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Published at Mantan Web, Oct 5, 2025. The fourth chapter of Be Forever Yamato REBEL 3199<\/em>, titled Pale Blue Maiden (Sasha)<\/em>, premiered on October 10th. The seven-chapter series saw Dessler make a notable appearance at the end of Chapter 3, released on April 11. We spoke with Koichi Yamadera, who voices Dessler in the remake series, about his feelings toward Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> and the recording process for 3199<\/em>.<\/p>\n Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> first aired as a TV anime in 1974 and has been beloved for over 50 years. Mr. Yamadera said he was deeply impacted by the first series.<\/p>\n “It started airing when I was in the first year of junior high school, and I watched every single episode live from the very first one. The reason I watched live was because there was no recording ability back then. And they didn’t just rerun things casually. I heard about it somewhere, watched the first episode, and was blown away. There weren’t many anime back then that adults could watch too. I was at that age where I thought maybe I should be graduating from anime…but this was completely different from anything I’d seen before. I got hooked and watched every single episode without missing one until the very end.”<\/p>\n Back then, he used to do impressions of Susumu Kodai, voiced by Kei Tomiyama. He was fascinated by Dessler.<\/p>\n \u201cDessler is a villain, but he’s cool, right? He’s terrifying, but he’s cool, and Masato Ibu’s voice was just wonderful. He was different from the villains in anime up until then. He’s the enemy, but he’s charismatic. I guess I was watching it as a human drama.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Tomiyama passed away in 1995, and Mr. Yamadera would go on to voice Kodai in works like Space Battleship Yamato Resurrection.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI was shocked. I absolutely loved Kei-san. Even while performing in other works, I’d sometimes think, \u2018How would Kei-san play this?\u2019 Kei-san took on many roles, but it never felt like he was forcing a character; he didn’t drastically change his voice tone either. His acting was natural and brilliant. When dubbing, I thought, \u2018If I do it in Kei-san’s style, it’ll be perfect!\u2019 But then I found out Kei-san had actually played the lead in that very work, and I was a bit flustered (laughs).\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking further about Mr. Tomiyama, Yamadera said, \u201cHe was a senior I deeply admired and loved. He was just such a kind person. It was an era with many strict seniors, but Kei-san was gentle and kind to everyone. There was one time we had lunch together. During a break, I went into a restaurant and found Kei-san there alone. I couldn’t just walk out, right? He invited me, saying, \u2018Yamadera-kun, let’s eat together,\u2019 and we talked just the two of us. I was incredibly nervous, but he was kind even then. He told me, \u2018you’re great. You can play both leading men and supporting roles. When I play a leading man, I have to really put myself into it.\u2019 I still remember how incredibly happy that made me.\u201c <\/p>\n In the remake series starting with Yamato 2199<\/em>, Yamadera-san came to play Dessler. Through Yamato 2202<\/em> and 2205<\/em>, Dessler evolved. Then, in 3199<\/em>, Dessler made his first appearance at the end of Chapter 3.<\/p>\n “I’m glad I got to be in 3199<\/em>. It took a while for the call to come, so I was genuinely happy. From Dessler’s perspective, he’d be thinking, \u2018How dare Dezarium, who did that to Garmillas, show their face…\u2019 Dezarium has some cool characters, but there are clearly some who seem downright evil too, right? Like Kazan. Dessler, having gone through many things, meets the Yamato<\/em> crew again at a point where Garmillas and Earth have made peace, and he’s come to understand the feelings of Kodai and the others. I felt Sasha’s presence was greatly involved in that. She’s the daughter of Starsha, who he loved, and her existence carries something beyond mere logic; a sense of \u201cfate.\u201d Dessler talking about \u201cfate,\u201d huh. It really makes you appreciate how amazing Mr. Fukui’s (Harutoshi) work is.”<\/p>\n \u201cThere are many \u2018Hmph\u2019 moments in this performance too. They’re incredibly important; each \u2018Hmph\u2019 carries different emotions. Do I lift the corners of my mouth? Do I open my mouth? Or keep it closed? It’s actually very deep. Is he mocking them? Does it mean \u2018Kodai would understand\u2019? Is it directed at Sasha…? There are various \u2018Hmphs\u2019, and I felt that deeply again this time. It’s difficult. I want to be known as a voice actor who can do a hundred different kinds of \u2018Hmph\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n At the beginning of each chapter of 3199<\/em>, a video is shown where a character reflects on the story so far. Chapter Four features narration by Dessler.<\/p>\n \u201cIt depicts Dessler’s thoughts. I really hope people see it in theaters. I was happy about it, and it was fun to see things from Dessler’s perspective. I occasionally deliver lines with gusto, but I’ve never had a monologue this long before. Someday, I’d love for someone to narrate the entire thing as Dessler, like Sanada did in Age of Yamato<\/em>.<\/p>\n In 3199<\/em>, a reimagining of Be Forever<\/em> and Yamato III<\/em> with new interpretations, Megumi Han’s portrayal of the popular character Sasha has also been a topic of discussion. In Be Forever<\/em> Megumi’s mother, Keiko Han, played Sasha, and Megumi ended up inheriting the role.<\/p>\n “I’ve worked with Megumi-chan on various projects, including buddy roles. It’s hard to put into words how amazing she is. She’s played many roles before, but Sasha really surprised me. Megumi-chan and Keiko-san are completely different actors, yet I sense something of Keiko-san in Sasha. I’d never felt that way about Megumi-chan before, nor thought they resembled each other. It’s an incredibly difficult role, but she plays it brilliantly. It’s wonderful!\u3000When Megumi-chan was a child, I happened to run into her with Keiko-san once. I said things like, \u2018How cute!\u2019 It’s strange that we’re acting together now.\u201c<\/p>\n Daisuke Ono, who plays Susumu Kodai, took on this major role alongside Yamadera-san.<\/p>\n \u201dWhile Yamato<\/em> is an ensemble drama, it’s ultimately Susumu’s story. He struggles, suffers, and pushes forward. I imagine it’s incredibly demanding to play, but he does it brilliantly. I always sense Ono-kun’s genuine kindness, and he portrays Kodai with such integrity. Taking over a role is tough. Everyone has their image of the character, and the weight you carry is immense. I try to be true to Dessler, but I can’t be too calculating. I need to slip into it naturally, but it’s difficult. There’s constant tension.”<\/p>\n The remake series carries on the spirit of its great predecessors. Perhaps there’s a \u201cconnection\u201d there.<\/p>\n <\/br><\/p>\n
\nSee the original post here<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault-images\/nov25\/yamadera1025B.JPG\")
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<\/p>\nWhat Dessler Means by \u2018Fate\u2019<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nDessler’s \u201cHmph\u201d laugh scenes are also memorable<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nYamato<\/em> always has a sense of tension<\/h3>\n