 6-volume edition by multiple labels<\/div>\n

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Star Blazers<\/em> Series 2, 6-volume DVD Storm edition<\/div>\n

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Star Blazers<\/em> Series 3, 6-volume Stormovie edition<\/div>\n

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Star Blazers<\/em> deluxe set, 18-volume Contactoons edition<\/div>\n

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Star Blazers\/Yamato<\/em> Series 1 DVD and Blu-ray box sets, Dynit (Jan 29, 2025)<\/div>\n

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This set offers the ultimate hybrid experience; a complete uncut version of Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> with Italian subtitles AND an Italian language option using the localized Star Blazers<\/em> dub. When a deleted scene comes up, audio reverts to Japanese with subs. In some cases where dialogue conflicts, the Italian dub is accompanied by “corrected” Italian subtitles; you hear and read two different things at the same time. That’s a level of care that deserves applause. Special thanks to Carlo Savorelli for this info.<\/p>\n

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This set can be purchased from the Dynit website here<\/a>, or from Amazon.it here<\/a> (DVD) or here<\/a> (Blu-ray).<\/p>\n

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Yamato<\/em> movie, DeAgostini edition<\/div>\n

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Yamato<\/em> movies box set, Yamato Video<\/div>\n

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Top row: Final Yamato, Space Battleship Yamato, Be Forever Yamato<\/em>
\nBottom row: New Voyage, Farewell to Yamato<\/em><\/div>\n

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Repackaged “Voyager Box” edition<\/div>\n

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