{"id":42611,"date":"2024-12-17T22:43:54","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T06:43:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/?p=42611"},"modified":"2026-01-14T22:25:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T06:25:14","slug":"101b","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/101b\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 fan activity"},"content":{"rendered":"

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It’s a self-evident observation that Yamato<\/em> wouldn’t exist without its fans, and the passion-fueled conversation that began in 1974 continues today. Social media brought us blogs, trivia, rare artifacts, unexpected sightings, and much more. Even the pros who consider themselves fans got a word in. Here’s a collection of what they shared online in 2025…<\/p>\n

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January 1: Saga of a Space Battleship<\/em>, Episode 4<\/h3>\n

The good people over at Typhon Media kicked off the year with the 4th episode of their ongoing web series, the fully animated Saga of a Space Battleship.<\/em><\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to watch Surprise attack! Ice Ring Defense!<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

January 11: Shinya Takahashi’s online auctions<\/h3>\n

Shinya Takahashi’s first contribution to Yamato<\/em> was a true showstopper: the character design for Sasha in 1980’s Be Forever<\/em>. He continued through Yamato III<\/em> and Final Yamato<\/em>, and now offers new images for collectors via Yahoo Japan Auctions. He offered many new pieces throughout the year, which can be seen at these links:<\/p>\n

January<\/a> | September<\/a> | October<\/a> | November<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March 19: Traveler blog<\/h3>\n

In October 2024, a blogger going by the name Ayaka recorded his road trip across Japan from Hiroshima to Fukuyama to attend the 7th Fukuyanime convention. On this day, he posted a photoblog covering his visit to Negibou’Z, a family-style cafe run by Yamato<\/em> fans. The decor will warm your heart.<\/p>\n

click here<\/a> for the blog entry and use your browser’s translator to catch it all.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March: Fan art? Or model?<\/h3>\n

It’s tough to categorize this one, so it gets a category of its own. Posted by Twitter user Takashi Hatanaka, the caption read:<\/p>\n

I cut out Susumu Kodai and Yuki Mori using ivy leaves. Wave-Motion Guns, warps, things like that…Yamato<\/em> was a great work that left a variety of influences on future generations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Visit Takashi’s Twitter page and step into a deep vault of creativity here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An additional post from July. Can you stand a man who leafs at his own jokes? BADUMPSHHHH! You’re welcome.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March: Precision Cut Model sighting<\/h3>\n

On March 15th, Twitter user Deep Sea Nomad<\/a> posted this photo with the following caption: <\/p>\n

The Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> Complete Records Exhibition started today, and the model showing the internal structure is also available in Kure. If you can’t make it to Tokyo, be sure to visit the Kure Street Corner Citizens’ Gallery.<\/span><\/p>\n

This refers to a duplicate of the famous “Precision Cut Model” that was created for publicity events in 1980 and later given to Leiji Matsumoto. He donated this handsome fellow to the Battleship Yamato<\/em> Museum in Kure, and it now resides in a nearby gallery.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March: Family snaps<\/h3>\n

Another Twitter user named Himemitsuki<\/a> posted something with equal historical heft the next day:<\/p>\n

The 50th Anniversary Exhibition produced by Hideaki Anno is a hot topic, but these are photos from over 45 years ago when the Yamato<\/em> exhibition was touring at a department store in Numazu.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March: Video flashback<\/h3>\n

A late discovery from October 2021: Yoko Asagami (Yuki’s voice actor) posted a very brief video clip of herself, Leiji Matsumoto, and Isao Sasaki on a TV game show. The caption read: “Both Matsumoto-sensi and I were young.”<\/p>\n

See the clip here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

March: Kodai keepsake<\/h3>\n

One more ripple from the deep past: Twitter user kamono370<\/a> posted these photos with this caption:<\/p>\n

At a Be Forever Yamato<\/em> opening commemorative event, this is the autograph I received from Kei Tomiyama, but it’s in poor condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kei Tomiyama was Kodai’s original voice actor, and the photo of him is from the Voyage of Adventure Roman, the cruise that took place shortly before the Be Forever<\/em> premiere in the summer of 1980.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

April 15: Historical artifact<\/h3>\n

The single rarest product in Yamato<\/em> history has to be this one: the 1973 presentation book for the first TV series, containing early artwork and the first draft of the story that was considered ready to pitch to TV networks. It is estimated that only 80 copies were made, a “scrapbook” of photos and text assembled by hand.<\/p>\n

It comes up in this record because a copy was posted at Yahoo Japan Auctions for the asking price of 1 million yen, which converts to $7,257 as of this writing. Not a bad price, considering its place in history.<\/p>\n

See the auction photos here<\/a><\/p>\n

Read the content of the book here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

April: “Ethan Hunt the 4th” blogs<\/h3>\n

Movies and TV Dramas at Home<\/em> is a blog written by an aspiring screenwriter under the penname “Ethan Hunt the 4th.” He lived through the entire “real time” Yamato<\/em> experience as a youngster, and revisited the back catalog for the first time thanks to its new streaming presence. What were his impressions 40-plus years later?<\/p>\n

Find out here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

April: Series 1 reaction videos<\/h3>\n

In April, an anime-based Youtube series titled Stone Faced Reactions<\/em> began posting reaction videos of original Space Battleship Yamato<\/em> episodes. Whether you’re a first time viewer looking to dive in or a veteran looking to refresh your perspective, there was something in it for you. They kept at it at a steady clip, reaching the final episode in November.<\/p>\n

See them all on Youtube here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

May 4: Haruki Takachiho on Twitter<\/h3>\n

Best known as the author of Crusher Joe<\/em> and Dirty Pair<\/em>, writer Haruki Takachiho is a charter member of Studio Nue, the design house that powered the first Yamato<\/em> series. Today, he caught the eyes of Yamato<\/em> fans everywhere with this post:<\/p>\n

This Yamato<\/em> drawing by Kazutaka Miyatake was published in the 10th issue of SF Central Art<\/em> (the predecessor of Nue), which was run by Kenichi Matsuzaki. Has this been reprinted in any of the commercially available Yamato<\/em> books? If anyone knows, please let me know.<\/span><\/p>\n

The answer to this question is no. Unbelievably, an exquisite Yamato<\/em> drawing by one of its original designers can only be found in one [presumably] very rare magazine from the 1970s.<\/p>\n

See it for yourself here<\/a><\/p>\n

Read about Takachiho’s brief (but intense) encounter with Yamato<\/em> in 1978 here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

May 23: Hideki Oka on Twitter<\/h3>\n

Take a good look at the inner sanctum of Yamato<\/em> scriptwriter Hideki Oka. He posted this photo with the following caption:<\/p>\n

“My Yamato<\/em> shelves are at their limit and something falls off every day.”<\/p>\n

We feel your pain, Oka-san.<\/p>\n

See the tweet here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

May 25: Blog review<\/h3>\n

A blogger writing under the name “Twawawa” recounted a recent viewing of Farewell to Yamato<\/em> and analyzed the message of the original story in a way few have done before.<\/p>\n

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

<\/p>\n

July: When you least expect it…<\/h3>\n

These photos of an exquisite handmade 1\/200 Yamato<\/em> that turned up in a Japanese bank (of all places) were posted on Twitter by alicesdate<\/a> on July 15 with the following caption:<\/p>\n

The creator was apparently a woodworking craftsman who has passed away. It seems like a donation from someone who prevented it from being burned and destroyed. There are a few other customers around, and it seems like they might get in the shot, so that’s all for now.<\/span><\/p>\n

See the original post here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

July: Aniguriman blogs<\/h3>\n

Another blogger entered the fray with a personal mission: having seen only one Yamato<\/em> movie as a youth and been lured back in by Yamato 2199<\/em>, he decided to rewatch the entire original saga from start to finish (streaming on Prime in Japan) and share his impressions with the world.<\/p>\n

No matter how many times you’ve done this yourself, it’s always fun to see what elements grab someone’s attention even decades later.<\/p>\n

Read his entire blog series here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

July: Cel collections<\/h3>\n

Anime cel collecting has been going on for a long as fans have known about cels. Plenty of Yamato<\/em> cels are still floating around in private collections, and when a longtime collector decides to put their horde back on the market, it’s a thing to behold.<\/p>\n

This apparently happened in July when a broker called Toy’s King listed hundreds of cels and animation layouts on Yahoo Japan Auctions. Naturally, they were quickly swept up by other collectors. But along the way we got a glimpse of what cels still exist to stoke your memories.<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to see a gallery of auction photos and admire a collection that ranges from the years 1974 to 2025 and all the way to 2199!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

August 13: Production art auction<\/h3>\n

Another seller named “Reuse Yaguma” posted a new set on Yahoo Japan Auctions with dozens more layouts that ranged from the beginning through Final Yamato<\/em> to the remakes and even a few from the Playstation era.<\/p>\n

See a photo gallery here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

August: Yamato Gallery Zero<\/h3>\n

Twitter user pincet_no_3410<\/a> posted these photos to remind travelers that the city of Kure is still home to Yamato<\/em> Gallery Zero, the art space dedicated to Leiji Matsumoto.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Since the gallery opened in 2010, it’s been the permanent home of one of the two “Precision Cut” models built in 1978 and 1980. This is the 1980 version; the earlier one was last seen at the 50th Anniversary Exhibitions.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

August: Found treasure<\/h3>\n

These two vintage animation layouts from Yamato 2<\/em> Episode 9 were posted on Twitter by hachi2525X<\/a>, who said:<\/p>\n

This was given to me by someone from the studio who used to draw backgrounds for Yamato<\/em>. I had it stored away, but I forgot about it. I’m glad I didn’t throw it away! (I got it because I like Akira Yamamoto.)<\/span><\/p>\n


\nPhoto posted on Twitter by tsuguo20<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

August: Yamato IRL<\/h3>\n

Somewhere in Japan is a coin laundry facility named Yamato<\/em>, and at some point they decided to go all in with the branding.<\/p>\n

Tsuguo20 wrote, “Tohoku Shinsha, unauthorized?”<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

These photos were posted on Twitter by Eruk Domel<\/a> with this caption:<\/p>\n

When I saw outdoor lighting at the home center and thought, “Ah, it’s the reflection satellite,” I realized how much I love Space Battleship Yamato<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

September: Leiji Matsumoto Symbol Road<\/h3>\n

In the era of REBEL 3199<\/em>, we can pause and remember that a unique Be Forever Yamato<\/em> experience awaits travelers to the port city of Tsuruga, where 12 statues line the main street in what is called the Leiji Matsumoto Symbol Road. (Galaxy Express<\/em> statues line the opposite side.)<\/p>\n

See a photo collection of the statues in their sparkly reconditioned state here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

September: Phantom modeling<\/h3>\n

You don’t see a lot of crossovers between Yamato<\/em> and AI here at Cosmo DNA, since there aren’t many worth your attention. Only very occasionally does someone find the right combo to rise above, and at this moment that someone went by the online name Kou Ichirou.<\/p>\n

You might mistake the models pictured above as garage kits, but instead they are AI renders of 3D models based on art we’ve been admiring for decades. Visit Kou Ichiro’s Twitter page here<\/a> and get a better look at these images here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

October 9: Final Yamato<\/em> game storyboards<\/h3>\n

In 1985, after it seemed the door had closed on new Yamato<\/em> animation, the Taito game company opened it up again when they revived Final Yamato<\/em> in the cutting-edge realm of laserdisc-based arcade games. New footage was created to function as needed, and wherever animation goes, it is preceded by storyboards.<\/p>\n

A historical artifact from this interesting project surfaced on Twitter when a user by the name of yukesnpl<\/a> posted a sizable collection of storyboard pages produced by Taito.<\/p>\n

See a gallery of these pages here<\/a><\/p>\n

Read all about the Final Yamato<\/em> LD game here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

October: Keisuke Masunaga art auctions<\/h3>\n

Keisuke Masunaga earned well-deserved fame when he revolutionized the “Leiji Matsumoto style” for anime in the 90s and (among other things) designed the look of the Playstation games. Several original Masunaga pieces came and went in October, ending up in lucky hands.<\/p>\n

See a gallery here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

November 14: CG video by Haru<\/h3>\n

Whenever you see a new homemade Yamato<\/em> video by the filmmaker named “Haru,” drop everything. This CG artist consistently delivers the highest possible quality outside the anime itself. In November, the non-canonical Playstation-only battleship Shunran<\/em> got the Haru treatment, and the results are 100% worth your time.<\/p>\n

See it on Youtube here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

November 29: Studio Gazero on Twitter<\/h3>\n

These photos were posted on Twitter by Studio Gazero, who said that it would be unveiled at an art exhibition the next day.<\/p>\n

Studio Gazera specializes in sculptures including portait figures, anime figures and other categories. Visit the studio’s website to see their many charming works here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

November: What the…?<\/h3>\n

One way to understand the level of success achieved by a famous franchise like Yamato<\/em> is to explore how deep it went into “pachimono” subculture. This is a Japanese slang term meaning “cheap thing,” or what we would call a “knockoff.” So what’s the explanation behind the “pachimono” we’re seeing here? Because it doesn’t really look like the anime, does it?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

That’s because it’s partially based on another “pachimono” that hits a little closer to the mark; a knockoff model kit series from the late 70s called Red Hawk Yamato<\/em>. These children’s rice bowls are essentially a knockoff of a knockoff. If that doesn’t spell success, then success is unattainable.<\/p>\n

Learn much more about Red Hawk Yamato<\/em> here<\/a> and other knockoffs here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

December 8: Michio Murakawa on Bluesky<\/h3>\n

Manga\/animation artist Michio Murakawa posted this customized version of the Symphonic Suite<\/em> LP jacket with the following caption:<\/p>\n

This weekend! Sneaking out of work to be on stage in Kamata. Even though it’s called DJ’ing, I can’t handle a DJ controller, so it’ll be more like playing pre-edited audio sources.<\/span><\/p>\n

The soundtrack is from The New Voyage<\/em>. This was created by deconstructing and rearranging tracks using multiple pieces from the work, aiming to discover new charms in music familiar to the ear as a soundtrack. Titled Symphonic Suite 1979<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a reworked version of audio I created for Koshigaya FM’s soundtrack program 2D Music Hall,<\/em> revising the timing and other aspects specifically for Soundtrack Pub. It’s always a sold-out event, and since I usually attend as an audience member, I’m nervous!<\/span><\/p>\n

See the post on Bluesky here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

December 13: Manpa blog<\/h3>\n

How does the live-action Yamato<\/em> movie hold up 15 years after its premiere? A blogger named Manpa investigated this question in an attempt to analyze why the film was so divisive.<\/p>\n

Read their conclusions here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

December 14: DD3199 Memories<\/em> blog<\/h3>\n

You know what’s cool? When a shadowy memory from the past suddenly emerges into full sunlight and you realize you weren’t crazy after all. That’s the discovery this blogger made with regard to the original (1974) Yamato<\/em> novelization, which delivered a very different version of the story.<\/p>\n

Read this blog entry here<\/a><\/p>\n

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

Return to start<\/a><\/p>\n

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